Stanford Gertz
About Stanford Gertz
Independent director at Strawberry Fields REIT, Inc. (STRW); age 48; appointed to the Board on December 19, 2024. Background spans long-term care pharmacy operations and 17 years in commercial financing with specialization in senior housing; generated over $200 million in loans. Education: B.B.A., Loyola University Chicago (Magna Cum Laude, 1995); MBA, DePaul University (2005). Currently serves on three independent Board committees (Audit; Compensation; Nominating & Corporate Governance).
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Care One Pharmacy Services | Operator; runs Midwest regional long-term care pharmacy serving 6 states | Since 2017 | Senior housing pharmacy operations supporting LTC facilities |
| Commercial financing firms (various) | Leadership roles in commercial finance with senior housing focus | ~17 years (prior to 2017) | Generated >$200M in loans; senior housing market specialization |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brickyard Bank (Chicago, IL) | Director | Current | “Sits on numerous banking committees” (specific committees not listed) |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined four of six directors are independent; all standing committees are comprised exclusively of independent directors. Gertz serves on Audit, Compensation, and Nominating & Corporate Governance, evidencing independence.
- Committee assignments:
- Audit Committee: Jack Levine (Chair), Ted Lerman, Stanford Gertz.
- Compensation Committee: Stanford Gertz, Jack Levine, Mark Myers.
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee: Ted Lerman, Stanford Gertz, Mark Myers.
- Attendance: Board held six meetings in 2024; each current director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings held while they have been a director. The Company expects each director to attend the Annual Meeting.
- Structure: Non-classified Board; Chairman and CEO roles combined (Moishe Gubin); independent directors hold regular executive sessions.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual director retainer (independent directors) | $60,000 | Directors who are officers/employees receive no additional director pay; out-of-pocket expenses reimbursed. |
| 2024 Fees (Gertz) | $0 | Appointed December 19, 2024; 2024 fees table shows “-” for Gertz. |
| Committee chair/member fees | Not disclosed | No additional committee fees disclosed. |
Performance Compensation
| Performance-linked element | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Equity grants (RSUs, PSUs) | Annual grants/deferred stock units | Not disclosed for directors. |
| Options/PSUs & metrics (TSR, EBITDA, ESG) | Strike, vesting, metrics | Not disclosed for directors. |
| Clawbacks/COC provisions (directors) | Clawback triggers, single/double trigger, accelerated vesting | Not disclosed for directors. |
No equity or performance-based director compensation is disclosed; director pay is cash-only retainer per proxy.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Public/Private | Role/Committee | Interlock with STRW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brickyard Bank | Not specified in proxy | Director; multiple banking committees | None disclosed with STRW operations or counterparties. |
No related-party transactions involving Mr. Gertz are disclosed; related-party leases primarily involve entities affiliated with directors Moishe Gubin and Michael Blisko.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Sector expertise: Senior housing finance and operations (LTC pharmacy), relevant to STRW’s skilled nursing/assisted living real estate portfolio.
- Financial oversight: Service on Audit Committee (Levine is the audit committee financial expert and chair).
- Education: B.B.A. (Loyola University Chicago, Magna Cum Laude), MBA (DePaul University).
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned | OP Units Beneficially Owned | Pledged as Collateral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford Gertz | Not reported (table shows “-”) | Not reported (table shows “-”) | None; “No shares beneficially owned by any executive officer or director have been pledged.” |
Ownership guidelines or compliance status for directors are not disclosed.
Governance Assessment
- Positive signals:
- Independent director on all three key committees (Audit, Compensation, Nominating & Governance), supporting board oversight breadth.
- Attendance threshold met (≥75% of meetings during tenure); expectation to attend Annual Meeting.
- No personal related-party transactions or guarantees disclosed involving Gertz.
- Potential risks/red flags (company-level context he must oversee):
- Extensive related-party tenant exposure: 67 of 124 facilities had related-party tenants at year-end 2024; large master leases with entities affiliated with two directors (Gubin/Blisko), including a 10-year Indiana master lease with $14.5M initial rent and 3% escalators, and $18.0M inducement paid to tenants to terminate a purchase option—heightened conflict oversight burden for Audit/Nominating/Compensation committees.
- Banking relationship: ~$5.9M deposits with OptimumBank where the CEO is Chairman—requires independent oversight of counterparty exposure.
- Combined Chair/CEO structure may concentrate power; independent executive sessions partially mitigate.
- Implications: As a new independent director across all key committees, Gertz’s effectiveness will hinge on robust conflict management (tenant affiliations and banking ties), auditor independence monitoring, and compensation governance aligned to shareholder outcomes.