Richard Hawkins
SavaraAbout Richard J. Hawkins
Richard J. Hawkins (age 76) has served as an independent director of Savara Inc. since October 2010 and is a current member of the Audit Committee. He is a seasoned life sciences operator and company builder: founder/CEO of Pharmaco (1981–2000), co‑founder and Chair of Sensus (sold to Pfizer in 2001), and CEO/Chair of Lumos Pharma from September 2010 until its acquisition in December 2024. He currently serves on the board of Plus Therapeutics (Nasdaq: PSTV) and has served on several private life sciences company boards; he previously served on SciClone’s board until its October 2017 acquisition. He holds a B.S. in Biology from Ohio University .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmaco | Founder, President & CEO | 1981–2000 | Grew to >2,000 employees; later merged with PPD to form PPD Pharmaco |
| Sensus | Co‑founder, Chair | Through 2001 | Company sold to Pfizer in 2001 |
| Lumos Pharma (Nasdaq: LUMO) | CEO & Chair | Sep 2010 – Dec 2024 | Led company until acquisition in Dec 2024 |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status/Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plus Therapeutics (Nasdaq: PSTV) | Director | Current | Public company directorship |
| Private life sciences companies (several) | Director | Current | Unspecified entities (private) |
| SciClone Pharmaceuticals | Director | Prior; until Oct 2017 | Tenure ended upon acquisition |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member (not Chair) .
- Independence: Board has determined all Audit Committee members, including Hawkins, meet Nasdaq and Exchange Act Rule 10A‑3 independence standards .
- Years of service: Director since October 2010 .
- Attendance: In 2024, every director attended at least 75% of Board and relevant committee meetings; Board met 5x, Audit 4x, Compensation 2x, Nominating & Governance 2x .
- 2025 election outcome: Re‑elected with 122,496,649 votes for, 1,450,704 against, 88,791 abstentions; broker non‑votes 27,429,147 .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet at least annually in executive session .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Detail | Amount/Terms | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fees earned or paid in cash (2024) | Non‑employee director cash fees (aggregate for 2024) | $49,000 | |
| Annual Board cash retainer | Policy level | $40,000 per year (non‑employee directors) | |
| Committee fee schedule (pre‑Dec 2024) | Audit Chair/Member | $18,000 / $9,000 | |
| Compensation Chair/Member | $13,000 / $6,500 | ||
| Nominating & Governance Chair/Member | $8,500 / $4,500 | ||
| Committee fee schedule (beginning 2025) | Audit Chair/Member | $20,000 / $10,000 | |
| Compensation Chair/Member | $14,000 / $7,000 | ||
| Nominating & Governance Chair/Member | $10,000 / $5,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant Date | Quantity | Vesting | Grant-Date Fair Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU (director) | Dec 12, 2024 | 40,000 RSUs | Vest in full on 1‑year anniversary of grant | Included in “Stock Awards ($)” | Annual grant to each non‑employee director under the 2024 Plan |
| 2024 Director Stock Awards (aggregate) | 2024 | — | — | $134,000 | Hawkins’ stock award fair value for 2024 |
- As of Dec 31, 2024, each non‑employee director held 40,000 unvested RSUs .
- Hawkins held options to purchase 166,209 shares as of Dec 31, 2024 .
- No director‑level performance metrics are disclosed for equity; RSUs are time‑based vesting awards .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector | Role | Overlap/Interlock Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plus Therapeutics (PSTV) | Biopharma | Director (current) | No Savara‑disclosed related‑party transactions since Jan 1, 2023 |
| SciClone Pharmaceuticals | Biopharma | Director (prior) | Tenure ended in Oct 2017 (acquisition) |
- Related‑party transactions: Audit Committee reviews any Item 404 transactions; Savara reported none requiring disclosure since Jan 1, 2023 .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Extensive pharma/biotech operating and board experience (founder/CEO, company builder, public and private boards) .
- Audit oversight experience as Savara Audit Committee member .
- Education: B.S. in Biology (Ohio University) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Inclusions/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard J. Hawkins | 193,450 | <1% | Includes 166,209 shares issuable upon exercise of options or vesting of RSUs within 60 days of Apr 7, 2025 |
| Unvested RSUs (as of 12/31/2024) | 40,000 (per non‑employee director) | — | Applies to each non‑employee director, including Hawkins |
| Options outstanding (12/31/2024) | 166,209 (Hawkins) | — | Director‑level options held by Hawkins |
- Hedging/pledging restrictions: Company policy prohibits directors from hedging, short sales, and pledging Savara securities (including purchasing on margin) .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness and independence: Hawkins is a long‑tenured, non‑employee director and Audit Committee member; the Board has determined Audit Committee members (including Hawkins) meet Nasdaq and Rule 10A‑3 independence standards, supporting rigorous financial oversight .
- Engagement: Attendance met/exceeded the 75% threshold across Board/committee meetings in 2024; re‑election support in 2025 was strong based on votes cast (122.5M for vs. 1.45M against) .
- Alignment and incentives: Director pay blends cash fees with annual time‑based RSUs (40,000 units granted Dec 12, 2024), aligning with shareholder outcomes via equity exposure; in 2024 Hawkins received $49,000 in cash fees and $134,000 in stock awards .
- Conflicts/related‑party exposure: No related‑party transactions requiring disclosure since Jan 1, 2023; insider trading policy bans hedging/pledging—both mitigate alignment and conflict risks .
- Shareholder feedback context: Say‑on‑pay approvals have been high (≈95% in 2024; 91% in 2023), indicating broad investor support for compensation governance, though these votes pertain to NEO pay rather than director pay .