Donald Brunson
About W. Donald Brunson
Independent director at Third Coast Bancshares, Inc. (TCBX); age 80; director of the Company and Bank since 2019. Background spans 50+ years in commercial banking and asset‑based lending, preceded by 3 years in public accounting at Price Waterhouse & Co; licensed CPA; B.S. in Accountancy from Louisiana Tech University . Classified as independent by the Board (exceptions are Dennis Bonnen, Greg Bonnen, and Bart Caraway) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price Waterhouse & Co. | Public accounting; became CPA in early 1970s | 3 years (pre-1969 banking start) | Technical accounting grounding |
| Allied Bank of Texas | Vice President, Commercial Lending | 1969–1976 (7 years) | Commercial lending leadership |
| Northwest Crossing National Bank | First CEO & President | Began 1982; bank grew to >$500mm assets; predecessor to Amegy Bank | Built growth platform; executive leadership |
| American Prudential Capital | Asset‑based and A/R lending | After departing Amegy; dates not disclosed | Specialty lending expertise |
| Bank of Houston | Co‑founder; Chairman of the Board | Dates not disclosed | Governance leadership; franchise building |
| Fortiter Wealth Management | Senior Relationship Manager (Marketing & Sales) | 2016–late 2022; retired late 2022 | Client relationship management |
External Roles
No current public company directorships disclosed. Prior leadership includes co‑founder/Chairman at Bank of Houston and executive roles at multiple banks and lending firms .
Board Governance
- Independence: Independent director under Nasdaq/SEC rules .
- Committees: Member, Audit Committee; Member, Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee .
- Chair roles: None; Audit chaired by Carolyn Bailey; Corporate Governance & Nominating chaired by Martin Basaldua .
- Attendance/Engagement: Board met 12 times in 2024; each director participated in at least 75% of aggregate board and committee meetings; nine directors attended the 2024 annual meeting . Audit Committee met 10 times; Corporate Governance & Nominating met 5 times in 2024 .
- Lead Independent Director: Dr. Martin Basaldua; presides over executive sessions .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Amount/Terms |
|---|---|
| Company Board meeting fee | $333 per meeting |
| Bank Board meeting fee | $333 per meeting |
| TCCC Board meeting fee | $333 per meeting |
| Quarterly stipends | $5,000 (Company) + $5,000 (Bank) per quarter |
| Committee meeting fees | Audit $400; CG&N $300 per meeting (Brunson not chair) |
| Chair stipends (for info) | Audit $1,375; CG&N $1,375 per quarter (Brunson not chair) |
| 2024 Director cash earned | $74,074 |
| All other compensation | — (none disclosed) |
Total director compensation 2024: $94,055, including stock awards (see below) .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Component | Grant/Value | Vesting |
|---|---|---|
| Annual restricted stock grant | $19,981 grant date fair value (non‑employee directors; except Scavuzzo) | Terms per award; number of shares varies by grant date pricing |
| Unvested RS (as of 12/31/24) | 1,594 shares unvested (Brunson) | Noted below |
| Specific vesting | 962 RSUs/RS to vest May 30, 2025 (Brunson) | May 30, 2025 |
No performance‑based equity metrics disclosed for director grants; awards appear time‑based under the 2017 Director Stock Option Plan and 2019 Omnibus Incentive Plan (non‑employee director cap $500,000 per year) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| — | — | No current public company directorships disclosed |
| Compensation Committee interlocks | None reported for 2024 | Company states no interlocks/insider participation; Brunson not on Compensation Committee |
Expertise & Qualifications
- 50+ years in commercial/asset‑based lending across Houston market; multiple bank leadership roles including CEO/President .
- CPA credential and early career in public accounting (Price Waterhouse & Co.) .
- Founding/governance experience (Bank of Houston; Northwest Crossing National Bank) .
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | 56,618 shares; <1% of shares outstanding |
| Individually held | 37,156 shares |
| IRA | 12,500 shares |
| Options | 6,000 shares (counted per SEC beneficial ownership rules if exercisable within 60 days) |
| Unvested restricted stock | 962 shares vesting May 30, 2025; 1,594 unvested shares reported as of 12/31/24 |
| ESOP allocation | Not disclosed for Brunson |
Hedging prohibited and pledging restricted to pre‑approved exceptions with financial capacity; short sales prohibited. No pledging by Brunson is disclosed .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; service on Audit and Corporate Governance & Nominating Committees; high engagement signal from 2024 meeting cadence; deep lending and bank leadership experience; meaningful personal share ownership and ongoing restricted stock vesting align interests .
- Compensation alignment: Director pay structure is modest cash stipends/meeting fees plus small annual RS grants; non‑employee director compensation capped at $500k under plan; no performance metrics tied to director equity disclosed, consistent with typical bank governance .
- Conflicts/related parties: No related party transactions disclosed for Brunson. The board maintains a formal related‑party approval policy and highlighted a consulting agreement with director Dennis Bonnen (not Brunson); family tie exists between Dennis and Greg Bonnen (not Brunson) .
- Attendance/compliance: Company reports at least 75% attendance for all directors; no Section 16 delinquency noted for Brunson in 2024 (two other executives had late filings) .
RED FLAGS: None specifically tied to Brunson disclosed. Board‑level items to monitor include family relationship between Dennis and Greg Bonnen and prior consulting arrangement with Dennis Bonnen, though both are outside Brunson’s profile and subject to policy oversight .