Alexander Herzick
About Alexander Herzick
Alexander Herzick (age 44 as of April 22, 2025) is a Class I director of Alpha Teknova, Inc. (TKNO), serving since January 2019; he is a Partner at Telegraph Hill Partners (“THP”) since June 2018, with prior roles at BlueMountain Capital Management and Bank of America Securities, and holds a BA in Economics from Duke University and an MBA with honors from Kellogg School of Management . He is standing for re‑election to a term ending at the 2028 annual meeting . TKNO is a “controlled company” under Nasdaq rules due to THP’s majority ownership .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America Securities | Analyst, Investment Banking | Jun 2003 – Jun 2005 | Early finance training |
| BlueMountain Capital Management (now Assured Investment Management) | Portfolio Manager | Jun 2005 – Jun 2007 | Buy‑side portfolio management experience |
| Telegraph Hill Partners (THP) | Partner | Jun 2018 – Present | Growth equity in life sciences; partner at THPMC (manager of THP funds) |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carterra, Inc. | Director (represents THP) | Current | Private portfolio company |
| Argonaut Manufacturing Services, Inc. | Director (represents THP) | Current | Private portfolio company |
| Cell Microsystems, Inc. | Director (represents THP) | Current | Private portfolio company |
| Excellos, Inc. | Director (represents THP) | Current | Private portfolio company |
| Dynex Technologies, Inc. | Director (represents THP) | Current | Private portfolio company |
No public company directorships disclosed for Herzick outside TKNO .
Board Governance
- Board class and term: Class I; term expires at 2025 annual meeting; nominated for 2028 term .
- Committee assignments: Herzick is not listed as a member of the Audit, Compensation, or Nominating & Corporate Governance Committees; (footnote indicators absent next to his name) .
- Independence: Not independent under Nasdaq rules due to employment with Telegraph Hill Management Company LLC (“THPMC”), the corporate manager of THP .
- Controlled company: TKNO utilizes controlled company exemptions (e.g., Compensation and Nominating committees not entirely independent) .
- Attendance: In FY2024, the board held 9 meetings and acted by written consent twice; each director attended at least 75% of board and applicable committee meetings; only one director attended the 2024 annual meeting .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Annual Board Retainer ($) | Committee Member Fees ($) | Committee Chair Fees ($) | Meeting Fees ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | — | — | — | Non‑employee, non‑independent directors did not receive retainers in FY2024 |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — | No director fees recorded for Herzick in FY2023 table |
Policy reference (context for independent directors):
- Board retainer $40,000; Committee member: Audit $10,000, Compensation $7,500, Nominating $5,000; Chair: Audit $20,000, Compensation $15,000, Nominating $10,000 .
- Compensation caps: ≤$750,000 per year; ≤$1,000,000 in first‑year appointment .
Performance Compensation
| Year | RSUs Granted (#) | Option Awards (Grant-Date FV $) | Vesting Terms | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | — | N/A (no awards) | None disclosed for directors; RSUs vest 1 year when granted to independent directors |
| 2023 | — | — | N/A (no awards) | None disclosed for directors |
Context: Annual RSU grants for independent directors targeted at 0.10% of shares outstanding (modified to fixed 20,000 shares for FY2024); initial option grants for new independent directors at 0.20% of shares outstanding; RSUs vest after one year; options vest 1/3 at year 1, then monthly over 24 months .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Person/Entity | Relationship | Governance Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Entities affiliated with THP | 70.6% of common stock outstanding (37,717,565 shares) as of Apr 22, 2025 | Controlling shareholder; TKNO classified as “controlled company” |
| Paul Grossman; J. Matthew Mackowski | TKNO directors; partners/managers at THPMC | Interlocks with Herzick via THP/THPMC; not independent |
| AON | Compensation consultant engagement in 2025 | Peer group and director compensation recommendations reviewed by committee |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Investment and growth equity expertise in healthcare/life sciences; transactional experience (debt/equity/M&A) .
- Education: BA Economics (Duke), MBA with honors (Kellogg) .
- Industry exposure across life science products and strategy/business development per board skills matrix .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Herzick | — | — | Disclaims beneficial ownership of THP‑held shares; may be deemed beneficial owner via THPMC roles |
| Entities affiliated with THP | 37,717,565 | 70.6% | THP IV LP, THP IV LLC, THP V LP, THP V LLC aggregated; shared voting/dispositive power |
Shares outstanding base: 53,440,810 as of April 22, 2025 .
Governance Assessment
- Independence: Non‑independent director tied to controlling shareholder (THP/THPMC), alongside two other non‑independent THP partners on the board—elevated conflict risk and reduced minority shareholder influence .
- Committees: Herzick holds no committee seats; Compensation and Nominating committees include non‑independent directors under controlled company exemptions, potentially weakening independent oversight of pay and nominations .
- Pay alignment: Herzick received no director cash or equity compensation in 2023–2024; while this avoids direct pay conflicts, his lack of direct share ownership diminishes personal “skin in the game,” with influence exerted through THP’s majority stake rather than individual holdings .
- Attendance: Board‑level attendance met at least 75% in FY2024; annual meeting attendance was limited (one director), a modest engagement signal, though Herzick’s individual annual meeting attendance is not disclosed .
Red Flags
- Controlled company governance with three THP‑affiliated, non‑independent directors (including Herzick) and use of exemptions from fully independent committees .
- No direct beneficial ownership by Herzick; reliance on THP’s stake may misalign personal incentives with minority shareholders .
- Charter provisions granting THP enhanced influence (e.g., removal/meeting mechanics tied to THP Trigger Event) and anti‑takeover effects, potentially entrenching control .
Note: Director‑specific performance metrics, severance/change‑of‑control terms, hedging/pledging, related‑party transactions involving Herzick personally, and Form 4 insider trades are not disclosed in the cited filings.