Kristine Jacques
About Kristine M. Jacques
Kristine M. Jacques (age 57) is an independent director of Tenon Medical (TNON), appointed March 25, 2024. She brings >25 years in spine/medtech, including VP/GM roles at Vivex Biologics and Alphatec Spine (ATEC), with earlier management roles at General Electric and Smith & Nephew; she holds a B.A. in Finance Administration from Michigan State University . The Board classifies her as independent under Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vivex Biologics, Inc. | Vice President & General Manager, Interventional Pain Therapies | 2017–2023 | Led strategy to commercialize disruptive tech in interventional spine; targeted large TAM . |
| Alphatec Spine (Nasdaq: ATEC) | Vice President | 2007–2017 | Led 3-year portfolio strategy to grow share via innovation and product positioning . |
| General Electric (GE) | Various management roles | 1995–2007 | Management positions across GE businesses . |
| Smith & Nephew (NYSE: SNN) | Various management roles | 1991–1994 | Management positions at global medtech firm . |
| GE Capital | Account Manager, Senior Investment Analyst | 1988–1991 | Finance/analyst roles . |
External Roles
| Type | Organization(s) | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public company directorships (current) | — | — | No public company board roles disclosed for Jacques in the proxy . |
| Non-profit/academic boards | — | — | Not disclosed . |
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Independent (Nasdaq definition) . |
| Board tenure | Appointed March 25, 2024 . |
| Board/Committee attendance | All directors in FY2024 attended at least 80% of Board and committee meetings during their service period . |
| Board meetings (FY2024) | 5 meetings; 8 unanimous written consents . |
| Committee memberships | Audit Committee (member); Compensation Committee (member) . |
| Committee chair roles | None for Jacques (Audit Chair: Ivan Howard; Nominating & Corporate Governance Chair: Robert Weigle) . |
| Audit Committee activity | Met 5 times in FY2024 . |
Fixed Compensation (Non-Employee Director; FY2024 Earned)
| Component | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Board retainer (cash) | $30,000 . |
| Audit Committee member fee (cash) | $7,500 . |
| Compensation Committee member fee (cash) | $16,875 . |
| Total cash | $44,375 . |
Notes: FY2024 reflects partial-year service; Jacques joined the Board on March 25, 2024 .
Performance Compensation (Director Equity)
| Grant Type | FY2024 Equity Value | Shares | Vesting/Other Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSU (initial director grant) | $12,040 . | Not disclosed in proxy . | Proxy states no equity was issued to directors in 2024 other than Jacques’ initial RSU grant . |
| Near-term vesting indicator | — | 583 RSUs | RSUs underlying 583 shares vest within 60 days of March 26, 2025 (beneficially owned via right to acquire) . |
Performance metrics: The proxy does not disclose performance metrics for director equity; director equity (RSUs) appears time-based rather than performance-based .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public boards | None disclosed for Jacques . |
| Committee roles at other public boards | Not disclosed . |
| Interlocks with TNON competitors/suppliers/customers | None disclosed; related-party review centralized under the Audit Committee . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Spine/medtech commercialization and portfolio strategy leadership (Vivex Biologics; Alphatec Spine) .
- Broad operating and managerial experience at GE and Smith & Nephew; finance background (GE Capital) .
- Independent director with committee experience (Audit; Compensation) .
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Detail |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (common) | 583 shares, comprising RSUs vesting within 60 days of March 26, 2025 . |
| Ownership % | Not shown in proxy table for Jacques; overall noted as immaterial in context (table uses “*” for <1% where applicable) . |
| Vested vs. unvested | Not fully disclosed; near-term vesting of 583 shares noted . |
| Pledged/hedged shares | No pledging arrangements disclosed; proxy notes no arrangements (including pledges) known that could result in a change of control . |
| Ownership guidelines | Not disclosed in proxy . |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and committee load: Independent director serving on both Audit and Compensation—key oversight levers; not a chair (Audit chaired by an “financial expert” Ivan Howard), which supports independent oversight without concentration of power .
- Attendance/engagement: Board met 5 times in FY2024; all directors, including those serving part-year, attended ≥80% of board/committee meetings—no attendance red flags .
- Alignment and incentives: FY2024 director pay for Jacques skewed toward cash ($44,375 cash; $12,040 equity) given mid-year appointment; initial RSU grant adds alignment, with near-term vesting of 583 shares disclosed .
- Conflicts/related-party risk: Proxy discloses related-party arrangements only for the Executive Chairman (Ferrari consulting); none involve Jacques—no related-party red flags tied to her .
- Legal/disciplinary matters: No legal proceedings involving directors reported for the past ten years—no integrity red flags .
Appendix: Director Compensation Summary (FY2024)
| Director | Cash Compensation | Equity Compensation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kristine M. Jacques | $44,375 | $12,040 | $56,415 |
Overall signals: Jacques adds relevant spine/medtech commercialization expertise to Audit and Compensation oversight with clean independence and attendance profile. Equity alignment exists but is modest given early tenure; no disclosed conflicts or governance red flags tied to her .