Anthony Thomopoulos
About Anthony Thomopoulos
Anthony Thomopoulos (age 87) is an independent director of Kartoon Studios, Inc. and has served on the Board since February 2014. He is Vice Chair of the Board, and brings decades of entertainment industry leadership including prior roles as Chairman of United Artists Pictures and President of Amblin Television, with a degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University . The Board has determined he is independent under NYSE American rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Artists Pictures | Chairman | 1986–1989 | Led major film studio operations |
| Thomopoulos Pictures | Chief Executive Officer | 1989–present | Founded independent production company |
| Amblin Television (Amblin Entertainment) | President | 1991–1995 | Oversaw television division |
| International Family Entertainment, Inc. | President | 1995–1997 | Led family entertainment company |
| Media Arts Group (NYSE-listed) | Chairman & CEO | Jun 2001–Jan 2004 | Public company leadership |
| Morning Light Productions | Founding Partner | Not disclosed | Founding partner in production venture |
| Thomopoulos Productions | Operator/Founder | 2008–present | Founded and operates production entity |
| BKSems, USA | Consultant | Not disclosed | Advisor to digital signage company |
| California Service Corps (State of CA) | State Commissioner | 2005–2008 | Public service under Governor Schwarzenegger |
| Georgetown University | Board of Directors | 1978–1988 | University governance |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Hellenic Society | Advisor and Member | Not disclosed | Civic/heritage organization involvement |
| Current public company boards | None disclosed | — | No additional current public company directorships in proxy bio |
Board Governance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Board role | Vice Chair of the Board |
| Independence | Determined independent under NYSE American rules |
| Committees | Not listed as a member of Audit, Compensation, Nominating, or Investment Committees in 2024 |
| Committee structure (2024) | Audit: Davis, Sicignano (Chair), Segall; Compensation: Segall (Chair), Loesch; Nominating: Segall (Chair), Davis; Investment: Davis, Sicignano |
| Meetings (2024) | Board 6; Audit 4; Compensation 1; Nominating 1; Investment 1 |
| Attendance | No director attended fewer than 75% of Board and relevant committee meetings in 2024 |
| Annual meeting attendance policy | Members make every effort, but not required, to attend |
| Section 16(a) compliance | Form 4 late filings for Thomopoulos on Mar 22, 2024; May 8, 2024; Nov 8, 2024; Jan 17, 2025 |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Company prohibits hedging, short sales, options in company stock, margin accounts, and pledging by directors |
Fixed Compensation (Director — 2024)
| Component | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees earned or paid in cash | $20,000 | |
| Stock awards (grant-date fair value) | $20,000 | |
| Board service subtotal | $40,000 (cash + stock) | |
| Committee fees | $0 (not listed as member/chair in 2024) | |
| Other consulting services | $63,000 | |
| Total | $103,000 | |
| Option awards outstanding | 2,000 options at year-end (outstanding) |
Directors are compensated per meeting with a mix of cash and stock: $10,000 per quarterly meeting, $10,000 for committee chairs, $5,000 for committee members; the Compensation Committee determines cash vs. stock mix .
Performance Compensation (Director — 2024)
| Metric | Structure | Disclosure |
|---|---|---|
| Annual equity grant | Stock awards to directors | Grant-date fair value $20,000 (not performance-based) |
| Options | Legacy/standing options outstanding | 2,000 options outstanding; no 2024 repricings disclosed |
| Performance metrics (revenue, EBITDA, TSR, ESG) | Not applicable to director compensation | No performance-tied metrics disclosed for directors |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed in proxy bio |
| Prior public company leadership | Media Arts Group (NYSE-listed) Chairman & CEO (2001–2004) |
| Interlocks with suppliers/customers | None disclosed for Thomopoulos |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Entertainment industry leadership across studios and television; former Chairman (United Artists) and President (Amblin Television) .
- Public company C-suite experience (Media Arts Group) .
- Governance and civic service (Georgetown University Board; California Service Corps Commissioner) .
- Education: Degree in Foreign Service, Georgetown University .
- Independent director under NYSE American rules .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shares owned directly | 81,891 | |
| Options exercisable (≤60 days) | 2,000 | |
| Total beneficial ownership | 83,891 | |
| Percent of class | <1% (asterisk indicates less than 1%) | |
| Pledging/Hedging | Prohibited by company Trading Policy for directors | |
| Ownership guidelines | No director ownership guideline disclosure identified in proxy |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness and engagement: Thomopoulos is Vice Chair, classified independent, and no directors fell below 75% attendance in 2024, supporting baseline engagement standards .
- Committee influence: He did not serve on Audit, Compensation, Nominating, or Investment Committees in 2024, limiting direct oversight in these areas; committee chairs are Segall (Comp/Nom) and Sicignano (Audit) .
- Alignment and incentives: Beneficial ownership is <1% (83,891 shares including options); directors receive modest annual stock awards, but no performance-based metrics are disclosed for director compensation .
- Potential conflicts and red flags:
- Consulting fees: $63,000 in “other consulting services” were paid to Thomopoulos in 2024, alongside director fees. While the Board considers him independent, paid consulting to a sitting director can raise perceived independence or conflict concerns for investors .
- Section 16(a) timeliness: Multiple late Form 4 filings (Mar 22, 2024; May 8, 2024; Nov 8, 2024; Jan 17, 2025) are a compliance red flag that may affect confidence in individual reporting controls .
- Risk controls: The company’s Trading Policy prohibits hedging and pledging, which is positive for alignment; executive incentive clawback policy is adopted, and plan terms allow clawback, supporting governance rigor (though executive-focused) .
Insider Trades and Section 16(a) Compliance
| Date | Filing issue | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 22, 2024 | Late Form 4 | One transaction filed late |
| May 8, 2024 | Late Form 4 | One transaction filed late |
| Nov 8, 2024 | Late Form 4 | One transaction filed late |
| Jan 17, 2025 | Late Form 4 | One transaction filed late |
Related Party Transactions
- No related-party transactions disclosed for Thomopoulos above SEC thresholds; company disclosed a separate related-party license with AHAA (Andy Heyward) and a shareholder loan to Your Family Entertainment AG involving former director Dr. Stefan Piëch; Thomopoulos not party to these .
Compensation Structure Notes
- Director pay combines cash and stock per meeting and committee service; Thomopoulos earned $40,000 for Board service in 2024 (split $20,000 cash, $20,000 stock) and $63,000 for consulting; 2,000 options outstanding at year-end .
- No discretionary or performance-tied director incentive metrics are disclosed; no director-specific severance, change-in-control, or tax gross-ups disclosed .
Say-on-Pay & Shareholder Feedback
- 2024 Annual Meeting results disclosed director elections and plan amendments; no separate say‑on‑pay proposal reported. All director nominees were elected; incentive plan increase was approved .
Summary Implications for Investors
- Independence is formally affirmed, but paid consulting to a sitting director and repeated late SEC ownership filings are notable governance risk indicators that may affect investor confidence in board oversight and individual compliance rigor .
- Limited committee membership reduces direct influence over audit and compensation oversight; beneficial ownership is modest (<1%), though hedging/pledging prohibitions and equity awards provide some alignment .