Gabe Dalporto
LendingTreeAbout Gabe Dalporto
Gabriel “Gabe” Dalporto, age 53, has served on LendingTree’s Board since 2017 and is currently an independent director. He is CEO of Guitar Center Holdings, Inc. (appointed October 31, 2023) and previously served in multiple executive roles at LendingTree (CFO, CMO, President of Mortgage, Executive Advisor), bringing executive management, financial/capital markets, and digital marketing expertise to the Board .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| LendingTree, Inc. | Executive Advisor to the CEO | Aug 2017 – Feb 2018 | Senior advisory support |
| LendingTree, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Jun 2015 – Aug 2017 | Finance leadership; capital structure |
| LendingTree, Inc. | President of Mortgage | Mar 2013 – Jun 2015 | Mortgage segment leadership |
| LendingTree, Inc. | Chief Marketing Officer | Apr 2011 – Jun 2015 | Digital marketing, growth |
| Udacity, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | Aug 2019 – Oct 2022 | Led digital education platform |
| Atomic Financial, Inc. | Founder & CEO | Jan 2010 – Apr 2011 | Startup online investing platform |
| Zecco Holdings, Inc. | Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer | Jan 2007 – Dec 2009 | Strategy for online brokerage |
| E*Trade Financial | Vice President | Aug 2004 – Nov 2006 | Product/marketing leadership |
| JPMorgan Chase | Vice President | Sep 2003 – Jul 2004 | Financial services experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Public Company? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guitar Center Holdings, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | Oct 31, 2023 – Present | No (other public boards: None) |
| Guitar Center Holdings, Inc. | Director | Dec 2018 – Present | No (private) |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Member, Transactions Committee; no chair roles. Transactions Committee met 4 times in fiscal 2024; the Board held 4 meetings in fiscal 2024 .
- Independence: The Board determined Dalporto is independent under Nasdaq standards .
- Attendance: All directors attended at least 75% of aggregate Board/committee meetings in fiscal 2024; Board meets at least quarterly, with executive sessions of non-executive directors at least quarterly led by the Lead Independent Director .
- Board leadership: CEO serves as Chair; Lead Independent Director (Steven Ozonian) chairs Audit and Compensation Committees and leads executive sessions .
- Technology & Product Advisory Committee was formalized on Oct 30, 2024 (0 meetings in 2024 post-formalization) .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (Non-Employee Director, 2024) | Amount/Terms |
|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $50,000 |
| Transactions Committee member fee | $2,500 per year |
| Annual equity retainer | 5,000 RSUs; grant date June 12, 2024; grant-date fair value $231,950; closing price $46.39 on grant date |
| Total fees earned (cash) | $52,500 (retainer + committee) |
| Total compensation | $284,450 (cash + stock awards) |
| RSU vesting conditions | Earliest of: next Annual Meeting date, first anniversary, change in control, death/disability |
Performance Compensation
| Performance-linked element | Disclosed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Director PSUs / performance options | No | Non-employee director equity is time-based RSUs; no disclosed performance metrics tied to director pay . |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Type | Role | Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guitar Center Holdings, Inc. | Private | CEO; Director | No TREE-related public board interlocks; “Other Public Company Boards: None” . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Executive management experience (CEO roles at Guitar Center and Udacity); financial and capital markets, digital marketing expertise highlighted by the Board for Dalporto .
- Board qualifications emphasize financial matters among nine nominees; Dalporto contributes to Transactions oversight via M&A/strategic finance experience .
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | 19,877; includes 5,534 options exercisable within 60 days and 5,000 RSUs vesting within 60 days . |
| Ownership % of shares outstanding | <1% (asterisked in table) . |
| Outstanding equity at FY-end 2024 | Options: 5,534; RSUs: 5,000 . |
| Director stock ownership guideline | Minimum 5x annual cash retainer; expected within 5 years of joining or 3 years after increase . |
| Hedging/pledging policies | Hedging prohibited; pledging generally prohibited unless Legal Department approves . |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and prior executive ties: The Board affirms Dalporto’s independence under Nasdaq rules, despite prior executive roles at LendingTree (CFO, CMO, President of Mortgage), which can present familiarity risks; formal independence determination mitigates this concern .
- Committee fit: Placement on Transactions Committee aligns with his financial/capital markets background; 4 meetings in 2024 indicate active oversight of capital structure and strategic transactions .
- Director pay alignment: Cash retainer is modest; equity retainer in RSUs vests on a time-based schedule, supporting ownership alignment without performance metrics that could bias oversight; stock ownership guideline for directors is 5x cash retainer .
- Attendance/engagement: Board-level attendance thresholds met (≥75%); executive sessions occur at least quarterly under the Lead Independent Director, supporting independent oversight .
- Shareholder confidence signals: 2024 say-on-pay support was ~97%, reflecting confidence in compensation governance; Compensation Committee comprised solely of independent directors and uses independent consultant FW Cook .
- Related-party sensitivity: The proxy discloses compensation paid to the CEO’s spouse employed by the Company ($395,181 in 2024), a related-party transaction overseen under policy—this is a governance sensitivity point, though not linked to Dalporto .
- Controls: Clawback policy adopted (effective Oct 25, 2023); prohibition on hedging/pledging; majority voting with resignation policy; robust committee charters and risk oversight delineation .
RED FLAGS: None specific to Dalporto disclosed (no related-party transactions, pledging, or performance-linked director awards). Board-level related-party transaction (CEO spouse employment/compensation) is a governance sensitivity to monitor .