Christopher Gillette
About Christopher P. Gillette
Independent director of Transcat, Inc. since 2023; age 64. Currently Lean Leader, Sales & Marketing at GE Aerospace; prior leadership roles at GE Digital and Philips. Core credentials: sales and marketing excellence, calibration/industrial domains, strategic planning, market development; serves on the NESG (nominating/ESG) and Technology Committees. Term expires in 2026 and he is designated independent under Nasdaq standards .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| GE Aerospace | Lean Leader, Sales & Marketing | Jan 2022 – present | Commercial excellence and operating rigor in aerospace systems |
| GE Digital | VP, Commercial Excellence | Jul 2020 – Jan 2022 | Digital/software and IIoT operating exposure |
| Philips | Various senior positions | Apr 2015 – Jul 2020 | Health technology leadership; market development |
External Roles
- No other public-company board roles disclosed for Mr. Gillette in the proxy .
- No private/non-profit board roles disclosed for Mr. Gillette in the proxy .
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Board determined Gillette is independent (Nasdaq standards) |
| Board/Committee Attendance | Board held 8 meetings in FY2025; each director then in office attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings on which they served |
| Committees | NESG Committee; Technology Committee (member, not chair) |
| Committee meetings (FY2025) | NESG: 4; Technology: 3 |
| Board Chair / Lead Independent | Chair role separate from CEO; Chair presides over independent director executive sessions; no lead independent role required under current structure |
| Term and Tenure | Director since 2023; current term expires 2026 |
Fixed Compensation (Director Pay – FY2025)
| Component | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Cash retainer and committee fees | $52,500 | Cash fees reflect quarterly board retainer (Q1–Q2: $12,500; Q3–Q4: $13,750); no chair stipends evident in his cash total |
| Annual equity grant (RSUs) | $85,000 | Granted Sep 11, 2024 as 704 RSUs (valued at $120.66), 1-year vesting |
| Initial option grant (policy) | — | Newly elected non-employee directors are eligible for a 10,000-share option grant vesting over 5 years; Mr. Gillette shows 10,000 options outstanding |
| Total (FY2025) | $137,500 | Sum of cash and RSU grant date fair value |
| Stock ownership guideline | 3.0x annual cash retainer for directors; all directors in compliance at FY2025 year-end |
Performance Compensation
- Director program does not include performance-linked equity; annual director RSUs are time-vesting only (1-year) and initial director option grant vests ratably over 5 years per plan; no performance metrics apply to director pay .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- No current public-company directorships or disclosed interlocks for Mr. Gillette in the proxy .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Transcat highlights Gillette’s “extensive leadership and calibration industry experience,” with strengths in client relations, sales and marketing, strategic planning, and market development—aligned with his service on Technology and NESG committees .
- Board skills matrix attributes place him within leadership, operations, marketing, risk management, M&A, and strategic planning competencies (matrix provided at the board level) .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | 4,704 shares | Includes 4,000 presently exercisable options and 704 RSUs; no direct common stock disclosed in footnote |
| % of shares outstanding | <1% | As reported in management ownership table |
| Options outstanding | 10,000 | Non-employee director option pool; 10-year term, 5-year ratable vesting (policy) |
| Options – exercisable | 4,000 | Presently exercisable portion |
| Options – unexercisable | 6,000 | Difference between total outstanding and presently exercisable |
| Unvested RSUs | 704 | Annual director grant from Sep 11, 2024, 1-year vesting |
| Shares pledged | Not disclosed | No pledging disclosure in proxy; anti-hedging policy applies company-wide |
Governance Assessment
- Committee roles align with background: Technology and NESG assignments leverage his commercial/technology and governance experience; no chair roles, indicating developing tenure and focus on subject-matter contributions .
- Independence and attendance: Board affirms independence; all directors then in office met at least 75% attendance, supporting baseline engagement expectations .
- Ownership alignment: Majority of director compensation delivered in equity (FY2025: $85k RSUs vs $52.5k cash), plus option overhang from initial grant; director stock ownership guideline of 3x cash retainer, with all directors in compliance, supports alignment .
- Compensation structure: Mid-year increase to cash board retainer (from $12.5k to $13.75k per quarter) but equity regimen unchanged; no meeting fees or discretionary elements—reduces pay volatility and potential conflicts .
- Conflicts/related-party: No related person transactions reported for FY2025; Board maintains a written related-party review policy overseen by Audit Committee—low conflict risk signal .
- Risk indicator: One late Section 16(a) filing for Mr. Gillette (one transaction) noted by the company; while minor, it is a compliance blemish to monitor for recurrence .
Overall, Gillette presents as an independent, skills-aligned director with technology and commercial depth, appropriate committee placements (NESG/Technology), and equity-heavy pay/ownership alignment; aside from a single late Form 4 filing, no governance red flags or conflicts were disclosed in FY2025 .