Diego Rodriguez
TrueCarAbout Diego Rodriguez
Diego A. Rodriguez (age 55) joined TrueCar’s board in May 2024 as an independent director. He is former EVP, Chief Product & Design Officer at Intuit (2017–2021) and previously a Senior Partner and Global Managing Director at IDEO (2004–2017). He serves on the board of LendingTree (chairs the Technology & Product Advisory Committee; member, Transactions Committee) and formerly served on EngageSmart’s board; education includes BA/BS from Stanford and an MBA from Harvard Business School .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intuit Inc. | EVP, Chief Product & Design Officer | Nov 2017 – Jan 2021 | Led product management and design at a scaled fintech; executive leadership credentials . |
| IDEO | Senior Partner; Global Managing Director | Dec 2004 – Nov 2017 | Built product development and design capabilities; deep innovation expertise . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| LendingTree, Inc. (NASDAQ: TREE) | Director | Apr 2022 – present | Chairs Technology & Product Advisory Committee; member, Transactions Committee . |
| EngageSmart, Inc. | Director | Jan 2022 – Jan 2024 | SaaS governance experience . |
| Harvard University | Board of Overseers | May 2018 – May 2020 | Academic governance; strategic oversight . |
Board Governance
- Classification and term: Class I director; term expires at the 2027 annual meeting .
- Independence: Board determined Rodriguez is independent under SEC and Nasdaq standards and a non-employee director under Rule 16b-3 .
- Committee assignments at TRUE:
- Compensation & Workforce Committee (member; chair is Faye Iosotaluno) .
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (member; chair is Robert Buce) .
- Not on Audit Committee (members are Carbone, Iosotaluno, Buce; Harrington slated post-Buce retirement) .
- Attendance and engagement: Board held 10 meetings in 2024, and each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings; all directors at the 2024 annual meeting attended except Harrington (implies Rodriguez attended) .
- Skills matrix signals: Digital marketplace, product development & information security, M&A/corporate development, digital & brand marketing, executive leadership, and public company governance/risk management .
- Related-party oversight: Audit Committee reviews related-party transactions and whistleblower matters .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash fees (2024) | $41,008 | Fees earned/paid in cash in 2024 (reflects partial year after May 2024 appointment) . |
| Annual Board retainer (policy) | $55,000 | Outside Director Compensation Policy cash retainer . |
| Committee chair/member fees (policy) | $15,000 chair / $7,500 member (Comp); $10,000 chair / $5,000 member (Nominating); $20,000 chair / $10,000 member (Audit) | Payable quarterly; Rodriguez served as member (Comp, Nominating) in 2024 . |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award Type | Grant Date | Number/Value | Vesting | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial RSU Award | May 2024 | $299,998 grant-date fair value | Vests in ~3 equal annual installments from the 15th of the start month; certain vest acceleration aligned to annual meeting timing . | None; Outside Directors receive time-vested RSUs (no PSU metrics for directors) . |
| Annual RSU Award (policy) | Each annual meeting | $150,000 grant-date fair value if served ≥6 months | Vests on ~12-month anniversary or prior to next annual meeting . | None; time-vested RSUs for directors . |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector Overlap with TRUE | Potential Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|
| LendingTree, Inc. | Online lending marketplace; adjacent to consumer auto financing | No related-party transactions disclosed in reviewed sections; independence affirmed by TRUE’s Board . |
| EngageSmart, Inc. (former) | SaaS; payments/engagement | Former role; no ongoing interlock . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Product and design leadership at Intuit; senior innovation leader at IDEO, indicating depth in user-centric product development, cybersecurity considerations, and digital experience scaling .
- Board skills flagged in TRUE’s matrix: digital marketplace; product development & information security; M&A/corporate development; digital & brand marketing; executive leadership; governance & risk management .
- Education: BA in Values, Technology Science & Society and BS in Mechanical Engineering (Stanford); MBA (Harvard) .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (Feb 28, 2025) | 0 shares | Listed as less than 1% of outstanding shares . |
| Unvested RSUs (Dec 31, 2024) | 102,739 units | Outstanding stock awards (unvested) . |
| Options | None | No options outstanding . |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited | Insider trading policy prohibits hedging and pledging by directors . |
Governance Assessment
- Positives: Independent status, active service on Compensation and Nominating committees, and skills aligned to TRUE’s digital marketplace strategy and cybersecurity/product risk oversight .
- Director pay alignment: Equity-centric model (initial $300k RSU; annual $150k RSU) plus modest cash retainer/committee fees; no options/pricing concerns; no tax gross-ups; no option repricing without shareholder approval—consistent with investor-friendly practices .
- Engagement: Compensation Committee Report signed by Rodriguez alongside Chair and member—indicates direct involvement in executive pay oversight and disclosure .
- Attendance signal: Board and committee attendance ≥75%; Rodriguez attended 2024 annual meeting (only Harrington did not), supporting reliability of board engagement .
- Potential red flags: Low direct share ownership (0 beneficial shares as of Feb 28, 2025), though meaningful unvested RSUs provide alignment; monitor future accumulation versus any director ownership guidelines if applicable .
- Conflicts/related-party: No specific related-party transactions involving Rodriguez found in reviewed proxy sections; Audit Committee has explicit oversight of such transactions; continue monitoring LendingTree overlap for any marketplace or financing partnerships that could create perceived conflicts .
- Shareholder sentiment: High say-on-pay support (98% in 2024) reflects broad confidence in compensation governance overseen by the Compensation Committee (including Rodriguez) .