Sandra Beach Lin
TrinseoAbout Sandra Beach Lin
Sandra Beach Lin, age 67, has served on Trinseo PLC’s Board since November 2019 and is an independent director under NYSE rules. She chairs the Environmental, Health, Safety, Sustainability & Public Policy (EHSS&PP) Committee and sits on the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee. Lin’s background spans CEO and senior operating roles in specialty chemicals, packaging, and advanced materials, and she holds a BBA from the University of Toledo and an MBA in Marketing and Policy & Control from the University of Michigan .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calisolar, Inc. | President & CEO | 2010–2011 | Led solar silicon/multicrystalline cell manufacturer |
| Celanese Corporation | EVP; Corporate EVP | 2007–2010 | Senior leadership at global specialty materials firm |
| Avery Dennison | Group Vice President | 2005–2007 | Leadership in pressure-sensitive adhesives technology |
| Alcoa Closure Systems International | President | 2002–2005 | Division of Alcoa; closures and packaging |
| Honeywell International | Various executive positions | 1994–2001 | Operations and leadership roles |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Since | Committees/Role (if disclosed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) | Director | 2012 | Not disclosed here |
| Avient Corp. (NYSE: AVNT) | Director | 2013 | Not disclosed here |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Chair, EHSS&PP; Member, Nominating & Corporate Governance .
- Independence: Board determined all directors except the CEO are independent under NYSE standards; Lin is independent .
- Attendance and engagement: Board held 8 meetings in 2024; audit (10), compensation (6), nominating (5). Directors attended 100% of Board and committee meetings in 2024 .
- Executive sessions: Non‑management directors meet in executive session at least once during each regularly scheduled meeting; at least one annual session of independent directors .
- Director ownership guidelines: 5x annual cash retainer within 5 years. As of March 31, 2024, due solely to stock price decline, Ms. Lin (and several peers) were not in compliance; until met, directors must retain 50% of net shares from RSU vesting .
- Anti‑hedging/pledging: Company prohibits hedging and generally prohibits pledging of Company securities by directors .
Fixed Compensation
TSE 2024 non‑employee director program
| Component | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $90,000 |
| Board Chair additional cash retainer | $130,000 |
| Committee Chair retainers | Audit $25,000; Compensation $20,000; Nominating & Corporate Governance $15,000; EHSS&PP $15,000 |
| Annual equity retainer (RSUs) | $130,000 (one‑year vest) |
Ms. Lin’s 2024 director pay
| Component | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Fees earned or paid in cash | $105,000 (base retainer + EHSS&PP chair fee) |
| Stock awards (RSUs grant date fair value) | $130,000 |
| Total | $235,000 |
Performance Compensation
Director equity is time‑based, not performance‑based.
| Equity | Grant value | Vesting | Performance metrics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU retainer | $130,000 | Vests on 1‑year anniversary | None (time‑vested) |
| Unvested director RSUs outstanding (per non‑employee director) | 41,009 units | Scheduled to vest June 2025 | Time‑based |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public company boards: American Electric Power (since 2012) and Avient Corp. (since 2013) .
- Compensation committee interlocks: Company reports no compensation committee interlocks or insider participation for 2024 .
Expertise & Qualifications
- CEO experience and extensive specialty chemicals/global manufacturing expertise .
- Education: BBA, University of Toledo; MBA (Marketing and Policy & Control), University of Michigan .
- Board qualifications: Public company board experience; leadership of EHSS, sustainability, and public policy oversight as committee chair .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (3/31/2025) | 14,077 shares |
| Ownership % of outstanding | <1% (per table notation) |
| Unvested director RSUs | 41,009 units scheduled to vest June 2025 (per director) |
| Pledging/Hedging | Prohibited by policy |
| Director ownership guideline | 5x annual cash retainer within 5 years; retain 50% of net shares until met |
| Compliance status | Not in compliance due solely to stock price decline (company does not deem failure due to decline a breach) |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with deep chemicals and operating experience; chairs EHSS&PP (enhanced oversight of environmental, safety, and sustainability risks); 100% Board/committee meeting attendance in 2024; robust anti‑hedging/pledging policy .
- Alignment: Receives a balanced cash/equity director package; equity is delivered in RSUs with one‑year vest; director ownership guideline requires 5x cash retainer with retention requirements until met .
- Watch items/RED FLAGS: Not currently in compliance with director ownership guideline due solely to stock price decline; retention rule mitigates but monitor progress back to guideline levels .
- Board/Investor context: Say‑on‑pay support was ~95% in 2024, signaling overall investor confidence in compensation governance; no compensation committee interlocks reported .
- Related‑party safeguards: Audit Committee must review/approve related‑party transactions; annual conflict questionnaires are required (no specific director‑related transactions highlighted in the policy section) .