Julie Benes
About Julie Benes
Julie E. Benes is General Counsel and Secretary at TWFG, serving in the role since 2019. She is 49 years old and holds BA and BS degrees from Boston University and a JD from Chicago‑Kent College of Law; she is licensed in Texas and Illinois . Under her tenure as GC through TWFG’s IPO in July 2024, TWFG reported strong growth: 19.5% revenue CAGR (2019–2023), total revenue of $201–$203M in 2024, and Q3 2024 adjusted EBITDA of $11.7M with a 21.5% margin; management highlights above‑market growth and asset‑light, FCF‑generative profile . She is TWFG’s Compliance Officer for insider trading policies, the designated spokesperson contact for material non‑public information, and oversees trading windows and 10b5‑1 preclearances .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private practice (various firms) | Attorney (complex litigation) | 2004–2015 | Represented companies and individuals in complex litigation; developed deep corporate/commercial litigation expertise |
| O’Donnell Ferebee & Frazer, P.C. | Attorney (outside counsel to TWFG) | 2015–2019 | Served as TWFG’s outside counsel; commercial litigation and corporate matters; pipeline to GC role |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klein Independent School District | Board Member | — | Community governance and oversight; civic leadership |
| Houston Bar Association of Lawyers | Literacy and Teach Texas Committee Member | — | Legal community engagement; education initiatives |
Company Performance Context (during Benes’ tenure)
| Metric | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Revenue ($MM) | $102 | $125 | $154 | $172 | $201–$203 |
| Total Written Premium ($MM) | $696 | $886 | $1,054 | $1,248 | $1,476 |
Fixed Compensation
- Not disclosed: TWFG’s proxy only reports compensation for NEOs (CEO, COO, CFO) as a smaller reporting company; Ms. Benes is not a named executive officer, so her base salary, target bonus, and actual bonus are not publicly disclosed .
Performance Compensation
- Annual bonus plan framework (applies to salaried non‑producer employees, including NEOs; Benes likely eligible but individual payout not disclosed) .
| Metric | Weighting (%) | Target | 2024 Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted EBITDA | 50% | Preset annual goal | Met at level supporting 121.9% of target for NEOs Nolan/Zwinggi | 121.9% of target for NEOs ($146,272 each) | Cash bonus; paid post‑year end if employed on payment date |
| Organic Revenue | 50% | Preset annual goal | Met at level supporting 121.9% of target for NEOs Nolan/Zwinggi | 121.9% of target for NEOs ($146,272 each) | Cash bonus; paid post‑year end if employed on payment date |
- Equity awards: Company granted IPO RSUs to NEOs vesting in equal installments on Jan 17, 2025; Jul 17, 2025; Jul 17, 2026. Ms. Benes’ equity grants (if any) are not disclosed .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (Benes) | Not listed among directors/NEOs in the beneficial ownership table; individual share count not disclosed . |
| Hedging/Pledging | Hedging prohibited; pledging permitted only with written pre‑approval of the General Counsel. As of the proxy record date, there were no pledges by officers or directors . |
| Insider trading policy | Trading windows open after two full trading days following material disclosures; Julie Benes is the Compliance Officer and point of contact for external inquiries. 10b5‑1 plans require preclearance and compliance with Rule 10b5‑1(c) . |
| Attorney‑in‑fact activity | Signed a Form 3 as attorney‑in‑fact for another officer, indicating active oversight of Section 16 reporting processes (11/14/2025) . |
| Stock ownership guidelines | Company states guidelines exist for directors and executive officers; specific multiples or compliance status for Benes not disclosed . |
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Role start date | General Counsel and Secretary since 2019 |
| Employment agreement | Not disclosed for Benes; NEOs have no employment agreements |
| Severance | Not disclosed for Benes; NEOs have no severance contracts; bonus eligibility contingent on employment at payment |
| Change‑of‑control | IPO RSUs for NEOs fully vest immediately prior to a Change in Control; terms for Benes not disclosed |
| Indemnification | Company has indemnification agreements with each director and executive officer |
| Non‑compete/Non‑solicit/Garden leave | Not disclosed for Benes |
| Clawback | Incentive compensation subject to Nasdaq‑compliant clawback policy for awards received after July 17, 2024 |
Additional Governance and Committee Context
- Compensation Committee: Independent directors Jonathan Anderson and Robin A. Ferracone; three meetings in 2024; scope includes executive pay approval, equity plan administration, and philosophy review .
- Section 16 compliance: Company believes all officer/director filings were timely in 2024 .
- Newly public company governance: Lead independent director appointed; majority‑independent board; adoption of governance charters and ownership guidelines .
Investment Implications
- Alignment and selling pressure: Hedging prohibited and pledging tightly controlled (no reported pledges), reducing misalignment and forced‑sale risk; trading is subject to structured windows and 10b5‑1 preclearance under Benes’ compliance oversight .
- Retention and incentives: While Benes’ specific compensation is not disclosed, the companywide bonus framework and NEO equity cadence indicate emphasis on revenue and EBITDA execution and multi‑year vesting; absence of employment/severance guarantees for NEOs suggests a lean contract posture, potentially similar for non‑NEO executives .
- Change‑of‑control optics: NEO RSU acceleration at CIC is standard but can create event‑driven supply; Benes’ CIC treatment is unknown, limiting precision on her event‑driven selling risk .
- Execution track record: Company performance (2019–2024 revenue/WP growth and IPO execution) under Benes’ tenure as GC indicates operational scaling and governance buildout—supportive for risk management and disclosure quality .