Symeria Hudson
About Symeria Hudson
Independent director of UFP Technologies since 2022; age 57. Currently President and CEO of United Way Miami; prior roles include CEO of Chapman Partnership (Nov 2018–Jul 2022), President of Global Franchises & Innovation at ConvaTec (Apr 2016–Jan 2018), and leadership roles at Baxter, Hospira, Aon, and Household International. Education: MBA from Harvard Business School and BS from Alabama A&M University; recognized as a Top 50 Business Leader of Color in 2015 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Way Miami | President & CEO | Present | Non-profit leadership |
| Chapman Partnership | CEO | Nov 2018 – Jul 2022 | Homeless services leadership |
| ConvaTec | President, Global Franchises & Innovation | Apr 2016 – Jan 2018 | Medical products; innovation portfolio |
| Baxter, Inc. | Strategic leadership roles | Dec 2013 – Mar 2016 | Renal and hospital products strategy |
| Hospira (now Pfizer) | VP roles incl. Continuous Improvement & Transformation | May 2005 – Jul 2013 | Transformation and device marketing |
| Aon Corporation | Leadership roles | Aug 1999 – Feb 2005 | Risk and human capital services |
| Household International | Leadership roles | Aug 1999 – Feb 2005 | Consumer finance |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| MTF Biologics | Executive Board Member; Governance & Audit Committee | Jul 2021 – Dec 2024 | Governance and audit oversight |
| Revival Healthcare Partners | Operating Advisor | Since Aug 2018 | Medtech investment advisory |
| Baxter Foundation | Board Member | Not disclosed | Philanthropic governance |
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Board determined Hudson is independent under Nasdaq standards |
| Committees | Audit Committee (member); Nominating Committee (member) |
| Committee Chairs | Audit Chair: Feldmann; Compensation Chair: Hassett; Nominating Chair: Croteau (Hudson not a chair) |
| Lead Independent Director | Daniel C. Croteau |
| Board Meetings (FY 2024) | Board met 4 times; each director attended ≥75% of Board and committee meetings; all directors attended 2024 Annual Meeting |
| Audit Committee Activity (FY 2024) | Audit Committee met 7 times; members: Feldmann (Chair), Oberdorf, Hudson |
| Nominating Committee Activity (FY 2024) | Nominating Committee met once; all members are independent |
| Executive Sessions | Lead Independent presides; frequency not disclosed |
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Cash Retainer ($) | Committee Cash Fees ($) | Equity RSUs Value ($) | Equity Options Value ($) | Total Director Compensation ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 55,000 | 9,000 (Audit member) | 50,000 | 50,000 | 164,000 |
| 2025 | 55,000 | 9,000 (Audit member) | 60,000 | 60,000 | 184,000 |
Notes:
- 2024 director program: $155k total retainer with $55k cash, $100k equity; audit member fee $9k; audit chair +$11k; comp member $6k; comp chair +$9k; LID +$25k .
- 2025 director program updated equity/chair differentials: $55k cash, $120k equity; audit member $9k; audit chair +$20k; comp member $6k; comp chair +$15k; LID +$25k .
Performance Compensation
Director equity is time-based (no performance metrics). Grant details below.
| Grant Year | Grant Date | RSUs (#) | RSUs Fair Value ($) | RSU Vest Date | Options (#) | Exercise Price ($) | Exercisable Date | Option Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Jun 7, 2023 | 298 | 50,000 | May 31, 2024 | 703 | 167.98 | May 31, 2024 | 10 years |
| 2024 | Jun 5, 2024 | 230 | 60,000 | May 31, 2025 | 493 | 260.92 | May 31, 2025 | 10 years |
Outstanding director options (12/31/2024): Hudson 1,196 outstanding options .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed in UFPT proxy for Hudson |
| Potential interlocks | Prior executive roles at medtech firms (ConvaTec, Baxter, Hospira) could create industry familiarity; no UFPT-related party transactions involving Hudson disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- MBA (Harvard) and BS (Alabama A&M); seasoned operator across medtech and healthcare services .
- Executive leadership in innovation, continuous improvement, and transformation within regulated healthcare products .
- Recognized Top 50 Business Leader of Color (2015) .
- Audit exposure via MTF Biologics Governance & Audit Committee role .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Apr 11, 2024 | Apr 11, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (shares) | 3,294 | 1,724 |
| % of Class | <1% | <1% |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 2,349 | 1,196 |
| RSUs vesting within 60 days | 703 | 230 |
| Shares Outstanding (reference) | 7,670,487 | 7,706,825 |
Policies enhancing alignment:
- Director stock ownership guideline: 3x annual cash retainer within 5 years .
- Anti-hedging and anti-pledging policies for all directors .
Governance Assessment
- Independence and committee roles: Hudson is independent and sits on Audit and Nominating—appropriate given her operational and governance background; Audit oversight includes financial integrity, compliance, related-party review .
- Attendance and engagement: Board met 4 times in 2024; each director attended ≥75% of Board/committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting, indicating engagement .
- Director pay mix: Cash + equity with options and RSUs; 2025 increases in equity component and committee chair fees emphasize long-term alignment; Hudson’s 2025 total $184k vs $164k in 2024 .
- Ownership alignment: Beneficial ownership is small (<1%); guidelines require build-up to 3x cash retainer; individual compliance status not disclosed .
- Conflicts and related-party exposure: No related-party transactions involving Hudson disclosed; Audit Committee (with Hudson) reviews and approves any such transactions .
- RED FLAGS: None identified specific to Hudson (no hedging/pledging allowed; no disclosed related-party ties; attendance threshold met). Broader governance items: CEO/Chair duality offset by Lead Independent Director and active Audit oversight .
Overall signal: Independent, audit-savvy director with relevant medtech/operational experience; compensation structure is standard for UFPT and equity-heavy for alignment; no apparent conflicts or attendance concerns based on disclosed data .