Gloria Boyland
UNITED NATURAL FOODSAbout Gloria R. Boyland
Gloria R. Boyland (age 65) has served on UNFI’s Board since January 2021 and is an independent director. She is Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee and a member of the Compensation Committee, bringing deep expertise in operations technology, supply chain and customer experience from senior roles at FedEx and GE. She previously served on UNFI’s Audit Committee (2021–2023). Board leadership is independent, and the Board has affirmed Boyland’s independence under NYSE standards.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| FedEx Corporation | Corporate Vice President, Operations & Service Support | 2016–2020 | Led advanced operations technology, electro mobility, network/fleet automation; service quality and CX improvements; new service offerings. |
| GE Capital Corporation | Leadership roles in Six Sigma Quality; M&A; acquisition integration | Various years | Operational excellence and deal integration leadership; commercial transactions law background. |
| GE | Commercial transactions and investment attorney | 8 years | Legal leadership supporting transactions and investments. |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vontier Corporation | Director | Current | Industrial manufacturing; board service. |
| Aurora Innovation, Inc. | Director | Current | Self-driving vehicle technology; prior strategic advisor to Aurora Technologies, LLC. |
| Chesapeake Energy Corporation | Director | Prior | Energy sector board experience. |
| UMRF Ventures, Inc. | Director | Prior | Board service. |
| Memphis Brooks Museum of Art | Trustee | Since 2020 | Non-profit governance. |
| Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare | Director | Since Oct 2025 | Health system governance. |
| U.S. DOT Advisory Committee on Automation in Transportation | Member | Appointed 2016 | Federal advisory role on automation in transportation. |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Chair, Nominating & Governance; Member, Compensation; prior Audit Committee (2021–2023).
- Committee activity: Nominating & Governance held 5 meetings, Compensation held 5, Audit held 5 in fiscal 2025; Board held 8 meetings. All directors attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings, and directors met in executive session after regular quarterly meetings.
- Independence and leadership: Board has 9 of 10 independent directors; UNFI’s Board is led by an Independent Chair.
- Oversight scope: Nominating & Governance oversees Corporate Governance Principles, board evaluation, sustainability policy and related-party transaction approvals; Compensation Committee oversees human capital and pay-for-performance; Audit oversees ERM and cybersecurity.
- Limits on outside boards: Independent directors may serve on up to four public company boards; Nominating & Governance reviews time commitments. Boyland’s current public company board service appears within this limit.
Fixed Compensation
- Non-employee director structure (fiscal 2025): $110,000 annual cash retainer; Chair fees: N&G $20,000; RSUs annual grant $175,000 (effective fiscal 2026; 2025 grant was $170,000). RSUs vest one year from grant.
- Boyland compensation (fiscal 2025): Cash $125,163 (includes prorated Chair fee from Dec 6, 2024), Stock awards $170,000, Total $295,163.
- Boyland compensation (fiscal 2024): Cash $105,000, Stock awards $170,000, Total $275,000.
| Metric | FY2024 | FY2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned/Paid in Cash ($) | $105,000 | $125,163 |
| Stock Awards ($) | $170,000 | $170,000 |
| Total ($) | $275,000 | $295,163 |
Performance Compensation
- Directors receive time-based RSUs (no performance metrics); 2025 RSUs vest one year from grant; each non-employee director held 6,486 unvested RSUs as of Aug 2, 2025. No options or meeting fees disclosed.
- Equity grant level for directors increased to $175,000 for fiscal 2026 grants.
| Equity Component | FY2024 | FY2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant (fair value) | $170,000 | $170,000; move to $175,000 effective FY2026 |
| Vesting | 1-year from grant | 1-year from grant |
| Unvested RSUs (as of year-end) | 10,480 for certain new directors; directors generally held unvested units per table | 6,486 per director |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current boards: Vontier (industrial; limited overlap with UNFI’s distribution business), Aurora Innovation (autonomous tech; not a UNFI customer/supplier).
- New non-profit/healthcare roles (Memphis Brooks Museum; Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare) indicate community engagement rather than industry interlocks.
- No related-party transactions involving Boyland disclosed; UNFI’s policy requires N&G Committee review and approval for any such transactions >$120,000.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Operational transformation, supply chain/logistics, network/fleet automation, customer experience; led advanced operations technology initiatives at FedEx.
- Process excellence (Six Sigma), M&A and integration; legal experience in commercial transactions.
- Board refreshment: appointed N&G Chair in fiscal 2025 as part of governance updates.
Equity Ownership
| Ownership Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (Oct 22, 2025) | 27,656 shares; <1% of outstanding |
| Shares outstanding (Oct 22, 2025) | 60,931,668 |
| Ownership as % of outstanding | ~0.045% (27,656 / 60,931,668) |
| Unvested RSUs held (Aug 2, 2025) | 6,486 (per director) |
| Director ownership guideline | 5x annual cash retainer (compliance expected within 5 years; directors in compliance or on track) |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Prohibited for directors and certain employees |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director and committee chair; strong supply chain and operations technology credentials aligned to UNFI’s network optimization and efficiency strategy; active governance participation; Board independence and regular executive sessions; stockholder engagement history with high say-on-pay support (93.9% in Dec 2024).
- Compensation alignment: Mix favors equity (2025: ~$170k equity vs ~$125k cash), supporting long-term alignment; RSUs vest annually; ownership guidelines incentivize “skin-in-the-game.”
- Conflicts/related-party risk: No Boyland-related transactions disclosed; N&G Committee oversees related-party review.
- Potential watch items: Aggregate outside boards/time commitment monitored under UNFI limits (max 4 public boards); continued oversight of dilution via equity plan changes is a Board-level matter (not director-specific).
Overall, Boyland’s governance profile indicates independence, relevant operating expertise for UNFI’s strategy, solid committee leadership, and ownership alignment, with low apparent conflict risk based on disclosed transactions.