Jennifer Hoopes
About Jennifer E. Hoopes
Independent trustee/director with extensive legal and investment company industry experience. Year of birth: 1965; appointed to the Boards effective February 15, 2025. Currently Trustee of Liberty All-Star Equity Fund (USA) with term expiring 2026, and Director of Liberty All-Star Growth Fund, nominated for a three-year term ending 2028. Core credentials include prior General Counsel roles and distribution/regulatory expertise for mutual funds, closed-end funds, and ETFs .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surus, Inc. | Chief Legal Officer | 2024–present | Not disclosed |
| Arche Consulting, LLC | Founder & President | 2022–present | Not disclosed |
| FarmTogether | General Counsel | 2022–2024 | Not disclosed |
| Alumni Ventures | General Counsel | 2021–2022 | Not disclosed |
| Foreside Financial Group, LLC | Senior Managing Director and General Counsel | 2007–2021 | Distribution/regulatory expertise |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Associates Funds | Trustee | 2024 | Public company/fund board |
| Wedbush ETF Series Trust | Trustee | 2025 | Public company/fund board |
Board Governance
- Board independence: All Trustees/Directors are independent; Chairman is Thomas W. Brock (independent) .
- Committees: Hoopes serves on Audit and Nominating & Governance Committees; Audit Committee chaired by Maureen K. Usifer; Nominating & Governance chaired by John J. Neuhauser .
- Meetings/engagement: FY2024—Board held 4 meetings; Audit Committees held 4 meetings; Nominating & Governance met twice. Independent Trustees/Directors hold at least one in-person executive session annually .
- Annual shareholder meeting attendance: None of the Trustees/Directors attended the Funds’ 2024 annual meetings of shareholders (Hoopes joined in 2025) .
| Committee | Membership Status | Chair | Meetings (FY2024) | Attendance (Hoopes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audit Committee | Member | Maureen K. Usifer | 4 | N/A (joined 2025) |
| Nominating & Governance | Member | John J. Neuhauser | 2 | N/A (joined 2025) |
Fixed Compensation
| Fiscal Year Ended | Equity Fund (USA) | Growth Fund | Total from Fund Complex | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 31, 2024 | $0 | $0 | $0 | Appointed Feb 15, 2025; no compensation in FY2024 |
- Structure: The Nominating & Governance Committee reviews compensation; neither Fund has a bonus, profit sharing, or retirement plan .
Performance Compensation
- No performance-based or equity awards disclosed for Independent Trustees/Directors; neither Fund has a bonus, profit sharing, or retirement plan .
- No PSU/RSU, options, or performance metric frameworks for directors are disclosed in the proxy .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Trust | Role | Committee Positions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Associates Funds | Trustee | Not disclosed | Public fund board |
| Wedbush ETF Series Trust | Trustee | Not disclosed | Public fund board |
| Liberty All-Star Funds (Fund Complex oversight) | Trustee/Director | Audit; Nominating & Governance | Oversees 2 portfolios |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Investment company expertise: Served as independent trustee to mutual funds; prior principal underwriter GC experience across mutual funds, closed-end funds, and ETFs .
- Legal/regulatory/distribution experience and service provider relationship management for investment companies .
Equity Ownership
| As of Dec 31, 2024 | Equity Fund (USA) | Growth Fund | Aggregate Dollar Range in Fund Family | Ownership % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dollar Range | None | None | None | Each Trustee/Executive Officer and group owned <1% (individual % not disclosed) |
| Shares | 0 | 0 | — | — |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and committee breadth: Independent director on both Audit and Nominating & Governance Committees; Audit Committee members deemed financially literate (Usifer designated financial expert) .
- Attendance/engagement: Board and Audit Committees met four times in FY2024; Nominating & Governance met twice; independent executive sessions at least annually. Note: Hoopes joined in 2025, so FY2024 attendance data does not apply to her .
- Ownership alignment: No fund share ownership as of Dec 31, 2024—potential alignment concern for investors tracking director “skin in the game” .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: As of Dec 31, 2024, no Independent Trustee/Director or immediate family owned securities of the adviser, portfolio managers, or their affiliates, reducing potential conflicts .
- Shareholder meeting attendance: None of the Trustees/Directors attended 2024 annual meetings—may be viewed as a negative engagement signal; however, Hoopes was not yet appointed .
RED FLAGS
- Zero ownership in both Funds as of Dec 31, 2024 .
- No attendance at 2024 shareholder annual meetings by Trustees/Directors (timing caveat for Hoopes) .
Positive Signals
- Independent status with dual committee membership; board-wide independence .
- Strong legal/compliance background relevant to audit and governance oversight .
Board Tenure and Elections
- Equity Fund (USA): Trustee since 2025; current term expires 2026 .
- Growth Fund: Director since 2025; nominated for three-year term ending 2028 .