Anne Alonzo
About Anne L. Alonzo
Anne L. Alonzo, age 66, has served on Unitil’s Board since April 2023 (Class I) and is currently a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees; she is affirmed independent under NYSE standards as of January 29, 2025 . Her background includes senior roles in sustainability and external affairs (Corteva AgriScience, 2020–2021) and CEO of the American Egg Board (2016–2020), along with prior leadership roles at USDA, EPA, and Kraft Foods; she is an attorney and holds a Climate Leadership certification from the Diligent Institute . Diversity: Female; Hispanic/Latin American .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corteva AgriScience | SVP, External Affairs & Chief Sustainability Officer | Mar 2020 – Aug 2021 | Led sustainability and external affairs programs |
| American Egg Board | President & CEO; member of Board Executive Committee | Jan 2016 – Apr 2020 | Oversight of industry marketing and governance |
| U.S. Department of Agriculture | Senior leadership roles (Agricultural Marketing Service) | Prior to 2016 | Policy, governance, and oversight |
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | Senior leadership roles | Prior to 2016 | Public policy and regulatory leadership |
| Kraft Foods (now Mondelez) | Senior leadership roles | Prior to 2016 | Legal, governance, and marketing/customer experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| PotlatchDeltic Corporation (REIT) | Director | Since Dec 2021 | Audit; Nominating & Governance |
| Feeding America | Director | Since Jul 2022 | Board member (largest U.S. charity) |
| John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance (Univ. of Delaware) | Advisory Board Member | Since 2023 | Corporate governance thought leadership |
| Diligent Institute | Climate Leadership Certification | Certified | Climate leadership credential |
Board Governance
- Independence: Affirmed January 29, 2025; all members except the CEO were independent .
- Committees: Audit (member; not designated “financial expert”); Compensation (member, joined July 31, 2024) .
- Committee meeting cadence (2024): Audit 4 meetings; Compensation 6 meetings (Alonzo joined mid‑year and did not attend Jan 30, Apr 30, Jul 30 meetings) .
- Attendance: Board met 4 times in 2024; aggregate attendance 99%; no director below 75%; executive sessions held 4 times (presided by Lead Director) .
- Election results (Apr 30, 2025): Alonzo received 12,507,272.32 “For”; 281,688.77 “Withheld”; 1,672,967 broker non‑votes .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Option Awards | Non‑Equity Incentive Plan Comp | Change in Pension/Non‑Qualified Earnings | All Other Compensation ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 74,917 | 94,952 | — | — | — | 672 | 170,541 |
- 2024 equity retainer calculation: $95,000 divided by closing price on Oct 1, 2024, rounded down; Alonzo elected RSUs; grant date fair value $94,952 representing 1,582 RSUs .
- 2025 retainer changes approved Oct 30, 2024: Cash retainer increased to $80,000; equity retainer increased to $115,000 (targeting 25th percentile of peer group) .
- Pay mix rationale: Board uses combination of cash and stock-based compensation; directors reimbursed for meeting expenses; special meeting fee $2,000 (none in 2024) .
Performance Compensation
| Component | Grant Basis | Award Size / Units | Vesting | Settlement | Dividend Equivalents | Transfer/Hedging/Pledging |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (Equity Retainer) | $95,000 ÷ close on Oct 1, 2024 | 1,582 RSUs (Alonzo) | 100% vested at grant | Upon separation; 70% stock / 30% cash | Accumulate as dividend equivalents; converted to RSUs at settlement | RSUs may not be sold/assigned/pledged prior to settlement; hedging/pledging company stock prohibited for directors |
- Performance metrics do not apply to director RSUs; awards are time‑based as part of annual retainer .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Industry | Role | Committee Positions | Potential Interlocks/Conflicts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PotlatchDeltic Corporation (NYSE:PCH) | Timberland REIT | Director | Audit; Nominating & Governance | Unitil reports no related person transactions requiring disclosure for 2024 or proposed for 2025 |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Skills matrix: C‑Suite; Environment/Sustainability; Governance; Legal & Public Policy (Attorney); Marketing & Customer Service .
- Recognized governance credentials: Advisory Board member at the Weinberg Center; Climate Leadership certification .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Common Stock (shares) | RSUs (units) | Percent of Class | Record Date Shares Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anne L. Alonzo | 1,276 | 1,593 | * (<1%) | 16,246,135 |
- Director stock ownership guideline: 3x annual cash retainer; as of Jan 1, 2025 requirement equals $240,000; new directors have four years from first shareholder election to comply (applies to Alonzo, first elected in 2023) .
- Retention: All forms of equity received for Board service must be held until retirement/separation; Board has not granted waivers .
- Hedging/pledging: Prohibited for directors and officers .
Governance Assessment
- Independence and engagement: Affirmed independent; active on Audit and Compensation Committees; high board attendance (overall 99%) supports engagement and effective oversight .
- Shareholder support signals: Strong election support for Alonzo at 12.51M “For” votes; Say‑on‑Pay advisory vote passed with 11.58M “For” votes, indicating broad investor alignment on compensation practices .
- Compensation alignment: 2025 retainer increases (cash to $80k; equity to $115k) targeted at 25th percentile after external benchmarking by Willis Towers Watson, addressing prior equity retainer under‑market positioning (10th percentile) .
- Conflicts/related parties: Company disclosed no related person transactions requiring disclosure for 2024 and none proposed for 2025; Audit Committee administers rigorous review procedures per NYSE and Reg S‑K Item 404 .
- RED FLAGS: None observed—no hedging/pledging; strong attendance; independent status affirmed; no disclosed related‑party ties; director equity is retention‑oriented and settled post‑service .
Overall, Alonzo’s sustainability/legal expertise, independent status, strong shareholder support, and committee participation suggest positive governance contribution and low conflict risk; continued monitoring of ownership guideline compliance through 2027 is appropriate given the 4‑year window for new directors .