Albert Johnson
About Albert Johnson
Albert Johnson, age 50, is an independent director of Vivakor (VIVK) since January 16, 2023. He brings 25+ years in midstream/downstream oil and gas, with prior leadership roles at Sunoco Logistics and Navigator Energy Services, and currently serves as Chief Commercial Officer at ARX Energy. He holds a BA in History from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA (finance) from Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunoco Logistics, LP | Director of Business Development | 2014–2015 | Marketing/trading, transportation, and terminalling exposure |
| Navigator Energy Services, LLC | Vice President, Business Development | Jul 2015–May 2017 | Gathering, transportation, terminalling experience |
| ARX Energy, LLC | Executive VP, Business Development | Mar 2018–Nov 2022 | Commercial development leadership |
| ARX Energy, LLC | Chief Commercial Officer | Since Nov 2022 | Current executive responsibility (clean fuels project) |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Texas Gulf Pipe Line Company | Board of Directors | Not disclosed | Pipeline governance experience |
| SunVit Pipeline, LLC | Management Committee | Not disclosed | Pipeline JV oversight |
Board Governance
- Independence and composition: Johnson is classified as an independent director under Nasdaq/SEC rules; the independent majority includes Johnson, Michael Thompson, and John Harris. Board size was five at 12/31/2024 and four by mid-2025 .
- Committees and chair roles: Member of Audit, Compensation, and Nominating & Corporate Governance; Chair of Nominating & Corporate Governance .
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024, the Board held 8 meetings; Audit 4; Compensation/Nominating several; all directors attended >75% of meetings of the Board/committees on which they served. In 2023, Board held 4; Audit 3; Compensation several; Nominating 1; all directors >75% attendance .
- Years of service: Appointed to the Board on January 16, 2023 .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash director fees (USD) | $62,308 | $60,000 (incl. $15,000 accrued) |
| Stock awards (USD) | $104,539 | $50,000 |
| Option awards (USD) | $0 | $0 |
| Total (USD) | $166,847 | $110,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Feature | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance-vesting features for director equity | Not disclosed (stock awards reported) | Not disclosed (stock awards reported) |
| Performance metrics tied to director compensation | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Vesting schedule specifics | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
The Compensation Committee does not engage external compensation consultants; it benchmarks peer practices internally .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Public/Private | Role | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Texas Gulf Pipe Line Company | Not disclosed | Director | None disclosed |
| SunVit Pipeline, LLC | Not disclosed | Management Committee | None disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Sector expertise: Midstream/downstream operations, crude logistics, gathering/terminalling .
- Governance: Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee chair; service on pipeline boards/committees .
- Education: BA, University of Texas at Austin; MBA (finance), Rice University .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | 2024 (Record Date 12/2/2024; 41,008,013 shares outstanding) | 2025 (Record Date 8/13/2025; 48,051,097 shares outstanding) |
|---|---|---|
| Common shares beneficially owned | 151,877; includes 57,698 shares owed/due in next 60 days for Board fees | 176,639; includes 24,510 shares owed/due in next 60 days for Board fees |
| Ownership % | <1% (*) | <1% (*) |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independent director with deep midstream domain knowledge; chairs Nominating, supporting board composition and governance oversight .
- Solid engagement: >75% attendance and service across Audit, Compensation, and Nominating committees in 2023–2024 .
- Modest director pay and equity mix; reduction in total director compensation year-over-year ($166,847 in 2023 vs. $110,000 in 2024) suggests restraint amid company transitions .
- Watch items / potential red flags affecting investor confidence:
- CEO nomination influence: The CEO employment agreement granted nomination rights used to appoint Johnson (and Harris), which can raise independence optics even if Nasdaq independence criteria are met .
- Related-party environment: Significant transactions and ongoing commercial ties with entities controlled by CEO Ballengee (e.g., take-or-pay, sales, financing, asset sale ratification), elevating conflict risk; robust committee oversight—especially Nominating/Audit—is critical .
- No external compensation consultant engagement for executive/director pay may limit independent benchmarking rigor .
- Capital structure stressors: Proposals to approve potentially dilutive note/preferred conversions and a reverse split to address Nasdaq bid-price compliance indicate financial pressures; board oversight of dilution and shareholder alignment is key .
- Executive turnover: CFO resignation (July 2025) and subsequent settlements/transition arrangements highlight leadership stability risk; continued Audit Committee vigilance warranted .
No director-specific legal proceedings are disclosed for Johnson; the proxy states no material proceedings involving any directors/officers .