Yvette Butler
Voya FinancialAbout Yvette S. Butler
Independent director at Voya Financial, Inc. since 2021; age 59. Butler is the founder and CEO of Hive Wealth (since Feb 2022) and previously held senior roles at SVB Private (President of Private Bank & Wealth Management, 2018–2022), Capital One Investing (EVP, 2013–2018), and Wells Fargo Advisors (Managing Director, 2007–2013). Recognized among The Washingtonian’s Most Powerful Women (2017) and Savoy’s lists of Most Influential Black Executives (2020) and Board Directors (2021), with expertise bridging technology and wealth management .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hive Wealth | Founder & CEO | Feb 2022 – present | Leads fintech app focused on community-driven financial planning |
| SVB Private Bank & Wealth Management | President | 2018 – 2022 | Led private banking and wealth business |
| Capital One Investing | EVP | 2013 – 2018 | Senior leadership in retail investing platform |
| Wells Fargo Advisors | Managing Director | 2007 – 2013 | Senior leadership in advisory business |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Nature | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synctera | Board Membership | Private/Fintech | Banking-as-a-service platform |
| Hillcrest Finance, LLC | Board Membership | Private | Finance/real estate lending |
| Portfolia | Board Membership | Private | Venture investing platform |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Butler is independent under NYSE rules .
- Tenure on Board: Director since 2021; Board of 12 directors, 11 independent .
- Attendance & engagement: 10 Board meetings, 36 standing committee meetings, 32 executive sessions in 2024; average director attendance ~97%, and no director under 75% threshold .
| Committee | Role | Chair | Meetings (2024) | Committee Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compensation, Benefits and Talent Management | Member | Lynne Biggar | 8 | CEO and senior executive pay, talent strategy, use of independent consultant (FW Cook) |
| Risk Committee | Member | Kathleen DeRose | 5 | Enterprise risk oversight, capital, liquidity, investment strategy |
| Technology Committee | Member | Jane P. Chwick | 5 | Tech strategy, infrastructure health, trend monitoring, investment oversight |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy Detail | Butler Actual (2024 Service) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $105,000 for non-employee directors | — |
| Committee membership fees | $10,000 per committee; chair premiums: Audit $30k; Comp/NGSR/Risk/Tech $20k; Non-Exec Chair +$150k | — |
| Equity compensation | Annual RSUs equal to $170,000; time-vested, granted at election/re-election and vest at next annual meeting | — |
| Director compensation deferral | Optional deferral of cash fees into cash or stock account, flexible distribution options | — |
| Butler’s 2024 cash and equity totals | Fees earned in cash: $138,031; Stock awards (2024 grant date fair value): $150,015; Total: $288,046; All Other Compensation: $0 |
Performance Compensation
- Directors receive time-vested RSUs; there are no performance-based equity awards or bonus metrics tied to director service .
| Metric | Applies to Directors? | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Performance Stock Units (PSUs) | No | Non-employee directors receive RSUs only; PSUs are for executives |
| Annual performance bonus | No | Director compensation is retainer + committee fees; no performance bonus |
| RSU vesting | Yes | Annual RSUs vest on next annual meeting date |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current boards: Synctera; Hillcrest Finance, LLC; Portfolia (no public company directorships disclosed). No interlocks or disclosed related-party conflicts with VOYA competitors, suppliers, or customers noted in the proxy .
Expertise & Qualifications
- 30+ years in financial services with deep experience in wealth management and technology integration. Recognized leader with investor marketing expertise and fintech leadership credentials via Hive Wealth .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount/Status | As-of Date |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (common shares) | 0 shares directly; additional underlying stock units: 1,431; total (shares + units): 1,431; <1% of class | Mar 26, 2025 |
| RSUs outstanding (director awards) | 3,486 RSUs | Dec 31, 2024 |
| Director stock ownership guidelines | 5x annual board cash fees within 5 years of initial election/appointment | Policy |
| Compliance status | As of Mar 26, 2025, all directors met guidelines except Butler (and Messrs. Bowman, Ersek, Leary, Mullaney) who joined in/after 2021; within five-year window | Mar 26, 2025 |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited for directors under personal trading policy | Policy |
Insider Trades
| Date | Filing/Type | Shares | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 2025 | Form 4 – Sell (Direct) | 1,700 | $66.18 | |
| May 27, 2025 | Form 144 – Notice of proposed sale | — | — | |
| May 27, 2025 | Form 4 document | — | — | |
| May 24, 2024 | Form 4 – Sell (Direct) | 2,165 | $73.78 | |
| May 23, 2024 | SEC Form 4 (EDGAR index) | — | — |
No Section 16 delinquency was reported for Butler in 2024; late filings noted in proxy involve other officers (Ms. Tressy; Mr. O’Neill) and one late Butler Form 144 in 2025 is not characterized as delinquent in the proxy .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Butler’s committee mix (Compensation, Risk, Technology) positions her at key oversight intersections—pay-for-performance design, enterprise risk, and technology modernization—aligned with VOYA’s strategic priorities, including OneAmerica integration and IM growth .
- Independence and potential conflicts: The Board reviewed business relationships per NYSE standards; Butler deemed independent. The related-party transaction policy is robust; no Butler-specific related-party transactions disclosed. Hive Wealth leadership represents an outside commitment but not disclosed as a VOYA transaction; independence preserved .
- Alignment and ownership: Butler is within the five-year window to meet director ownership guidelines; RSU awards and deferral options promote alignment. Hedging and pledging prohibitions reduce misalignment risk .
- Compensation structure: Director pay is balanced and median-referenced versus peers, with equity as time-vested RSUs—appropriate for governance roles. No performance pay reduces incentive-distortion risks in oversight .
- Attendance & engagement signals: High Board/committee activity and average ~97% attendance, with regular executive sessions and director education, signal active oversight; no attendance concerns for any director .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Butler. No pledging/hedging, no related-party transactions, and independence affirmed. Monitor for potential fintech overlap only if future VOYA partnerships involve Hive Wealth (none disclosed) .