Leonard Sokolow
About Leonard J. Sokolow
Leonard J. Sokolow, age 68, has served as an independent director of Vivos Therapeutics since June 2020, and is the Audit Committee chair and designated audit committee financial expert. He holds a B.A. and J.D. from the University of Florida, an LL.M. in Taxation from NYU School of Law, and is a Certified Public Accountant; he is currently co-CEO of SKYX Platforms Corp. and has extensive executive experience across financial services and public company governance .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| SKYX Platforms Corp. (Nasdaq: SKYX) | Co-Chief Executive Officer; Director | Co-CEO since Sep 2023; director since 2015 | Senior operator; board-level governance |
| Newbridge Financial, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer & President | 2015–Aug 2023 | Led financial services holding company |
| Newbridge Securities Corporation / Newbridge Financial Services Group | Chairman (2015–Jul 2022); CEO (Aug 2022–Aug 2023) | 2015–Aug 2023 | Broker-dealer and RIA leadership |
| National Holdings Corporation (public) | President & Vice Chairman | 2008–2012 | Financial services executive role |
| vFinance Inc. (public) | CEO & President; later Chairman & CEO | 1999–2008; Jan 2007–Jul 2008 | Co-founder; led through merger into National Holdings |
| Americas Growth Fund Inc. | Founder, Chairman & CEO | 1994–1998 | Closed-end registered investment company leadership |
| Applica Inc. (public) | EVP & General Counsel | 1988–1993 | Legal, compliance and corporate governance |
| Ernst & Young; KPMG Peat Marwick | Certified Public Accountant | 1980–1982 | Audit/accounting foundations |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Since | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. (Nasdaq: CWCO) | Director; Audit Committee Chair; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member | Director since 2006; Nom/Gov since 2011 | Audit leadership; governance oversight |
| SKYX Platforms Corp. | Co-CEO; Director | Co-CEO since Sep 2023; Director since 2015 | Executive management; board service |
| Agrify Corporation (Nasdaq: AGFY) | Director | Since Dec 2021 | Audit Committee and Compensation Committee member |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined Sokolow is independent under Nasdaq rules; he serves alongside five independent directors .
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee Chair and “audit committee financial expert”; member of Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee .
- Attendance and engagement: In FY2024 the Board met 7 times, the Audit Committee met 5 times, the Compensation Committee met 7 times, and the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee did not meet; directors attended 97% of meetings. All directors attended the last annual meeting (Nov 26, 2025) .
- Leadership structure: No lead independent director; independent directors hold regular executive sessions, providing a forum for management-free oversight .
| Governance Metric | FY 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Board meetings held | 7 | Broad operational oversight |
| Audit Committee meetings held | 5 | Financial reporting, auditor oversight |
| Compensation Committee meetings held | 7 | Incentive plan and pay risk oversight |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee meetings held | 0 | Charter responsibilities remain active |
| Director meeting attendance | 97% | High engagement signal |
| Annual meeting attendance | 100% of directors (Nov 26, 2025) | Shareholder engagement |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount (USD) | Basis/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $48,000 | Standard for non-employee directors |
| Committee chair fee (Audit) | $10,000 | Audit Chair |
| Committee membership fee (Nominating & Governance) | $5,000 | Committee member |
| Total cash fees (FY2024 actual) | $63,000 | Matches program structure |
| Meeting fees | $0 | No meeting fees policy |
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Grant Detail | Fair Value (USD) | Vesting/Metrics | |---|---|---| | Stock options (director award) | FY2024 option grant | $7,840 | Grant-specific vesting terms not disclosed for directors; Company equity plans allow options, RSUs, performance units under the 2024 Omnibus Plan |
- Equity plan backdrop: 2024 Omnibus Plan authorizes stock options, SARs, restricted stock, RSUs, and performance units; share pool increased pending stockholder approval from 1,600,000 to 4,100,000 shares .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to VVOS | Potential Conflict/Interlock Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Consolidated Water (CWCO) | Unrelated industry (water utility) | No competitive overlap; governance experience additive |
| SKYX Platforms (SKYX) | Unrelated industry (consumer technology/lighting) | Time-commitment risk as co-CEO; low direct competitive overlap with VVOS |
| Agrify (AGFY) | Unrelated industry (cannabis tech) | No competitive overlap; historical board committees broaden governance depth |
Expertise & Qualifications
- CPA; JD and LL.M (Taxation); extensive executive and board leadership across financial services and public companies .
- Designated “audit committee financial expert” under SEC/Nasdaq standards .
- Chairs VVOS Audit Committee and signed the FY2024 Audit Committee Report recommending inclusion of audited financials in Form 10-K .
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (shares) | 6,800 (includes options exercisable within 60 days) |
| Ownership % of outstanding shares | Less than 1% |
| Options – exercisable vs. unexercisable | 6,800 exercisable within 60 days; unexercisable not disclosed for director |
| Shares pledged as collateral | None disclosed |
| Stock ownership guidelines | Not disclosed |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Insider Trading Policy in place; board-level adoption and pre-clearance requirement |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independent director with deep financial, legal, and audit expertise; serves as Audit Committee Chair and SEC-defined financial expert—supports robust oversight of reporting, controls, and auditor independence .
- High engagement: 97% attendance in FY2024 and full director attendance at the annual meeting—positive signal for accountability and investor relations .
- Beneficial ownership aligns incentives (exercisable options); no pledging or related-party transactions disclosed—limits conflict risk .
-
Risks and watch items
- Time commitment: Concurrent co-CEO role at SKYX could pose bandwidth risk; monitor meeting attendance and committee workload to ensure continued effectiveness .
- Board has no lead independent director; while executive sessions occur, a formal lead role could strengthen independent oversight in a combined chair/CEO structure .
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee reviews director compensation arrangements; while all members are independent, oversight of pay by a committee including board members requires continued rigor to avoid pay inflation or misalignment .
-
Controls and policies
- Audit Committee charter authorizes pre-approval of audit/non-audit services and review/approval of related party transactions, providing structural safeguards against conflicts .
- Company-wide clawback policy (Section 10D-compliant) and insider trading policy updates enhance governance posture, though clawback applies to certain officers rather than directors .