Bruce Beach
WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATIONAbout Bruce D. Beach
Bruce D. Beach, CPA, is the independent Chair of Western Alliance Bancorporation’s Board and an Audit Committee Financial Expert. He is 76 years old, has served as a director since 2005 and as Board Chair since 2022. He holds a B.S. and an MBA in Accounting from the University of Arizona, and brings 45+ years of public accounting and CEO experience as co‑founder and long‑time leader of BeachFleischman PC .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| BeachFleischman PC | Senior Advisor | Since 2022 | Former Chairman (1991–2021) and CEO (1991–2015) |
| Western Alliance Bancorporation | Lead Independent Director; Board Chair | Lead Independent Director since 2010; Board Chair since 2022 | Independent leadership of the Board |
| Carondelet Health Network | Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Audit Committee Chair | Not disclosed | Oversight in large hospital system governance and audit |
| Arizona State Board of Accountancy | Board Member (by gubernatorial appointment) | 2018–2023 | Regulatory/public oversight experience |
| Southern Arizona Leadership Council | Chairman and Board Member | Not disclosed | Community and leadership engagement |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Alliance Bank (subsidiary) | Director | Concurrent with WAL board service | All company directors also serve on the bank’s board |
| Southern Arizona Leadership Council | Former Chairman/Board Member | Not disclosed | Non‑profit leadership |
| Carondelet Health Network | Former Chairman/Vice‑Chairman/Audit Chair | Not disclosed | Healthcare governance |
| Arizona State Board of Accountancy | Former Board Member | 2018–2023 | Public regulatory board |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Mr. Beach is independent and re‑appointed him Chair for 2025–2026 .
- Attendance: The Board held nine meetings in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings. Five executive sessions of independent directors were held, presided over by Mr. Beach .
- Board evaluations: Annual assessments; independent third‑party conducted director assessments in 2024; feedback reviewed to improve skills, succession, and risk oversight .
| Committee | Role | Chair? | 2024 Meetings | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audit | Member; Financial Expert | Chair: Juan R. Figuereo | 11 | All independent; financially literate; Beach designated financial expert |
| Compensation | Member | Chair: Robert P. Latta | 8 | All independent |
| Governance (Nominating/CSR) | Member | Chair: Donald D. Snyder | 7 | All independent |
| Finance & Investment | Member | Chair: Christopher A. Halmy | 7 | Mix of independent + CEO; Beach is independent member |
| Risk | Member | Chair: Howard N. Gould | 8 | All independent |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Amount/Detail | Vesting/Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $180,000 | Annual |
| Stock Awards (Restricted Stock) | $315,020 | 4,056 RS shares granted Feb 6, 2024; scheduled to vest Feb 6, 2025 |
| All Other Compensation (primarily dividends on unvested grants) | $8,101 | Ongoing while unvested |
| Total | $503,121 | — |
Program design (non‑employee directors, Feb 2024): $50,000 board retainer; committee retainers ($20,000 Audit; $10,000 each for Compensation, Finance & Investment, Governance, Risk); $10,000 committee chair retainers; equity grant of 4,056 restricted shares ($235,005 grant‑date value); incremental Board Chair compensation of $80,000 cash + $80,000 restricted stock .
Performance Compensation
| Metric | Applies to Directors? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Performance‑based metrics (EPS, ROE, TSR) | No | Director compensation consists of cash retainers and time‑vested restricted stock; no performance metrics disclosed for directors |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed for Mr. Beach |
| WAL subsidiary board | Serves on Western Alliance Bank board (subsidiary) |
| Potential interlocks/conflicts | No related‑party transactions involving Mr. Beach disclosed; loans to directors follow Regulation O terms, ordinary course and market‑based |
Expertise & Qualifications
- CPA and Audit Committee Financial Expert designation .
- 45+ years in public accounting; former CEO of a large private firm; deep finance and accounting expertise .
- Skills Matrix shows strengths across corporate strategy, risk management and controls, public company governance, compensation & management development, and finance/accounting .
- Independent Board leadership as Chair; prior Lead Independent Director since 2010 .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount/Status |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (as of Apr 14, 2025) | 57,711 shares |
| Shares outstanding (denominator) | 110,615,656 |
| Ownership as % of outstanding | ~0.052% |
| 2024 director equity grant | 4,056 restricted shares vesting Feb 6, 2025 |
| Stock ownership guidelines (non‑employee directors) | Required ≥5x annual cash compensation; all directors in full compliance in 2024 |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Prohibited for directors (limited grandfathered exceptions); pledged shares excluded from compliance; no pledges disclosed for Mr. Beach |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Independent Chair with broad committee participation and strong audit/risk credentials; consistent executive sessions led by Mr. Beach support robust independent oversight .
- Alignment: Time‑vested equity grants and stringent stock ownership guidelines (5x cash) align director incentives with long‑term shareholder interests; compliance confirmed for 2024 .
- Pay practices: Director pay benchmarked by an independent consultant (WTW); program stability through 2024 with equity share count adjusted for stock price to preserve grant value; Chair receives incremental cash/equity reflecting leadership burden .
- Shareholder signals: 2024 Say‑on‑Pay support exceeded 95%, indicating broad investor endorsement of compensation governance; the Board conducts annual assessments and engaged an independent firm in 2024 for director reviews .
- Conflicts/RED FLAGS: No related‑party transactions disclosed for Mr. Beach; hedging/pledging prohibited; legal proceedings indicate no adverse director involvement. Note: CFO (not Mr. Beach) had pledged shares under grandfathered exception—monitor aggregate pledging levels per policy .