Richard Gomez
Wendy'sAbout Richard H. Gomez
Richard H. Gomez (age 55) is an independent director of The Wendy’s Company, serving since 2021. He is Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Target Corporation; prior roles include Target’s Chief Food and Beverage Officer, Chief Marketing/Digital/Strategy Officer, and senior brand leadership at MillerCoors, PepsiCo, and early brand management at Quaker Oats; he is a Dartmouth College graduate and serves on the board of the National Museum of the American Latino at the Smithsonian .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target Corporation | EVP & Chief Commercial Officer | Jul 2024–present | Led enterprise commercial strategy across product categories; digital/social platforms and brand value creation . |
| Target Corporation | EVP & Chief Food, Essentials & Beauty Officer | Feb 2024–Jul 2024 | Oversight of multi-category merchandising and brand positioning . |
| Target Corporation | EVP & Chief Food & Beverage Officer | Feb 2021–Feb 2024 | Product development, consumer brand positioning, operations . |
| Target Corporation | EVP & Chief Marketing, Digital & Strategy Officer | Dec 2019–Feb 2021 | Integrated marketing, digital, enterprise strategy . |
| Target Corporation | EVP & Chief Marketing & Digital Officer | Jan 2019–Dec 2019 | Marketing and digital execution . |
| Target Corporation | EVP & Chief Marketing Officer | Jan 2017–Jan 2019 | Global brand strategy, media, budget . |
| Target Corporation | SVP, Brand & Category Marketing | Apr 2013–Jan 2017 | Category brand leadership . |
| MillerCoors | VP Brand Marketing | 2009–2013 | Large CPG brand management . |
| PepsiCo | Various leadership incl. CMO non-carbonated portfolio | 2007–2009 | Portfolio/brand management . |
| Quaker Oats Company | Brand Management | Early career | Foundational CPG brand work . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Museum of the American Latino (Smithsonian) | Board member | Current | Cultural governance; non-profit oversight . |
| Public company boards | — | — | None disclosed . |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Gomez is independent under Nasdaq rules and Wendy’s Independence Standards .
- Committees: Compensation and Human Capital Committee (member), Technology Committee (member), and Performance Compensation Subcommittee (member) .
- Meeting load: C&HC held 9 joint meetings in 2024; Technology Committee held 5 meetings .
- Attendance: Each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings (Gomez included); total Board and committee attendance was ~98% in 2024 .
- Leadership and structure: Independent non-executive Chair; Chair/CEO roles separated .
- Director time commitments: Board adopted limits on other board service in 2024 to safeguard engagement capacity .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Board annual cash retainer | $80,000 | Standard retainer for non-management directors . |
| C&HC Committee member retainer | $10,500 | Annual retainer; no per-meeting fees . |
| Technology Committee member retainer | $10,500 | Annual retainer; no per-meeting fees . |
| Meeting fees | $0 | No meeting fees for C&HC or Technology Committees . |
| Total fees earned (2024) | $101,000 | Reported for Gomez in 2024 . |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Element | Grant Date | Grant-Date Fair Value (USD) | Vesting | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual restricted stock award | May 21, 2024 | $162,500 | Vests on earlier of first anniversary or next annual meeting; service-based . | None (time-based only) . |
Note: Non-management director equity is time-based (not performance-linked); directors may elect deferrals into RSUs; no stock options outstanding for directors as of 2024 year-end .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed for Gomez . |
| Private/non-profit boards | Board member, National Museum of the American Latino (Smithsonian) . |
| Compensation Committee interlocks | No related person transactions for C&HC members in 2024 except Mr. May (Trian); none for Gomez . |
| Supplier/customer interlocks | Board considered AMC Networks ad purchases for Ms. Dolan; no similar transactions disclosed involving Gomez/Target . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep consumer/retail, brand strategy, and digital marketing leadership; experience across domestic and international operations, risk management, HCM, compliance, and corporate governance relevant to QSR brand building and digital engagement .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | 27,359 shares . |
| Wendy’s shares outstanding (record date) | 196,234,142 shares (Mar 24, 2025) . |
| Ownership (% of outstanding) | ~0.014% (27,359 ÷ 196,234,142) . |
| Unvested restricted stock outstanding (2024 FYE) | 9,108 shares . |
| Options (exercisable/unexercisable) | None outstanding for directors at 2024 year-end . |
| Pledged/hedged shares | No director pledges; anti-hedging policy in place . |
| Stock ownership guideline | 5× annual cash retainer; must hold 100% of net shares until met . |
Insider Trades (Section 16 Compliance)
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Delinquent filings for Gomez (2024) | None reported; company states directors complied; a late Form 4 was noted for CEO Tanner only . |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; active roles on Compensation & Human Capital and Technology oversight; member of Performance Compensation Subcommittee; strong attendance; robust anti-hedging and no pledging; ownership guidelines enhance alignment; say-on-pay support was ~97% in 2024, indicating investor confidence in compensation governance .
- Alignment: Director pay mix includes meaningful equity (time-based RS), and cash fees tied to committee service; program benchmarked to 14-restaurant peer group and adjusted in 2024 to maintain competitiveness .
- Potential conflicts: None disclosed involving Gomez; independence affirmed after review of related transactions; Target role is not a direct competitor/supplier in disclosed related party items .
- Engagement risk mitigants: Board’s 2024 limits on external board service; independent Chair structure; executive sessions; committee cadence supports effective oversight .
RED FLAGS
- Related party transactions: None identified for Gomez in 2024 reviews .
- Hedging/pledging: None; policy prohibits hedging and pledging without approvals; no director pledges as of proxy date .
- Attendance: Met threshold; board-wide attendance ~98% .
- Director equity repricing or option modifications: None disclosed; directors have no options outstanding .