Jaynie Miller Studenmund
About Jaynie Miller Studenmund
Independent trustee of Western Asset Inflation-Linked Opportunities & Income Fund (NYSE: WIW), born 1954, serving on the WIW Board since 2004, and standing for re-election with a term expiring in 2028 if elected . Background includes senior operating roles in fintech and internet services (COO at Overture Services; President/COO at PayMyBills) and executive leadership in consumer/business banking; core credentials cited by WIW include business and finance expertise with prior COO/president experience . She is classified as an Independent Trustee under the Investment Company Act .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overture Services, Inc. | Chief Operating Officer | 2001–2004 | Led operations at a publicly traded internet company that created search engine marketing |
| PayMyBills | President & Chief Operating Officer | 1999–2001 | Executive leadership in online bill presentment/payment |
| Three national financial institutions | Executive Vice President, Consumer & Business Banking | 1984–1997 | Senior leadership across consumer/business banking |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committee Positions / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Premier Bancorp Inc. and Pacific Premier Bank | Director | Since 2019 | Not specified in WIW proxy |
| EXL (operations management and analytics) | Director | Since 2018 | Not specified in WIW proxy |
| LifeLock, Inc. | Director (former) | 2015–2017 | Former role |
| CoreLogic, Inc. | Director (former) | 2012–2021 | Former role |
| Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. | Director (former) | 2012–2018 | Former role |
Board Governance
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Independence | Independent Trustee; Independent Trustees comprise more than 75% of WIW’s Board |
| Committee Memberships | Audit; Executive & Contracts; Governance & Nominating; Investment & Performance |
| Committee Chair Roles | Chairperson, Governance & Nominating Committee |
| Board Leadership Structure | Independent Chair (William E.B. Siart) and independent committee chairs; independent trustees meet outside management and have independent counsel |
| Meetings & Attendance | FY ended Nov 30, 2024: Board 8, Audit 6, Governance 3, Performance 5, Contracts 2; each Trustee attended ≥75% of meetings on which they served; Trustees did not attend the 2024 annual shareholder meeting |
| Term & Classification | Standing for election as Class III Trustee to serve until 2028 Annual Meeting if elected |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggregate Compensation from WIW | $5,981 | FY ended Nov 30, 2024 | Cash-based trustee fees (annual retainer + meeting fees; additional comp for leadership roles) |
| Total Compensation from Fund Complex | $347,000 | Year ended Dec 31, 2024 | WIW pays pro rata share of complex-wide fees based on asset size |
| Compensation Structure | Retainer + meeting fees; additional compensation for Chair of Board and chairs of Audit, Governance, Performance, Contracts committees | As disclosed | Structure applies to independent trustees; reimbursed expenses; interested trustees not paid |
Performance Compensation
No performance-based compensation, equity grants (RSUs/PSUs/options), or incentive metrics for trustees are disclosed; the proxy describes cash retainers/meeting fees and additional chair compensation only .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to WIW/Managers | Potential Interlock/Conflict Commentary |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Premier Bancorp Inc. | None disclosed | No related-party transactions disclosed in WIW proxy involving Studenmund; board qualification limits to ≤5 public boards help mitigate overboarding risk |
| EXL | None disclosed | No WIW-related transactions disclosed |
| Prior boards (LifeLock, CoreLogic, Pinnacle Entertainment) | None disclosed | Historical roles; no current WIW conflicts indicated |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Business and finance expertise; prior COO/president roles; board member across public companies; skills highlighted by WIW include ability to exercise business judgment and engage in oversight across committees .
- Governance leadership as Chair of the Governance & Nominating Committee; participates on Audit and Performance, supporting oversight of financial reporting and investment performance .
Equity Ownership
| Category | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| WIW Fund Dollar Range | None (no beneficial ownership in WIW) |
| Aggregate Dollar Range (Fund Complex) | Over $100,000 across funds overseen in the Franklin Templeton family |
| Group Ownership | All trustees and officers as a group owned <1% of WIW shares as of the record date |
| Shares Outstanding (for context) | 61,184,134 WIW shares outstanding as of record date (Mar 28, 2025) |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; chairs Governance & Nominating; service across Audit and Performance committees; Board majority independent; independent leadership and counsel; attendance at least 75% across Board/committees; structured director nomination qualifications and limits (≤5 public boards) .
- Alignment: No WIW share ownership (dollar range “None”); aggregate fund complex holdings “Over $100,000” may reflect broader Franklin Templeton fund exposure but not WIW-specific alignment .
- Engagement signals: Trustees did not attend the 2024 annual shareholder meeting; however, committee/Board attendance met the ≥75% threshold; governance chair role suggests active engagement in board composition and policy .
- Potential RED FLAGS:
- No WIW-specific beneficial ownership could be viewed as weaker alignment for a closed-end fund trustee .
- Very long tenure (since 2004) may raise entrenchment concerns despite continued re-nomination and independent majority structure .
- Non-attendance at the 2024 annual shareholder meeting by all trustees may be perceived negatively by some investors, though not a violation of attendance thresholds .
- Conflicts/Related Party Exposure: No related-party transactions or conflicts disclosed involving Studenmund; governance framework emphasizes independent committee leadership and regular independent sessions to mitigate conflicts .