Elizabeth Neuhoff
About Elizabeth R. Neuhoff
Independent director of World Acceptance Corporation (WRLD) since 2021; age 55; BA from the University of Oklahoma. Former President & CEO of Neuhoff Communications (2012–2022) and EVP at INTEREP (1993–2005), with board-identified strengths in leadership, risk oversight, finance, governance, and general business experience . She is independent under NASDAQ and company governance standards .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neuhoff Communications | President & CEO | 2012–2022 | Led broadcast and digital media operations; board cites leadership and governance acumen . |
| INTEREP | Executive Vice President | 1993–2005 | National media marketing; board cites finance and risk oversight experience . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus Financial (FOCS) | Director | 2022–2023 | Public-company board service . |
| Zip’s Car Wash | Director | 2021–2025 | Private company director . |
| West Best Mutual Insurance Company | Director | Since 2015 | Insurance industry governance . |
| Gray Television | Director | 2015–2019 | Media industry experience . |
| National Association of Broadcasters | Second Vice President | 2015–2018 | Industry leadership position . |
| Women Corporate Directors | Member | 2015–Present | Governance network . |
| Young President’s Organization | Member | Since 2013 | Executive leadership network . |
| International Women’s Forum | Member | Since 2013 | Executive network . |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Member, Compensation and Stock Option Committee; not a chair .
- Independence: Determined independent by the Board (NASDAQ standards and company policy) .
- Attendance and engagement: Board met five times in FY2025; each director attended at least 75% of board meetings and all meetings of committees on which they served; all prior-year directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors hold executive sessions generally after each regularly scheduled board meeting, chaired by the independent Board Chairman .
- Compensation Committee activity: Committee met once in FY2025; charter authorizes use of independent compensation consultants .
- Board leadership: Independent Chairman (Ken R. Bramlett Jr.), separate from CEO; independent oversight structure with regular risk reviews .
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Component | FY2025 Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash retainer | $84,000 | Quarterly retainer of $20,000 in H1; $22,000 in H2; no meeting fees . |
| Committee chair fees | $0 | Not a chair; chair fees apply to Audit ($5,000/$5,500) and other committees ($2,500/$2,750) quarterly . |
| Other cash fees | $0 | None disclosed beyond retainers . |
| Total cash | $84,000 | Sum of cash components . |
Program design highlights:
- Non-employee directors receive quarterly retainers; increases effective October 1, 2024; no meeting fees; optional deferred fee plan (no directors deferred in FY2025) .
- All directors reimbursed for ordinary and necessary out-of-pocket expenses .
Performance Compensation (Director)
| Award Type | Grant Date | Shares/Units | Vesting | Performance Metrics | Fair Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Stock (2017 Plan) | Dec 18, 2024 | 1,075 | Not specified; subject to plan terms | None disclosed for director grants | $120,013 |
- Equity program allows non-qualified options and/or restricted stock for directors; options must be at/above fair market value; repricing prohibited without shareholder approval under the 2025 Plan; minimum vesting of one year applies to 2025 Plan awards (plan effective upon shareholder approval) .
- No director performance metric framework disclosed; director equity appears time-based, with no EPS/TSR targets specified for directors .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Interlocks: Compensation committee during FY2025 comprised of independent directors; no insider participation; no interlocks with other companies’ compensation committees or reciprocal executive-director relationships; no related party transactions by committee members requiring Item 404 disclosure .
- Concentrated shareholder and board presence: Prescott General Partners LLC beneficially owned 33.8% at record date, and its managing member (Scott J. Vassalluzzo) serves on WRLD’s board and the Compensation and Nominating committees; company repurchased 162,712 shares from a Prescott affiliate for $24.0 million (approved by Audit & Compliance Committee and Board) .
- Governance mitigation: Audit & Compliance Committee reviews related party transactions under a written policy; factors include fairness, business purpose, independence implications, and conflicts .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Board-cited skills: Leadership, risk management and oversight, finance, corporate governance, and general business experience .
- Education: BA, University of Oklahoma .
- Sector experience: Media, marketing, insurance; public-company board service .
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (shares) | 7,137 | Includes options exercisable within 60 days and unvested RSAs . |
| Ownership % of shares outstanding | 0.131% | Calculated as 7,137 / 5,446,636 shares outstanding at record date . |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 2,031 | Director-level legacy option grants . |
| Unvested restricted stock | 3,075 | RSAs included in beneficial ownership . |
| Other common shares | 2,031 | Residual beneficial shares beyond options/RSAs . |
| Pledging/Hedging | Not disclosed for Neuhoff; company policy prohibits hedging and requires pre-clearance for pledging/margin accounts . |
Governance Assessment
-
Positives
- Independence and committee service: Independent director on Compensation & Stock Option Committee; independent board majority; independent non-executive chair; regular executive sessions .
- Attendance and engagement: Met board and committee attendance thresholds; broad governance frameworks in place .
- Pay practices: Director pay mix is balanced (cash retainer + equity); no meeting fees; deferred fee plan available; equity plans prohibit repricing; minimum vesting and dividend restrictions on unvested awards under the 2025 Plan .
- Shareholder support: FY2024 say‑on‑pay approved by over 89% of votes cast, signaling broad investor alignment with compensation approach .
-
Watch items / potential red flags
- Compensation Committee meeting cadence: One meeting in FY2025 may signal limited frequency; monitor depth of oversight and use of independent consultants as needed .
- Ownership concentration and transactions: Significant Prescott-related ownership with board representation and a large repurchase from a Prescott affiliate; while reviewed/approved under RPT policy, concentration can raise perceived influence risks—continue monitoring independence safeguards and transaction fairness .
- Anti-pledging enforcement: Company policy regulates pledging; no Neuhoff pledging disclosed; maintain scrutiny for pledging/hedging compliance .