Suzet M. McKinney
WINTRUST FINANCIALAbout Suzet M. McKinney
Suzet M. McKinney, DrPH, MPH (age 52) has served on the Wintrust Financial Corporation (WTFC) board since 2021. She is an independent director, a designated “audit committee financial expert,” and currently serves on the Audit and Compensation Committees; she also sits on boards of WTFC’s wealth management subsidiaries (Great Lakes Advisors, Wintrust Investments, Wintrust Private Trust Company) and joined the Kemper Corporation (NYSE: KMPR) board in February 2024. Dr. McKinney holds a DrPH from the University of Illinois Chicago, an MPH from Benedictine University, and a BA in Biology from Brandeis University; prior roles include Principal & Director of Life Sciences at Sterling Bay and CEO/Executive Director of the Illinois Medical District.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Bay Company, LLC | Principal & Director of Life Sciences | Feb 2021 – Former | Led life sciences ecosystem relationships; tenant growth in Sterling Bay developments |
| Illinois Medical District | CEO & Executive Director | Sep 2015 – Feb 2021 | Ran one of the largest urban medical districts (560 acres, 4 hospitals, ~40 facilities) |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Start | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kemper Corporation (NYSE: KMPR) | Director | Feb 7, 2024 | Public insurer; committee roles not disclosed in WTFC proxy |
| Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago | Board Member | — | Non-profit board service |
| Thresholds | Board Member | — | Non-profit board service |
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Board tenure and age | Director since 2021; 52 at the 2025 annual meeting |
| Independence | Independent under Nasdaq standards (WTFC board: all independent except CEO and Founder/Senior Advisor) |
| Committees | Audit Committee (member); Compensation Committee (member) |
| Audit Committee financial expert | Yes (Board-designated) |
| Attendance | In 2024, the Board met six times and each director attended >90% of Board and committee meetings on which they served |
| Executive sessions | Independent directors meet in executive session at each Board and committee meeting |
| Subsidiary directorships | Great Lakes Advisors; Wintrust Investments; Wintrust Private Trust Company |
| Outside board service policy | Limit of service on no more than four other public company boards |
Fixed Compensation
WTFC Non-Employee Director Pay Structure (2024)
| Component | 2024 Policy |
|---|---|
| Annual Board Fee Retainer | $160,000 (cash or common stock at director’s election) |
| Annual Committee Fee Retainer | $10,000 per committee (Executive Committee excluded; cash or stock) |
| Committee Chair Fee | $25,000 (Audit, Compensation, Finance, IT/IS, Nominating, Risk) |
| Chairman of the Board | Additional $60,000 |
| Board meeting fees | Only if >6 Board meetings: $2,000 in-person / $1,500 virtual per additional meeting |
| Committee meeting fees | Only if >5 committee meetings: $2,000 in-person / $1,500 virtual per additional meeting |
| Subsidiary board fees | Paid for subsidiary service; included in “All Other Compensation” |
Suzet M. McKinney — 2024 Director Compensation
| Component | Amount ($) | Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned | 182,000 | Elected to receive in Common Stock | WTFC shows this in “Fees Earned or Paid in Cash,” with separate disclosure of fees received in stock by election |
| All Other Compensation | 7,294 | Cash/Dividends/Subsidiary | Includes dividends on deferred units and subsidiary director fees where applicable; details itemized only for directors ≥$10k (McKinney below threshold) |
| Total | 189,294 | — | Sum of above |
Performance Compensation
- WTFC did not grant stock options or performance stock awards to non-employee directors in 2024; director compensation consisted of retainers, potential meeting fees, and chair fees, with the option to take retainers in cash or stock and/or defer under the Directors Deferred Fee and Stock Plan (no performance metrics tied to director pay were disclosed) .
- Directors may defer retainers into deferred stock units (Units) that accrue dividend equivalents; Units have no voting rights and are paid in shares per the director’s deferral election post-retirement .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Entity | Linkage to WTFC | Potential Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kemper Corporation (NYSE: KMPR) | External public company directorship | No compensation committee interlocks or insider participation reported for 2024 at WTFC; routine client/vendor relationships are reviewed under related-person policies; no related-party transactions identified beyond ordinary-course banking on market terms since Jan 1, 2024 |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Public company board experience and financial oversight: Audit Committee financial expert; service on Audit and Compensation Committees at WTFC .
- Leadership in complex, regulated environments: Former CEO/Executive Director, Illinois Medical District; Principal & Director of Life Sciences at Sterling Bay .
- Education: DrPH (University of Illinois Chicago); MPH (Benedictine University); BA Biology (Brandeis) .
- Additional community/non-profit governance: Lurie Children’s Hospital; Thresholds .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (WTFC common) | 1,878 shares; less than 1% of outstanding |
| Deferred stock units (Director Plan) | 1,878 Units held as of Dec 31, 2024 (unissued; accrue dividend equivalents; not voting) |
| Ownership guideline | 4x Annual Board Fee Retainer ($640,000 for 2024); 4 years to meet from joining the Board; as of the record date, all non-employee directors either meet or are expected to meet within the prescribed timeframe |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited for directors and employees (no hedging, short selling, or pledging of WTFC stock) |
Governance Assessment
- Positive signals
- Independent director; designated Audit Committee financial expert; active on Audit and Compensation Committees, aligning with risk, controls, and pay oversight focus .
- Strong engagement culture: Board met six times in 2024; each director attended >90% of Board/committee meetings; independent director executive sessions at every meeting .
- Robust policies: Prohibitions on hedging/pledging; director ownership guidelines; annual board/committee self-assessments; limit of ≤4 other public boards .
- Shareholder support context: 98% approval on Say-on-Pay in 2024, indicating favorable governance/performance alignment environment at WTFC (context for board credibility) .
- No compensation committee interlocks or insider participation for 2024; no related-person transactions identified beyond ordinary-course banking on market terms since Jan 1, 2024 .
- Watch items
- Skin-in-the-game: Reported beneficial ownership of 1,878 shares (<1%); while the company states directors either meet or are on track to meet the 4x retainer ownership guideline within the prescribed period, analysts may monitor pace of accumulation given her 2021 start date and the $640,000 guideline level .
- External commitments: Additional public company board (Kemper) is within WTFC’s policy but should be monitored for time/attention relative to committee-intensive roles (Audit, Compensation) .
Overall: Dr. McKinney’s committee roles (Audit and Compensation) plus “financial expert” designation and strong attendance underpin board effectiveness. Prohibitions on pledging/hedging and ownership guidelines support alignment; no disclosed related-party conflicts or interlocks in 2024. Continued tracking of equity accumulation toward the guideline and any evolving external obligations is advisable.