Tom Long
WOLVERINE WORLD WIDE INC /DE/About Tom Long
Tom Long, age 66, is the Independent Chairman of the Board at Wolverine World Wide (WWW), serving on the Board since 2011. He holds a BA in English from the University of North Carolina and an MBA from Harvard Business School, and was appointed Independent Chairman in May 2023, separating the Chair and CEO roles. His background centers on global brand-building, international operations, and consumer marketing leadership at MillerCoors, Miller Brewing, and The Coca‑Cola Company.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridger Growth Partners, LLC | Managing Partner | 2015–present | Private investment fund; ongoing operating/investing experience |
| MillerCoors LLC | Chief Executive Officer | 2011–2015 | Led JV of SABMiller and Molson Coors; executive leadership in global beverages |
| MillerCoors LLC | President & Chief Commercial Officer | 2008–2011 | Built commercial engine and brand scale at newly formed JV |
| Miller Brewing Company | Chief Executive Officer | 2007–2008 | CEO transition leadership |
| Miller Brewing Company | Chief Marketing Officer | 2005–2007 | Built marketing capabilities and brand relationships |
| The Coca‑Cola Company | Various senior roles (VP Strategic Marketing – Global Brands; VP Strategic Marketing Research & Trends; President – Great Britain & Ireland; President – Northwest Europe) | 1988–2005 | Global brand, international P&L and strategy leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amcor PLC | Director | Since 2017 | Public company directorship; enhances packaging/supply-chain perspective |
Board Governance
- Role: Independent Chairman (appointed May 2023); the Board believes the split Chair/CEO structure best serves shareholders during the transformation and growth phase.
- Committee assignments: None (as Board Chair, he does not serve on standing committees).
- Independence: Determined independent under NYSE and company standards.
- Attendance: All directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting and at least 75% of Board (6 meetings) and committee meetings for their service period; independent directors held regular executive sessions, chaired by the Independent Chairman.
- Board/committee self-assessment: The Chairman works with the Governance Committee on the annual self-assessment process and conducts individual director interviews.
Fixed Compensation
Director compensation history (Tom Long):
| Metric | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Fees/Retainer ($) | 124,000 | 144,389 | 145,000 |
| RSU Grant Value ($) | 154,191 | 255,011 | 255,000 |
| Total ($) | 278,191 | 399,400 | 400,000 |
Program structure (unchanged 2023→2024): Annual director fee $80,000 cash plus RSUs with $145,000 grant-date value; committee retainers (Audit $15k; Audit Chair $25k; Comp & Human Capital $12k; Comp & Human Capital Chair $20k; Governance $12k; Governance Chair $20k). Chairman alternative: $145,000 cash retainer and RSUs with $255,000 grant-date value; RSUs grant in May vest after one year; directors may elect deferral.
Annual RSU grants (Tom Long):
- 2022: 7,690 units (vest one year)
- 2023: 16,733 units (vest one year)
- 2024: 23,416 units (May 2024 grant; one-year vest; deferral available)
Performance Compensation
- Non-employee directors do not receive performance-based equity or bonuses; director RSUs are time-based (no EPS/TSR metrics).
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Since | Interlocks/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amcor PLC | Director | 2017 | No related-person transactions disclosed with WWW; Compensation Committee reported no interlocks in 2024. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Brand building, international business, marketing: highlighted as core skills; Long is also recognized for executive leadership, retail and finance experience.
- Board skills matrix indicates coverage in Brand Building, International Business, Marketing, Finance, and Retail (among others).
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (shares) | 120,487; marked as less than 1% of outstanding |
| Stock options and RSUs vesting within 60 days | 52,211 |
| Deferred stock units/sole voting and/or investment power | 68,276 |
| Time-vested restricted units held | 40,364, including 16,948 fully vested RSUs that were deferred |
| Director stock options outstanding (legacy grants) | 28,795 options outstanding as of Dec 28, 2024 |
| Ownership guidelines | Non-employee directors must hold 6x the annual cash retainer; all directors were in compliance in 2024 |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited for directors and employees under the Insider Trading Policy |
Governance Assessment
-
Board effectiveness and engagement: Independent Chair structure, strong independence profile (all non-management directors independent), regular executive sessions, and formal Board/committee self-evaluations are positives for oversight and accountability.
-
Attendance and process: ≥75% meeting attendance and participation across 2024; executive sessions chaired by the Independent Chair reinforce independent oversight.
-
Alignment and incentives: As Chair, Long’s mix (approx. $145k cash/$255k equity in 2024) provides meaningful equity alignment; program remained stable YoY (2023→2024) with one-year RSU vesting and optional deferral.
-
Ownership and policies: Material equity holdings (including deferred and time-vested units), compliance with robust 6x retainer ownership guideline, and prohibitions on hedging/pledging support investor alignment.
-
Conflicts and related-party exposure: No related-person transactions since Dec 31, 2023; no compensation committee interlocks reported.
-
Shareholder sentiment: Say-on-pay passed with ~94% support in 2024; company engaged holders representing ~78% of institutional shares approached in early 2025—supportive of governance stability.
-
RED FLAGS:
- None identified for Long: no related-party transactions, strong independence, robust attendance, and prohibited hedging/pledging reduce governance risk. Single-trigger distribution applies to director deferrals upon change-in-control (plan design note to monitor), but no adverse director-specific issues disclosed.