The Board’s Role in C-Suite Compensation

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Join us in person as we delve into key perspectives of the board's role in C-Suite Compensation

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Featured Speakers

Sue Hartnett Director, OFG Holding Company Extra Space Storage Inc., Sphere3D

Sue Harnett serves as an independent director of three publicly traded companies: OFG Holding Company, Extra Space Storage Inc. and Sphere3D.

As a board member, she successfully completed four M&A transactions, most recently a $15 billion deal with Extra Space to create the largest storage company in the United States. She was selected to join the Extra Space board after the merger. Harnett has a passion for developing start-up companies and giving back. She is a limited partner in How Women Invest, a venture fund dedicated to women-led companies.

She serves on the boards of two private companies, How Women Lead and Goalsetter and a mentor for the FinTech Innovation Lab.

She was recognized as one of the 2024 Directors to Watch by Corporate Directors Magazine and is a certified Risk Director from the DCRO.

Taylor Merritt Chairman and CEO Merritt Family Enterprise

Taylor Merritt is Chairman and CEO of the Merritt Family Enterprise, a values-driven organization in its third generation of stewardship by the Merritt family. The organization consists of manufacturing companies, as well as diverse investment holdings, primarily in commercial real estate and private equity. Taylor is also the Chairman and CEO of Merritt Trailers, Inc. and Merritt Aluminum Products Company, each a Top 50 Family Owned Business in Colorado and the leading manufacturers of transportation solutions for agriculture and aftermarket accessory products for the heavy and light duty truck industry in North America. Personally, Taylor has been recognized as a Colorado Titan100 honoree, Family Business Magazine “CEO to Watch”, Family Business Magazine “Next Gen to Watch” and as a ColoradoBiz Magazine Top 50 Young Professional.

Taylor is a life-long learner with an unquenchable thirst for self-improvement and professional development. He earned dual BSBA degrees in Management and Finance from the University of Denver Daniels College Of Business, then went on to complete the Owner President Management Program at Harvard Business School. His passion for learning extends beyond his personal endeavors by contributing his time and resources to local organizations such as serving on the Advisory Board of the Bailey Program for Family Enterprise at the University of Denver and as a Trustee for Colorado Succeeds. The Merritt family has also sponsored a scholarship program to advance skilled trades in partnership with the Colorado Community College Foundation. Taylor is also an alum of the Colorado Governor’s Fellowship Program and a member of YPO and other peer learning organizations.

Taylor is married to his wife, Dalacy, and together they have two young daughters, Leighton and Sutton. They reside in Longmont, CO. Taylor also has a daughter, Kaylee, and a son, Eli. Taylor enjoys traveling, shooting sporting clays, skiing and being a wanna-be car guy.

Julie Tschida Brown EVP, Chief People and Culture Officer Zayo Group

Julie Tschida Brown is a global human and financial capital executive who has focused her career partnering with Boards of Directors and her C-suite colleagues to drive organizational growth, transformation, and culture.

Julie currently is the Chief People and Culture Officer at Zayo. Over her career, she has served in various executive and leadership positions at Transamerica, IHS Markit (now S&P Global), Jacobs Engineering, Microsoft, and Hewitt Associates (now AON). Julie is an Independent Director and member of the Compensation and Nominating and Governance Committees at Real Time Safety Solutions.

Julie’s differentiator is leveraging the intersection of financial and human capital. She has a deep history in developing strategies to leverage and monetize assets for scale and profitability. Julie believes in the importance of people development and an inclusive environment to foster long-term sustainable business success.

Julie is a Certified Financial Planner, earned a BA in finance from Iowa State University and a MBA in finance and accounting from University of Minnesota Carlson School of Business.

She is actively engaged externally in her community across various not-for-profit and for-profit Board engagements. Julie is a mentor and a frequent public speaker. She resides in Denver with her husband, two children and dog.

The Honorable Elbra M. Wedgeworth Independent Director First Bank and DUSPA

The Honorable Elbra M. Wedgeworth is a proud East Denver native. Her professional experience in the private/public sector spans more than 30 years. She has uniquely served in all three branches of Denver City Government: City Council, Auditor's Office, and Mayor's Office. Prior to her election to City Council, she worked as the Director of Philanthropic and Government Affairs at Denver Health and Hospital Authority where she launched the newly formed Denver Health Foundation. In 1999, she was elected as the District 8 City Councilwoman, and in 2003, her City Council colleagues unanimously elected her as the Council President for 2003-2005. 

In addition to her work within Denver City Government, Elbra has served as the Chief Government and Community Relations Officer at Denver Health, and was the hospital's liaison for Community Engagement Initiatives. Elbra also served as the President/Chair of the Board for the Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention. She will also be remembered as the first African American woman to be President/Chair of a Host Committee in the history of either political party. 

As a vibrant and enthusiastic leader, she is the recipient of many awards for her public service, including being named by the Denver Post as One of Colorado's Most Influential Women, one of Denver's 25 Most Powerful Women by the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce, the ATHENA Award, and the Woman of Colorado Award presented by 5280 Magazine. Elbra was inducted into the Blacks in Colorado Hall of Fame by the Denver Public Library, received the Ann Love Award from Historic Denver, and was a Five Point Jazz Festival Awardee. The Denver Business Journal awarded her with their Legacy Award, and she was named by the Denver Black Pages as one of Metro Denver's most influential African Americans. 

Elbra also served as the President of the Denver Union Station Project Authority Board of Directors for nine terms, and she was the first person of color to serve as Chairperson for the Downtown Denver Partnership Inc. in their 60- year history and was later named the Downtown Denver Partnership Honorary Partner. Elbra was the first woman of color to be appointed to the Board of Trustees for FirstBank, Colorado. 

Retired in December 2019, Wedgeworth founded Casel & Associates, LLC, a consulting firm which specializes in creating Community Engagement, Leadership Resources and Diversity, Equity Inclusion and Accessibility Plans. 

In 2014, the Elbra M. Wedgeworth Municipal Building was dedicated in her honor in the historic Five Points neighborhood for her 30-plus years of public service to the City of Denver and State of Colorado

Mary Zappone CEO and Board Director Sundyne

Ms. Zappone has served as an independent director of Axalta (NYSE: AXTA) since October 2023. She serves on the Audit Committee and on the Environmental, Health, Safety and Sustainability Committee. Since 2021, Ms. Zappone has served as Chief Executive Officer and Board Director of Sundyne LLC, a global leader in the design and manufacture of mission critical pumps and compressors for the chemicals, industrials, and energy markets, including renewables and decarbonization.

Zappone is a versatile CEO with a proven record of delivering exceptional results across multiple industries and end markets. She has proven results in Fortune 100, Private Equity, and McKinsey & Co. Her experience spans energy, industrial manufacturing, industrial services, specialty chemicals, metals, healthcare services and distribution.

Prior to joining Sundyne, Zappone served as CEO of 3 other Private Equity portfolio companies. Prior to her PE experience, she held high-influence management positions with business giants such as Exxon, Alcoa, Tyco, General Electric, & McKinsey & Company. Ms. Zappone previously served on the board of directors of Avantax, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVTA), a leading provider of tax-focused financial planning and wealth management services, where she also served as Chair of the Audit Committee, a member of the Nominating and Governance Committee and a member of the Compensation Committee. Mary serves on the boards of Johns Hopkins University’s Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council. She is also a member of C200, International Women’s Forum, and McKinsey’s Advancing Women Executives program.

Zappone holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. A competitive gymnast in high school and varsity diver in college, her leisure pursuits include travel, fitness, reading, and spending time with her husband, three daughters, and three grandchildren.

Moderator

Will Ferguson Senior Partner Mercer

Will is a Senior Partner with Mercer’s Career Practice, located in Los Angeles.

With over 35 years of consulting experience, Will has extensive experience advising senior management and Boards of Directors on how to create shareholder value through integrated rewards, talent, workforce analytics, and change solutions. He frequently serves as the Board- and Management-level advisor on executive rewards programs for public and private companies. Over the past decade, he has helped develop and advance several key Mercer consulting solutions including Total Rewards Strategy, Employee Experience, Flexible Work, and Skills-Based Talent & Rewards.

Will’s consulting experience covers a broad range of industries, including technology (software, hardware, services), professional services, retail, financial services, forest products, defense, transportation, real estate, chemicals, consumer beverages, telecommunications, and consumer products. His clients range from Fortune 100 and Global 500 companies to pre-IPO startups, with experience in North America, Australia, Asia, and Europe.

In addition to his consulting experience, Will was formerly the North America Region Business Leader for Career, the Global Practice Leader for Rewards, and the Managing Partner of SCA Consulting. On October 5, 2001, SCA Consulting was acquired by Mercer. Prior to joining SCA Consulting, Will was a Senior Manager for Marakon Associates.

He has been a presenter on various topics for The Conference Board and WorldatWork along with contributing to a variety of Mercer publications. He is also a contributor to Mercer’s books, “Responsible Executive Compensation for a New Era of Accountability” (chapter: Creating Value for Shareholders: From Measurement to Management) and “Pay for Results: Aligning Executive Compensation with Business Performance.”

Will received his B.A. degree with a double major in Economics and International Relations and his M.S. degree in Engineering-Economic Systems from Stanford University.

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