William A. Roper, Jr. served as the CEO of VeriSign from May 2007 until June 2008. His leadership came during a time of transition for the company. While he had a base salary of $750,000, the most notable aspect of...

William A. Roper, Jr. served as the CEO of VeriSign from May 2007 until June 2008. His leadership came during a time of transition for the company. While he had a base salary of $750,000, the most notable aspect of his time at VeriSign was his exit strategy. He resigned in June 2008, just a little over a year into his role, which means he did not engage in long-term bonuses or stock options typically associated with full employment. Before joining VeriSign, Roper was an executive vice president at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), which highlights his extensive background in tech and business. Interestingly, he received stock options and RSU awards upon his hiring, but the investments did not fully develop as his tenure ended abruptly. Roper was born in December 1946, but not much is known about his education. His time at VeriSign is marked by a decisive leadership style, yet cut short due to his quick departure.

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1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other VeriSign CEOs

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William A. Roper, Jr.

Ex-CEO of VeriSign

Education

B.A. in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina

Field of Expertise

Finance & Banking - Finance

Sector of Economy

Technology

Born

November 15, 1946 - 78 years ago

CEO of VeriSign for

4 years 2 months (May 2007 - Aug 2011)

Previous Experience

Executive Vice President of SAIC

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of William A. Roper, Jr.

Holdings

See how much did William A. Roper, Jr. make over time.

During his tenure at VeriSign, Roper's equity holdings included stock options and restricted stock units totaling approximately 368,493 shares. When he began in 2007, his options had the potential to be significant, but his quick resignation in June 2008 meant...

During his tenure at VeriSign, Roper's equity holdings included stock options and restricted stock units totaling approximately 368,493 shares. When he began in 2007, his options had the potential to be significant, but his quick resignation in June 2008 meant that most of these holdings did not materialize into tangible wealth. The largest holding was a non-qualified stock option for 210,970 shares. However, the timing of his resignation meant that the value of these shares was largely unrealized. Roper's financial strategy aimed to align his interests with shareholders, but the abrupt end to his service curtailed this alignment. He had a unique opportunity to leverage his shares in the market, but by the end of his term, those options didn't provide the returns they could have under stable conditions.

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Insider Trading

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Compensation History

See how much did William A. Roper, Jr. make over time.

In 2007, after becoming CEO of VeriSign, Roper's total compensation was approximately $2.27 million, but this included a base salary of $750,000 and a performance bonus of $405,000 reflecting his pro-rated time. His compensation was primarily driven by a mix of salary, stock options, and performance bonuses linked to the company's operational performance, aligning with industry standards. However, due to his resignation in June 2008, he did not receive the long-term incentives that usually benefit CEOs in high-stakes companies. His compensation plan was designed to motivate and align him with shareholders, but ultimately, it was a short-lived arrangement. Roper's exit one year into his role meant that he did not fully reap the rewards tied to the shares and options granted at the start of his tenure, leaving questions about the sustainability of his compensation plan.

Year

2008

Total Compensation

$800.00K

Salary

$800.00K

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy aims to attract and retain talented executives while aligning their interests with stockholder value.

Bonus

$0.00

Board Justification

William A. Roper, Jr. was not eligible for a bonus in 2008 as he resigned on June 30, 2008.

Other

$0.00

Board Justification

No other compensation was reported for 2008 as he resigned on June 30, 2008.

Restricted Stock

$0.00(0 RSU)

Board Justification

No stock awards vested in 2008 as he resigned before any vesting could occur.

Performance Metrics

Performance metrics for 2008 included non-GAAP operating income from Core Business Units and strategic goals related to divestiture.

Other VeriSign CEOs

Here are other CEOs of VeriSign

Stratton D. Sclavos

Ex-CEO of VeriSign

July 1995 - May 2007

D. James Bidzos

Founder and CEO of VeriSign

August 2011 - Present