A.B. CRUZ, III

Former Senior Vice President & Enterprise Shared Services, Chief Legal Office,
USAA

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Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (ret.)
Board Chair, Independent Director,
Senior Advisor, Seasoned C-Suite Executive

EXECUTIVE ROLES:
Navy Admiral-Special Warfare/Operations, CLO/GC, CECO, CRO, Corporate Secretary

INDUSTRIES:
Telecommunications, Media/Entertainment, Education, Financial Services, Biotech Pharma, Oil & Gas, Military

BOARD COMMITTEES:
Executive, Nominating & Governance, Audit,
Compensation, Finance-Investment

A.B. CRUZ III has helped lead four public (NASDAQ: VIA & SSP | NYSE: SNI & EBS) and three private companies (USAA, BET, ARINC)—spanning several very different highly regulated industries and representing over $60B in total annual revenue—through challenge, crisis, and change. He is also a former Navy Admiral who during his 33+ year military career shaped and led numerous high-performing operational teams in demanding, high-stress and ambiguous environments, and represented the United States internationally in multiple high-level engagements with foreign militaries. A visionary leader of the highest character who has developed and implemented much value- and brand-building initiatives and is a well-respected and credible thought leader on such matters as:

• Strategic Mergers & Acquisitions
• Digital Technology Transformations
• Capital Restructurings, Financings, Spin-Offs & Divestitures
• Enterprise Risk Management & Risk Appetite Frameworks
• Compliance & Internal Audit
• Talent & Leadership Development
• Corporate Governance
• Crisis Management
• Strategic/Operational Planning & Execution
• Culture Shaping & Workforce Optimization
• Education/School Board
• Diversity, Inclusion & Equity

A.B. was most recently a Senior Vice President and Divisional General Counsel at USAA, a Fortune 100 financial services company, where he led the legal teams that supported the Company’s C-suite members and their organizations. He spearheaded the optimization of the chief legal office’s operating and interaction models, and reviewed and approved new products and services to foster USAA’s future growth, competitiveness, and technology transformation.

Prior to USAA, A.B. was Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, Chief Compliance & Ethics Officer, and PAC chairman for Emergent BioSolutions, Inc. Before Emergent, A.B. concurrently served as the Deputy Director of Maritime Operations for U.S. Fleet Forces Command and as Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary for Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. Prior to that, A.B. was the Deputy Commander for both U.S. 4th Fleet and Naval Forces Southern Command and served as the Executive Vice President & General Counsel for The E.W. Scripps Company.

A.B. holds a JD from The Catholic University of America, an MA in Marketing from The University of Maryland, and a BS in General Engineering & Physical Sciences from the U.S. Naval Academy. A.B. has served on numerous boards and is the immediate past chairman of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association board, is an advisory board member for Bellatorum Resources, and a board director and executive committee member for the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, and a board director for the Down Syndrome Association of South Texas. He also serves as a board trustee, executive committee member, and finance committee chair for Saint Mary’s Hall, and as a board trustee and governance committee member for the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Foundation. A.B. is also a senior advisor for VetStoreUSA.