expo-def14a_20210603.htm

DEF 14A 1 expo-def14a_20210603.htm DEF 14A expo-def14a_20210603.htm

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities

Exchange Act of 1934

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☐	Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12

Exponent, Inc.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

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2021 NOTICE OF

ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS MEETING

AND PROXY STATEMENT

Exponent, Inc.

149 Commonwealth Drive

Menlo Park, CA 94025

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To Be Held on June 3, 2021

TO THE STOCKHOLDERS:

The Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Exponent, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), will be held in a virtual format on Thursday, June 3, 2021, at 8:00 a.m. Pacific time, for the following purposes:

•

To elect seven directors for a term of one year;

•

To ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP, as independent registered public accounting firm for the Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021;

•

To approve, on an advisory basis, the fiscal 2020 compensation of the Company’s named executive officers; and

•

To attend to other matters that may properly come before the Annual Meeting.

Stockholders owning the Company’s shares at the close of business on April 7, 2021 (the “Record Date”) are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. As the normal business hours of our headquarters located at 149 Commonwealth Drive, Menlo Park, California 90425, have been affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will make available, through electronic means, a list of stockholders of record as of the Record Date for inspection by stockholders for any purpose related to the meeting for ten days prior to the meeting. If you want to inspect this list, please send your request, along with proof of ownership, by email to investor-relations@exponent.com. The list will also be available to stockholders at www.meetingcenter.io/289121296 during the live webcast of the Annual Meeting.

There is no physical location for the Annual Meeting. All stockholders of record as of the Record Date are cordially invited to attend the virtual Annual Meeting. You may participate in the Annual Meeting by visiting www.meetingcenter.io/289121296.

FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Richard L. Schlenker, Corporate Secretary

Menlo Park, California

April 21, 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS


About the Annual Meeting	1
Proposal No. 1—Election of Directors	4
Board Independence	9
Board Meetings, Committees, and Board Leadership	10
Report of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors	16
Relationship with Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm	18
Proposal No. 2—Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm	19
Proposal No. 3—Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation for Fiscal 2020	20
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management	21
Executive Officer Compensation	23
Compensation Discussion and Analysis	23
Report of the Human Resources Committee of the Board of Directors	30
Summary Compensation Table	31
Grants of Plan-Based Awards in Fiscal 2020 Table	32
Outstanding Equity Awards At Fiscal 2020 Year-End Table	34
Option Exercises and Stock Vested in Fiscal 2020 Table	35
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation in Fiscal 2020 Table	36
Equity Compensation Plan Information in Fiscal 2020	38
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions	39
Other Matters	40

EXPONENT, INC.

PROXY STATEMENT

FOR THE

2021 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING

General

The enclosed proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”) of Exponent, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“we,” “our,” “us,” or the “Company”). The Company’s 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) will be held virtually, on Thursday, June 3, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. Pacific time.

As there will not be a physical location, stockholders will not be able to vote their shares in person at the Annual Meeting. The only way for stockholders to vote their shares is to submit a proxy in advance of the meeting using one of the methods described in the proxy materials for the Annual Meeting or to attend the meeting virtually per the instructions below.

We are committed to ensuring, to the extent possible, that stockholders will be afforded the ability to participate at the virtual meeting like they would at an in-person meeting. If you were a stockholder of record as of the close of business on April 7, 2021, (the “Record Date”), or hold a legal proxy for the meeting provided by your bank, broker or nominee, you are entitled to participate in the Annual Meeting, vote electronically and submit questions during the live webcast of the meeting by visiting www.meetingcenter.io/289121296 and entering your control number and the password, EXPO2021.

To be admitted to the Annual Meeting as a “stockholder” (with the option to vote your shares, examine the stockholder list and submit questions during the meeting), you must follow specific instructions, including, for stockholders of record, entering the control number you previously received and, for beneficial owners, obtaining a legal proxy and registering in advance for the virtual meeting.

If you are a beneficial owner and hold your shares in “street name,” through an intermediary, such as a bank, broker or other nominee, you must register in advance to participate in the Annual Meeting, vote electronically and submit questions during the live webcast of the meeting. To register in advance, you must obtain a legal proxy from the bank, broker or other nominee that holds your shares giving you the right to vote the shares. You must forward a copy of the legal proxy along with your email address to Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (“Computershare”). Requests for registration should be directed to Computershare by email at legalproxy@computershare.com no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, on Monday, May 31, 2021. You will receive a confirmation of your registration and instructions on how to attend the meeting by email after Computershare receives your registration materials.

Beneficial owners that are unable to register in advance may still attend the 2021 Annual Meeting by visiting www.meetingcenter.io/289121296 as a “guest” but will not have the option to vote shares electronically or submit questions during the live webcast of the meeting. Stockholders may also submit questions in advance of the Annual Meeting by emailing your question, along with proof of ownership, to investor-relations@exponent.com. We will, subject to time constraints, answer all questions that are pertinent to the business of the Annual Meeting.

If you encounter any difficulties accessing the virtual meeting during the check-in or meeting time, please call the technical support number that will be posted on the login page for the Annual Meeting.

What is the Purpose of the Annual Meeting?

At the Annual Meeting, stockholders will act upon matters outlined in the accompanying notice of the Annual Meeting and transact such other business that may properly come before the Annual Meeting.

Who is Entitled to Vote?

Only stockholders of record at the close of business on the Record Date, April 7, 2021, will receive notice of the Annual Meeting and are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. Each outstanding share entitles its holder to cast one vote on each matter to be voted upon. There are no cumulative voting rights.

If you hold your shares in “street name” and do not provide your bank, broker or other nominee holder with instructions on how to vote your shares, such bank, broker or other nominee holder may, in its discretion, either vote your shares or leave you shares without a vote (a “broker non-vote”) with respect to “routine” matters. Proposal No. 2 is a “routine” matter. As a result, your bank, broker or other nominee holder is permitted to exercise discretionary voting authority to vote your shares for that proposal. Your bank, broker or other nominee holder may not exercise discretionary voting authority on “non-routine” matters and as such may not vote your shares with respect to Proposals No. 1 and No. 3, resulting in a broker non-vote for each proposal, unless you provide your brokerage firm with voting instructions. We encourage you to provide instructions to your bank, broker or other nominee holder by voting your proxy. This ensures your shares will be voted at the Annual Meeting.

We have provided our stockholders access to our proxy materials over the internet in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Therefore, a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice”) will be mailed on or about April 21, 2021 to all stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting. The Notice will have instructions for stockholders on how to access Exponent’s proxy materials via a website or how to request that a printed copy of the proxy materials be mailed to them. The Notice will also have instructions on how to elect to receive all future proxy materials electronically or in printed form. If you choose to receive future proxy materials electronically, you will receive an email each year with instructions on how to access the proxy materials and proxy voting site.

The SEC has adopted rules that allow companies and intermediaries, such as brokers, to deliver a single copy of certain proxy materials to certain stockholders who share the same address, a practice referred to as “householding.” Some banks, brokers and other nominees will be householding Exponent’s proxy materials, unless contrary instructions are received from the affected stockholders. Once you have received notice from your broker or other nominee holder of your Exponent common stock that the broker or other nominee holder will be householding the proxy materials to your address, householding will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in householding and would prefer to receive separate proxy materials, or if you are receiving multiple copies of the proxy materials and wish to receive only one copy, please notify your broker or other nominee holder of your Exponent common stock. We will deliver promptly, on written or oral request, a separate copy of our proxy materials, including our annual report to stockholders, to each stockholder participating in householding. To request that proxy materials be householded or to request separate copies of proxy materials, please contact us at: Corporate Secretary, 149 Commonwealth Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025 or by telephone at (650) 326-9400.

How Do I Vote?

You may vote by telephone, vote via the internet, or vote electronically during the virtual meeting. To vote by telephone or via the internet, please follow the instructions provided in the Notice. If you are a stockholder of record and elected to receive printed proxy materials, you may submit your proxy by mail. To vote by mail, you must sign your proxy card and send it in the enclosed prepaid, addressed envelope. If you mark your voting instructions on the proxy card, your shares will be voted as you instruct. If you return a signed card but do not provide voting instructions, your shares will be voted as recommended by the Board of Directors:

•

For the seven named nominees to the Board of Directors;

•

For the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as the Company’s auditor for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021; and

•

For the approval, on an advisory basis, of the fiscal 2020 compensation of the Company’s named executive officers.

What if I Change My Mind After I Vote?

You may revoke your proxy and change your vote at any time before the polls close at the virtual Annual Meeting. You may do so by voting by telephone or via the internet, by signing and delivering another proxy with a later date if you are a stockholder of record and elected to receive printed proxy materials or by voting during the virtual Annual Meeting. Your proxy with the latest date is counted.

What Does it Mean if I Receive More than One Notice?

It means you have multiple accounts with the transfer agent and/or with brokers. Please provide voting instructions for all Notices you receive.

What Constitutes a Quorum and What Vote is Required to Approve the Proposals?

The presence of the holders of record of a majority in voting interest of the shares of stock of the Company, as of the Record Date, entitled to be voted at the meeting and present in person or by proxy at the meeting constitutes a quorum at the Annual Meeting.

Shares that are voted “For” or “Against” proposals are treated as being present at the Annual Meeting for purposes of establishing a quorum and are deemed to be “votes cast” at the Annual Meeting with respect to the proposals. Abstentions and broker non-votes will also be included for purposes of determining whether a quorum of shares is present at the Annual Meeting.

Proposal No. 1 – Election of Directors requires that each director nominee receives a majority of votes cast "For" his or her election. Abstentions and broker non-votes are not counted as votes cast for or against a director nominee and as such will have no impact on Proposal No. 1 – Election of Directors.

Proposal No. 2 – Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon for approval. Abstentions will have the same effect as a vote against this proposal. Proposal No. 2 - Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm is considered to be a "routine" matter and, as such, the Company does not expect any broker non-votes on this proposal.

Proposal No. 3 – Advisory Vote on Named Executive Officer Compensation for Fiscal 2020 requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon for approval. Abstentions will have the same effect as a vote against this proposal. Proposal No. 3—Advisory Vote on Named Executive Officer Compensation for Fiscal 2020 is considered to be a "non-routine" matter and as such, failure to provide voting instructions on this proposal to your bank, broker or other nominee holder of your shares will result in a broker non-vote. Broker non-votes will have no impact on this proposal.

Proposal No. 2 – Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and Proposal No. 3 – Advisory Vote on Named Executive Officer Compensation for Fiscal 2020 are advisory votes and as such, are not binding on the Company.

Signed, unmarked proxy cards are voted as recommended by the Board of Directors.

As of the Record Date, a total of 52,122,879 shares of the Company’s common stock, $.001 par value, were issued and outstanding. For information regarding security ownership by management and by the beneficial owners of more than 5% of the Company’s common stock, see “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management.” The closing price of the Company’s common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on the Record Date was $97.94 per share.

PROPOSAL NO. 1

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Nominees

A Board of seven directors is to be elected at the Annual Meeting. Unless otherwise instructed, the proxy holders will vote the proxies received by them for the Company’s seven nominees named below. The term of office of each person elected as a director will continue until the next Annual Meeting or until a successor has been elected and qualified. The Board has determined that a majority of the members of the Board are independent directors within the meaning of applicable Nasdaq listing standards.

Required Vote

The Company’s Bylaws require that each director be elected by the majority of votes cast with respect to such director in uncontested elections. Each current director has provided an irrevocable, conditional resignation which is effective only if (i) he or she fails to receive the required majority vote at any annual meeting at which he or she faces re-election and (ii) the Board accepts such resignation. If an incumbent director fails to receive the required majority vote for re-election, the Nominating and Governance Committee will act on an expedited basis to determine whether to accept the director’s resignation and will submit such recommendation for prompt consideration by the Board.

The election of directors pursuant to this Proposal is an uncontested election, and, therefore, the majority vote standard will apply. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not have any effect on the outcome of this Proposal. In tabulating the voting results for the election of directors, only “FOR” and “AGAINST” votes are counted.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” EACH OF THE NOMINEES LISTED BELOW:


George H. Brown

Age:	63

Director Since:	2020

Principal Occupation:	Retired Partner – Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Recent Business Experience:	Mr. Brown has been an attorney for over three decades, specializing in complex business litigation. He is a Retired Partner with Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, where he practiced in the Palo Alto and Los Angeles offices. His clients included large global companies, boards, CEOs and CFOs in matters involving securities class actions, corporate governance disputes and related investigations work. Mr. Brown also has expertise in accounting and valuation disputes and taught a course on accounting and finance for business litigation at UC Berkeley School of Law for several years. Previously, he was also a law professor at UCLA School of Law. Mr. Brown recently served as a board director of Silicon Valley Community Foundation and was chair of its audit committee. He is currently a board director of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Mr. Brown also served on the board of Housing Trust Silicon Valley where he served as board chair. He was previously vice chair of the board for Fresh Lifelines for Youth. He also previously served as a national trustee for Boys & Girls Clubs of America and as board chair for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles. Mr. Brown is a senior fellow with American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley and previously served on its board. Prior to that Mr. Brown also served on the board of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights for the San Francisco Bay Area, and later served as its board co-chair. Mr. Brown received his B.S. degree in accounting from University of Minnesota, and his M.B.A./J.D. from UCLA Anderson School of Management and UCLA School of Law. He is a member of the California State Bar and is a California Certified Public Accountant (inactive). The Company believes that Mr. Brown’s record of success as an advisor to large global companies, boards and executives and as a partner in large professional service organizations qualifies him to serve as a director of the Company.


Catherine Ford Corrigan, Ph.D.

Age:	52

Director Since:	2018

Principal Occupation:	President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company

Recent Business Experience:	Dr. Corrigan joined the Company in 1996. She was promoted to Principal in the Biomechanics practice in 2002 and was appointed Group Vice President in May 2012. Dr. Corrigan was named President in July 2016. She was named Chief Executive Officer and elected to the Board of Directors in May 2018. Dr. Corrigan earned her Ph.D. (1996) in Medical Engineering and Medical Physics and M.S. (1992) in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her B.S. in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Corrigan was a researcher in the Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory at Beth Israel Hospital and Harvard Medical School. On February 9, 2021, Dr. Corrigan was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. The Company believes that Dr. Corrigan’s service as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and extensive and unique experience with the operations of the Company, qualifies her to serve as a director of the Company. The Company also considered Dr. Corrigan’s prior experience on and contributions to the Board in connection with her nomination.


Paul R. Johnston, Ph.D.

Age:	67

Director Since:	2009

Principal Occupation:	Chairman of the Board of Directors

Recent Business Experience:	Dr. Johnston joined the Company in 1981, was promoted to Principal Engineer in 1987, and to Vice President in 1996. In 1997, he assumed responsibility for the firm’s network of offices. In 2003 he was appointed Chief Operating Officer and added responsibility for the Health and Environmental Groups. In 2006, he assumed line responsibility for all of the firm’s consulting groups. Dr. Johnston was named President in May 2007. He was named Chief Executive Officer and elected to the Board of Directors in May 2009. Dr. Johnston stepped down from his position as Chief Executive Officer in May 2018 and served as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors from May 2018 to May 2019. Dr. Johnston received his Ph.D. (1981) in Civil Engineering and M.S. (1977) in Structural Engineering from Stanford University. He received his B.A.I. (1976) in Civil Engineering with First Class Honors from Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland where he was elected a Foundation Scholar in 1975. Dr. Johnston is a Registered Professional Civil Engineer in the State of California. The Company believes that Dr. Johnston’s service as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and extensive and unique experience with the operations of the Company, qualifies him to serve as a director of the Company. The Company also considered Dr. Johnston’s prior experience on and contributions to the Board in connection with his nomination.


Carol Lindstrom

Age:	67

Director Since:	2017

Principal Occupation:	Former Vice Chairman – Deloitte LLP

Recent Business Experience:	Ms. Lindstrom previously served as vice chairman of Deloitte LLP, or Deloitte, a professional services firm, where she led strategic relationship management, and was also president of the Deloitte Foundation. She was a member of the Deloitte & Touche Tohmatsu Global Board of Directors for eight years. Ms. Lindstrom held many management and client leadership positions during her Deloitte career, including managing director of global strategic relationship clients in the United States; managing director of Deloitte’s e-business unit, dc.com; managing director of the Americas technology practice; managing director of the San Francisco and Orange County practices; and lead advisory and client service partner for many significant clients. Ms. Lindstrom joined Deloitte in 1995 after having served as a partner at Andersen Consulting for many years. The Company believes that Ms. Lindstrom’s record of success in senior leadership positions with large professional service organizations qualifies her to serve as a director of the Company. The Company also considered Ms. Lindstrom’s prior experience on and contributions to the Board in connection with her nomination.

Other Directorships:	Member of the Board of Genpact Limited and ASGN Incorporated.
Karen A. Richardson

Age:	58

Director Since:	2013

Principal Occupation:	Former Chief Executive Officer of E.piphany

Recent Business Experience:	Ms. Richardson has over 30 years of experience in the technology industry. She served as Chief Executive Officer of E.piphany, a customer relationship management software company, from 2003 to 2005. Ms. Richardson held several senior executive positions at E.piphany from 1998 to 2003. Prior to joining E.piphany, Ms. Richardson served as Vice President of Sales at Netscape Communications Corporation, an internet software company, from 1995 to 1998. The Company believes that Ms. Richardson’s record of success in senior leadership positions at technology companies qualifies her to serve as a director of the Company. The Company also considered Ms. Richardson’s prior experience on and contributions to the Board in connection with her nomination.
Other Directorships:	Member of the Board of Artius Acquisition, Inc. and BP.


John B. Shoven, Ph.D.

Age:	73

Director Since:	2007

Principal Occupation:	Professor of Economics, Stanford University

Recent Business Experience:	Dr. Shoven is currently the Charles R. Schwab Professor of Economics Emeritus at Stanford University, where he has taught since 1973. He was the Director of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research from 1989 to 1993 and from 1999 to 2015. He served as Chairman of the Economics Department at Stanford University from 1986 to 1989 and as Dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences from 1993 to 1998. Dr. Shoven earned his Ph.D. in economics from Yale University and his bachelor’s degree in physics from University of California, San Diego. Dr. Shoven is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a recipient of the Paul A. Samuelson Award for Outstanding Scholarly Writing on Lifelong Financial Security, an award-winning teacher at Stanford, and has published more than one hundred professional articles and twenty books. The Company believes that Dr. Shoven’s extensive academic experience and service as director of other public companies qualifies him to serve as a director of the Company. The Company also considered Dr. Shoven’s prior experience on and contributions to the Board in connection with his nomination.

Other Directorships:	Chairman of the Board of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. and a member of the Board of American Century Funds.


Debra L. Zumwalt

Age:	65

Director Since:	2014

Principal Occupation:	Vice President and General Counsel, Stanford University

Recent Business Experience:	Ms. Zumwalt is currently the Vice President and General Counsel for Stanford University and its affiliated entities, including three hospitals. She has held this position since 2001. She is also a member of the University Cabinet. Ms. Zumwalt was a Partner with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP from 1993 to 2001 where she served on the executive board and as Managing Partner of the Silicon Valley office. The Company believes that Ms. Zumwalt’s senior leadership positions and her extensive legal background qualifies her to serve as a director of the Company. The Company also considered Ms. Zumwalt’s prior experience on and contributions to the Board in connection with her nomination.

Other Directorships	Member of the Board of Huron Consulting Group, Inc.

BOARD INDEPENDENCE

The Board has determined that the following current members of the Board are independent directors within the meaning of applicable Nasdaq listing standards: George H. Brown, Carol Lindstrom, Karen A. Richardson, John B. Shoven, Ph.D. and Debra L. Zumwalt. John B. Shoven, Ph.D. was appointed Lead Independent Director in May 2018. Under applicable Securities and Exchange Commission and Nasdaq rules, the existence of certain “related party” transactions above certain thresholds between a director and the Company are required to be disclosed and may preclude a finding by the Board that the director is independent. Except as discussed below regarding Ms. Zumwalt and transactions between Stanford University and the Company, no transactions required to be disclosed under SEC rules, and no other transactions, arrangements or relationships, existed or were considered by the Board in making its independence determinations. There is no family relationship between any of the directors and officers of the Company.

In making its determination that Ms. Zumwalt is an independent director within the meaning of applicable Nasdaq listing standards, the Board considered transactions between the Company and Stanford University (“Stanford”), of which Ms. Zumwalt is the Vice President and General Counsel. During the past three fiscal years and during the current fiscal year to date, the Company performed consulting services for Stanford. The total amount paid for these consulting services was $1,500,000, $433,000 and $126,000 for fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. Ms. Zumwalt did not have an interest in these transactions. Given the relatively small amounts involved as compared to the revenues of each of the Company and Stanford, the Board concluded that the transactions at issue and Ms. Zumwalt’s relationship with Stanford did not affect Ms. Zumwalt’s status as an independent director.

BOARD MEETINGS, COMMITTEES, AND BOARD LEADERSHIP

The Board held four meetings in fiscal 2020. Each director attended at least 75% of applicable Board meetings and committee meetings during fiscal 2020. The following table describes the Board’s committees including their current composition. The members of each committee are all independent directors within the meaning of applicable Nasdaq listing standards.

Committee Name/Number of Members

Function of Committee

Meetings in

Fiscal 2020

AUDIT COMMITTEE

Karen A. Richardson—Chairperson

George H. Brown

Carol Lindstrom

John B. Shoven, Ph.D.

Debra L. Zumwalt

Based on their respective business experiences, as discuss above under “Proposal No. 1 – Election of Directors,” the Board of Directors has determined that each of Mr. Brown, Ms. Richardson and Dr. Shoven is an “audit committee financial expert” as such term is defined by the SEC.

• Monitors the preparation of quarterly and annual financial reports by the Company’s management

• Appoints and evaluates the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, approves the scope of their audit services and related fees, as well as any other services being provided to the Company, meets with the auditor to discuss matters affecting the financial statements or internal control environment, including significant risks or significant unusual transactions, non-GAAP policies or other significant matters (including resolution of any disagreements between management and the independent registered public accounting firm regarding financial reporting) and oversees the independence of the Company’s registered public accounting firm

• In consultation with management and the independent registered public accounting firm considers the integrity of the Company’s financial reporting process and internal control regarding finance and accounting

8 meetings

HUMAN RESOURCES

COMMITTEE

Debra L. Zumwalt—Chairperson

George H. Brown

Carol Lindstrom

Karen A. Richardson

John B. Shoven, Ph.D.

• Oversees the general compensation and benefit policies for all employees and the specific compensation plan for officers of the Company

• Oversees the succession plan for the position of Chief Executive Officer

• Oversees the employee development and management succession programs at the Company

• Approves awards under the Company’s stock-based employee incentive plans

• Reviews and monitors the Company’s practices for supporting diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace.

5 meetings

NOMINATING AND

GOVERNANCE

COMMITTEE

Carol Lindstrom—Chairperson

George H. Brown

Karen A. Richardson

John B. Shoven, Ph.D.

Debra L. Zumwalt

• Identifies individuals qualified to become Board members

• Makes recommendations to the Board regarding nominations for the Board

• Oversees the Board’s annual evaluation of its performance

• Reviews and recommends to the Board compensation for non-employee directors

• Oversees corporate governance

4 meetings

The responsibilities of the Audit Committee, the Human Resources Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee are set forth in written charters for each committee, which are available on the Company’s website at: https://www.exponent.com/investors/corporate-governance/.

Board Leadership Structure and Risk Oversight

The Company currently separates the positions of Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. However, our Corporate Governance Guidelines permit the roles of the Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer to be filled by the same or different individuals. In the event that the Chairman of the Board is not an independent director, the independent members of the Board will designate a Lead Independent Director. John B. Shoven, Ph.D. was appointed Lead Independent Director in May 2018. The Lead Independent Director shall:

•

Chair any meeting of the independent directors in executive session;

•

Work with the Chairman of the Board and/or the Chief Executive Officer in the preparation of the Board’s annual work plan and in determining the need for special meetings of the Board;

•

Otherwise consult with the Chairman of the Board and/or the Chief Executive Officer on matters relating to corporate governance and Board performance; and

•

Lead the deliberation and action by the Board or a Board committee regarding any offer, proposal or other solicitation or opportunity involving a possible acquisition or other change in control of the Company, including by merger, consolidation, asset or stock sale or exchange, or recapitalization.

The Board considers oversight of risk management to be a responsibility of the full Board. The Board’s role in risk oversight includes receiving regular reports from its committees and from members of senior management on areas of material risk to Exponent, including human resources, professional practice, client concentration, finance, facilities, information technology, cybersecurity, business continuity, environmental, and social issues. The Board has delegated oversight for matters involving certain specific areas of risk exposure to its committees. Each committee reports to the Board of Directors at regularly scheduled Board meetings, and more frequently if appropriate, with respect to the matters and risks for which the committee provides oversight. The Audit Committee oversees the integrity of the Company’s financial statements, risks related to the Company’s financial reporting process and internal control, and the independent registered public accounting firm’s qualifications, independence and performance. The Human Resources Committee is responsible primarily for the design and oversight of the Company’s executive compensation policies, plans and practices. A key objective of the Human Resources Committee is to ensure that the Company’s overall executive compensation program appropriately links pay to performance and aligns the interests of the Company’s executives with its stockholders, while seeking to encourage an appropriate level of risk-taking behavior consistent with the Company’s long-term strategy. The Human Resources Committee monitors the design and administration of the Company’s compensation programs to ensure that they include appropriate safeguards to avoid encouraging unnecessary or excessive risk taking by Company employees. The Human Resources Committee also reviews and monitors the Company’s practices for supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. The Nominating and Governance Committee is primarily responsible for identifying and recommending nominees for

director and overseeing the annual board evaluation of its performance. Another important element of risk mitigation is ensuring a balanced, engaged and independent board.

Nominating and Governance Committee

As described in the previous table, the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board identifies individuals qualified to become Board members, recommends that the Board select the director nominees for the next annual meeting of stockholders, oversees the Board’s annual evaluation of its performance and reviews and recommends to the Board compensation for non-employee directors. The committee is also responsible for developing and recommending to the Board a set of corporate governance guidelines applicable to the Company and for periodically reviewing such guidelines. The members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are all independent directors within the meaning of applicable Nasdaq listing standards. The responsibilities of this committee are set forth in the Nominating and Governance Committee Charter, which is available on the Company’s website at: https://www.exponent.com/investors/corporate-governance/.

The information below describes the criteria and process that the Nominating and Governance Committee uses to evaluate candidates to the Board of Directors.

Criteria for Nomination to the Board of Directors. The Nominating and Governance Committee considers the appropriate balance of experience, skills and characteristics required of the Board of Directors, and seeks to ensure that at least a majority of the directors are independent under the rules of the Nasdaq Global Select Market, that members of the Audit Committee meet the financial literacy requirements under the rules of the Nasdaq Global Select Market and at least one of them qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” under the rules of the SEC. Nominees for director are recommended to the Board on the basis of the appropriate size, function and needs of the Board, taking into account that the Board as a whole should have competency in the following areas: (i) industry knowledge; (ii) accounting and finance; (iii) business judgment; (iv) management; (v) leadership; (vi) business strategy; and (vii) corporate governance.

Stockholders’ Proposals for Nominees. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider written proposals from stockholders for nominees for director. Any such nominations should be submitted to the Nominating and Governance Committee c/o the Secretary of the Company, 149 Commonwealth Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025, and should include, in addition to the other information required under our Bylaws, the following information: (a) all information relating to such nominee that is required to be disclosed pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); (b) the name(s) and address(es) of the stockholder(s) making the nomination and the number of shares of the Company’s common stock that are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder(s); and (c) appropriate biographical information and a statement as to the qualifications of the nominee. The nomination should be submitted in the time frame described in the Bylaws of the Company and under the caption, “Stockholder Proposals and Nominations for the 2021 Annual Meeting.”

Process for Identifying and Evaluating Nominees. The Nominating and Governance Committee believes the Company is well served by its current directors, and in the ordinary course re-nominates incumbent directors who continue to be qualified for Board service, have performed well and are willing to continue as directors. If an incumbent director is not standing for re-election, or if a vacancy on the Board occurs between annual stockholder meetings, the Nominating and Governance Committee may seek out potential candidates for Board appointment who meet the criteria for selection as a nominee and have the specific qualities or skills being sought. Director candidates are selected based on input from members of the Board, senior management of the Company and, if the Nominating and Governance Committee deems appropriate, a third-party search firm. The Nominating and Governance Committee will evaluate each candidate’s qualifications and check relevant references. In addition, such candidates will be interviewed by at least one member of the Nominating and Governance Committee. Candidates meriting serious consideration will meet with the majority of the members of the Board. Based on this input, the Nominating and Governance Committee will evaluate which of the prospective candidates is qualified to serve as a director and whether the Committee should recommend to the Board that this candidate be appointed to fill a current vacancy on the Board, or presented for approval of the stockholders, as appropriate.

The Company expects that the evaluation process for a stockholder nominee would be similar to the process outlined above.

Board Nominees for the 2021 Annual Meeting. Dr. Corrigan, Dr. Johnston, Ms. Lindstrom, Ms. Richardson, Dr. Shoven, and Ms. Zumwalt are current directors standing for re-election. Mr. Brown has been a director of the Company since October of 2020 but has not previously been subject to stockholder election. Mr. Brown was initially identified by one of our non-management directors and recommended to the Nominating and Governance Committee as a candidate for director.

How to Contact the Board of Directors. Interested parties wishing to contact the Board of Directors or the non-management directors or any individual director of the Company may do so by writing to them at the following address: Corporate Secretary, 149 Commonwealth Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025. All letters received will be categorized by the Company’s Corporate Secretary, and then forwarded to the Board, the Company’s non-management directors or such individual director, as applicable.

The Company does not have a policy requiring the directors to attend the annual stockholders’ meeting. However, all of the Company’s directors in office at the time of our last annual stockholders’ meeting attended that meeting.

Code of Business Conduct and Corporate Governance

The Board of Directors has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which applies to all of the Company’s employees, officers and members of the Board of Directors. The Company has also adopted a Code of Ethics applicable to its senior financial officers, including its Chief Executive Officer, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Vice President, Corporate Controller and Treasurer. Copies of both documents are available on the Company’s website at: https://www.exponent.com/investors/corporate-governance/. The Company intends to disclose any waivers from these codes in a report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC.

Risk Management

The Company takes a comprehensive approach to risk management and seeks to employ risk management principles in all of its management processes. This comprehensive approach is reflected in the reporting processes pursuant to which management provides information to the Board to support the Board’s role in oversight, approval and decision-making. The Board maintains oversight responsibility for the management of the Company’s risks, and closely monitors the information it receives from management to provide oversight and guidance to our management team concerning the assessment and management of risk. The Board approves the Company’s high-level goals, strategies and policies to set the tone and direction for appropriate levels of risk taking within the business.

Our Board also reviews the Company’s enterprise risk management (“ERM”) program to ensure that an appropriate ERM process is in place. This review includes a discussion of the major risk exposures identified by senior management and steps implemented to monitor and mitigate such exposures on an ongoing basis. In addition to these reviews, our senior executives with responsibility for various business functions provide the Board and its committees with periodic updates regarding the Company’s strategies and objectives, and the risks inherent thereto. Members of management most knowledgeable of relevant issues attend Board meetings to provide additional insight into items being discussed, including risk exposures. In addition, our directors have access to Company management at all times and at all levels to discuss any matters of interest, including those related to risk.

Compensation of Directors

Members of our Board of Directors who are employees of the Company do not receive additional compensation for their services as directors of the Company. Non-employee members of the Board of Directors receive:

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An annual cash retainer of $75,000;

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An annual restricted stock unit grant valued at $125,000 that cliff vests on the day prior to the Company’s next Annual Stockholder Meeting following the grant date;

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$50,000 for service as Chairman of the Board of Directors

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$12,000 for service on the Audit Committee;

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$30,000 for serving as Lead Independent Director;

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$20,000 for serving as Chairperson of the Audit Committee;

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$10,000 for serving as Chairperson of the Nominating and Governance Committee; and

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$20,000 for serving as Chairperson of the Human Resources Committee.

Director Stock Ownership Guidelines

We believe that the financial interests of our directors should be aligned with those of our stockholders. On June 3, 2010 our Nominating and Governance Committee adopted stock ownership guidelines for all non-employee directors. The stock ownership guideline for non-employee directors is equal to three times the director’s annual cash retainer for board service. This amount was increased from two to three times in 2019 to more closely align the financial interests of our directors with those of our stockholders. Stock that counts towards satisfaction of our stock ownership guidelines includes shares owned outright by the non-employee director or his or her immediate family members residing in the same household or in trust and restricted stock units, whether or not vested. The value of shares owned outright is calculated as Exponent’s prior 365-day average closing common stock price. The value of restricted stock units is the grant date fair value. The calculation is done at the beginning of each year. Non-employee directors are required to achieve their stock ownership guideline within five years of the date the guidelines were adopted or the start of their service, whichever is later. If a person’s stock ownership guideline increases, that person has a five-year period to achieve the new guideline. Until the guideline is achieved, the person is required to retain at least 50% of net shares delivered through our Restricted Stock Unit Program or the exercise of stock options. Net shares refer to those that remain after shares are sold or netted to pay the exercise price of stock options and withholding taxes. As of April 7, 2021, all non-employee directors met the stock ownership guidelines or are expected to meet the applicable ownership guidelines within the specified time period.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION IN FISCAL 2020

The following table sets forth information regarding outside director compensation during fiscal 2020:

Name	Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($)		Stock Awards (1)(2)($)		Total ($)
George H. Brown		7,250		62,500		69,750

Paul R. Johnston, Ph.D.		125,000		125,000		250,000

Carol Lindstrom		97,000		125,000		222,000

Karen A. Richardson		107,000		125,000		232,000

John B. Shoven, Ph.D.		117,000		125,000		242,000

Debra L. Zumwalt

SEC Form DEF 14A filed by Exponent, Inc.