Tandy Leather (NASDAQ: TLF) sets 2026 votes on directors, pay and auditor
Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. is calling its 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders for June 9, 2026, at its Benbrook, Texas headquarters. Stockholders of record as of April 13, 2026, when 8,143,569 common shares were outstanding, may vote.
Investors will vote on electing six directors, ratifying Whitley Penn as independent auditor for 2026, and approving an advisory “Say-on-Pay” resolution on executive compensation; the Board recommends voting FOR all three. Major holders include Bandera Partners LLC with 35.1% of common stock and JCP Investment Partnership with 10.6%. In 2025, sales rose by about $1.9 million and net income increased by about $8.3 million, largely from the sale of the former headquarters, while new CEO Johan Hedberg received total compensation of $4,646,360, mostly in performance-based restricted stock units.
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Key Figures
Key Terms
Say-on-Pay financial
restricted stock units financial
Change in Control financial
total shareholder return financial
Section 16(a) regulatory
audit committee financial expert regulatory
Compensation Summary
| Name | Title | Total Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Johan Hedberg | ||
| Janet Carr |
- Election of six directors
- Ratification of Whitley Penn as independent registered public accounting firm for 2026
- Advisory vote to approve executive compensation (Say-on-Pay) for 2025
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☐ | Preliminary Proxy Statement |
☐ | Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
☒ | Definitive Proxy Statement |
☐ | Definitive Additional Materials |
☐ | Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12 |

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) |
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) |
☒ | No fee required. |
☐ | Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
☐ | Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11 |
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(1) | The election of a six-member Board of Directors for a one-year term; |
(2) | Ratification of appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm; |
(3) | An advisory vote on executive compensation as disclosed in these materials; and |
(4) | Any other business properly presented at the meeting. |
By Order of the Board of Directors, | |||
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Daniel J. Ross | |||
General Counsel and Secretary | |||
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Page | |||
Special Note on Forward-Looking Information | 1 | ||
General Information about the Annual Meeting and Voting | 1 | ||
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management | 4 | ||
PROPOSAL ONE: Election of Directors | 6 | ||
General Information About our Board of Directors | 6 | ||
Additional Information Concerning our Board of Directors | 7 | ||
Director Compensation Table | 10 | ||
Committees of the Board of Directors | 10 | ||
Nominating and Governance Committee | 10 | ||
Compensation Committee | 11 | ||
Audit Committee | 11 | ||
PROPOSAL TWO: Ratification of appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm | 12 | ||
Audit Fees | 12 | ||
Report of the Audit Committee | 13 | ||
Compensation Discussion and Analysis | 14 | ||
Report of the Compensation Committee | 16 | ||
Compensation Tables and Other Information | 17 | ||
Summary Compensation Table | 17 | ||
Pay Versus Performance Table | 18 | ||
Grants of Plan-Based Awards | 19 | ||
Outstanding Stock Awards | 19 | ||
PROPOSAL THREE: Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation (“Say on Pay” Vote) | 20 | ||
Relationships and Transactions with Related Persons | 21 | ||
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance | 21 | ||
Code of Ethics | 21 | ||
Equity Compensation Plans | 22 | ||
Other Matters | 23 | ||
Solicitation of Proxies | 23 | ||
Stockholder Proposals | 23 | ||
Stockholder Communications with Board of Directors | 23 | ||
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1. | Election of six directors for a term of one year; |
2. | Ratification of appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm; and |
3. | An advisory vote on Tandy Leather Factory, Inc.’s executive compensation, as disclosed in these materials. |
• | “FOR” each of the nominees to the Board of Directors; |
• | “FOR” the ratification of appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm; and |
• | “FOR” the approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of Tandy Leather Factory, Inc.’s named executive officers as disclosed in these materials. |
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• | By Internet, by visiting the website shown on the Notice or the proxy card and following the instructions; |
• | By telephone, by calling the toll-free number shown on the Notice or the proxy card and following the instructions; |
• | By completing and mailing your proxy card; or |
• | By written ballot at the Annual Meeting. |
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• | Filing a written notice of revocation, bearing a date later than the proxy date, with our Secretary at or before the Annual Meeting; |
• | Properly executing a later proxy relating to the same shares; |
• | Voting at a later time on the Internet or by telephone, if you previously voted on the Internet or by telephone; or |
• | Attending the Annual Meeting and voting in person; however, attendance at the Annual Meeting will not in and of itself constitute a revocation of a proxy. |
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• | Beneficial owners of more than 5 percent of the outstanding shares of our common stock, other than our officers and directors; |
• | Beneficial ownership by our current directors, nominees and the named executive officers set forth in the Summary Compensation table below; and |
• | Beneficial ownership by all our current directors, nominees and the named executive officers as a group, without naming them. |
Title of Class | Name and Address of Beneficial Owner | Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership(1) | Percent of Class | ||||||
Common Stock | Bandera Partners LLC(2) 50 Broad Street, Suite 1820 New York, NY 10004 | 2,857,936 | 35.1% | ||||||
Common Stock | JCP Investment Partnership, LP(3) 1177 West Loop South, Suite 1650 Houston, TX 77027 | 859,197 | 10.6% | ||||||
Common Stock | First Foundation Advisors(4) 18101 Von Karman Ave., Suite 700 Irvine, CA 92612 | 826,712 | 10.2% | ||||||
Title of Class | Name of Beneficial Owner | Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership(1) | Percent of Class | ||||||
Common Stock | Vicki Cantrell(5) | 18,270 | * | ||||||
Common Stock | John Gehre(6) | 1,084 | * | ||||||
Common Stock | Jefferson Gramm(2) | 2,864,055 | 35.2% | ||||||
Common Stock | Johan Hedberg | 60,650 | * | ||||||
Common Stock | Diana Saadeh-Jajeh(7) | 2,650 | * | ||||||
Common Stock | John Sullivan(8) | 1,084 | * | ||||||
All Current Directors, Director Nominees and Executive Officers as a Group (6 persons) | 2,947,793 | 36.2% | |||||||
* | Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1% of our outstanding shares of common stock. |
(1) | All shares of common stock are owned beneficially, and such owner has sole voting and investment power, unless otherwise stated. The inclusion herein of shares listed as beneficially owned does not constitute an admission of beneficial ownership. To our knowledge, none of these shares have been pledged. |
(2) | Holdings shown for Jefferson Gramm and Bandera Partners, LLC are based on a Schedule 13D/A filed on February 5, 2021, by Mr. Gramm and Bandera Partners, LLC. Bandera Partners, LLC is the investment manager of Bandera Master Fund L.P. in whose name 2,857,936 of our shares are held. Messrs. Gregory Bylinksy and Jefferson Gramm are Managing Partners, Managing Directors and Portfolio Managers of Bandera Partners LLC. Bandera Master Fund L.P. has delegated to Bandera Partners the sole and exclusive authority to vote and dispose of the securities held by Bandera Master Fund. As a result, each of Bandera Partners and Messrs. Bylinksy and Gramm may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by Bandera Master Fund. |
(3) | Holdings shown for JCP Investment Management, LLC are based on a Schedule 13D/A filed on December 6, 2018, by JCP Investment Management, LLC. |
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(4) | Holdings for First Foundation Advisors are based on an amendment to Schedule 13D filed on August 4, 2023, by First Foundation Advisors. |
(5) | Holdings for Ms. Cantrell include 3,379 shares of common stock to be issued within 60 days upon the vesting of restricted stock units held by her. |
(6) | Holdings for Mr. Gehre include 1,084 shares of common stock to be issued within 60 days upon the vesting of restricted stock units held by him. |
(7) | Holdings for Ms. Saadeh-Jajeh include 1,867 shares of common stock to be issued within 60 days upon the vesting of restricted stock units held by her. |
(8) | Holdings for Mr. Sullivan include 1,084 shares of common stock to be issued within 60 days upon the vesting of restricted stock units held by him. |
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Name | Age | Director Since | Position | ||||||
Vicki Cantrell | 68 | 2017 | Director | ||||||
John Gehre | 55 | 2025 | Director | ||||||
Jefferson Gramm | 50 | 2014 | Chairman of the Board of Directors | ||||||
Johan Hedberg | 60 | 2025 | Director, Chief Executive Officer | ||||||
Diana Saadeh-Jajeh | 56 | 2024 | Director | ||||||
John Sullivan | 40 | 2025 | Director | ||||||
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Board Diversity Matrix | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(as of April 25, 2025) | (as of April 30, 2026) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Number of Directors | 6 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Part I: Gender Identity | Female | Male | Non- Binary | Did Not Disclose Gender | Female | Male | Non- Binary | Did Not Disclose Gender | ||||||||||||||||||
Directors | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Part II: Demographic Background | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
African American or Black | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alaskan Native or Native American | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Asian | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hispanic or Latinx | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
White | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Two or More Races or Ethnicities | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
LGBTQ+ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did not Disclose Demographic Background | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Name | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($)(1) | Restricted Stock Awards ($)(2) | Total ($) | ||||||
Vicki Cantrell | $21,000 | $14,000 | $35,000 | ||||||
John Gehre | 9,000 | 14,000 | 23,000 | ||||||
Jefferson Gramm | — | — | — | ||||||
Diana Saadeh-Jajeh | 21,000 | 14,000 | 35,000 | ||||||
John Sullivan | — | 14,000 | 14,000 | ||||||
(1) | Mr. Gramm and Mr. Sullivan declined to receive any cash compensation. |
(2) | Mr. Gramm declined to receive any grant of Restricted Stock. |
Name of Director | Audit | Compensation | Nom/Gov | ||||||
Non-Employee Directors: | |||||||||
Vicki Cantrell | X | C | |||||||
John Gehre | X | ||||||||
Jefferson Gramm | X | X | |||||||
Diana Saadeh-Jajeh | C | X | |||||||
John Sullivan | C | X | |||||||
Employee Director: | |||||||||
Johan Hedberg | |||||||||
Number of Meetings in 2024 | 4 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
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• | As to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director, all information relating to such person that is required by the Company’s Bylaws and required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors, or as otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor regulation thereto (including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); and |
• | The information regarding the nominating stockholder that is required by the Company’s Bylaws, including (but not limited to) the nominating stockholder’s name and address, as they appear on our books, and the class and number of our shares beneficially owned by him. |
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Types of Fees | 2025 | 2024 | ||||
Audit fees | $255,150 | $282,000 | ||||
Audit-related fees | 16,921 | 0 | ||||
Tax fees | 120,000 | 130,000 | ||||
All other fees | 0 | 0 | ||||
Total | $392,071 | $412,000 | ||||
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AUDIT COMMITTEE: | ||||||
Diana Saadeh-Jajeh, Chair | ||||||
Vicki Cantrell | ||||||
John Gehre | ||||||
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• | Base salary; |
• | Annual incentive bonus; |
• | Restricted stock unit grants; |
• | Retirement and other benefits, and |
• | Employment Agreements. |
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COMPENSATION COMMITTEE: | ||||||
John Sullivan, Chair | ||||||
Jefferson Gramm | ||||||
Diana Saadeh-Jajeh | ||||||
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Name and Principal Position | Year | Salary | Bonus | Restricted Stock Awards | All Other Compensation | Total | ||||||||||||
Johan Hedberg, Chief Executive Officer | 2025 | $416,827 | $— | $3,960,000(1) | $269,533(2) | $4,646,360(1) | ||||||||||||
Janet Carr, former Chief Executive Officer | 2025 | $164,593 | $310,000 | $— | $14,215(3) | $488,808 | ||||||||||||
2024 | 554,291 | — | — | 14,600(3) | 568,891 | |||||||||||||
(1) | For 2025, Restricted Stock Awards and Total Compensation reflect initial RSU grants made upon Mr. Hedberg’s hire, consisting of: 100,000 RSUs, each of which converted into one share of the Company’s common stock on the first anniversary of the grant date, and 900,000 performance-based RSUs, each of which will convert into one share of the Company’s common stock upon the Company’s achievement of certain pre-determined performance targets (with 150,000 shares being issued if and when each of six different targets are achieved), all subject to his continued employment with the Company on each such date. |
(2) | For 2025, represents $215,535 of annual incentive payments under the Company’s Executive Bonus Plan and $53,998 for reimbursement of moving and relocation expenses (including gross-up of associated income taxes). |
(3) | For 2024, represents $13,800 of matching funds contributed to Ms. Carr’s Company 401(k) plan and $800 of contribution to her health savings account under the Company’s health insurance benefit plan. For 2025, represents $14,000 of matching funds contributed to Ms. Carr’s Company 401(k) plan and $215 of contribution to her health savings account under the Company’s health insurance benefit plan. |
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Year | Summary compensation table total for PEO(1) | Compensation Actually Paid to PEO(2) | Average Summary Compensation table total for non-PEO named executive officers(1) | Average Compensation Actually Paid to non-PEO named executive officers | Value of Initial fixed $100 investment based on total shareholder return | Net Income | ||||||||||||
2025(2) | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||||||
$ | -$ | |||||||||||||||||
2024 | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||||||
2023 | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||||||
(1) |
(2) | Information shown in the first line for 2025 is for Johan Hedberg; information in the second line of this row is for Janet Carr. For 2025, Mr. Hedberg’s SCT and actual Compensation reflect initial RSU grants made upon Mr. Hedberg’s hire, consisting of: |
(3) | For 2025, adjustments made to Mr. Hedberg’s summary compensation table (“SCT”) total to calculate compensation actually paid were: -$ |
(4) | For 2024, adjustments made to Ms. Carr’s SCT total to calculate compensation actually paid were: $ |
(5) | For 2023, adjustments made to Ms. Carr’s SCT total to calculate compensation actually paid were: -$ |
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Name | Grant Date | Estimated future payouts under equity incentive plan awards | All other stock awards: Number of shares of stock or units (#) | Grant date fair value of stock and option awards | ||||||||
Johan Hedberg | February 19, 2025 | $2,740,000 | 1,000,000(1) | $3,960,000(1) | ||||||||
(1) | This stock award was granted to Mr. Hedberg in connection with his appointment as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer; of the 1,000,000 restricted stock units granted, 100,000 were time-based and 900,000 were based on the Company’s achievement of pre-determined performance targets. |
Name | Number of shares of stock that have not vested (#) | Market value of shares of stock that have not vested ($) | ||||
Janet Carr | 0 | $0 | ||||
Johan Hedberg | 1,000,000(1) | 2,740,000(1) | ||||
(1) | Vesting is subject to Mr. Hedberg’s continued employment with the Company. 900,000 of such shares are also subject to the Company’s achievement of specified performance criteria. |
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Plan Category | Column (A) Number of Securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights | Column (B) Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights | Column (C) Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in Column (A)) | ||||||
Equity compensation plans approved by stockholders | 1,243,918 | $— | 3,400,043 | ||||||
Equity compensation plans not approved by stockholders | — | — | — | ||||||
TOTAL | 1,243,918 | $— | 3,400,043 | ||||||
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TANDY LEATHER FACTORY, INC. | |||
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Chairman of the Board | |||
Benbrook, Texas | |||
April 27, 2026 | |||
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