On the 13th November 2024, a Council proposal went live to re-elect four Council members for the 2025 term. The voting period will end at 14:59 GMT on the 23rd November 2024, and the Tokenholder veto period will expire at 14:59 GMT on the 27th November 2024. Tokenholders may cast veto votes on the re-election proposal at any time during the voting and veto periods here.
There will be a minimum of three vacant Council seats for the 2025 term. In accordance with Orca’s bylaws, the Council will take the voice of the Tokenholders into account to identify replacement candidates. Once the new candidates are selected and have cleared all necessary AML screens, the Council will hold an on-chain vote to elect the new candidates on the 1st December 2024. If the vote meets quorum, the Tokenholders may veto the new candidates, in which case the process described in this paragraph will begin again.
This post marks the beginning for an open nomination period which will continue through 17:00 GMT on the 1st December 2024. Interested candidates and community members are encouraged to nominate themselves for consideration as members of the 2025 Council by replying directly to this post. Please include a brief summary of:
your background, relevant professional history, and/or experience with Orca or crypto or governance generally;
unique benefits you would bring to the Council;
how you would represent the interests of the Orca community; and
what you think the Council’s top priorities should be for 2025.
As a reminder, Council members play an important role in Orca’s governance process. It is expected that Council members bring unique perspectives but also share several core qualities: (i) they have deep knowledge and experience of the Orca protocol, decentralized finance, crypto more broadly, and/or traditional capital markets; (ii) they have the bandwidth to carry out their Council responsibilities in a timely fashion; and (iii) they have high integrity, good character, and are committed to represent the best interests of the ORCA tokenholder community in good faith.
Council members are expected to regularly attend meetings, timely vote on Council proposals and other preliminary matters, participate in asynchronous communications, maintain the confidentiality of non-public information, uphold Orca’s bylaws, and represent the best interests of the ORCA tokenholder community. Council members are asked to serve for the entire twelve-month term, and any candidates selected to run for election will be required to pass an identity verification screen per Orca’s Anti-Money-Laundering policy.
The Council looks forward to bringing on new voices and fresh perspectives next term. Community members who do not wish to serve on the Council are still encouraged to participate in this process by sharing their thoughts on the potential candidates below.
The re-election proposal met quorum on the 15th November 2024. The voting period will end at 14:59 GMT on the 23rd November 2024, and the Tokenholder veto period will expire at 14:59 GMT on the 27th November 2024. Tokenholders may cast veto votes on the re-election proposal at any time during the voting and veto periods here.
My name is Carl, I work alongside existing council member Larry at Reverie. You might know me from a few of the proposals I’ve submitted in the past, including the Governance Council proposal. Given my experience with the governance program, and everything else going on, we’ve decided it’s best for me to represent Reverie on the Council, replacing Larry’s existing seat. Happy to share my personal background and thoughts below. I’m excited to continue working with the community!
Background
I’m an Associate at Reverie, working on research, investments, and advisory with our partner protocols, including Orca and other DeFi protocols. I have worked closely with the Orca team and community to design our existing Governance model, including on-chain governance parameters and the Council itself. At Reverie, I spend most of time researching and investing in DeFi-related projects. Before Reverie, I worked at a leading crypto market making firm.
Benefits to the Council
I was responsible for deploying the on-chain governance program, and contributed to the design of Orca’s existing governance model. I’ll use this background to continue scaling Orca’s DAO. I also know the technical details of our governance program, which I can use to help the Council with on-chain proposals and upgrades to the DAO.
From a product standpoint, I’ve spent my entire career in crypto, working alongside DeFi projects and institutional trading firms. I plan on leveraging this background to help guide the Orca protocol.
Community Interests
Reverie has always served in the interest of growing the protocol thoughtfully, both from a product and community standpoint. We consider ourselves members of the community, and will continue acting in its best interests.
Top priorities
Continue scaling the DAO and community, which could include additional treasury programs
Explore new methods of growing the protocol, including value-capture mechanisms and incentive designs
Expand Orca’s product offering to compete across the Solana ecosystem
My name is Tim, and for the past two years, I have been actively involved with Orca as both an investor and a passionate supporter. I believe Orca represents the very best of Solana DeFi, and I am eager to leverage my experience and insights to contribute meaningfully to its growth and success.
Background
I bring a decade of finance and investing experience, including six years at One Madison Group (1MG), where I serve as Managing Director and head of crypto investments. For the past three years, I have led 1MG’s liquid crypto investing strategy, developing expertise across blockchain technologies and DeFi ecosystems. I am an existing investor in Orca and frequently engage with the Orca team. I am looking to deepen my involvement by contributing more directly to the governance and broader community. In my role at 1MG, I also focus on traditional finance, investing in public equities with an emphasis on tech. This dual focus enables me to bridge the gap between institutional investment perspectives and the fast-evolving crypto landscape.
Benefits to the Council
As a member of the Governance Council, I would bring:
Institutional Investor Perspective: I can provide insights into value creation and risk management strategies that align with the expectations of institutional stakeholders, helping Orca appeal to a broader audience while staying true to its core ethos.
Cross-Sector Expertise: My experience in both traditional finance and crypto equips me to navigate governance challenges with a unique blend of perspectives, fostering solutions that are both innovative and grounded in practical financial principles.
Commitment to Collaboration: Having worked closely with the Orca team, I understand the importance of fostering strong partnerships within and outside the ecosystem.
Representing the Orca Community
I am committed to serving the interests of the Orca community by:
Engaging directly with members to understand their priorities and concerns, using feedback to guide governance decisions.
Advocating for initiatives that enhance the user experience, expand protocol functionality, and drive long-term growth.
Promoting transparency and accountability in every decision I contribute to as a council member.
Top Priorities for 2025
Enhancing Value Capture: Implement mechanisms to ensure that Orca continues to generate sustainable returns for its community while expanding its utility within the DeFi space.
Core Protocol Functionality and Security: Strengthen the protocol’s foundation by investing in development, audits, and innovative features that improve user experience and resilience.
Improving Competitive Positioning: Strategically position Orca to lead within the Solana DeFi ecosystem by fostering integrations, partnerships, and initiatives that highlight Orca’s unique strengths.
Orca has already established itself as a key player in Solana DeFi , and its future potential is immense. I am honored to be considered for the Governance Council and am deeply committed to contributing to the community’s success.
Update: Council Re-election and Self-Nomination Period
The Council re-election proposal for the 2025 term officially passed at 14:59 GMT on the 27th November 2024, meaning there are three vacancies on the Council for the 2025 term.
The initial self-nomination period ended yesterday, 1st December 2024, at 17:00 GMT. As you can see in the replies above, two candidates - Carl and Tim - timely completed self-nominations. An on-chain Council proposal is now live for voting. As a reminder, tokenholder veto votes may be submitted at any time during the voting period, which will expire at approximately 6:27 GMT on 16th December 2024. View and vote on the proposal here.
Given that there are three open Council seats for the 2025 term and two nominations were received during the initial nomination period, the Council is opening a second nomination period, which begins today and will expire at 11:59 GMT on 17th December 2024.
Interested candidates can nominate themselves for consideration as members of the 2025 Council by following the procedures set forth in the original post, i.e., replying directly to this post with a brief summary of:
your background, relevant professional history, and/or experience with Orca or crypto or governance generally;
unique benefits you would bring to the Council;
how you would represent the interests of the Orca community; and
what you think the Council’s top priorities should be for 2025.