Company: IPST
Filing Date: 2025-05-30
Form Type: PRE 14A
Source: 0001788230-25-000100
Chunk: 15

Company: Heritage Distilling Holding Company, Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-05-30
Form: PRE 14A
Chunk 15
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 report in good faith to his or her superior. While a record of such reports will be kept confidential by our Company for the purposes of investigation, the report may be made anonymously and no individual making such a report will be subject to any form of retribution.

Director Independence

As of the Record Date, five of our directors were considered independent, two are members of our management, Mr. Stiefel, our Chief Executive Officer, and Mrs. Stiefel, our President, and one is a consultant, Mr. Varga. The Board has determined that five of our directors serving on our Board meet the Nasdaq and SEC standards for independence and that all members of the Audit Committee meet the heightened independence standards required for Audit Committee members under Nasdaq and SEC standards. Only independent directors may serve on our Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees.

In determining the independence of our directors, the Board affirmatively decides whether a non-employee director has a relationship that would interfere with that director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of being a director. In making that decision, the Board is informed of the Nasdaq and SEC rules that disqualify a person from being considered as independent, considers the responses from each director in an annual questionnaire, and reviews the applicable standards with each Board member.

Risk Oversight

Our Board of Directors oversees the risk management activities designed and implemented by our management. Our Board of Directors executes its oversight responsibility for risk management both directly and through its committees. The full Board of

| HERITAGE DISTILLING HOLDING COMPANY, INC. |     | 7 |     | 2025 Proxy Statement |

Corporate Governance

Directors also considers specific risk topics, including risks associated with our strategic plan, business operations, and capital structure. In addition, our Board of Directors regularly receives detailed reports from members of our senior management and other personnel that include assessments and potential mitigation of the risks and exposures involved with their respective areas of responsibility.

Our Board of Directors has delegated to the Audit Committee the principal oversight of our risk management process. Our other Board committees, however, also consider and address risks and risk management as they perform their respective committee responsibilities. All committees report to the full Board of Directors as appropriate, including when a matter rises to the level of a material or enterprise risk.

Communications with Directors

Individuals may communicate with the Board by contacting: Secretary to the Board of Directors, 9668 Bujacich Road, Gig Harbor, Washington 98332, e-mail: