Rebecca Parekh
About Rebecca J. Parekh
Rebecca J. Parekh, age 46, has served on Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation’s Board since December 2021 and is currently a Class I director up for re‑election at the 2025 annual meeting. She is independent under NYSE rules and serves on the Nominating and Governance Committee. Parekh is Co‑Founder and CEO of The Well (since 2016), previously COO at Deepak Chopra Radical Well‑Being (2014–2016), and spent ten years at Deutsche Bank Securities in structured credit. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Anthropology from the University of Michigan .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deutsche Bank Securities | Structured Credit; Head, U.S. Private Institutional Client Group; Head, Cross Product Sales | ~10 years (prior to 2014) | Led cross‑product client coverage; Women’s Network Steering Committee |
| Deepak Chopra Radical Well‑Being, LLC | Chief Operating Officer | 2014–2016 | Operations leadership |
| Global Foundation for Eating Disorders (GFED) | Co‑Founder & Executive Director | Not disclosed | Non‑profit medical research funding |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Well | Co‑Founder & Chief Executive Officer | 2016–present | Integrated wellness club & lifestyle brand |
| Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition | Advisor, Entrepreneurship Program | Not disclosed | Advisory capacity |
| Social impact companies & non‑profits | Board member | Not disclosed | Entities not named; not disclosed as public company boards |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Member, Nominating & Governance Committee (members: Rand S. April—Chair; Edmond N. Moriarty III; Rebecca J. Parekh) .
- Independence: Affirmed independent by the Board under NYSE rules .
- Board attendance: In 2024, Board held 7 meetings; Audit 7; Nominating & Governance 4; Compensation 6; each director then in office attended at least 75% of meetings; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Executive sessions: Non‑management directors meet regularly in executive session; independent directors meet at least annually; Lead Independent Director presides .
- Board diversity disclosure: As of March 26, 2025, two directors identified as female and one as a racial/ethnic minority .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount (FY2024) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Fees | $85,000 | Includes Board/committee fees based on role; ACRE’s standard: annual director fees paid ~46% cash |
| Restricted Stock Awards (Fair Value) | $95,000 | Standard annual award; ~54% equity of total fee; vests ratably quarterly over one year |
| Total | $180,000 | FY2024 Director compensation |
- Director fee structure: Independent directors receive $175,000 annually, ~54% in restricted stock and ~46% in cash; additional fees for Lead Independent ($25,000), Audit Chair ($20,000), and Nominating/Compensation Chairs ($10,000); committee members receive $10,000 (Audit) or $5,000 (Nominating/Compensation) .
- Initial equity on joining Board: 5,000 restricted shares granted to outside directors .
Performance Compensation
| Metric/Instrument | Structure | Vesting | Performance Linkage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Restricted Stock (Directors) | Time‑based restricted common stock | Vests ratably quarterly over 1 year | No performance metrics disclosed for director equity |
| Upcoming Vesting (within 60 days of record date) | Unvested restricted stock/RSUs scheduled to vest | 3,460 shares (for Parekh) as of March 26, 2025 | Time‑based only |
No options or PSU awards for directors are disclosed; director equity is time‑vested, not tied to TSR/financial metrics .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- No current public company directorships disclosed for Parekh; biography notes board roles at social impact companies and non‑profits (not named) .
- Interlocks/Conflicts: Not disclosed for Parekh; related‑party transactions in the proxy focus on the Management Agreement with Ares Management (external manager) rather than director‑specific dealings .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Capital markets and structured credit: Ten years at Deutsche Bank in structured credit and senior client coverage leadership .
- Operating leadership: CEO of The Well; prior COO experience; strategic and cultural leadership .
- Education: BA in Biological Anthropology, University of Michigan .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | Percent of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rebecca J. Parekh | 33,683 | <1% | Includes unvested awards counted under SEC rules |
| Unvested Restricted Stock (12/31/2024) | 7,337 | N/A | Outstanding unvested restricted common stock |
| Unvested Awards Vesting within 60 days (as of 3/26/2025) | 3,460 | N/A | Scheduled vesting per proxy record date |
- Ownership guidelines: Directors must hold equity equal to 3× annual cash fees; directors have a three‑year grace period; as of the proxy date, all directors/officers met or are on track, subject to grace periods .
- Hedging/pledging: Hedging and short‑selling are prohibited without prior approval; pledging requires prior approval under the Insider Trading Policy .
Governance Assessment
- Independence and committee role: Parekh’s independence and placement on the Nominating & Governance Committee supports board refreshment, governance guidelines, and director evaluation—key for investor confidence .
- Attendance and engagement: Board/committee cadence was robust in 2024; each director met the 75% attendance threshold; all attended the 2024 annual meeting, indicating engagement .
- Pay and alignment: Director pay is balanced (~54% equity), with quarterly vesting that strengthens alignment; ownership guidelines (3× cash fees) and restrictions on hedging/pledging further enhance alignment .
- Conflicts/related‑party exposure: No Parekh‑specific related‑party transactions disclosed; the principal related‑party dynamic is the external Management Agreement with Ares Management, which is overseen by independent committees and subject to fixed fee terms; no incentive fees paid in FY2024, reducing pay‑for‑performance conflict risk in that year .
- Shareholder signals: Say‑on‑Pay support was ~90% in 2024, indicating broad investor alignment with compensation governance (contextual governance signal) .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Parekh (no low attendance, pledging/hedging exceptions, or related‑party transactions identified). Monitoring focus remains on external management conflicts generally (Ares Management Agreement) and continued adherence to ownership/insider trading policies .