Tae-Sik Yoon
About Tae‑Sik Yoon
Tae‑Sik Yoon is ACRE’s Chief Operating Officer (since August 2024) and formerly served as Chief Financial Officer (since July 2012) and Treasurer (since June 2015). He is a Partner and Chief Financial Officer of Ares Real Estate and the Private Equity Group and serves on Ares Real Estate’s Global and Debt Investment Committees; he previously held senior roles at Akridge, J.E. Robert Companies (1999–2009), Morgan Stanley (1989–1991; 1997–1999) and was an attorney at Williams & Connolly (1994–1997). He graduated from Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Law School; age 57 as of April 3, 2025 . Company performance during the last five years shows TSR of 70.69% in 2024 (peer group 45.31%) with net loss of $34,993 thousand; prior years TSR 107.35% (2023), 92.97% (2022), 116.63% (2021), 86.85% (2020) with corresponding net income/loss figures disclosed below .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation (ACRE) | Chief Operating Officer | Since Aug 2024 | Transitioned from CFO to COO; operational leadership of externally managed REIT |
| Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation (ACRE) | Chief Financial Officer; Treasurer | CFO since Jul 2012; Treasurer since Jun 2015 | Built finance function; oversight of reporting and treasury under external management model |
| Ares Management – Real Estate & Private Equity | Partner; Chief Financial Officer; Investment Committee member | Since joining Ares (Jul 2012) | Finance leadership; member of Ares Real Estate Global and Debt Investment Committees |
| J.E. Robert Companies, Inc. | Managing Director (2003–2005); Chief Financial Officer (2005–2009); various roles | 1999–2009 | Senior finance and operations across real estate investment platforms |
| Akridge | Senior Vice President | Years not disclosed | Senior role at private commercial real estate firm prior to joining Ares |
| Morgan Stanley & Co. | Real Estate Investment Banking | 1989–1991; 1997–1999 | Capital markets and advisory in real estate banking |
| Williams & Connolly LLP | Attorney | 1994–1997 | Legal training and practice |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Committees / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ares Real Estate & Private Equity Group | Partner and CFO | Current | Serves on Ares Real Estate Global Investment Committee and Debt Investment Committee |
Fixed Compensation
ACRE is externally managed; executives receive no direct cash from ACRE. ACRE reimburses the Manager for allocable share of salary/bonus for specified personnel. Multi‑year compensation (allocable/reimbursed and equity granted by ACRE):
| Metric (USD) | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salary | $129,666 | $125,609 | $197,678 |
| Bonus | $68,723 | $57,780 | $90,932 |
| Stock Awards (grant‑date fair value) | $428,800 | $432,000 | $207,675 |
| Total | $627,189 | $615,389 | $496,285 |
Notes:
- ACRE did not pay direct cash to NEOs; salary/bonus shown are amounts reimbursed to the Manager for Yoon’s allocable compensation .
- 2024 Manager fees were ~$10.7 million; no incentive fee incurred in 2024 .
Target bonus %: Not disclosed; bonuses at Ares Management are discretionary based on Ares profitability, market analysis and individual performance; certain senior professionals may receive carried interest or incentive fee participation; ACRE performance can factor into Ares decisions .
Performance Compensation
Time‑vested RSUs are the primary equity incentive; for 2023/2024 the Compensation Committee did not apply fixed metrics and considered stock performance, ROE, investment activity, financing, operations and individual performance.
| Year | Incentive Type | Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual/Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | RSUs (40,000) | Time‑based | N/A | Not disclosed | $428,800 grant‑date fair value | 1/3 annually Jan 1, 2024–2026 |
| 2023 | RSUs (40,000) | Time‑based | N/A | Not disclosed | $432,000 grant‑date fair value | 1/3 annually Jan 1, 2025–2027 |
| 2024 | RSUs (32,500) | Time‑based | N/A | Not disclosed | $207,675 grant‑date fair value | 1/3 annually Jan 1, 2026–2028 |
ACRE incentive fee (Manager): Core Earnings must exceed thresholds; 2024 payout 0 (no incentive fee incurred) .
Vesting realized values:
| Metric | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Shares acquired on vesting (#) | 20,954 | 31,667 |
| Value realized on vesting ($) | $220,765 | $329,803 |
No stock options granted to date .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
Beneficial ownership trend (includes unvested RSUs per SEC definition):
| As of Record Date | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 27, 2023 | 179,253 | <1% |
| Mar 26, 2024 | 219,253 | <1% |
| Mar 26, 2025 | 251,753 | <1% |
Unvested RSUs and market value at 12/31/2024:
| Metric | Count | Market Value |
|---|---|---|
| Unvested RSUs | 109,166 | $642,988 (based on $5.89 close) |
Detailed vesting schedule for outstanding grants (as of 12/31/2024):
- 10,000 RSUs granted Dec 21, 2021; vested Jan 1, 2025
- 26,666 RSUs granted Dec 20, 2022; 50% vested Jan 1, 2025; 50% vests Jan 1, 2026
- 40,000 RSUs granted Dec 20, 2023; 1/3 vested Jan 1, 2025; remaining 1/3 on Jan 1, 2026 and Jan 1, 2027
- 32,500 RSUs granted Dec 20, 2024; vests in three equal annual installments on Jan 1, 2026, 2027, 2028
Ownership guidelines and pledging/hedging:
- Stock ownership guidelines: CEO must hold at least 100,000 shares; CFO at least 32,000 shares. Directors and executives have grace periods; all are on track or have met guidelines as of proxy date .
- Insider trading policy prohibits speculative trading, short selling, and hedging or pledging company stock without prior approval .
Employment Terms
Externally managed structure:
- ACRE generally has no obligation to pay severance to executive officers; RSU award agreements govern vesting upon certain events .
RSU acceleration (assumed at 12/31/2024, using $5.89/share):
| Scenario | Acceleration Value |
|---|---|
| Termination due to termination of employment with Ares Operations LLC without Cause | $215,970 |
| Death or Disability | $642,990 |
| Change in Manager Event | $642,990 |
Change in control:
- Upon a “Change in Control,” Compensation Committee may make adjustments that do not have a substantial adverse economic impact; full RSU vesting occurs upon death/disability or Change of Manager Event; “12 months forward vest” upon termination without Cause by Ares Operations LLC .
Clawback policy and tax:
- Clawback policy adopted Oct 31, 2023 (NYSE Section 10D compliant); recovers incentive‑based compensation following required restatements (three prior fiscal years) .
- No excise tax gross‑ups; Section 280G/4999 considerations disclosed; Section 162(m) and 409A compliance described .
Deferred comp and pensions:
- No nonqualified deferred compensation plan; no pension plans .
Performance & Track Record
Company Pay‑Versus‑Performance (TSR and Net Income):
| Metric | FY 2020 | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Shareholder Return (%) | 86.85 | 116.63 | 92.97 | 107.35 | 70.69 |
| Peer Group TSR (%) | 72.33 | 77.73 | 50.39 | 51.23 | 45.31 |
| Net Income (Loss) $ thousands | 21,840 | 60,460 | 29,785 | (38,867) | (34,993) |
Notes:
- ACRE switched performance peer group to FTSE NAREIT All Mortgage Capped Index in 2024 following discontinuation of prior Bloomberg index .
Compensation Committee Analysis
- Compensation Committee members: Rand S. April, William L. Browning, James E. Skinner (Chair); all independent under NYSE and SEC rules .
- Committee oversees the Manager’s compensation under ACRE’s Management Agreement and administers ACRE’s Equity Incentive Plan; engaged Ferguson Partners Consulting (FPC) in 2024 on long‑term equity framework and industry pay practices .
Say‑on‑Pay & Shareholder Feedback
- 2024 say‑on‑pay approval approximately 90% for FY 2023 compensation; Board recommends annual say‑on‑pay frequency and continued annual votes in 2025 .
Equity Award Inventory (Grant History for Yoon)
| Year | Grant Date | Shares | Grant‑Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Dec 20, 2022 | 40,000 | $428,800 | 1/3 annually Jan 1, 2024–2026 |
| 2023 | Dec 20, 2023 | 40,000 | $432,000 | 1/3 annually Jan 1, 2025–2027 |
| 2024 | Dec 20, 2024 | 32,500 | $207,675 | 1/3 annually Jan 1, 2026–2028 |
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- Hedging/pledging restricted; prior approval required; short‑selling prohibited .
- Clawback in place; no excise tax gross‑ups; no options or repricing language applicable to RSUs; option repricing prohibited without shareholder approval under plan terms .
Investment Implications
- Retention: Significant unvested RSUs (109,166 units, $643k market value at 12/31/2024) vesting annually through 2028 create multi‑year retention hooks; limited acceleration except death/disability, Change of Manager Event, or 12‑month forward vest on termination without Cause by Ares Operations LLC .
- Trading signals: RSU vest dates on January 1 each year (2026–2028) suggest potential insider liquidity windows; policy restrictions on hedging/pledging mitigate selling pressure optics .
- Alignment: Beneficial ownership increased from 179k (2023) to 252k (2025), and CFO ownership guideline is 32k shares; executives are on track or have met ownership guidelines, supporting alignment with shareholders .
- Pay‑for‑performance: Equity is time‑based with Committee discretion; no fixed metrics in 2023/2024 grants; Manager’s incentive fee tied to Core Earnings was zero in 2024, tempering direct performance‑linked cash upside from ACRE that year .
- Execution risk: External manager structure means Ares determines most cash compensation; governance mechanisms (independent Compensation Committee, clawback, ownership guidelines) provide oversight but limit direct pay‑metric linkages at ACRE level .