Sam Davis
About Sam Davis
Sam Davis is President and Chief Executive Officer of Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. (BAER). He joined Bridger in 2019 as Controller, served as Chief of Staff, became interim CEO on July 1, 2024, and was appointed permanent CEO on March 17, 2025; age 41, MBA (San Jose State University), BS in Accounting & Finance (Boise State University), and PMP-certified . Under his leadership during 2025, management cited “strong top-line growth, substantial increase in Adjusted EBITDA and positive cash flow” for the year; in Q2 2025, revenue was $30.8 million with positive net income of $0.3 million, marking the earliest profit in a year and first time adjusted EBITDA was positive through the first six months . The company is remediating material weaknesses in internal control and cannot estimate when remediation will be completed, which introduces execution risk .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. | Controller → Chief of Staff → Interim CEO → President & CEO | 2019–present | Guided the transition to a public company and capital raises; drove operational efficiency, revenue growth, and expansion of services and global footprint |
| Oracle, Inc. | Finance/operations roles supporting Cloud initiatives | 4 years | Led global projects; strengthened financial consolidation and reporting |
| Meltwater | Finance/operations | Not disclosed | Financial consolidation, reporting, global management processes |
| Natus Medical, Inc. | Finance/operations | Not disclosed | Financial consolidation, reporting, global management processes |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | No public company directorships or external roles disclosed for Sam Davis |
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | $220,559 | $425,000 base compensation effective March 17, 2025 |
| Target Bonus % | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Actual Bonus Paid ($) | $0 | Not disclosed |
| Other Compensation ($) | $8,400 (401k match) | Not disclosed |
Notes:
- As an emerging growth company, Bridger uses scaled executive compensation disclosure; no CD&A and no say‑on‑pay votes are required .
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Grant Date | Shares Granted | Grant Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSU (CEO grant) | 1/23/2023 | 393,675 | Not disclosed | 10% at Business Combination closing; 10% on 1/24/2024; 10% on 1/24/2025; 10% on 1/24/2026; 25% on 1/24/2027; 10% on 1/24/2028; 25% on 1/24/2029 (service-based) |
| RSU (CEO grant) | 1/24/2024 | 100,000 | $525,000 | 25% on 1/24/2025; 25% on 1/24/2026; 25% on 1/24/2027; 25% on 1/24/2028 (service-based) |
Vesting detail (specific dates and disclosed share amounts):
- 2023 RSU: 39,368 shares vested at closing (10% of grant) ; 10% vested on 1/24/2024 (shares per tranche not itemized beyond the closing tranche) .
- 2024 RSU: 25% tranches scheduled annually from 2025–2028 .
No performance metrics (e.g., TSR, EBITDA) are disclosed as determinative of payout; 2024 bonuses for named executive officers were not paid .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (Common shares) | 96,108 (as of 4/24/2025 record date) |
| Ownership as % of Outstanding | <1% (outstanding shares: 54,742,646) |
| Unvested RSUs (12/31/2024) | 314,940 (2023 grant) + 100,000 (2024 grant) |
| Options (exercisable/unexercisable) | None disclosed in outstanding awards table |
| Hedging/Pledging | Company policy prohibits hedging and pledging of Company securities by officers/directors; no pledges disclosed |
| Stock Ownership Guidelines | Not disclosed |
Employment Terms
- Appointment and compensation: Permanent President & CEO as of March 17, 2025; annual base compensation increased from $300,000 to $425,000 on appointment .
- Contract: “Mr. Davis does not have an employment agreement with the Company for his position of President and Chief Executive Officer.” (implies at‑will; severance and non‑compete terms not specified) .
- Clawback: Bridger adopted a recoupment policy under SEC/Nasdaq rules; following a 2023 restatement, the Company determined no recovery was required as no incentive compensation was based on impacted financial measures .
- Predecessor severance context: Former CEO Timothy Sheehy “did not receive any severance benefits” upon resignation in July 2024 .
- Insider trading governance: Company maintains insider trading policies; hedging/pledging prohibited for officers/directors .
- Governance of compensation: Compensation Committee (independent) met 4 times in 2024 and engaged Pearl Meyer for peer review and market input .
Performance & Track Record
| Metric | Q2 2025 |
|---|---|
| Revenue ($) | $30,800,000 |
| Net Income ($) | $300,000 |
Additional execution indicators:
- First time adjusted EBITDA was positive through the first six months of a year, and earliest swing to profit (management commentary) .
- CEO and CFO signed SOX 302 and 906 certifications for Q2 and Q3 2025 10‑Qs, indicating responsibility for disclosure controls and fair presentation of results .
- Material weaknesses in internal control remain under remediation; timeline uncertain .
Investment Implications
- Alignment and retention: Davis’s pay mix is equity-heavy with multi‑year RSU vesting through 2028/2029, reinforcing retention and alignment; annual vesting events (late January) represent mechanical supply overhang risk typical of RSU programs, mitigated by the Company’s prohibition on hedging/pledging .
- Contractual flexibility: Absence of a CEO employment agreement suggests at‑will employment and limited pre‑defined severance/CIC economics, reducing “golden parachute” risk but potentially increasing retention risk if external opportunities arise .
- Governance and disclosure: As an emerging growth company, Bridger provides scaled compensation disclosure and is not required to hold say‑on‑pay votes, limiting visibility into performance metric design and pay‑for‑performance calibration; however, the Compensation Committee is independent and uses an external consultant (Pearl Meyer) .
- Execution and control risk: Positive operating results under Davis (Q2 2025 profit and improved adjusted EBITDA) are constructive, but internal control remediation remains ongoing with uncertain timing, which can constrain valuation and increase reporting risk until resolved .