Robert Harris Jr.
About Robert Harris Jr.
Robert E. Harris, Jr. is Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) and Senior Vice President at Americold Realty Trust (COLD), promoted effective March 11, 2024; he is 49 and a CPA with 25+ years of accounting and finance experience, including prior roles as VP Finance and CAO at Aptean and Senior Manager at PwC, and he holds a B.S. in Accountancy from Auburn University . During his initial year as CAO, Americold delivered company-level improvements: Adjusted FFO/share +15.9% YoY, Core EBITDA +10.8% YoY, and Same Store Warehouse Services NOI +$124.8M, reflecting operating and pricing execution; the LTIP design he participates in is tied to multi‑year relative TSR vs. the MSCI U.S. REIT Index to reinforce pay-for-performance alignment .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Americold Realty Trust | Chief Accounting Officer & SVP | Mar 2024–present | Principal accounting officer; SEC signatory; oversees external reporting and SOX compliance |
| Americold Realty Trust | VP & Corporate Controller | Jan 2014–Mar 2024 | Led accounting through IPO, SOX public company adoption, and multi‑national M&A integrations |
| Aptean (f/k/a CDC Software) | VP Finance & Chief Accounting Officer | Not disclosed | Public company CAO experience prior to Americold |
| PricewaterhouseCoopers | Senior Manager, Audit & Assurance | Not disclosed | Audit and assurance leadership |
External Roles
No external public company directorships or outside board roles disclosed in company filings for Harris .
Fixed Compensation
| Element | 2024 Terms | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $375,000 | Effective 3/11/2024 upon promotion to CAO |
| Target annual bonus | 50% of base salary | Under Americold AIP; paid per plan terms |
| 2024 equity grant (aggregate target value) | $250,000 | Mix of performance‑based and time‑based awards granted March 2024 (time‑based vest dates aligned to March 8 cycle) |
Performance Compensation
Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) Structure and 2024 Outcomes (company-level reference)
| Metric | Weighting | 2024 Target | 2024 Actual/Adjustment | Payout to Metric | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core EBITDA | 75% | $625.1M | $634.1M reported; +$3.0M FX adj = $637.2M (101.9% of target) | 109.7% of target factor | Applies to NEOs; Harris participates in AIP; specific CAO payout not disclosed |
| Individual strategic objectives | 25% | 3 binary goals | Multiplied by Core EBITDA over‑achievement when core meets/exceeds target | Company factor used as multiplier | Structure per AIP design; exec-specific attainment not disclosed |
Notes: Messrs. Chambers/Verbarendse also include Americas EBITDA; Mr. Winnall includes International EBITDA. Company published Americas EBITDA at 101.3% of target (106.3% factor) and International at 95.2% (84.0% factor) for applicable roles; these do not apply to CAO’s weighting as disclosed .
Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) – Design and Harris’s 2024 Grants
| Award type | Metric/Condition | Weighting | Grant detail (units) | Performance/Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance OP Profits Units | 3‑yr relative TSR vs MSCI U.S. REIT | Performance‑based | 4,751 units | Vests at end of 1/1/2024–12/31/2026; 0–200% payout; capped at target if TSR is negative | Granted under 2017 Plan |
| Performance RSUs (project-based) | Special project completion | Performance‑based | 1,684 + 3,164 units | 50% vests on each of Aug 15, 2024 and Aug 15, 2025 if criteria met | Form 3 disclosure |
| Performance RSUs (prior cycle) | 3‑yr relative TSR (cycle noted in filing) | Performance‑based | 1,851 units | Vests based on TSR over stated performance period | Form 3 disclosure narrative |
| Time‑based RSUs (new grant) | Service | Time-based | 4,751 RSUs | Ratably on Mar 8, 2025/2026/2027 | Form 3 disclosure |
| Time‑based RSUs (older tranches) | Service | Time-based | 1,684 RSUs | Vested 1/3 on 3/8/2024; remainder vests 3/8/2025 and 3/8/2026 | Form 3 disclosure |
| Time‑based RSUs (legacy) | Service | Time-based | 617 RSUs | Vested 1/3 on 3/8/2023 and 3/8/2024; remainder vests 3/8/2025 | Form 3 disclosure |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Ownership element | Amount/Status | Vesting/Terms | Alignment notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common shares owned (direct) | 2,564 shares | N/A | Establishes baseline beneficial ownership |
| RSUs outstanding (service-based) | 4,751; 1,684; 617 | Scheduled on 3/8 annually per tranches noted | Creates steady, predictable vesting cadence |
| PRSUs outstanding (project-based) | 1,684; 3,164 | 50% on 8/15/2024; 50% on 8/15/2025 if criteria met | Event‑driven vesting dates may create sale windows |
| PRSUs outstanding (TSR-based) | 1,851 | Vests after 3‑yr TSR cycle per plan | Performance‑linked equity |
| Performance OP Profits Units | 4,751 | 3‑yr relative TSR (2024–2026) | Partnership‑based equity aligned to TSR |
| Ownership as % of COLD shares outstanding | ~0.0009% | 2,564 ÷ 284,719,592 | Based on record-date shares outstanding |
| Stock ownership guidelines (SVP) | 1x base salary | 5 years to comply from appointment | Anti‑hedging/pledging in effect; Harris appointed Mar 2024 |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited | Insider Trading Policy and governance summary | Reduces misalignment risk |
Note: Shares outstanding at record date were 284,719,592; Harris’s direct holdings are de minimis as a percentage; RSUs/OPUs/PRSUs are not outstanding common shares until vesting/conversion .
Insider activity: Harris filed an initial Form 3 on Mar 13, 2024 reflecting the above holdings; we did not locate subsequent Form 4 transactions in our document search through Nov 18, 2025 (monitor for updates) .
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Promotion effective date | March 11, 2024 |
| Reporting line | Reports to CFO; based in Atlanta corporate office |
| AIP participation | Eligible; target 50% of earnings; paid per plan |
| Equity plan | Eligible under 2017 Equity Incentive Plan; 2024 grant $250,000 (mix of time/performance awards) |
| Severance/change‑in‑control | Participates in Executive Severance Benefits Plan (filed Feb 24, 2022); plan features for executives include double‑trigger CIC, pro‑rata performance equity vesting, and vesting of next time‑based tranche; no tax gross‑ups per proxy governance practices |
Clawback: Americold has a NYSE‑compliant recoupment policy requiring recovery of erroneously awarded compensation upon a restatement . Anti‑hedging/pledging policies apply to executives .
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance and alignment: CAO compensation mix includes AIP linked primarily to Core EBITDA and LTIP tied to multi‑year relative TSR; governance overlays include ownership guidelines (SVP: 1x salary, five years to comply), anti‑hedging/pledging, and a formal clawback, supporting alignment and downside protection .
- Vesting calendar and potential selling pressure: Time‑based RSUs vest annually on March 8; project PRSUs vest 50% on Aug 15, 2024 and 2025 if criteria met; performance OPUs vest at end of 2026—monitor Form 4s/10b5‑1 plans near these dates for incremental supply signals; no Form 4s were identified post‑Form 3 in our search window .
- Retention and transition risk: Participation in the Executive Severance Benefits Plan with double‑trigger CIC protection and structured equity treatment reduces involuntary separation risk costs and supports retention; absence of tax gross‑ups mitigates shareholder‑unfriendly optics .
- Execution context: Company-level 2024 results improved (AFFO/share +15.9%; Core EBITDA +10.8%; Same Store Warehouse Services NOI +$124.8M), indicating a constructive operating backdrop for accounting leadership and controls under Harris’s remit; Say‑on‑Pay support was 89% in 2024, signaling shareholder acceptance of compensation structures .
Sources: 2025 DEF 14A (executive bios, governance, compensation design, performance, ownership), 8‑K (appointment/offer letter), and Section 16 Form 3 for initial beneficial ownership .