Greg Creed
Director at DAL
Board
About Greg Creed
Greg Creed (age 67) is an independent director of Delta Air Lines, appointed April 21, 2022, and serves on the Corporate Governance, Finance, and Personnel & Compensation Committees. He is the former CEO of Yum! Brands and Taco Bell, founder of Creed UnCo, and advisor to Thanx Inc., bringing senior leadership, brand management, and global operations expertise to Delta’s Board .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yum! Brands, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | Jan 2015 – Dec 2019 | Led global QSR operator; board member Nov 2014 – May 2020 |
| Taco Bell (Yum! Brands Division) | Chief Executive Officer | Jan 2011 – Dec 2014 | Drove brand growth and operations |
| Taco Bell U.S. | President & Chief Concept Officer | Dec 2006 – Dec 2010 | Brand strategy and concept development |
| Yum! Brands (various roles) | Senior leadership roles | 1994 – 2006 | Progressive responsibility in marketing/operations |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whirlpool Corporation | Director | Current | Serves on board; involvement in finance/technology/human resources committees noted |
| Aramark Corporation | Director | Current | Serves on board; involvement in finance/technology/human resources committees noted |
| Sow Good Inc. | Director | 2020 – 2022 | Prior public directorship |
| Yum! Brands, Inc. | Director | 2014 – 2020 | Prior public directorship |
| Friends of QUT in America Foundation | President | Current | Non-profit affiliation |
| Aging Mind Foundation | Board Member | Current | Non-profit affiliation |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Corporate Governance; Finance; Personnel & Compensation. Creed is a member (not chair) of all three .
- Independence: Delta states all members of Audit, Corporate Governance, Finance, and Personnel & Compensation Committees are independent under NYSE and Delta standards. 12 of 14 director nominees are independent overall .
- Attendance: Board met five times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and relevant committee meetings. All directors attended the 2024 annual meeting. The Board routinely held executive sessions without the CEO .
- Committee cadence: 2024 meetings — Audit (9), Corporate Governance (5), Finance (6), Personnel & Compensation (6), Safety & Security (5) .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (Director) | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash (2024) | $115,000 | Actual cash paid to Creed in 2024 per director compensation table |
| Standard Annual Board Cash Retainer | $120,000 | Program level for non-executive directors as of Jun 20, 2024 |
| Committee Chair Cash Retainers | $20,000 (most), $30,000 (Audit), $25,000 (P&C) | Creed is not a chair; shown for program context |
| Expense Reimbursements | Reasonable meeting expenses | Program description |
| Matching Gifts (Education) | Up to $5,000 match/year | Program description |
Performance Compensation
Directors do not receive performance-based pay; equity is time-based restricted stock.
| Equity Component | Grant Value | Shares | Grant Date | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Member Equity Grant (2024) | $200,000 | 4,040 shares | Jun 20, 2024 | Vests at or before next annual meeting (Jun 20, 2025), subject to continued service | Creed’s 2024 grant per table and program terms |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Public boards: Whirlpool Corporation; Aramark Corporation; prior roles at Sow Good Inc. and Yum! Brands .
- Potential interlocks/conflicts: The Audit Committee reviews and, if appropriate, approves or ratifies conflicts/related-party transactions under Item 404 of Regulation S-K; the proxy does not disclose related-party transactions involving Mr. Creed, and Delta prohibits hedging and pledging of company stock by Board members .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Senior Leadership/Risk Management from CEO roles at Yum! Brands and Taco Bell .
- Marketing/Brand Management and data-driven customer engagement experience .
- Global Business experience managing multinational operations .
- Board Membership on multiple public companies and technology/finance/human resources committees .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (Apr 18, 2025) | 30,910 shares | Includes 26,870 shares held by the Creed Revocable Living Trust |
| Ownership as % of outstanding | <1% | Each listed individual owns <1% of DAL shares |
| Director Stock Ownership Guidelines | ≥5x annual cash retainer value OR ≥35,000 shares | Applies to non-employee directors; includes restricted stock and certain family/trust holdings |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited | Company policy prohibits hedging and pledging by employees and Board members |
Director Compensation (Detail)
| Category (2024) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $115,000 |
| Stock Awards (Restricted Stock) | $200,000 |
| All Other Compensation (primarily tax reimbursements for flight benefits) | $10,091 |
| Total | $325,091 |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director serving on three core committees with robust governance oversight; Board maintains executive sessions and strong refreshment; active use of independent compensation consultant (FW Cook) and clear policies (anti-hedging/pledging, proxy access, majority voting) supporting investor alignment .
- Ownership alignment: Meaningful personal shareholding with trust holdings; director ownership guidelines (5x cash retainer value or 35,000 shares) enforce alignment, though Creed’s share count is below the 35,000-share threshold—compliance may still be met via value test depending on stock price (not assessed here) .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: No Item 404 related-party transactions involving Creed disclosed; Audit Committee retains approval authority; hedging/pledging prohibited, reducing alignment risk .
- Engagement and attendance: Board-level attendance thresholds met; full annual meeting attendance and regular executive sessions bolster oversight quality .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Creed; monitor multi-board commitments versus Delta’s encouragement to limit outside boards, and validate ownership guideline compliance at the next annual measurement date .