Arik Ruchim
About Arik Ruchim
Arik Ruchim (age 45) is an independent Class III director of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (ticker: FUN) and has served on the board since 2020 (legacy Six Flags) . He is a Partner at H Partners Management, an investment firm described as one of the Company’s largest stockholders; he brings extensive public markets investment experience and shareholder value orientation, and holds a BBA with Distinction from the University of Michigan . He currently sits on the Audit & Finance Committee and chairs the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee, reinforcing a governance-focused profile . The Board has determined he is independent under NYSE rules and Company guidelines .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| H Partners Management | Partner | Joined 2008; currently a Partner | Investor perspective; “one of the Company’s largest stockholders” |
| Creative Artists Agency | Professional (prior role) | Prior to 2008 | Media/entertainment exposure |
| Cruise | Wagner Productions | Professional (prior role) | Prior to 2008 |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tempur Sealy International, Inc. (NYSE: TPX) | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Prior public company directorship |
| Remy International, Inc. | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Prior public company directorship |
| Dick Clark Productions | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Prior media company directorship |
Board Governance
- Committees: Audit & Finance Committee (member) and Nominating & Corporate Governance (NCG) Committee (Chair) .
- Committee chair scope (NCG): Board design and composition, director criteria and succession, independence determinations, annual Board/committee/Executive Chair evaluations, oversight of governance policies and ESG monitoring/education .
- Attendance: In 2024, each current director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings during their service period .
- Independence: Board determined Mr. Ruchim is independent under NYSE standards and Company guidelines .
- Board leadership: Separate CEO, Executive Chairman, and Lead Independent Director (LID is Daniel Hanrahan), with regular executive sessions of non-management directors at least annually; LID presides if Executive Chair is not independent .
- Anti-hedging: Directors, officers, and employees are prohibited from hedging Company securities .
- Director ownership guideline: 5x annual cash retainer within 5 years; all directors are compliant or on track as of April 28, 2025 .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Standard Board Policy | Paid to Arik Ruchim |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $85,000 per year | $0 (does not receive director fees) |
| Equity retainer (restricted stock; directors may defer) | $200,000 per year (initially granted in 2025) | $0 (no director fees/awards) |
| Committee membership fees | Audit & Finance: $15,000; NCG: $10,000; PCC: $10,000 | $0 |
| Committee chair fees | Audit Chair: $30,000; NCG Chair: $20,000; PCC Chair: $25,000 | $0 |
| Lead Independent Director fee | $125,000 | N/A |
Note: The proxy states explicitly that “Arik Ruchim does not receive any director fees because his interests are already highly aligned with stockholders due to his position with H Partners, LP” .
Performance Compensation
| Element | Structure | Paid to Arik Ruchim |
|---|---|---|
| Annual bonus | Not applicable to non-employee directors | None disclosed |
| Performance stock units (PSUs) | Not part of standard director pay; equity retainer is time-based restricted stock | None disclosed |
| Options | Not part of director program | None disclosed |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed for Mr. Ruchim . |
| Prior public/private boards | Tempur Sealy International; Remy International; Dick Clark Productions . |
| Interlocks | Company discloses no interlocking relationships between its executive officers or directors and another entity’s board or compensation committee . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Investment and capital allocation: “Strong business acumen and extensive investment experience,” with a “vigorous record of stockholder value creation” .
- Governance: Chair of NCG; leads independence reviews, succession, and annual evaluations .
- Education: BBA with Distinction, University of Michigan .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Personal beneficial ownership listed in director table | “—”; no personal share count reported for Mr. Ruchim in the table . |
| Footnote on beneficial ownership | As a Partner of H Partners Management, LLC, he “may be deemed” to have voting/dispositive power with respect to shares held by H Partners entities (investment manager and GP relationships noted) . |
| Status of H Partners as 5% holder | Not listed among 5% holders as of April 28, 2025 (5% holders: BlackRock 14.04%, Vanguard 9.95%, Darlington 5.85%) . |
| Director stock ownership guideline | 5x annual cash retainer within 5 years; all directors compliant or on track . |
| Hedging/pledging | Hedging prohibited for directors; anti-pledging policy explicitly applies to executives; no pledging disclosures for directors . |
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths and positive signals
- Independent director; chairs the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee, central to board composition, independence, and evaluation processes .
- High shareholder alignment: does not accept director fees; affiliated with a significant shareholder (H Partners) and described as one of the Company’s largest stockholders from his firm affiliation .
- Attendance and engagement: 2024 Board and committee participation met ≥75% threshold across all current directors, implying active engagement .
- Formal guardrails: robust related-party transaction policy; no related party transactions requiring disclosure in 2024; strong anti-hedging and ownership guidelines .
-
Potential risks and monitoring items
- Influence/activism optics: As an H Partners partner with possible deemed voting/dispositive power over H Partners-held shares, investors should monitor for alignment with broader shareholder base versus fund-specific agendas (no related-party transactions disclosed; interlocks denied) .
- Committee load concentration: Chairing NCG during post-merger integration raises importance of rigorous succession and composition oversight (Board reports periodic rotation and annual evaluations) .
-
RED FLAGS
- None disclosed for related-party transactions, hedging/pledging, legal proceedings, or low attendance; director does not receive cash/equity fees, reducing pay-related red flags .
Context on Board/Compensation Framework (useful for alignment analysis)
- Director fee schedule (policy-level): $85k cash retainer; $200k equity; committee and chair fees; LID fee $125k (not paid to Mr. Ruchim) .
- Stock ownership policies: Directors 5x cash retainer; executives 6x/3x salary; compliance/on-track as of April 28, 2025 .
- Shareholder engagement: Ongoing outreach; Board receives feedback on governance and compensation .
Bottom line: As an independent NCG chair with deep investor credentials and no director fees, Ruchim presents strong alignment and governance oversight. Given his H Partners affiliation, investors should continue to monitor board independence processes and any future cooperation/activist dynamics, though the Company discloses no related-party transactions and confirms independence and attendance standards .