Trisha Gosser
USA TODAY Co.About Trisha Gosser
Trisha Gosser is Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) effective March 18, 2025; she is 46 years old and has been with Gannett since 2007 in progressively senior finance roles including Deputy CFO (2023–2025) and SVP Finance & Investor Relations (2021–2023) . She brings 20+ years of financial experience spanning accounting, FP&A, data/analytics, and investor relations, and played a key role in the Gannett–New Media Investment Group merger; prior roles include finance positions at Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) and Mitsubishi Electric Automation . Company performance context: in 2024, Gannett delivered Adjusted EBITDA of $273.2M and total digital revenues of $1.1B (44% of total), while net loss attributable to Gannett was $26.4M; company TSR (value of initial $100 investment) stood at $79.31 at year-end 2024 . Digital-only ARPU rose 21.2% year-over-year in 2024, reflecting monetization progress of the digital strategy .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gannett Co., Inc. | Deputy Chief Financial Officer | Jan 2023–Mar 2025 | Oversaw financial and strategic planning, data & analytics, and investor relations; leadership across finance functions . |
| Gannett Co., Inc. | SVP Finance & Investor Relations | Apr 2021–Jan 2023 | Played key role in Gannett–New Media Investment Group merger; led accounting, FP&A, data, IR teams . |
| Gannett Co., Inc. | Various finance roles | 2007–2021 | Led teams across accounting, FP&A, data, IR driving strategic initiatives . |
| Brunswick Corporation | Finance roles | Pre-2007 | Accounting and tax operations; foundational finance experience . |
| Mitsubishi Electric Automation | Finance roles | Pre-2007 | Accounting and tax operations; foundational finance experience . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| News Media Alliance | Board of Directors | Current | Industry network, policy advocacy, information flow across news media ecosystem . |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Detail | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | $630,000 | Mar 18, 2025 |
| Target Annual Bonus | 100% of base salary under ABP Plan | Mar 18, 2025 |
| Target Long-Term Equity Incentive | $740,000 | Mar 18, 2025 |
Performance Compensation
Company incentive design context (applies to executive incentives; specific 2025 target metrics for Gosser are not disclosed):
- Annual Bonus Plan (ABP): Based on Company performance (Total Adjusted EBITDA and Total Revenue), business segment Key Performance Drivers, and individual goals, with thresholds and maximums by role; CEO and former CFO payouts for 2024 provide precedent .
- Long-Term Incentives: CPUs and PSUs/RSUs linked to Total Adjusted EBITDA and Total Digital Revenues, each weighted 50%, with annual performance tranches and 3-year vesting; typical payout range 50–140% (CPUs) and up to 200% (2022 PSUs) .
ABP Metrics and 2024 Results (precedent for executive incentives)
| Metric | Target | 2024 Actual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Adjusted EBITDA | $274.2M | $273.2M | Near-target performance. |
| Total Revenue | $2,602.5M | $2,509.3M | Below target. |
| Domestic Gannett Media – Pageviews/Audience | 17.1B | 16.7B | Below target. |
| Domestic Gannett Media – Total Paid Relationships | 3.1M | 2.9M | Below target. |
| Domestic Gannett Media – Top Market YoY Profit Trend | 2.6 ppt | (0.6) ppt | Below target. |
| DMS – Revenue | $498.6M | $477.8M | Below target. |
| DMS – Adjusted EBITDA | $52.8M | $43.7M | Below target. |
| DMS – Customer Count | 15,500 | 13,315 | Below target. |
| CEO ABP Payout | Target $1,125,000; Overall 79.7%; Paid $896,091 | — | Precedent; illustrates ABP mechanics. |
| Former CFO ABP Payout | Target $800,000; Overall 79.8%; Paid $638,700 | — | Precedent; illustrates ABP mechanics. |
Long-Term Incentive Metrics and 2024 Results (company design)
| Metric | Weight | Threshold | Target | Maximum | 2024 Result | Earned vs Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Adjusted EBITDA | 50% | $219.3M | $274.2M | $329.0M | $273.2M | 93.4% |
| Total Digital Revenues | 50% | $928.3M | $1,160.3M | $1,392.4M | $1,103.7M | 93.4% |
| Vesting Schedule | CPUs/PSUs vest after 3 years; annual tranches for performance | — | — | — | — | 2022 PSUs vested Mar 2025; 2023 CPUs vest Mar 2026; 2024 CPUs vest Mar 2027 . |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Policy/Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Stock Ownership Guidelines (Executives) | CEO: 6x salary; CFO: 3x salary; counts shares owned, RSAs, unvested RSUs; excludes unvested PSUs . |
| Holding Requirement | Must hold 50% of net shares from vesting/exercise until guideline met; hardship exceptions possible; evaluated annually . |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited: no hedging, short-selling, collars, swaps; no margin accounts or pledging Company securities . |
| Insider Trading Controls | Trading policy with pre-clearance for Rule 10b5-1 plan adoption/modification/termination . |
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Appointment | CFO effective March 18, 2025 . |
| Offer Letter – Cash Compensation | Base salary $630,000; target performance-based cash incentive 100% of base . |
| Offer Letter – Long-Term Incentive | Eligible for target LTI award opportunity $740,000 . |
| Stock Ownership | Subject to Company stock ownership objectives for executive officers . |
| Key Employee Severance Plan (single trigger) | If terminated by Company other than for “Cause”: prorated annual bonus based on actual performance unless also qualifying CIC termination; cash severance equal to 1x base salary immediately preceding termination . |
| Change in Control Severance Plan (double trigger) | If terminated without Cause or resigns for Good Reason within 2 years post-CIC: (i) prorated annual bonus equal to average of last three fiscal years; (ii) cash equal to 1x (highest base salary in prior 12 months or pre-CIC 12 months) plus the higher of average bonus in last three years pre-CIC or pre-termination; (iii) COBRA medical/dental monthly cost multiplied by lesser of 18 or (24 minus months since CIC) . |
| Clawbacks | Policy for recovery of erroneously awarded incentive compensation (restatements) and Detrimental Conduct Recoupment Policy covering misconduct, policy violations, gross insubordination, etc. . |
| Prohibitions | Hedging and pledging prohibited as noted above . |
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance and digital transformation alignment: Gosser’s ABP and LTI framework ties cash and equity to Adjusted EBITDA, Total Revenue, and digital KPIs, reflecting investor focus on monetizing digital growth; the company earned 93.4% of LTI target for 2024 on EBITDA/digital revenues, indicating tighter linkage of equity payouts to operational delivery .
- Retention and change-of-control economics: Double-trigger CIC benefits (1x salary+bonus with prorated bonus and COBRA) reduce involuntary turnover risk around transactions; single-trigger severance (1x salary plus prorated bonus) provides baseline protection, supporting continuity in finance leadership .
- Governance and trading signals: Strict prohibitions on hedging/pledging plus 3x salary ownership guidelines for the CFO enhance alignment and reduce adverse trading signals; 10b5-1 plan pre-clearance provides disciplined insider trading controls that can mitigate perceived selling pressure .
- Performance backdrop: Digital revenues reached $1.1B (44% of total) with Adjusted EBITDA of $273.2M in 2024; company TSR value was $79.31 (from a $100 base) at year-end 2024, contextualizing expected focus areas for finance execution under Gosser’s leadership (digital monetization, EBITDA stability, deleveraging) .
Note: Individual equity grant counts, vesting dates, and beneficial ownership specifics for Ms. Gosser are not disclosed in filed materials; tables above reflect company-wide incentive designs and disclosed employment terms.