Debra Martin Chase
About Debra Martin Chase
Debra Martin Chase (age 68) is an award-winning television, film and Broadway producer with a legal background, serving as an independent director of Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (GLPI) since April 2024 . She is the founder and CEO of Hampstead Heath Productions, Inc. (d/b/a Martin Chase Productions) since 2000, and previously practiced corporate law and held executive roles in entertainment; she also serves on public boards at B&G Foods, Inc. and Bridge Investment Group Holdings Inc. . Her current GLPI board tenure began in 2024, with independence affirmed under Nasdaq and SEC rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown House Productions (Whitney Houston’s production company) | Executive Vice President | 1995–2000 | Senior production leadership |
| Mundy Lane Entertainment (Denzel Washington’s production company) | Vice President | 1992–1995 | Executive role in content development |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| B&G Foods, Inc. (NYSE: BGS) | Director; Chair, Corporate Social Responsibility; member, Risk; member, Nominating & Governance | Since July 2020 | CSR chair leadership and governance oversight |
| Bridge Investment Group Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BRDG) | Director; Audit Committee member | Since July 2021 | Financial reporting and audit oversight |
| Second Stage Theater (Manhattan) | Director; Chair, Artistic Committee | Not disclosed | Artistic oversight |
| New York City Ballet | Director (until 2024); Founder/Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Committee | Until 2024 | Diversity and inclusion initiatives |
| Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences | Member; Producers Executive Committee | Not disclosed | Industry governance |
| Academy of Television Arts and Sciences | Member | Not disclosed | Industry engagement |
| Broadway League | Member; Tony Management Committee | Not disclosed | Awards/industry governance |
Board Governance
- Independence: GLPI’s Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee determined all directors other than the CEO are independent; Ms. Chase is independent .
- Committee assignments (GLPI): Member, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (2024 membership) .
- Meeting attendance: In 2024, the Board held 8 meetings; each director attended ≥75% of aggregate Board and relevant committee meetings and attended last year’s Annual Meeting .
- Lead Independent Director: Joseph W. Marshall III serves as Lead Independent Director with defined responsibilities for agendas, executive sessions, and shareholder liaison .
- Committee meetings held in 2024: Audit & Compliance (6), Compensation (5), Nominating & Corporate Governance (3) .
- Suitability/licensing: GLPI directors must maintain required gaming licenses; failure or “Unsuitable Person” determination can result in removal .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Structure | Amount / Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer (Directors) | Fixed cash | $130,000 |
| Equity (Directors) | Annual restricted stock | Valued at $200,000; vests December 1 of grant year |
| Committee Member Retainers | Audit $20,000; Compensation $15,000; Nominating & Governance $15,000 | As listed |
| Committee Chair Retainers | Audit & Compliance $35,000; Compensation $25,000; Nominating & Governance $22,500; Lead Independent Director $25,000 | As listed |
| Director | 2024 Cash Fees ($) | 2024 Stock Awards (#) | 2024 Stock Awards ($) | Total 2024 Comp ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debra Martin Chase | 100,292 | 3,233 | 138,372 | 238,664 |
Note: Ms. Chase was appointed April 22, 2024 and her 2024 fees/awards were prorated; director stock awards vest December 1 in the year of grant .
Performance Compensation
| Category | Metrics | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Employee Director Equity | None (time-based restricted stock; no performance conditions) | GLPI does not list option grants for directors and equity plan shows no options outstanding; director equity is time-based restricted stock |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector | Role | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|---|
| B&G Foods, Inc. | Consumer packaged foods | Director; CSR Chair; Risk; N&G member | No GLPI-related transactions disclosed |
| Bridge Investment Group Holdings Inc. | Asset management | Director; Audit Committee | No GLPI-related transactions disclosed |
GLPI disclosed “There are no reportable related person transactions” for 2024 .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Award-winning producer; founder/CEO of Martin Chase Productions; prior corporate law practice; in-house attorney and executive trainee at Columbia Pictures .
- Governance and ESG leadership: CSR committee chair at B&G Foods; prior D&I leadership at NYC Ballet; active roles in industry academies and committees .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Shares Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debra Martin Chase | 7,386 | <1% | Includes 4,153 restricted shares (voting rights; disposition restricted) |
- Director stock ownership guideline: 5x annual cash retainer; Ms. Chase has until April 22, 2029 to achieve compliance (new director timeline) .
- Anti-hedging/pledging: GLPI prohibits hedging; pledging only under extremely limited circumstances with Audit & Compliance Committee approval .
- Pledging status: No pledging disclosed for Ms. Chase in ownership footnotes .
Governance Assessment
- Alignment and independence: Independent director with ESG and governance credentials; committee service on Nominating & Governance supports board composition and ESG oversight .
- Attendance and engagement: Meets attendance expectations (≥75%); attended last Annual Meeting, indicating engagement .
- Ownership alignment: Holds 7,386 shares including restricted stock; required to reach 5x retainer by 2029 under GLPI’s director ownership guidelines .
- Compensation structure: Balanced cash retainer and time-based equity; no meeting fees; simple, shareholder-aligned design without options and with vesting transparency .
- Conflicts/related parties: GLPI disclosed no related person transactions; committee process exists to review/approve any such cases if they arise .
- RED FLAGS:
- One late Form 4 filing in 2024 (also one for CEO); administrative compliance lapse but limited in severity .
- New director still building toward ownership guideline (time allowed until 2029); monitor progress for alignment .
- Positive signals:
- ESG leadership across external boards; governance roles (Audit at BRDG; CSR Chair at BGS) add perspective to GLPI’s board .
- Strong board governance architecture (Lead Independent Director; majority independent; defined committee oversight; suitability/licensing discipline) .