Peter Bragdon
Northwest Natural HoldingAbout Peter J. Bragdon
Peter J. Bragdon is an independent director of Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN), appointed effective July 12, 2025, with concurrent appointment to the NW Natural Gas Company board . He is Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel at Columbia Sportswear (joined 1999; oversight of international distributors since 2017), and was appointed Co‑President of Columbia Sportswear on November 12, 2025 . He holds a J.D. from Stanford Law School, an M.S.L. from Yale Law School, and a B.A. from Amherst College .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Sportswear Company | EVP, Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel; Co‑President (from Nov 12, 2025) | 1999–present | Oversight of international distributor business; elevated brands globally |
| Office of the Governor, State of Oregon | Chief of Staff | Jan 2003–Jun 2004 | Senior policy and administrative leadership |
| Stoel Rives LLP; Oregon DOJ | Attorney; Special Assistant AG | Pre‑1999 | Corporate securities/finance; public law experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Community Foundation | Chair of the Board | Current | Philanthropy leadership in Oregon |
| World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry | Board Member | Current | Industry standards and advocacy |
| Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America | Board Member | Current | Trade association governance |
| Reed College | Board of Trustees | Current | Higher education governance |
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| NWN Board Appointment | Class III director effective July 12, 2025; term expires at 2026 Annual Meeting |
| Independence | Board affirmed independence under NYSE standards and NWN’s Director Independence Standards, including for OECC service |
| Committee Assignments | Organization & Executive Compensation Committee (OECC); Public Affairs & Environmental Policy Committee |
| Committee Mandates | OECC: executive compensation oversight, succession planning, equity grants ; Public Affairs & Environmental Policy: legislative/regulatory oversight, ESG/community matters, environmental risk |
| 2024 Meeting Reference | Board (6); Audit (6); OECC (4); Governance (5); Finance (3); Public Affairs & Environmental Policy (2). No director attended <75% (pre‑appointment context) |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | NW Holdings ($) | NW Natural ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer | 20,000 | 180,000 | Paid separately by NW Holdings and NW Natural |
| Chair of Board | 10,000 | 90,000 | Extra annual cash retainer |
| Vice Chair of Board | 5,000 | 45,000 | Extra annual cash retainer |
| Audit Committee Chair | 2,000 | 18,000 | Extra annual cash retainer |
| OECC Chair | 2,000 | 18,000 | Extra annual cash retainer |
| Finance Committee Chair | 1,500 | 13,500 | Extra annual cash retainer |
| Governance Committee Chair | 1,500 | 13,500 | Extra annual cash retainer |
| Public Affairs & Environmental Policy Chair | 1,500 | 13,500 | Extra annual cash retainer |
| Audit Committee Member | 1,000 | 9,000 | Extra annual cash retainer |
| OECC Member | 1,000 | 9,000 | Extra annual cash retainer |
| Finance Committee Member | 750 | 6,750 | Extra annual cash retainer |
| Governance Committee Member | 750 | 6,750 | Extra annual cash retainer |
| Public Affairs & Environmental Policy Member | 750 | 6,750 | Extra annual cash retainer |
| Extra Board/Committee Meeting Fees | 150 | 1,350 | Paid from second unscheduled meeting onward |
Additional director compensation practices:
- Directors’ stock ownership guideline: $450,000 within five years of joining the Board .
- Non-employee directors did not receive LTIP awards in 2024 and were not expected to receive LTIP awards in 2025 .
Performance Compensation
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| LTIP Equity Grants to Non‑Employee Directors | None in 2024; none expected in 2025 |
| Director Performance‑Linked Pay | Not applicable; director pay is cash‑based retainers and fees |
| Hedging/Pledging Policy | Prohibits directors/executives from hedging or pledging company securities; restricts non‑recourse margin |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Role | Interlock/Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Sportswear Company | Co‑President (from Nov 12, 2025); EVP/CAO/GC | NWN director Timothy P. Boyle is President, CEO & Chair of Columbia and NWN director—potential information interlock; NWN board remains majority independent and Bragdon is affirmed independent |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep corporate governance, legal, and international operations expertise from Columbia Sportswear; oversight of distributor businesses in 74 countries .
- Public policy and government experience (Chief of Staff, Oregon Governor), relevant to NWN’s regulated utility environment .
- ESG and community leadership via Oregon Community Foundation and Public Affairs committee remit .
- Compensation and succession experience aligned with OECC duties .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| NWN Share Ownership | Not disclosed for 2024 (pre‑appointment). Bragdon will be subject to directors’ stock ownership guideline of $450,000 within five years . |
| Deferred Compensation Eligibility | Directors may defer under the Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors and Executives (DCP) with stock/cash accounts, subject to plan terms . |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and Committee Fit: Bragdon’s independence is affirmed, and his legal/administrative background aligns with OECC (pay-for-performance, succession) and Public Affairs & Environmental Policy (regulatory, ESG, community) mandates .
- Interlocks/Conflicts: The Columbia Sportswear interlock (with NWN director Timothy P. Boyle) is notable. While NWN is a regulated utility and Columbia an apparel company (limited commercial overlap), interlock warrants monitoring for potential influence or perceived conflicts; NWN’s Related Party Transactions Policy and Audit Committee oversight mitigate risks .
- Alignment & Incentives: NWN does not grant equity to non‑employee directors and emphasizes cash retainers with a substantial stock ownership guideline ($450,000), plus prohibitions on hedging/pledging—supportive of alignment without risk‑seeking incentives .
- Attendance & Engagement: 2024 attendance was strong across the board (no director <75%), with structured executive sessions and robust committee activity. Bragdon’s appointment mid‑2025 means his attendance record will be assessable in the 2026 proxy .
- Red Flags: None disclosed regarding legal proceedings, SEC investigations, or related‑party transactions for Bragdon. Company‑wide related‑party practices (Stoel Rives LLP engagement, with clear independence safeguards) are disclosed and overseen by the Audit Committee . Hedging/pledging prohibited for directors reduces alignment risk .
Overall signal: Bragdon adds legal/regulatory depth and global commercialization experience valuable to NWN’s compensation and public affairs oversight. The interlock with Columbia Sportswear (with fellow NWN director Timothy P. Boyle) should be transparently managed under NWN’s independence and related‑party policies, with continued monitoring for any cross‑board influence.