Pam El
Ranpak HoldingsAbout Pam El
Pam El, 67, has served as an independent director of Ranpak Holdings Corp. since November 2020. She is the CEO and founder of Pam El Consulting (est. 2019) and previously was EVP & CMO at the NBA (2014–2018), SVP of Marketing at Nationwide (2013–2014), and Marketing Vice President at State Farm (2002–2013). She holds a B.S. in Mass Communications from Virginia Commonwealth University and was inducted into the VCU Communications Hall of Fame . She is classified as independent under NYSE rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Basketball Association | EVP & Chief Marketing Officer | 2014–2018 | Led global marketing for NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League |
| Nationwide Insurance | SVP of Marketing | 2013–2014 | Senior marketing leadership |
| State Farm Insurance | Marketing Vice President | 2002–2013 | Led sales and marketing strategy for U.S. and Canada |
| Pam El Consulting | CEO & Founder | 2019–present | Strategic marketing advisory |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure/Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDIQ (credit report/identity monitoring) | Director | Current | Public company board experience |
| Farmers Insurance Exchange Subsidiaries Board | Director | Current | Insurance sector governance |
| WISE (Women in Sports & Events) | National Board Member | Current | Non-profit leadership |
Board Governance
- Classification and election: Class III director; standing for re-election at the 2025 annual meeting alongside Omar Asali and Salil Seshadri .
- Committee memberships: Member, Nominating, Sustainability & Governance Committee (NS&G) .
- Independence: Board affirms El is independent under NYSE guidelines .
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024, the Board met six times; each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings; all nine directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Board leadership and executive sessions: No lead independent director designated; non-management directors meet in executive session at each regularly scheduled quarterly Board meeting, presided by Thomas F. Corley (NS&G Chair) .
- NS&G scope: Oversees director nominations, governance, and ESG/sustainability oversight; reviews the Sustainability & Impact Report and receives briefings from the Chief Sustainability Officer .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy/Amount | 2024 Actual (Pam El) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $75,000; directors may elect stock in lieu of cash | $0 cash; elected stock in lieu of cash retainer (included in stock awards) |
| Committee chair fees | +$20,000 (Audit chair); +$10,000 for other committee chairs; Comp Chair +$15,000 starting 2025 | Not applicable (committee member, not chair) |
| Meeting fees | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Director total (cash) | N/A | $0 |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Element | Grant/Value | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant | ~$100,000; granted on date of annual meeting | Vests on earlier of one year from grant or next annual meeting | Standard for non-employee directors |
| Stock awards (El, 2024) | $174,989 (includes annual RSUs and fully vested shares in lieu of cash) | As per RSU schedule; fully vested shares reflect election in lieu of cash | Aligns pay with shareholder returns |
| Outstanding RSUs at YE 2024 | 15,625 units (El) | As scheduled | Outstanding count per proxy |
| Options | None disclosed for directors | — | Company does not currently grant options to directors |
| Performance metrics tied to director pay | None disclosed | — | Director equity is time-based, not performance-based |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Type | Interlock/Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| IDIQ | Public company | Potential information flow; no Ranpak related-party transactions disclosed |
| Farmers Insurance Exchange Subsidiaries Board | Insurance | Sector expertise; no Ranpak related-party transactions disclosed |
| WISE | Non-profit | Network reach |
| Shared prior affiliation | NBA | El (EVP/CMO, 2014–2018) and Ranpak CTO Michael Gliedman (NBA CIO, 1999–2017) overlapped at NBA; Board independence affirmed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Extensive corporate leadership in marketing across NBA, Nationwide, and State Farm; founder/CEO of consulting practice .
- Consumer brand and growth marketing expertise; global scope (NBA) .
- Governance experience through public and insurance boards; non-profit leadership .
- Education: B.S. Mass Communications (VCU); Hall of Fame inductee .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pam El | 99,598 | <1% | Includes RSUs vesting within 60 days where applicable; overall director RSU vesting noted |
- Insider trading, hedging, pledging: Company policy prohibits hedging and pledging by directors; Section 16 filings complied in 2024 except one late Form 4 for another director (Tranen) .
- Director stock ownership guidelines: Non-employee directors must hold stock valued at least 3× annual cash retainer; individual compliance status not disclosed for directors .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Independent director with deep consumer marketing expertise and multi-sector board experience; sits on NS&G Committee overseeing nominations and ESG, enhancing governance breadth .
- Strong engagement: Board-level attendance thresholds met; participation in executive sessions ensures independent oversight .
- Alignment features: Election of stock in lieu of cash retainer and annual RSU grants increase equity-based exposure; hedging/pledging prohibited; ownership guidelines in place .
-
Potential flags to monitor:
- Prior NBA affiliation overlap with Ranpak CTO (former NBA CIO) is a network tie; independence is affirmed, but investors may scrutinize board dynamics for undue influence; no related-party transactions disclosed involving El .
- Concentrated ownership and governance backdrop: JS Capital controls ~36.3% and supports the Amazon warrant share issuance proposal via Support Agreement; while not El-specific, concentration can shape governance outcomes .
Overall, El’s profile supports board effectiveness in marketing, stakeholder engagement, and ESG oversight, with clear independence and equity alignment; no director-specific conflicts or related-party exposure are disclosed .