Ron Jackson
About Ron Jackson
Ron E. Jackson (age 82) is an independent trustee of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, serving since December 2009; he chairs the Compensation Committee and sits on the Audit Committee . Jackson is designated by the Board as an “audit committee financial expert” under SEC rules . He holds a B.S. in Finance and Marketing from Brigham Young University and an M.B.A. from the University of Utah . His executive background spans leadership in lodging and resort operations and the golf industry, including CEO roles .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meadowbrook Golf | President & Chief Executive Officer | Since January 2001 | Led a multi-faceted golf company across equipment, maintenance, and operations |
| Resort Condominiums International (RCI), a Cendant Company | President & Chief Operating Officer | Until 2001 | Senior leadership across a global network of 2,600 resorts in 109 countries |
| Chartwell Leisure | Chief Operating Officer | Prior to RCI | Senior operating executive in hotel ownership/operations |
| Sunbelt Hotels and Sunbelt Management Company | Founder, President & Chief Executive Officer | Prior to Chartwell | Built the largest U.S. Hilton franchisee at the time |
External Roles
| Organization | Capacity | Public/Private | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meadowbrook Golf | President & Chief Executive Officer | Private | Current operating role since Jan 2001 |
| RCI (Cendant) | Former President & COO | Public parent (Cendant) | Historical role; no current board service disclosed |
| Chartwell Leisure | Former COO | Private | Historical role; no current board service disclosed |
| Sunbelt Hotels | Former Founder/CEO | Private | Historical role; no current board service disclosed |
The 2025 proxy does not disclose any current public-company directorships for Mr. Jackson beyond PEB .
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined Ron E. Jackson is independent under NYSE standards; 86% of the Board is independent .
- Committee assignments: Compensation Committee (Chair); Audit Committee (Member) .
- Financial expertise: Identified as an “audit committee financial expert” .
- Attendance: Board held 4 regular meetings in 2024; each trustee attended 100% of Board meetings; committees each met 4 times, and no committee member attended less than 75% .
- Lead Trustee: Independent Lead Trustee (Bonny W. Simi) presides over executive sessions; independent trustees met quarterly in executive session .
| Committee | Role | Financial Expert | # Meetings (2024) | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compensation | Chair | N/A | 4 | ≥75% for all members; Board attendance 100% |
| Audit | Member | Yes | 4 | ≥75% for all members; Board attendance 100% |
Fixed Compensation
| Program Element (Trustees) | Amount | Form/Terms | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Retainer | $155,000 | At least 50% paid in Common Shares; up to 100% at trustee election | |
| Committee Chair Fee (Compensation Committee) | $15,000 | Annual chair fee | |
| Meeting Fees | None | No fees for attending meetings | |
| One-Time Equity Grant on Joining Board | 2,500 restricted Common Shares | Vests pro rata over 3 years | |
| Equity Ownership Guideline (Trustees) | ≥3x annual compensation | Achieve within 5 years of becoming trustee or comp increase; all trustees in compliance as of 12/31/2024 |
| Ron E. Jackson – 2024 Director Pay (Paid Jan 2025) | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Retainer (2024 service) | $155,000 | 100% elected in Common Shares |
| Committee Chair Fee (Compensation Chair) | $15,000 | 100% elected in Common Shares |
| Total | $170,000 | Paid in 12,425 shares valued at $13.68 per share (10-day average) |
Performance Compensation
- The trustee compensation program consists of fixed retainers and chair fees, with equity paid in the form of Common Shares by election; no performance-based bonuses, options, PSUs, or meeting fees are disclosed for trustees .
| Performance-Based Components for Trustees | Target/Metric | Outcome (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| None disclosed in trustee program | N/A | N/A |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Other public-company boards: No current public-company directorships for Mr. Jackson disclosed beyond PEB .
- Compensation Committee interlocks: None; no executive officer of PEB served on the board/comp committee of an entity with executives serving on PEB’s Board or Comp Committee .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Sector expertise: Senior executive experience across lodging, resort operations, and golf industry leadership .
- Financial oversight: Audit Committee member; designated audit committee financial expert .
- Education: B.S. in Finance and Marketing (BYU); M.B.A. (University of Utah) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Beneficial Ownership (Shares/Units) | % of Shares Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ron E. Jackson | 96,898 | <1% | Sole voting/dispositive power unless indicated; LTIP units not noted for Jackson |
| Pledging/Hedging | Policy prohibits pledging and hedging | N/A | Company prohibits pledging and hedging; footnotes show a margin loan exception for a different trustee, not Mr. Jackson |
| Ownership Guidelines Compliance | Trustees required ≥3x annual compensation | In compliance as of 12/31/2024 | Board reports all trustees compliant with guidelines |
Governance Assessment
- Alignment: Jackson elected to receive 100% of his 2024 trustee compensation in Common Shares (12,425 shares), reinforcing ownership alignment alongside trustee ownership guidelines that require ≥3x annual compensation .
- Independence and effectiveness: Long-tenured independent trustee (since 2009) with 100% Board meeting attendance in 2024 and leadership as Compensation Chair; Audit member and financial expert status strengthen oversight credentials .
- Compensation governance: No director meeting fees and director pay levels unchanged since 2018 suggest restrained and stable board compensation practices; no performance-based components for trustees are disclosed, consistent with typical REIT director pay structures .
- Conflicts and controls: Board policies prohibit hedging and pledging, outline robust conflict-of-interest review, and disclose no compensation committee interlocks; proxy does not report related-party transactions involving trustees, reducing perceived conflict risk .
- Potential red flags: High tenure across the non-executive board (83% > 10 years) may raise investor scrutiny on refreshment, though independent leadership (Lead Trustee) and annual elections mitigate entrenchment risk . No attendance or pay anomalies are disclosed for Jackson .
Overall signal: Strong independence and governance credentials with clear ownership alignment via equity elections and compliance with guidelines; no disclosed conflicts or interlocks. Monitoring focus should be on board refreshment dynamics given tenure distribution, and continued audit and compensation oversight effectiveness under Jackson’s leadership .