Chris Dold

About Chris Dold

Dr. Christopher (Chris) Dold, age 52, is Chief Zoological Officer at United Parks & Resorts (PRKS) since April 2016; previously Vice President, Veterinary Services (2009–2016) and Senior Veterinarian at SeaWorld Orlando (2005–2009). He holds a B.S. in zoology and a D.V.M. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, completed a UC Davis internship in marine mammal medicine/pathology, and was a National Academies–NRC postdoctoral clinical fellow with the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program . During his tenure, company performance in FY2024 included total revenues of $1,725.3M and Adjusted EBITDA of $700.2M (vs. FY2023 $1,726.6M and $713.5M), while company TSR (value of initial $100) stood at $177.18 vs S&P Midcap 400 $163.54 at year-end 2024 .

Past Roles

Organization	Role	Years	Strategic Impact
United Parks & Resorts – SeaWorld Orlando	Senior Veterinarian	2005–2009	Led clinical care and welfare for a major zoological collection supporting guest education and conservation programs .
United Parks & Resorts	VP, Veterinary Services	2009–2016	Directed veterinary standards and programs across parks, scaling welfare, husbandry, and medical protocols .
U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program	Postdoctoral Clinical Fellow (National Academies–NRC)	Pre-2005	Advanced marine mammal clinical research and field programs .
The Marine Mammal Center/UC Davis	Internship in Marine Mammal Medicine & Pathology	Pre-2005	Specialized clinical preparation for marine mammal medicine .

External Roles

Organization	Role/Association	Years	Notes
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)	Member	n/a	Professional veterinary body membership .
International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine	Member	n/a	Aquatic animal medicine specialization .
European Association for Aquatic Mammals	Member	n/a	Marine mammal professional association .
American Association of Zoo Veterinarians	Member	n/a	Zoological veterinary leadership network .

Fixed Compensation

Not disclosed in FY2024–FY2025 proxies (Dr. Dold is not listed as a Named Executive Officer in these periods) .

Performance Compensation

Company-wide executive incentive framework (2024):

Annual bonus metrics included Adjusted EBITDA, Total Revenues, departmental cost/satisfaction and capital objectives; 50% of target bonus is denominated in performance share units settled in stock .
Long-term incentives (2024 LTIP): 75% PSUs with 3-year and 1-year growth components; 25% stock options vesting over ~3 years .

Detailed metrics and outcomes (company plan illustration for 2024):

Metric	Weighting	Target	Actual	Payout
Adjusted EBITDA (pre-bonus)	45.0% (CEO plan example)	$902.0M	$700.2M	0.0%
Total Revenues	15.0% (CEO plan example)	$2,023.0M	$1,725.3M	0.0%
Department Capital Expenditures	10.0% (CEO plan example)	n/a	n/a	3.1% (CEO plan)
Cost Objectives Adjustment	±25.0%	n/a	Not met	−25.0% (all NEOs in 2024)

2024 LTIP (structure and weights):

LTIP Component	Weight	Performance Basis	Vesting
PSUs – FY2026 Adjusted EBITDA target	75%	Company Adjusted EBITDA	End of FY2026
PSUs – FY2025 growth initiatives	12.5%	Defined growth EBITDA	End of FY2025
PSUs – Other FY2025 growth objectives	12.5%	Non-EBITDA growth goals	End of FY2025
Stock Options	25%	Time-based	Equal annual installments over ~3 years

Note: Dr. Dold’s current-period individual targets/outcomes are not disclosed; framework above reflects the disclosed company executive incentive design in 2024 .

Equity Ownership & Alignment

Executive stock ownership guidelines: CEO 6× salary; other executive officers 3× salary; retention of 50% of net after-tax shares from company awards until guideline met .
Prohibition on hedging or pledging company stock (policy statement) .
Clawback: Awards subject to reduction/forfeiture/recoupment under company policy and applicable law (Dodd-Frank, SOX 304, NYSE) .

Beneficial ownership:

Latest 2025 proxy beneficial ownership table lists directors and named executive officers; Dr. Dold is not listed among current NEOs/directors, and his share holdings are not disclosed in that table .

Employment Terms

Change-in-control protections (plan-level): double-trigger requirement for accelerated vesting of service-based awards; conservative CIC definitions (majority voting power change, board majority change, sale of substantially all assets, business combination thresholds) .
Award treatment on transactions may include substitution/assumption or cash-out based on fair market value; underwater options/SARs can be canceled without consideration .

Note: Individual severance provisions for Dr. Dold are not disclosed in 2024–2025 filings. Company NEO severance examples (not including Dr. Dold) show cash severance plus health continuation and equity acceleration under double-trigger CIC scenarios .

Performance & Track Record

Company operating performance context:

FY2024 results: Revenues $1,725.3M; Net Income $227.5M; Diluted EPS $3.79; Adjusted EBITDA $700.2M; Attendance 21.6M; Total revenue per capita $80.07 .
Five-year TSR snapshot at end-2024: Company $177.18 vs S&P Midcap 400 $163.54 .
Zoological leadership: the company manages one of the largest zoological collections with accreditations (AZA, AMMPA, IMATA, Humane Certified) and over 41,000 animals aided historically; Q3 2025: 192 animals aided .

Key recent quarterly trends:

Metric	Q3 2024	Q3 2025
Total Revenues	$545.9M	$511.9M
Net Income	$119.7M	$89.3M
Adjusted EBITDA	$258.4M	$216.3M

Strategic initiatives:

2026 pipeline includes SEAQuest: Legends of the Deep (Orlando), Shark Encounter reimagining (San Diego), Barracuda Strike coaster (San Antonio), and Lion & Hyena Ridge habitat (Tampa Bay) .

Compensation Structure Analysis

Emphasis on at-risk pay: nearly 75% of NEO compensation performance-based; over 60% equity-based; challenging annual and LTIP goals centered on Adjusted EBITDA and growth initiatives .
No hedging/pledging; robust clawback; option pricing at or above fair market with 10-year limit; no repricing without stockholder approval .
Ownership guidelines and equity retention strengthen alignment; say-on-pay support was 99.1% in 2024, reflecting shareholder endorsement of the framework .

Risk Indicators & Red Flags

Hill Path Capital owns ~49.4% and can significantly influence governance and compensation decisions; a Hill Path designee chairs the Compensation Committee .
Executive compensation plan relies heavily on Adjusted EBITDA; underperformance vs targets in 2024 drove minimal cash/stock bonus payouts and cost-based reductions, reinforcing pay-for-performance discipline .

Say‑on‑Pay & Peer Group

2024 say‑on‑pay approval: 99.1% (excluding abstentions/broker non‑votes) .
Compensation peer group (2024): AMC, Cheesecake Factory, Cinemark, Dave & Buster’s, Hilton Grand Vacations, Madison Square Garden Sports, Marriott Vacations, Norwegian Cruise Line, Six Flags, Texas Roadhouse, Travel + Leisure, Vail Resorts .

Investment Implications

Strong alignment to operational and financial outcomes: bonus and LTIP constructs tied to Adjusted EBITDA and defined growth initiatives; 2024 underperformance translated into low payouts, signaling discipline .
Governance influence: Hill Path’s substantial ownership and committee leadership can shape compensation and strategic decisions—positive for cost discipline, but a concentration risk for minority holders .
Zoological and brand leadership underpin long‑term differentiation; accreditations and rescue credentials support reputational moat as management invests in new attractions and habitats into 2026 .
Lack of disclosed individual compensation/ownership detail for Dr. Dold limits precision in pay‑for‑performance assessment; however, policy frameworks (ownership guidelines, clawback, hedging ban) and strong say‑on‑pay support mitigate alignment concerns .