James Chambers
Director at PRKS
Board
About James Chambers
James Chambers (age 38) is an independent director of United Parks & Resorts Inc. (PRKS), serving since June 2019. He is a Partner at Hill Path Capital LP (since 2016), with prior roles as Principal at Apollo (2009–2016) and analyst in Goldman Sachs’ Consumer Retail Group. Chambers serves on PRKS’s Compensation Committee, chairs the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee, and is a member of the Revenue Committee; he holds a B.A. in Political Science and a Certificate in Markets and Management from Duke University (2007) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hill Path Capital LP | Partner | 2016–present | Private equity focus across leisure, entertainment, consumer sectors |
| Apollo Global Management | Principal | 2009–2016 | Broad transaction experience across industries |
| Goldman Sachs & Co. | Analyst, Consumer Retail Group | Not disclosed | Early career coverage in consumer/retail investment banking |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. | Director | Since Dec 2020 | Shared Hill Path network; Ross also current director (interlock) |
| ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. | Director | Since May 2024 | Ross also current director (interlock) |
| Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Prior board service |
| CEC Entertainment Inc. | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Parent of Chuck E. Cheese’s |
| Principal Maritime Tankers Corp. | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Prior board service |
| Principal Chemical Carriers, LLC | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Prior board service |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments (as of April 15, 2025): Compensation Committee (member); Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (Chair); Revenue Committee (member). Not on the Audit Committee .
- Independence: Board affirmatively determined Chambers to be independent under NYSE standards; all committee service complies with independence rules .
- Hill Path designee structure: Hill Path owns ~49.49% and may designate up to three directors; requires one Hill Path designee on each committee, subject to independence standards. In 2024–2025, the Board granted a one-time waiver to permit a third Hill Path-affiliated designee (Aayushi Dalal) to join the Board; current Hill Path designees include Scott Ross and James Chambers .
- Board activity and attendance: 2024 Board held 12 meetings; Board and committees held 41 total meetings. Two directors (Narang, Schaefer) were below 75% aggregate due to exceptionally high meeting count; the company notes each member’s significant beneficial impact. No attendance concerns were noted for Chambers .
Fixed Compensation (Director, Fiscal 2024)
| Component | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board retainer | $110,000 | Chambers elected DSUs/RSUs in lieu of cash |
| Compensation Committee member fee | $20,000 | Elected DSUs/RSUs in lieu of cash |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee Chair fee | $30,000 | Elected DSUs/RSUs in lieu of cash |
| Revenue Committee member fee | $20,000 | Elected DSUs/RSUs in lieu of cash |
| Special committees fee | $25,000 | Elected DSUs/RSUs in lieu of cash |
| Meeting fees | $0 | Meeting fees paid only if >12 meetings; Board met 12 in 2024 |
Performance Compensation (Director, Fiscal 2024)
| Award/Item | Grant Date/Period | Value (USD) | Vesting/Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual director equity (DSUs or RSUs) | 2024 annual meeting | $220,000 | Vests 100% the day before next annual meeting; accelerates on change in control |
| Equity in lieu of cash compensation | Quarterly in 2024 | $206,953 grant-date fair value | DSUs/RSUs issued instead of cash retainers/fees |
| Total stock awards (Summary Table) | Fiscal 2024 | $426,903 | Aggregate ASC 718 grant-date fair value |
| Unvested DSUs (as of 12/31/2024) | Balance date | 4,294 units | DSUs settle after leaving the Board (3–6 months per 409A status) |
Performance Metrics Tied to Director Compensation
| Metric | Disclosed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Financial/operational targets (e.g., revenue, EBITDA) | Not disclosed for directors | Director equity is time-based (annual DSUs/RSUs), not performance-conditioned |
| TSR/relative performance hurdles | Not disclosed for directors | No performance metrics specified for director awards |
| ESG goals | Not disclosed for directors | Not included in director compensation policy |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Since | Interlock/Conflict Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. | Director | Dec 2020 | PRKS Chair Scott Ross also serves; shared Hill Path network (interlock) |
| ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. | Director | May 2024 | Ross also serves; shared Hill Path network (interlock) |
| Prior boards (Great Wolf, CEC Entertainment, Principal Maritime, Principal Chemical Carriers) | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Historic affiliations; not currently listed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Private equity and transaction execution (Hill Path Partner since 2016; Apollo Principal 2009–2016) .
- Consumer/retail investment banking foundation (Goldman Sachs Consumer Retail Group) .
- Sector insight across leisure, entertainment, and consumer; multi-company board experience .
- Education: Duke University, B.A. in Political Science; Certificate in Markets and Management (2007) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Common Stock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Chambers | 24,219 | <1% | As of Aug 11, 2025; includes rights exercisable within 60 days per SEC rules |
| Unvested DSUs | 4,294 | N/A | As of Dec 31, 2024 |
| Stock ownership guideline compliance | Compliant | Directors must hold ≥5x annual cash retainer; all outside directors in compliance as of 12/31/2024 |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and committee leadership: Chambers is determined independent by the Board under NYSE standards; chairs Nominating & Corporate Governance and serves on Compensation and Revenue committees, providing significant governance oversight .
- Alignment and incentives: Elected equity (DSUs/RSUs) in lieu of cash for 2024; annual equity grants and stock-ownership guidelines (≥5x retainer) promote ownership alignment; unvested DSU balance supports long-term alignment .
- Board activity and engagement: High cadence of meetings (12 Board; 41 total committee/Board), with attendance concerns flagged for other directors (not Chambers), indicating an active governance environment .
- Compensation governance: 2025 Omnibus Plan includes separate stockholder approval of director compensation limits (bifurcated vote for “disinterested” stockholders), signaling sensitivity to director pay and governance best practices .
- Potential conflicts and RED FLAGS:
- Hill Path influence: Hill Path holds ~49.4% and may designate up to three directors with mandated committee representation of a Hill Path designee; the Board granted a one-time waiver to allow a third Hill Path-affiliated designee (Dalal) to join, elevating potential control and interlock risks for independent oversight (RED FLAG) .
- Committee presence: Requirement for one Hill Path designee on each committee can concentrate influence (monitor for committee independence effectiveness) .
- Change-in-control provisions: Director equity vests fully on change in control; while common, accelerated vesting can reduce at-risk alignment in transactional scenarios .