Denise Coll
About Denise M. Coll
Denise M. Coll, age 71, is an independent director of Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality, Inc. (PRSU), serving since 2018, with committee assignments on the Audit and Human Resources Committees. She is a former President, North America Division at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, with over 40 years of hospitality operating experience across Starwood/Marriott, Seaport Companies, and ITT Sheraton, and is nominated for re-election as a Class III director through 2028 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starwood Hotels & Resorts (Marriott subsidiary) | President, North America Division; previously SVP Operations | President 2007–2013; SVP 2005–2007 | Led Starwood’s largest division (>500 hotels); deep operating leadership |
| Seaport Companies (Boston) | SVP; COO | SVP 2003–2004; COO 1998–2003 | Regional operating leadership |
| ITT Sheraton – North America | SVP & Area Director of Operations; prior roles at Sheraton | 1995–1998; prior roles 1980–1994 | Progressive operating roles across Sheraton; brand and operations expertise |
| LaSalle Hotel Properties (public REIT) | Trustee | 2013–Dec 2018 (sold) | Board experience in hotel REIT governance |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ogunquit Playhouse | Director | Current | Nominating & Governance; Educational Task Force; Vice Chair, Facilities Committee |
| Enlivant (senior living) | Director | 2014–2023 | Large operator board experience |
| Simmons College | Trustee | Current | Finance Committee; Chair, Facilities Committee |
| University of Massachusetts Amherst Foundation | Chair, Board of Trustees | Current | Higher-education foundation leadership |
| NACD | Member | Since 2014 | Governance professional organization |
| South Boston Catholic Academy | Advisory Board | Current | Community engagement |
Board Governance
- Independence and role: Coll is independent under NYSE, SEC, and Pursuit’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, serving on fully independent committees (Audit and Human Resources) .
- Committee assignments and meetings: Audit Committee (8 meetings in 2024) and Human Resources Committee (8 meetings in 2024); Audit oversight includes financial reporting, controls, cyber risk, compliance; HR oversight covers executive pay, incentive plans, succession, and non-employee director equity grants .
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024, the Board held 17 meetings; all directors attended more than 75% of Board and committee meetings and all then-serving directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Board leadership and executive sessions: Independent Chair (Joshua E. Schechter) presides; non-management directors meet in executive session at every regular Board meeting .
- Stockholder rights and practices: Majority voting for uncontested elections, resignation policy, stock ownership guidelines, and prohibition on hedging/pledging for directors and officers .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount ($) |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash (Coll) | 100,000 |
| Annual Retainer (policy) | 65,000 |
| Audit Committee Member Retainer (policy) | 25,000 |
| Human Resources Committee Member Retainer (policy) | 20,000 |
| Per-Meeting Fee beyond 8 Board meetings (policy) | 1,500 |
Notes:
- Committee chairs receive additional chair retainers; Coll is not listed as a chair in 2024 .
- Cash retainers are paid quarterly in arrears .
Performance Compensation
| Equity | Grant Date | Instrument | Units | Grant-Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director Equity (Coll) | Mar 1, 2024 | RSUs | 3,376 | 125,013 | Vests in full one year from grant date; certain termination criteria allow full vesting |
| Performance Metrics for Director Compensation | Status |
|---|---|
| TSR/Financial metrics linked to director equity | None; director RSUs are time-based, not performance-based |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed for Coll (current role cited is Ogunquit Playhouse; prior LaSalle Hotel Properties) |
| Prior public company boards | LaSalle Hotel Properties (REIT) trustee 2013–2018 (sold Dec 2018) |
| Interlocks and related person transactions | No HR Committee interlocks requiring disclosure in 2024; no related person transactions since Jan 1, 2024 |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Recognized operator with extensive hospitality industry experience, hotel operations, brand creation and management; respected for seasoned operating leadership across major hospitality platforms .
- Governance skills across Audit and Human Resources committees; aligns with Board’s skill matrix emphasizing ethical standards, time commitment, accountability, and informed counsel .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Unvested RSUs (excluded from beneficial ownership) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denise M. Coll | 15,913 | <1% | 3,149 |
Additional alignment policies:
- Stock ownership guidelines require non-employee directors to hold 5x annual retainer; as of Dec 31, 2024, Coll exceeded the guideline .
- Hedging and pledging of Pursuit stock are prohibited for directors and officers .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with deep hospitality operations expertise; active on Audit and HR committees supporting financial oversight and human capital alignment; high attendance culture and executive sessions bolster independent oversight; director ownership exceeds guideline, signaling alignment .
- Neutral/Monitoring: Private equity sponsor Crestview retains designation rights for two nominees and one HR Committee member (Brian P. Cassidy) serves; Board affirms committee independence, but sponsor influence is a governance variable to monitor for potential conflicts in compensation and strategic decisions .
- Red flags: One late Form 4 filing for Coll due to administrative oversight—minor compliance lapse but noted in Section 16(a) disclosures .
- No related-party transactions disclosed and no HR Committee interlocks requiring disclosure for 2024, supporting clean conflict posture .
Insider Trades
| Item | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Section 16(a) compliance | One Form 4 for Denise Coll reporting one transaction was not filed timely due to administrative oversight (company believes overall compliance otherwise met) |