Samuel Auck
About Samuel Auck
Samuel Auck, 48, is Chief Platform Officer at Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality (PRSU) since December 2024. He previously served as CFO of the Legacy Pursuit Segment (Sep 2022–Dec 2024) and VP of Finance (Sep 2017–Aug 2022); prior roles include Senior Director, Corporate Finance and Director of Finance at Vail Resorts (2012–2017). He holds a B.S. in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern University and an MBA from University of Colorado Boulder – Leeds School of Business . In 2024, the Legacy Pursuit Segment delivered year-over-year revenue growth despite Jasper National Park wildfire closures, and management’s incentive framework emphasized EBITDA and EBITDA margin; company long-term incentives are tied to relative TSR versus the Russell 2000 with a 3-year performance period (2024–2026) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality (Legacy Pursuit Segment) | Chief Platform Officer | Dec 2024–Present | Executive leadership for platform strategy post-divestiture of GES and stand-alone Pursuit launch . |
| Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality (Legacy Pursuit Segment) | Chief Financial Officer | Sep 2022–Dec 2024 | Finance leadership during divestiture preparation and segment execution amid Jasper wildfire; segment achieved YoY revenue growth . |
| Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality (Legacy Pursuit Segment) | Vice President of Finance | Sep 2017–Aug 2022 | Segment finance operations across attractions/hospitality portfolio . |
| Vail Resorts, Inc. | Senior Director, Corporate Finance | Oct 2016–Jun 2017 | Corporate finance leadership (details not further disclosed) . |
| Vail Resorts, Inc. | Director of Finance | Dec 2012–Oct 2016 | Finance roles supporting corporate functions (details not further disclosed) . |
External Roles
No public company directorships or external board roles disclosed for Auck in the proxy .
Fixed Compensation
Not disclosed for Auck (he is an executive officer but not a named executive officer in 2024; PRSU reports detailed compensation only for NEOs). Company-wide policies include: pay-for-performance design, significant pay at risk, stock ownership guidelines, no tax gross-ups, and no single-trigger change-in-control severance; CEO/direct reports have ownership minimums and sale restrictions until guidelines are met .
Performance Compensation
PRSU applies an annual Management Incentive Plan (MIP) focused on financial and strategic metrics; for 2024, weights were 60% EBITDA, 20% EBITDA Margin, 20% strategic objectives. Below are segment performance metrics relevant to executive incentives:
| Metric | Threshold | Target | Maximum | Actual | Achievement % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy Pursuit EBITDA ($USD Millions) | 99.9 | 111.0 | 122.1 | 106.4 | 79.3% |
| Legacy Pursuit EBITDA Margin (%) | 28.0% | 30.0% | 32.0% | 26.2% | 0.0% |
Long-term incentives emphasize relative TSR:
| Relative TSR vs Russell 2000 | Payout as % of Target PSUs |
|---|---|
| ≥75th percentile | 200% |
| 55th percentile | 100% |
| 25th percentile | 50% |
| <25th percentile | 0% |
| Note: If absolute TSR is negative, payout capped at 100% of target even if relative TSR exceeds target |
Design details:
- PSU performance period: Jan 1, 2024–Dec 31, 2026; RSUs generally vest ratably over three years .
- 2024 strategic objectives included talent, margin improvement, and capital allocation; payouts required at least threshold financial performance .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Stock ownership guidelines: CEO = 5x base salary; CEO direct reports = 3x; second level below CEO = 1.5x; non-employee directors = 5x annual retainer . Compliance status for Auck is not disclosed .
- Hedging/pledging prohibited for directors, executive officers, and employees; trading limited to windows with pre-clearance; no sales of vested equity until ownership guidelines are met (except for taxes) .
- Clawbacks: forfeiture/recoupment for misconduct, ethics violations, or detrimental acts; covers RSUs/PSUs in last two years, cash bonuses in last 18 months, and stock option gains; Dodd-Frank-compliant recoupment policy approved Nov 2023 .
Employment Terms
- Start/date: PRSU tenure since Sep 2017; Chief Platform Officer since Dec 2024 .
- Employment contracts: PRSU discloses no employment agreements for NEOs other than CEO’s offer letter; no Auck-specific employment agreement is disclosed .
- Severance/change-in-control: Executive Severance Plan (Tier I) provides severance upon termination without cause or for good reason within 36 months post-change-in-control; no excise tax gross-ups; not single-trigger. Auck’s participation is not disclosed .
- Non-compete/non-solicit: Not specifically disclosed for Auck; clawback provisions reference restrictions on competitive activities post-termination .
Additional Context: Pay Governance, Peer Group, and Votes
- Compensation peer group (used for 2024 decisions): ACCO, Ryman, Cedar Fair, SeaWorld, SP Plus, Deluxe, DiamondRock, Vail Resorts, Golden Entertainment, VSE, HCSG, Xenia, Matthews International .
- Say-on-pay: ~95% approval at 2024 annual meeting; 2025 shareholders approved NEO compensation (For: 25,591,612; Against: 528,948; Abstain: 7,458; Broker non-votes: 980,451) .
Investment Implications
- Compensation alignment: Executive incentives are tied to EBITDA, margin, strategic objectives, and 3-year relative TSR, with negative absolute TSR cap—this structure favors sustained operational execution and shareholder-aligned TSR outcomes; sale restrictions until guideline compliance reduce near-term selling pressure .
- Retention risk: Robust clawback policies, ownership requirements, and prohibited hedging/pledging support alignment but can constrain liquidity; Auck-specific severance or retention arrangements are not disclosed, limiting visibility on his economic security in transitions .
- Trading signals: Prohibition on hedging/pledging and pre-clearance/trading windows suggests limited opportunistic selling; PSU design tied to Russell 2000 relative TSR may increase sensitivity of executive equity outcomes to sector/index dynamics through 2026 .
- Execution lens: 2024 Legacy Pursuit EBITDA under target and margin below threshold underscore focus on margin recovery; YoY revenue growth despite wildfire disruptions highlights resilience but implies continued operational improvement is needed for maximum MIP/PSU payouts .