Erin Mulligan Helgren
About Erin Mulligan Helgren
Erin Mulligan Helgren, age 55, joined Ryman Hospitality Properties’ Board in 2024. She is CEO of OfficeSpace Software, Inc. (since April 2023) and previously served as CEO/director at Bonterra (Nov 2021–Dec 2022), CEO/director at Social Solutions (Apr 2020–Nov 2021), and CEO at Calytera (Sep 2017–Mar 2020); prior roles include Global CMO at Dell and CMO roles at SunPower and Bazaarvoice . She is an independent director and serves on RHP’s Audit Committee and Risk Committee; she also serves on the board of Champion Homes, Inc. .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| OfficeSpace Software, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | Apr 2023–present | Leads enterprise software firm; operational leadership in tech |
| Bonterra (public benefit corp.) | CEO and Director | Nov 2021–Dec 2022 | Social good software platform; executive oversight |
| Social Solutions LLC | CEO and Director | Apr 2020–Nov 2021 | Information technology company; transformation leadership |
| Calytera | Chief Executive Officer | Sep 2017–Mar 2020 | IT company; operating executive experience |
| Dell, Inc. | Global Chief Marketing Officer (among other roles) | ~11 years (dates not individually specified) | Large-scale marketing and operations at global tech company |
| SunPower Corporation | Chief Marketing Officer | Not disclosed | Senior marketing leadership in energy tech |
| Bazaarvoice, Inc. | Chief Marketing Officer | Not disclosed | Senior marketing leadership in tech |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champion Homes, Inc. | Director | Not disclosed | Committee roles not disclosed |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined all directors other than Colin Reed and Mark Fioravanti are independent; this includes Helgren .
- Committees and responsibilities:
- Audit Committee: Member; met 7 times in 2024; oversees financial reporting integrity, internal controls, and auditor oversight .
- Risk Committee: Member; met 2 times in 2024; oversees ERM, cybersecurity, ESG, and risk-related capital allocation/growth .
- Attendance: Each incumbent director serving in 2024 had at least 75% attendance at all Board and committee meetings; the Board met 5 times in 2024 .
- Lead Independent Director: Michael Roth (also Chair, Nominating & Corporate Governance) .
Fixed Compensation
| Item | Amount ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash (2024) | 62,500 | Actual 2024 cash fees received by Helgren |
| Annual Retainer (Independent Directors) | 80,000 | Standard cash retainer (2024 schedule) |
| Audit Committee Member Fee | 10,000 | Standard annual committee member fee |
| Risk Committee Member Fee | 10,000 | Standard annual committee member fee |
Directors may elect to defer cash compensation into RSUs; reimbursement of meeting expenses applies. Executive directors (Reed, Fioravanti) do not receive director cash fees .
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Grant Date | Units | Grant-Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting | Status at 12/31/2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU (Director) | May 9, 2024 | 1,152 | 119,958 | Vests fully on first anniversary of grant; settled in stock; dividend equivalents in RSUs | Helgren held 1,175 RSUs (reflects annual grant and dividend equivalents) |
Equity-based director compensation is time-based, not performance-linked; RSUs vest after one year and can be deferred .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to RHP | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Champion Homes, Inc. | None disclosed | No related-party transactions disclosed involving Helgren |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Operational leadership across large and complex technology organizations; Global CMO experience at Dell .
- Board skills matrix indicates financial literacy, strategic planning, human capital, operational experience, and ERM subject matter expertise common across nominees; Helgren brings media/technology industry experience aligned to RHP’s Entertainment segment .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shares Owned (beneficial) | 1,187 | Includes shares issuable upon vesting prior to May 25, 2025 |
| % of Shares Outstanding | Less than 1% | Denoted “*” in beneficial ownership table |
| RSUs Held (non-employee director) | 1,175 | As of Dec 31, 2024; director RSUs, including dividend equivalents |
| Ownership Guideline | 6,000 shares | Five-year compliance period; 50% net share retention until compliance |
| Guideline Compliance | In compliance considering grace period | Company states directors meet guideline after applying grace period; Helgren listed with 1,187 shares |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited hedging; significant pledging requires approval; none above limit as of Jan 31, 2025 | Insider trading policy restricts hedging; no pledges in excess of limits by directors/officers |
Shareholder Support Signals
| 2025 Annual Meeting Vote (May 8, 2025) | For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Election of Erin Mulligan Helgren | 52,238,040 | 40,633 | 20,064 | 2,346,092 |
2025 Say-on-Pay passed with strong support (48,139,605 For; 4,130,988 Against; 28,144 Abstentions) . 2024 Say-on-Pay support was ~94.7% .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Independent director with audit and risk oversight responsibilities; Audit Committee met 7x, Risk Committee met 2x in 2024 .
- Strong shareholder support in 2025 director election; minimal opposition votes .
- Clear restrictions on hedging/pledging; no delinquent Section 16 filings; robust clawback policy for executives (recoupment under NYSE/SEC rules) .
- Board governance: independent committees; executive sessions at each regular Board meeting; majority voting standard .
-
Alignment and monitoring points:
- Early-tenure ownership: 1,187 shares vs. 6,000-share guideline; considered compliant within five-year grace period, but actual “skin-in-the-game” will increase as RSUs vest and shares are accumulated; retention of 50% net shares applies until guideline met .
- No related-party transactions disclosed involving Helgren; broader aircraft fractional ownership transaction involved other directors (Haslam/Reed) but Board concluded no independence impairment; continue monitoring for any new related-party exposure .
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RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Helgren. No attendance shortfalls reported (≥75% threshold met), no Section 16 delinquencies, no pledging in excess of limits, and no disclosed conflicts or interlocks tied to RHP counterparties .