George Bravante, Jr.
SabreAbout George R. Bravante, Jr.
Independent director of Sabre (since 2014), age 66, and current Chair of the Audit Committee and member of the Executive Committee. He is Co‑founder/Managing Partner of Bravante‑Curci Investors, Owner of Bravante Produce, and CEO of Pacific Agricultural Realty (prior), with a background in public accounting at Ernst & Whinney (now EY). The Board classifies him as independent and an Audit Committee financial expert .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bravante‑Curci Investors, LP | Managing Partner | 1996 – Present | Co‑founder; capital allocation, real estate investing |
| Bravante Farm Capital | Founder & President | 2023 – Present | Farmland acquisition and operations leadership |
| Pacific Agricultural Realty, LP | CEO | 2004 – 2012 | Agricultural real estate portfolio leadership |
| Colony Advisors, Inc. | President & COO | 1993 – 1996 | Operations, finance, asset management |
| American Real Estate Group, Inc. | CEO | 1993 – 1996 | Led $15B asset liquidation for American Savings Bank |
| RMB Realty | CFO | 1987 – 1988 | Oversaw finance activities |
| Ernst & Whinney (Ernst & Young) | Manager | 1984 – 1987 | Public accounting foundation |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| KBS Growth & Income REIT, Inc. | Director | 2016 – 2024 | Public REIT board service |
| ExpressJet Holdings, Inc. | Director; Chairman | 2004 – 2010; Chairman 2005 – 2010 | Led through merger with SkyWest |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee (Chair), Executive Committee (member) .
- Independence: Board determined Bravante is independent under Nasdaq rules; designated Audit Committee financial expert .
- Attendance: Board met 6 times in 2024; all incumbent directors attended >75% of Board and committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting .
- Committee activity levels: Audit Committee met 8 times in 2024; Audit Committee report signed by Bravante as Chair . Executive Committee did not meet in 2024 .
- Executive sessions: Non‑executive Chair presides over Board executive sessions and liaises with CEO; oversees conflicts and risk oversight processes .
Fixed Compensation
Program structure and Bravante’s 2024 actuals:
| Component | Company Program (2024) | Bravante 2024 Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $90,000 (paid quarterly) | $120,000 (includes $30,000 Audit Chair retainer) |
| Committee chair fees | Audit Chair: +$30,000; Comp Chair: +$20,000; N&G Chair: +$15,000; Tech Chair: +$15,000 | Audit Chair (+$30,000) embedded in cash above |
| Committee member fees | Audit: +$15,000; Comp: +$10,000; N&G: +$10,000; Tech: +$10,000 | N/A (as Audit Chair) |
| Equity (annual RSU grant) | $160,000 grant value; vests 1 year from grant date | $160,000 stock awards |
| Non‑exec Chair retainer | $160,000 cash (for Board Chair, not applicable to Bravante) | N/A |
2025 program changes: Annual RSU grant increased to $200,000; Technology Committee Chair retainer increased to $20,000 (effective Feb 5, 2025) .
Performance Compensation
- Directors do not have performance‑based metrics; equity is time‑based RSUs vesting in full on the first anniversary of grant .
- 2024 RSU grant to Bravante: 57,971 units granted on 04/24/2024; award receipt deferred under the Non‑Employee Directors Compensation Deferral Plan until service ends .
- Deferral plan: non‑employee directors may defer receipt of RSUs; distributions in Sabre stock after Board service or upon change‑in‑control .
Director Compensation (2024 Actuals)
| Director | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Bravante, Jr. | 120,000 | 160,000 | 280,000 |
RSU detail and holdings as of year‑end:
| Director | Grant Date | RSUs Granted in 2024 (#) | RSUs Outstanding 12/31/2024 (#) |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Bravante, Jr. | 04/24/2024 | 57,971 | 57,971 (deferred) |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current/Recent public boards: KBS Growth & Income REIT (2016–2024); ExpressJet (2004–2010; Chair 2005–2010) .
- Compensation Committee interlocks: Company reports no interlocks or insider participation on its Compensation Committee in the past year .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Audit and finance: 40+ years spanning public accounting (Ernst & Whinney), CFO role (RMB Realty) and investment leadership; designated Audit Committee financial expert .
- Strategic transactions and portfolio management: Led $175M+ agricultural acquisitions; managed/sold ~$2B apartment portfolio; chaired ExpressJet during merger with SkyWest .
- Industry relevance: Travel sector experience via ExpressJet board leadership; capital markets and risk oversight skills cited by the Board .
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | 193,278 | As of 12/31/2024; <1% of outstanding |
| Ownership % of outstanding | <1% | Based on 386,069,567 shares outstanding on 2/24/2025 |
| Deferred shares included | 115,357 | Under Director Deferral Plan |
| RSUs outstanding (unvested) | 57,971 | Granted 4/24/2024; vests at first anniversary; deferred |
| Pledging/Hedging | Prohibited | Insider Trading Policy prohibits hedging and pledging by directors |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independent director with deep finance/accounting background; Audit Committee Chair and financial expert designation support robust financial oversight .
- Strong engagement: Audit Committee met 8 times in 2024; Board reports >75% attendance for all directors and full Annual Meeting attendance .
- Alignment: Receives equity in RSUs and elected to defer settlements, increasing long‑term alignment with shareholders .
- Risk controls: Company prohibits director hedging/pledging; Audit Committee oversees related‑party reviews under a formal policy .
- Potential watch items:
- Tenure: Director since 2014 (above the Board’s average tenure of 6 years), which some investors monitor for independence; Board nonetheless affirms independence .
- Sector fit: Core expertise in real estate/capital allocation; however, Board highlights travel experience (ExpressJet) and risk/strategy skills .
Related‑Party & Policy Notes
- Related‑party transactions: Proxy describes an Audit Committee‑overseen related‑party transaction policy; the filing does not flag any related‑party transactions involving Bravante in the sections reviewed .
- Clawback: Company maintains a clawback policy (applies to participants under the Omnibus Plan; non‑employee directors receive equity under a separate Director Plan) .
- Stock ownership guidelines: Compensation Committee oversees stock ownership guidelines for executives and non‑employee directors (specific multiples not disclosed) .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed regarding attendance shortfalls, related‑party dealings, hedging/pledging, or option repricings for directors in the 2025 proxy sections reviewed .