Lori George
Director at SHAK
Board
About Lori George
Independent director of Shake Shack (SHAK) since October 2022; age 61 as of the 2025 record date. Former Global Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer at The Coca-Cola Company (2018–2022), with prior roles spanning public affairs, communications, and stakeholder relations. Education: B.A. in Public Relations (Howard University), M.A. in Public Communications (American University); completed Harvard Business School Executive Leadership Experience (2019) and Stanford GSB Directors’ Consortium (2021). Recognized for leadership in strategy and program execution in complex organizations.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Coca-Cola Company | Global Chief DEI Officer | Oct 2018 – Mar 2022 | Led DEI Center of Excellence; culture and workforce engagement programs |
| The Coca-Cola Company | VP, Community & Stakeholder Relations (NAOU) | Jan 2018 – Sep 2018 | Stakeholder engagement; community/relations leadership |
| The Coca-Cola Company | Various roles in public affairs, issues comms, shareowner affairs, social impact, DEI | 2002 – 2017 | Increasing responsibility across corporate functions |
| Porter/Novelli | Vice President | Prior to 2002 | Founded Multicultural Communications and Alliance Building practices |
| LG Communications | Founder/Principal | Prior to 2002 | Led own PR consultancy |
| DC Government – Office of Human Rights & Minority Business | Senior Public Affairs Specialist | Prior to 2002 | Public affairs specialist |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NAACP Foundation | Board Director | Current | Non-profit governance |
| Arete Executive Women of Influence | Board Director | Current | Non-profit governance |
| NACD Center for Inclusive Governance | Advisory Council Member | Current | Governance advisory |
| Howard University School of Communications | Board of Visitors | Current | Academic advisory |
| Executive networks (ELC, OnBoard, IWF, Extraordinary Women on Boards, Leadership Atlanta, Black Women on Boards, PRSA, The Links) | Member | Current | Professional affiliations |
Board Governance
- Independence: Determined independent under NYSE rules.
- Committees: Chair, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee; Member, Compensation Committee.
- Board structure/leadership: Separate Chair and CEO; Lead Independent Director is Jeff Flug; independent directors hold quarterly executive sessions.
- Attendance: Board held 10 meetings in FY2024; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee and Compensation Committee held 5 each; Audit held 4; all directors attended ≥75% of applicable meetings; directors are expected to attend the annual meeting and all did in 2024.
- Election outcome (June 4, 2025): Class I directors elected. Notably, Lori George had materially higher withhold votes relative to peers.
Nominee Votes For Votes Withheld Broker Non-Votes Daniel Meyer 29,821,669 3,320,031 4,374,237 Jeff Flug 30,974,665 2,167,035 4,374,237 Lori George 23,660,329 9,481,371 4,374,237 - Class/tenure: Class I; nominated/reelected for term expiring at 2028 annual meeting.
Fixed Compensation
- Non-employee director policy (structure):
- Annual cash retainer: $62,500; Committee chair cash retainers: Audit $10,000; Compensation $7,500; Nominating & Corporate Governance $5,000; Lead Director: $12,500.
- Annual equity (RSUs) grant: $62,500; Committee chair additional RSUs: Audit $10,000; Compensation $7,500; Nominating & Corporate Governance $5,000; Lead Director additional RSUs: $12,500. One-year vesting; acceleration on change of control. Directors may elect to take 50%/75%/100% of cash in RSUs; deferral of RSU settlement available starting 2025.
- FY2024 actual (Lori George):
Component Amount ($) Notes Cash fees 65,000 FY2024 cash under policy; prior service-year election to receive 50% of cash in equity noted by company RSUs (grant-date fair value) 67,515 Annual grant timing: date of 2024 annual meeting (June 12, 2024) Total 132,515 Sum of cash + RSUs
Performance Compensation
- Equity form/mix: Annual director equity is time-based RSUs (no options/PSUs for directors under policy), vest after one year; acceleration upon change in control.
- Unvested RSUs outstanding (as of Dec 25, 2024): 728 units for Lori George.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public company directorships: None disclosed.
- Non-profit/academic boards: NAACP Foundation; Arete Executive Women of Influence; Howard University School of Communications Board of Visitors.
- Potential interlocks or related-party ties: None disclosed for Ms. George in the related-party section; disclosed related-party transactions involve other directors/executives (e.g., Madison Square Park Conservancy, Olo, Block).
Expertise & Qualifications
- Strategic leadership and program development in DEI, stakeholder relations, and communications; experience in large-scale organizational change.
- Education and director training including HBS Executive Leadership Experience and Stanford Directors’ Consortium.
- Governance leadership: Chair of Nominating & Corporate Governance; member of Compensation Committee (co-signed Compensation Committee Report).
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (Class A) | 2,476 shares | <1% of outstanding; includes 728 RSUs that will vest within 60 days of record date |
| Vested vs. unvested | 728 RSUs vest within 60 days | As footnoted by company |
| Options | None disclosed | — |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited by policy | Anti-hedging and anti-pledging policy applies to directors |
| Director ownership guideline | 5x annual cash retainer within 5 years | Adopted in 2024; five-year compliance window from appointment/effective date |
Governance Assessment
- Positive signals:
- Independent director with governance leadership (Chair, Nominating & Corporate Governance; member, Compensation).
- Committee independence and governance practices (quarterly independent executive sessions; separate Chair/CEO; anti-hedge/pledge; clawback policy).
- Strong shareholder support on say‑on‑pay (90.5% approval in 2024) and passed again in 2025 (31,508,136 for; 1,494,774 against; 138,790 abstentions; 4,374,237 broker non‑votes).
- Watch items / RED FLAGS:
- Elevated withhold vote in 2025 director election relative to other Class I nominees (Lori George 9,481,371 withheld vs. Meyer 3,320,031 and Flug 2,167,035), suggesting pockets of investor concern—potentially around governance, committee leadership, or broader board matters. Continued engagement may be warranted.
- Related‑party exposure: None disclosed for Ms. George; related‑party transactions cited involve other directors/executives.
Overall: Ms. George brings stakeholder and DEI strategy expertise and chairs a key governance committee with full independence, but the 2025 withhold level merits targeted shareholder engagement to understand concerns and reinforce confidence.