Alison Dean
YETI HoldingsAbout Alison Dean
Alison Dean (age 60) is an independent director of YETI, serving since October 2020. She is a former EVP, CFO and Treasurer of iRobot and held senior finance roles at 3Com; she holds an MBA from Boston University and a BA in Business Economics from Brown University . YETI appointed her effective October 30, 2020 and highlighted her corporate finance, operational excellence, and global expansion experience .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| iRobot Corporation | EVP, CFO & Treasurer; prior SVP Corporate Finance; VP Finance | 2013–2020; 2010–2013; 2005–2010 | Oversaw FP&A, corporatefinance, M&A, IT, supply chain, IR; joined pre-IPO; revenue grew from $142M to $1.2B by 2019 |
| 3Com Corporation | Senior finance roles including VP & Corporate Controller; VP Finance, Worldwide Sales | 1995–2005 | Global finance and sales finance leadership |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Tenure | Committees/Positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| SmartRent, Inc. (NYSE: SMRT) | Director; Audit Committee Chair; Compensation Committee member; later Lead Independent Director | Since Mar 21, 2024 | Audit Chair, Audit committee financial expert; Lead Independent Director as of Apr 9, 2025 |
| Everbridge, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVBG) | Director; Chair, Audit Committee | Jul 2018–2024 | Audit Committee Chair; Audit financial expert |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments at YETI: Audit; Nominating & Governance; Board affirms independence. She is designated an “audit committee financial expert” alongside the Audit Committee Chair .
- Attendance and engagement: YETI’s Board met 4 times in 2023 and 7 times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings for their service period, and all then-directors attended the annual meetings .
- Years of service: Director since October 2020 .
- Board governance processes include oversight of enterprise risk, conflicts of interest review, and related party transaction approvals within the Audit Committee’s remit .
Fixed Compensation
YETI non-employee director pay combines cash retainers and time-based RSUs; the annual equity retainer was increased from $120,000 to $145,000 effective December 31, 2023 . Alison Dean’s disclosed compensation:
| Metric | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fees earned or paid in cash ($) | $84,874 | $87,620 | $90,000 | $93,740 |
| Stock Awards ($) | $120,000 | $120,000 | $120,000 | $145,000 |
| Total ($) | $204,874 | $207,620 | $210,000 | $238,740 |
Equity grant structure and vesting:
- Annual RSU award: $120,000 in 2023, increased to $145,000 effective Dec 31, 2023; vests in full on the earlier of one year from grant or immediately prior to the next annual meeting, subject to continued service .
Performance Compensation
Directors do not receive performance-based pay at YETI; equity awards are time-based RSUs (with optional deferral into DSUs), not tied to revenue/EBITDA/TSR metrics .
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Equity type | Annual RSUs (time-based), with option to elect DSUs in lieu of RSUs |
| Vesting schedule | Full vesting on earlier of first anniversary of grant or immediately prior to the next annual meeting |
| DSU settlement | Shares delivered at the earlier of director-elected date or six months after cessation of Board service; accrues dividend equivalents during deferral |
| Change-in-control | RSU/DSU acceleration terms follow plan/award agreements; no director-specific modifications disclosed in YETI proxy |
| Stock ownership guideline | 5x annual cash retainer; 100% retention of shares from equity until guideline met |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- SmartRent (proptech): Audit Chair and Compensation Committee member; later Lead Independent Director, with audit committee financial expert designation .
- Everbridge (critical event management software): Former Audit Committee Chair .
- No related person transactions disclosed in SmartRent appointment 8‑K for Ms. Dean .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Extensive consumer business and corporate finance experience; global retail consumer products expansion; audit committee financial expertise; MBA (Boston University) and BA (Brown University) .
Equity Ownership
As of March 12, 2024:
- Beneficial ownership: 6,597 YETI shares; RSUs and DSUs noted separately in footnotes .
- DSUs held by directors (counts exclude from beneficial totals): Alison Dean held 1,342 DSUs as of March 3, 2025; RSUs scheduled to vest within 60 days: 4,077 shares for Alison Dean .
- Ownership guidelines require 5x annual cash retainer; retention policy applies until met .
| Item | As-of Date | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Shares beneficially owned | Mar 12, 2024 | 6,597 |
| DSUs held (excluded from beneficial count) | Mar 3, 2025 | 1,342 |
| RSUs vesting within 60 days | Mar 3, 2025 | 4,077 |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with deep CFO experience and designated audit committee financial expert; consistent attendance; alignment via equity retainer and 5x ownership guideline; active governance roles at SmartRent (Audit Chair, Lead Independent), indicating strong governance credibility .
- Potential conflicts: None disclosed in SmartRent appointment; Audit Committee oversight at YETI addresses related party and conflict reviews .
- Compensation signals: YETI’s shift to higher equity retainer ($145k) modestly increases equity alignment; no discretionary or performance-linked director pay disclosed, consistent with market practice .
- Board dynamics: 2025 cooperation agreement with Engaged Capital suggests active board refreshment and shareholder engagement; Ms. Dean remains independent and on Audit/Nominating & Governance committees .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed regarding pledging/hedging, related party transactions, or low attendance for Ms. Dean in YETI’s filings .