Lindblad Expeditions today announced that it has appointed Thomas S. (“Tad”) Smith, Jr. and Sarah Farrell to serve as independent directors of the Company.

Tad Smith has a long history of successful leadership positions, including his most recent position as President and CEO of Sotheby’s (NYSE), where he developed and implemented a successful growth strategy resulting in its sale for $3.7 billion in October 2019. Prior to his tenure at Sotheby’s, Smith served as President and CEO of Madison Square Garden (MSG), the iconic entertainment conglomerate, following a stint as President, Local Media at Cablevision Systems Corporation. Smith also has held executive roles at Reed Elsevier Group PLC, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, BMG Entertainment, New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission, and as an adviser at McKinsey & Company.

Sarah Farrell is an Associate at ValueAct Capital, a San Francisco-based investment firm. Farrell joined ValueAct in August 2018, after serving as an analyst in Blackstone’s Private Equity group. Prior to Blackstone, Farrell was an analyst at J.P. Morgan in the Mergers & Acquisitions group and worked as an equity research associate in UBS’s investment banking division.

“I have known Tad for decades and the principals at Value Act for several years. They are both proven value creators that share our passion for Lindblad’s mission and conviction about the massive opportunity in front of us,” said Mark Ein, Lindblad’s Chairman of the Board. “Our Board is composed of an exceptional set of individuals who are deeply committed to the company and we are fortunate to add Tad and Sarah to that group.”

“Lindblad’s Board has always been a great source of wisdom for our management team in all ways and adding two new members with distinct backgrounds and experiences simply adds to an already solid Board. Sarah’s and Tad’s diverse talents provide not only great governance, but also helpful guidance and insights for our team,” said Sven Lindblad, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lindblad.