Service Properties Trust Elects Independent Trustee Jeanmarie Cooney

What Happened

• Service Properties Trust (SVC) announced that on September 15, 2026 its Board elected Jeanmarie Flaherty Cooney, age 60, as an Independent Trustee. Her term expires at the Company's 2027 annual meeting of shareholders. The Board appointed Ms. Cooney to the Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Governance Committees.
• The filing notes Ms. Cooney’s finance and hospitality experience: she served on the board of Playa Hotels & Resorts N.V. from 2022–2025 and chaired its audit committee from 2023 until Playa’s sale to Hyatt in 2025; she was an executive at Wyndham Worldwide from 2009–2018 (most recently EVP & CFO, Wyndham Hotel Group); and since 2020 she has been CFO of New York Road Runners. The Board found her qualified under Nasdaq, SEC and the company’s governance standards.

Key Details

• Election date: September 15, 2026; term ends at 2027 annual meeting.
• Committee assignments: Audit, Compensation, and Nominating & Governance.
• Relevant background: Playa board member (2022–2025) and audit committee chair (2023–2025); Wyndham Worldwide executive (2009–2018); CFO of New York Road Runners since 2020.
• Governance/compensation: Ms. Cooney will receive the standard independent trustee compensation; no related-party transactions or family relationships were disclosed. An indemnification agreement was entered on standard terms (form previously filed).

Why It Matters

• The company added an independent trustee with significant hospitality finance and audit experience, which is directly relevant to a business that owns and operates lodging assets.
• For investors, this is a governance update (Item 5.02) that may strengthen board oversight of financial reporting and strategy; there are no disclosed conflicts or special compensation arrangements tied to her selection.