Compensation Escalation Cycle
What does this mean?
Revenue grows modestly, but top officer compensation grows consistently for 5 years, breaching danger zones. The executive is negotiating aggressive raises against a compliant board.
The Path Forward
The Steward
Re-establishes board supremacy over executive extraction. It freezes compensation and mandates that all future financial rewards be tied strictly to verifiable mission expansion.
Title
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | 22.5% | 35 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2023 | — | — | 16.1% | 35 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 18.5% | 41 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 19.9% | 35 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 15.4% | 35 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 19.2% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2018 | — | — | 14.4% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | 14.0% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 18.3% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | 16.7% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | 13.8% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | 14.1% | 26 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 11.5% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2011 | — | — | 6.6% | 36 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandra Nikolajevs | Artistic Director | Hidden | ||
| Nelson Hicks | Board Chairman | — | ||
| Angela Estes | Secretary | — | ||
| Pamela Pollitt | Treasurer | — | ||
| Barbara Campbell | Board Member | — | ||
| Jeff Foster | Board Member | — | ||
| Sally Lovejoy | Board Member | — | ||
| Susan Parsons | Board Member | — | ||
| Rajan Govindan | Board Member | — | ||
| Tom Lindstrom | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandra Nikolajevs | Artistic Director | Hidden | ||
| Robert Polack | Chairman | — | ||
| Katherine Roberts | Board Member | — | ||
| Charles Tremann | Treasurer | — | ||
| Griff Hogan | Past Chairman | — | ||
| Rosa Fullerton | Board Member | — | ||
| Rick Wilson | Board Member | — | ||
| Barbara Campbell | Board Member | — | ||
| Joe Lambright | Board Member | — | ||
| Susan Parsons | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandra Nikolajevs | Artistic Director | Hidden | ||
| Sandra Nikolajevs | Artistic Director | Hidden | ||
| Griff Hogan | Board Member | — | ||
| Charles Tremann | Treasurer | — | ||
| Robert Polack | Board Chairman | — | ||
| Katherine Roberts | Board Member | — | ||
| Joe Lambright | Board Member | — | ||
| Nelson Hicks | Board Member | — | ||
| Sally Lovejoy | Board Member | — | ||
| Susan Lobell | Board Member | — | ||
| Griff Hogan | Board President | — | ||
| Nelson Hicks | Treasurer | — | ||
| Charles Tremann | Secretary | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 97 other orgs in SC with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 17 points above the peer median (45 vs. 28).
5-year trend: Compensation Escalation Cycle
Revenue grows modestly, but top officer compensation grows consistently for 5 years, breaching danger zones. The executive is negotiating aggressive raises against a compliant board.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 22.5% is modestly above the sector's healthy band (18–22%) — worth monitoring.
- Financial resilience score in the bottom quartile — reserves and liabilities ratios warrant review.
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Separate signing authority from fundraising authority when both are held by one person — removes the concentration penalty (~12 points).
- Build cash reserves to at least 3 months of operating expenses — moves financial resilience score meaningfully (~10 points).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.