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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | 20.1% | 36 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | — | 38 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 59.4% | 41 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 8.0% | 45 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 7.9% | 49 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 43 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 37 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 45 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 37 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JENNIFER RISTOSKI | Artistic Director | 14.8% of Rev | ||
| PAM KACZMAREK | Board President | 4.2% of Rev | ||
| NICOLE THORNE | Board President | 1.1% of Rev | ||
| ALEXSANDRA STANISZEWSKI | Treasurer | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JENNIFER RISTOSKI | Artistic Director | 10.7% of Rev | ||
| PAM KACZMAREK | Board President | 3.2% of Rev | ||
| NICOLE THORNE | Board President | — | ||
| ALEXSANDRA STANISZEWSKI | Treasurer | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JENNIFER RISTOSKI | Artistic Director | 8.5% of Rev | ||
| PAM KACZMAREK | Board President | 3.2% of Rev | ||
| NICOLE THORNE | Board President | 2.1% of Rev | ||
| ALEXSANDRA STANISZEWSKI | Treasurer | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JENNIFER RISTOSKI | Artistic Director | 7.4% of Rev | ||
| PAM KACZMAREK | Board President | 3.2% of Rev | ||
| NICOLE THORNE | Board President | — | ||
| ALEXSANDRA STANISZEWSKI | Treasurer | — | ||
| LOUISA ARTELT | Board Member | — | ||
| MONICA KEREKES | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 185 other orgs in MI with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 24 points above the peer median (65 vs. 41).
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 20.1% sits within the sector's healthy band (18–22%).
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).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.