Compensation Escalation Cycle
Compensation Escalation Cycle
Market
Archetype
Mechanical
Natural
Tier
Priority Review
Trajectory Thumbprint
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.
The Steward
Institutional Health Scores
5-yr trend: Compensation Escalation Cycle ↓
Overall
33
Score
Governance
42
Score
Financial
30
Score
Program
45
Score
Title
-
Institutions
-
Avg Revenue
-
Risk Profile
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Financial Era
Governance Era
Trajectory Era
Compensation Escalation
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | 53.7% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 30.7% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 41.7% | 41 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 37.5% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 37.0% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 10.3% | 35 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | 4.0% | 38 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 6.7% | 40 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | 3.6% | 38 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 43 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Nelson | Artistic Director | 21.6% of Rev | ||
| James Verrecchia | Executive Director | 20.2% of Rev | ||
| Amy Kuhn | Admin Manager | 6.0% of Rev | ||
| Jonathan Easter | Accompanist | 6.0% of Rev | ||
| Cindy Evans | Board Member | — | ||
| Mary Slaughter | Board Member | — | ||
| Allen Amini | Board Member | — | ||
| Leonard Jenkins | Board Member | — | ||
| Stan Segal | Board Member | — | ||
| Jamie Clements | Development | — | ||
| Sally Rhoden | Board Member | — | ||
| Charlie Rogers | Board Member | — | ||
| Sydney Cleland | Board Member | — | ||
| Tommy Herrington | Board Member | — | ||
| Raymond Payne | Board Member | — | ||
| Kathryn Stone | Secretary | — | ||
| Stephanie Watkins | Board President | — | ||
| Julie Thompson | Treasurer | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Nelson | Artistic Director | 20.7% of Rev | ||
| James Verrecchia | Executive Director | 19.2% of Rev | ||
| Raymond Payne | Board Member | — | ||
| Marianna Magee | Board Member | — | ||
| Tommy Herrington | Board Member | — | ||
| Mary Slaughter | Board Member | — | ||
| Stan Segal | Board Member | — | ||
| Alexander Purdie | Board Member | — | ||
| Charles Beaudrot | Counsel To The Board | — | ||
| Cheryl Bachelder | Board Member | — | ||
| Sydney Cleland | Board Member | — | ||
| Sam Hagen | Board Member | — | ||
| Jamie Clements | Development | — | ||
| Julie Thompson | Treasurer | — | ||
| Stephanie Watkins | Board President | — | ||
| Ray Chenault | Board President | — | ||
| Kathryn Stone | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERIC NELSON | Artistic Director | 18.2% of Rev | ||
| JAMES VERRECCHIA | EXECUTIVE DI | 16.4% of Rev | ||
| CHERYL BACHELDER | Board Member | — | ||
| CHARLES BEAUDROT | COUNSEL TO T | — | ||
| RAY CHENAULT | Board Member | — | ||
| SYDNEY CLELAND | Board Member | — | ||
| JAMIE CLEMENTS | Board Member | — | ||
| SAMUEL HAGAN | Board Member | — | ||
| TOMMY HERRINGTON | Board Member | — | ||
| RAYMOND L PAYNE JR | Board Member | — | ||
| MARIANNA MAGEE | Board Member | — | ||
| ALEXANDER PURDIE | Board Member | — | ||
| STAN SEGAL | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY SLAUGHTER | Board Member | — | ||
| KATHRYN STONE | Secretary | — | ||
| JULIE THOMPSON | Treasurer | — | ||
| STEPHANIE WATKINS | BOARD CHAIRM | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERIC NELSON | Artistic Director | 18.0% of Rev | ||
| JAMES VERRECCHIA | EXECUTIVE DI | 15.8% of Rev | ||
| CHERYL BACHELDER | Board Member | — | ||
| CHARLES BEAUDROT | COUNSEL TO T | — | ||
| RAY CHENAULT | BOARD VICE C | — | ||
| SYDNEY CLELAND | Board Member | — | ||
| JAMIE CLEMENTS | DEVELOPMENT | — | ||
| SAM HAGEN | Board Member | — | ||
| TOMMY HERRINGTON | Board Member | — | ||
| RAYMOND L PAYNE JR | Board Member | — | ||
| MARIANNA MAGEE | Board Member | — | ||
| ALEXANDER PURDIE | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY SLAUGHTER | Board Member | — | ||
| KATHRYN STONE | Secretary | — | ||
| JULIE THOMPSON | Treasurer | — | ||
| STEPHANIE WATKINS | BOARD CHAIRM | — | ||
| ALEX WESTERN | Board Member | — |
Officer contact details, exact compensation figures, and active litigation are available to verified members.
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Score breakdown
Score breakdown
Financial resilience
30 / 100
weight 40%
Governance risk
42 / 100
weight 40%
Program scale
45 / 100
weight 20%
Overall
33 / 100
Priority Review
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 123 other orgs in GA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 15 points above the peer median (45 vs. 30).
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 53.7% is well above the sector's 90th percentile (healthy band: 18–22%).
- 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:
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 53.7% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~40 points.
- 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.