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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | — | 16.9% | 37 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2022 | — | — | 12.2% | 39 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 59 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 62.0% | 40 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 7.4% | 38 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 55 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 57 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 61 | Stable | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 61 | Stable | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 55 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JUDY CLEMENS | Executive Dir. | 7.4% of Rev | ||
| JERRY MILLER | Artistic Director | 4.8% of Rev | ||
| SARAH BROWN | Board President | — | ||
| MARK THORP | Board President | — | ||
| GINNY BROWN | Secretary | — | ||
| ANDY HAFER | Treasurer | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JUDY CLEMENS | Executive Dir. | 5.7% of Rev | ||
| JERRY MILLER | Artistic Director | 4.5% of Rev | ||
| MARY BURNS | Treasurer | 1.8% of Rev | ||
| MARK THORP | Board President | — | ||
| GARY KUPP | Secretary | — | ||
| GINNY BROWN | Board President | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 829 other orgs in CA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: governance score sits 5 points below the peer median (45 vs. 50).
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.
Overall score has gone from 38 → 37 over 5 years (declining by 1 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 16.9% 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).
- 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.