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 | 20.8% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 18.3% | 41 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 23.9% | 44 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 22.6% | 35 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 9.5% | 36 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | 18.4% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | 10.2% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 17.1% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 7.9% | 37 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | 18.5% | 22 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | 6.3% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | 5.2% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2011 | — | — | 5.5% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James McCormick | Executive Director | 12.0% of Rev | ||
| Donald Kendrick | Artistic Director | 8.8% of Rev | ||
| Rani Pettis | Board President | — | ||
| Melissa Votaw | Development | — | ||
| Hayley Graves | Governance | — | ||
| Tery Baldwin | Secretary | — | ||
| Maria Stefanou | Treasurer | — | ||
| Amanda Johnson | Development Chr | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James McCormick | Executive Director | 13.1% of Rev | ||
| Donald Kendrick | Board Member | 4.4% of Rev | ||
| Rani Pettis | Board President | — | ||
| Melissa Votaw | Development | — | ||
| Hayley Graves | Development | — | ||
| Tery Baldwin | Secretary | — | ||
| Maria Stefanou | Treasurer | — | ||
| Jeannie Brown | Marketing Dir | — | ||
| Amanda Johnson | Development Dir | — | ||
| Margot Bach | Development | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James McCormick | Executive Director | 13.1% of Rev | ||
| Donald Kendrick | Board Member | 6.6% of Rev | ||
| Rani Pettis | Board President | — | ||
| Tery Baldwin | Secretary | — | ||
| Maria Stefanou | Treasurer | — | ||
| Jeannie Brown | Marketing Dir | — | ||
| Amanda Johnson | Development Dir | — | ||
| Margot Bach | Development | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James McCormick | Board President | 13.1% of Rev | ||
| Donald Kendrick | Board Member | 6.6% of Rev | ||
| Rani Pettis | Board President | — | ||
| Jun Reina | Board President | — | ||
| Dick Gourley | Board President | — | ||
| Tery Baldwin | Secretary | — | ||
| Maria Stefanou | Treasurer | — | ||
| Jeannie Brown | Marketing & PR | — | ||
| Amanda Johnson | Development Dir | — | ||
| Margot Bach | Development | — |
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: financial score sits 18 points below the peer median (15 vs. 33).
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 20.8% sits within the sector's 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:
- 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.