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 | — | — | 35.4% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 36.4% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 67.6% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 12.7% | 46 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 14.7% | 46 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 9.0% | 46 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 7.1% | 50 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 8.8% | 44 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 7.6% | 48 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | 8.8% | 48 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | 9.5% | 37 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 4.9% | 55 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | 6.1% | 40 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUZANNE COSTELLO | Artistic Director | 26.4% of Rev | ||
| STUART PIMSLER | Artistic Director | 24.5% of Rev | ||
| V PAUL VIRTUCIO | Board Member | 1.3% of Rev | ||
| MICHAEL P BROOKS | Board Member | — | ||
| JUDITH JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| JENNIFER OLSON | Board Member | — | ||
| ZOE SEALY | Board Member | — | ||
| MIKE BERKLAND | Board Member | — | ||
| COURTNEY MCCLIMON | Board Member | — | ||
| KRISTEN WELLER | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STUART PIMSLER | Artistic Director | 13.8% of Rev | ||
| SUZANNE COSTELLO | Artistic Director | 13.8% of Rev | ||
| MICHAEL P BROOKS | Board Member | — | ||
| JUDITH JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| JENNIFER OLSON | Board Member | — | ||
| ZOE SEALY | Board Member | — | ||
| MIKE BERKLAND | Board Member | — | ||
| V PAUL VIRTUCIO | Board Member | — | ||
| COURTNEY MCCLIMON | Board Member | — | ||
| KRISTEN WELLER | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 174 other orgs in MN with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: governance score sits 8 points below the peer median (42 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 46 → 29 over 5 years (declining by 17 points). A multi-year directional move of this magnitude is a signal worth investigating.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 35.4% is above the 90th percentile for orgs of this size (healthy band: 18–22%).
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 35.4% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~27 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.