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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | 44.2% | 43 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2023 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 84.7% | 42 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 5.5% | 59 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 39 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 55 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 43 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John McLean | Artistic Director | 27.6% of Rev | ||
| Stan Orchowsky | Board Member | 16.6% of Rev | ||
| Phannetta Hoy Pearson-Barber | Board President | — | ||
| John Neal Jr | Board President | — | ||
| David Gillespie | Treasurer | — | ||
| Mary Ellen Stumpf | Secretary | — | ||
| Ursule Essangabela | Board Member | — | ||
| John Lindstrom | Board Member | — | ||
| Jeff Geiger | Board Member | — | ||
| Bev Koerin | Board Member | — | ||
| Patricia Rogers | Board Member | — | ||
| Ronald Forbes | Board Member | — | ||
| Ebony Wilkins | Board Member | — | ||
| Lorraine M Blackwell | Board Member | — | ||
| Ron Lanier | Board Member | — | ||
| Donna Giles | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John McLean | Artistic Director | 26.5% of Rev | ||
| Stan Orchowsky | Board Member | 16.6% of Rev | ||
| Alma Hughes | Board President | — | ||
| Kim Kacani | Secretary | — | ||
| Jeffery White | Treasurer | — | ||
| Mary Ellen Stumpf | Board President | — | ||
| Ursule Essangabela | Board Member | — | ||
| John Lindstrom | Board Member | — | ||
| John Neal Jr | Board Member | — | ||
| Phannetta Pearson | Vice President | — | ||
| Arnold Woodruff | Board Member | — | ||
| Jeff Geiger | Board Member | — | ||
| Bev Koerin | Board Member | — | ||
| Nick Vogel | Board Member | — | ||
| Patricia Rogers | Board Member | — | ||
| Ronald Forbes | Board Member | — | ||
| Ebony Wilkins | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stan Orchowsky | Board Member | 3.9% of Rev | ||
| Alma Hughes | Board President | — | ||
| Kim Kacani | Board President | — | ||
| Jeffery White | Treasurer | — | ||
| Mary Ellen Stumpf | Secrertary | — | ||
| Ursule Essangabela | Board Member | — | ||
| John Lindstrom | Board Member | — | ||
| John Neal Jr | Board Member | — | ||
| Phannetta Pearson | Board Member | — | ||
| Arnold Woodruff | Board Member | — | ||
| Jeff Geiger | Board Member | — | ||
| Bev Koerin | Board Member | — | ||
| Nick Vogel | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 242 other orgs in VA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: governance score sits 22 points below the peer median (42 vs. 64).
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 44.2% is well above the sector's 90th percentile (healthy band: 18–22%).
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 44.2% 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.