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 | 28.2% | 48 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 15.5% | 51 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2021 | — | — | 8.4% | 54 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2020 | — | — | 2.0% | 55 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 14.3% | 47 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 8.2% | 50 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 7.4% | 54 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | 2.1% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | 5.2% | 54 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | 8.2% | 44 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | 7.3% | 48 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 5.6% | 50 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2011 | — | — | 6.3% | 50 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JULIE RANUM | Executive Director | 15.3% of Rev | ||
| CHARLES AREDLIN | Board President | — | ||
| ROBERT J WAGNER | VICEPRESIDENT | — | ||
| DAN RADERSCHADT | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JULIE RANUM | Executive Director | 13.5% of Rev | ||
| CHARLES AREDLIN | Board President | — | ||
| ROBERT J WAGNER | VICEPRESIDENT | — | ||
| DAN RADERSCHADT | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JULIE RANUM | Executive Director | 13.7% of Rev | ||
| JULIE RANUM | Executive Director | 12.6% of Rev | ||
| JULIE RANUM | Executive Director | 12.1% of Rev | ||
| CHARLES AREDLIN | Board President | — | ||
| ROBERT J WAGNER | VICEPRESIDENT | — | ||
| DAN RADERSCHADT | Board Member | — | ||
| CHARLES AREDLIN | Board President | — | ||
| ROBERT J WAGNER | VICEPRESIDENT | — | ||
| DAN RADERSCHADT | Board Member | — | ||
| CHARLES AREDLIN | Board President | — | ||
| ROBERT J WAGNER | VICEPRESIDENT | — | ||
| DAN RADERSCHADT | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JULIE RANUM | Executive Director | 12.6% of Rev | ||
| CHARLES AREDLIN | Board President | — | ||
| ROBERT J WAGNER | VICEPRESIDENT | — | ||
| DAN RADERSCHADT | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 21 other orgs in SD with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 27 points above the peer median (60 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 28.2% is modestly above the sector's healthy band (18–22%) — worth monitoring.
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 28.2% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~12 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.