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 | — | — | 26.0% | 42 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2023 | — | — | 16.9% | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 35.7% | 38 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 9.4% | 50 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 14.7% | 49 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | 12.9% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | 24.0% | 39 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 49 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 45 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 49 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Parker | Board President | — | ||
| Alex Engler | Board President | — | ||
| Sarah Wood | Secretary | — | ||
| Sara Shippee | Treasurer | — | ||
| Kristin Webb | Board President | — | ||
| Jen Plumb Vilardaga | Board President | — | ||
| Ginger Jones-Robinson | At Large | — | ||
| Korwind Stokes | At Large | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rodney Wynkoop | Artistic Director | 24.6% of Rev | ||
| David Tremmel | Board President | — | ||
| Alex Engler | Board President | — | ||
| Sarah Wood | Secretary | — | ||
| David Lackey | Treasurer | — | ||
| Justin Fries | Board President | — | ||
| Alan Ellis | Board President | — | ||
| Kristin Webb | Board President | — | ||
| Tony Olivo | Board President | — | ||
| Coleman Poag | Historian | — | ||
| Carol Hardman | Board President | — | ||
| Gwen Lamb | Board President | — | ||
| Sara Oliver | Publicity - Marketing | — | ||
| Alyson Newman | Programs And Publicity - Design | — | ||
| William Prince | Board President | — | ||
| Tim Lilburn | At Large | — | ||
| Mary Parker | At Large | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rodney Wynkoop | Artistic Director | 22.1% of Rev | ||
| David Tremmel | Board President | — | ||
| Alex Engler | Board President | — | ||
| Victoria Grice | Secretary | — | ||
| Anne Brumbaugh | Treasurer | — | ||
| Justin Fries | Board President | — | ||
| Alan Ellis | Board President | — | ||
| Linda Sherck | Board President | — | ||
| Coleman Poag | Historian | — | ||
| Carol Hardman | Board President | — | ||
| Gwen Lamb | Board President | — | ||
| Liz Ziegler | Publicity - Marketing | — | ||
| Alyson Newman | Programs And Publicity - Design | — | ||
| Travis Morrison | Board President | — | ||
| Suzanne James | At Large | — | ||
| Kateri Salk-Gundersen | At Large | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 221 other orgs in NC with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: governance score sits 20 points below the peer median (42 vs. 62).
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 26.0% 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:
- Separate signing authority from fundraising authority when both are held by one person — removes the concentration penalty (~12 points).
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 26.0% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~8 points.
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.