The Founder's Trap
What does this mean?
10-year flat revenue, below-market executive comp, and a small board. The organization survives purely on the sweat equity of a founder, making it utterly un-transferable.
The Path Forward
The Dispersal
Forces succession planning and structural maturity. It requires raising capacity-building funds to decouple the organization's survival from the founder's personal sacrifice.
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 | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | — | — | 2.3% | 42 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 4.0% | 44 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 11.5% | 41 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 3.5% | 38 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 43 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 43 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 43 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 57 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2026
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA VITTUM | Artistic Director | 2.3% of Rev | ||
| VICTORIA VITTUM | ATRISTIC DIR | 2.3% of Rev | ||
| LORENA DE ALEJANDRO | Board Member | — | ||
| JASON ALTHAUS | VICE PRESIDE | — | ||
| DONNA BARNETT | Board Member | — | ||
| BERI BROWN | Board Member | — | ||
| SHANA BURKHART | Secretary | — | ||
| KACI DECOU | Board Member | — | ||
| DENISE ROSAS | Board Member | — | ||
| VICKIE SCHMIDT | Treasurer | — | ||
| MICHAEL STEWART | Board President | — | ||
| MISSY VUYK | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN WHEELOCK | Board Member | — | ||
| BERI BROWN | VICE PRESIDE | — | ||
| SHANA BURKHART | Secretary | — | ||
| DESIREE DAVIS | Board Member | — | ||
| LORENA DEALEJANDRO | Treasurer | — | ||
| KACI DECOU | Board Member | — | ||
| HEIDI DEHART | Board Member | — | ||
| JOHN GAASTRA | Board Member | — | ||
| JULIE MARSHALL | Board Member | — | ||
| JENNIFER OLIVERSON | Board Member | — | ||
| DENISE ROSAS | Board President | — | ||
| MISSY VUYK | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN WHEELOCK | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria Vittum | Artistic Director | 3.0% of Rev | ||
| Michael Stewart | Board President | — | ||
| Jason Althuas | Board President | — | ||
| Shanan Burkhart | Secretary | — | ||
| Vickie Shmidt | Treasurer | — | ||
| Jason Althaus | Production | — | ||
| Donna Barrett | Volunteer Coordinator | — | ||
| Denise Rosas | Grants | — | ||
| Susan Wheelock | Costume Mistress | — | ||
| Judy Jackson | Admin | — | ||
| Beri Brown | Admin | — | ||
| Lorena dAlejandro | Admin | — | ||
| Kaci Decou | Admin | — | ||
| Missy Vuyk | Admin | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria Vittum | Artistic Director | 2.8% of Rev | ||
| Michael Stewart | Board President | — | ||
| Jason Althuas | Board President | — | ||
| Shanan Burkhart | Secretary | — | ||
| Vickie Shmidt | Treasurer | — | ||
| Anne Moore | Grants | — | ||
| Jason Althaus | Production | — | ||
| Donna Barrett | Volunteer Coordinator | — | ||
| Denise Rosas | Grants | — | ||
| Susan Wheelock | Costume Mistress | — | ||
| Judy Jackson | Admin | — | ||
| Casey La Crioux | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria Vittum | Artistic Director | 2.4% of Rev | ||
| Kelly Behrens | Board President | — | ||
| Susan Wheelock | Board President | — | ||
| Shanan Burkhart | Secretary | — | ||
| Laurie Sanders | Treasurer | — | ||
| Ann Moore | Grants | — | ||
| Jason Althaus | Production | — | ||
| Andrea Young | Volunteer Coordinator | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 132 other orgs in TX with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 13 points above the peer median (45 vs. 32).
5-year trend: The Founder's Trap
10-year flat revenue, below-market executive comp, and a small board. The organization survives purely on the sweat equity of a founder, making it utterly un-transferable.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 2.3% 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:
- 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.