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Executive Pay 2015 Top 10 List: Highest-Paid Bosses

Posted at 6:00 AM, Jun 15, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-15 07:52:08-04

CINCINNATI - There were 99 local executives who made more than $1 million last year and 22 who made more than $5 million, based on data supplied to WCPO by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Two of the highest paid were new bosses who were recruited from other companies to replace longtime CEOs. Both are leading their companies through restructuring initiatives.

William Wulfsohn, who replaced James O’Brien at Ashland Inc. in January, 2015, has announced plans to spin off Valvoline into a separate public company based in Lexington. Wulfsohn will continue to head Ashland’s specialty-chemical businesses from its headquarters in Covington.

Michael McDonnell replaced Gregory Kenny at General Cable Corp. in July. The company has been selling off business units in the Asia Pacific and Africa as it tries to recover from the recession.

This is part of WCPO’s annual analysis of executive pay. This year’s searchable database includes details on cash and stock-based compensation totaling $390 million for 151 executives from 29 companies.

RELATED: Pay gap narrows between CEOs and Average Joes


#10 Kevin J. McNamara

Chief Executive Officer, President and Director, Chemed Corp.

Total 2015 Compensation:
$7,425,452

Raise:
21.9%

Total Shareholder Return:
42.75%


#9 Carl H. Lindner, III

Co-Chief Executive Officer, Co-President and Director, American Financial Group Inc.

Total 2015 Compensation:
$7,642,021

Raise:
0.02%

Total Shareholder Return:
22.26%


#8 S. Craig Lindner

Co-Chief Executive Officer, Co-President and Director, American Financial Group Inc.

Total 2015 Compensation:
$7,695,853

Raise:
1.5%

Total Shareholder Return:
22.26%


#7 Kevin T. Kabat

Former Executive Vice Chairman and Member of Finance Committee, Fifth Third Bancorp

Total 2015 Compensation:
$7,975,480

Raise:
9.2%

Total Shareholder Return:
1.26%


#6 John J. Greisch

Chief Executive Officer, President, Director and Member of Mergers & Acquisitions Committee, Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc.

Total 2015 Compensation:
$9,251,695

Raise:
14.4%

Total Shareholder Return:
27.09%


#5 Michael T. McDonnell

Chief Executive Officer, President and Director, General Cable Corporation

Total 2015 Compensation:
$9,288,433

Raise:
NA

Total Shareholder Return:
-6.87%


#4 W. Rodney McMullen

Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Member of Proxy Committee, The Kroger Co.

Total 2015 Compensation:
$11,208,450

Raise:
17.3%

Total Shareholder Return:
13.63%


#3 Terry J. Lundgren

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Macy's, Inc.

Total 2015 Compensation:
$11,588,384

Raise:
-8.6%

Total Shareholder Return:
-35.07


#2 William A. Wulfsohn

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ashland Inc.

Total 2015 Compensation:
$13,363,368

Raise:
NA

Total Shareholder Return:
2.15%


#1 Alan George Lafley

Former Executive Chairman, The Procter & Gamble Company

Total 2015 Compensation:
$18,286,621

Raise:
-6.2%

Total Shareholder Return:
-6.2%


Explore the database.

METHODOLOGY

WCPO obtained compensation data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, which pulled it from annual proxy statements companies filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Specifically, compensation data from the "summary compensation table" in each company's proxy document was analyzed. The pay category Changes in Pension Value was excluded from tabulations, because it is an actuarial estimate and does not reflect actual gains and losses. Some executives benefit from above-market interest rates in their pension plans. Those benefits, when disclosed, are counted as cash-based pay.

That data was combined with average worker salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics report:  May 2015 National Industry Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) data was also used to most closely match each company to determine average industry worker salary, although many companies actually compete in multiple categories. NAICS data is the standard used by federal agencies to classify businesses in order to collect, analyze and publish statistics tied to the U.S. economy.

Performance data for each company was supplied by S&P Global Market Intelligence, which pulled total shareholder return estimates over one year and three years for the fiscal year in which that company operates.