What are the heads of foundations and charities paid?
CORRECTION: Jane Ann Morrison’s blog errorneously said Perry Rogers was paid $377,000 for his work on the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation in 2008. The foundation’s IRS 990 report listed the payment, saying it was from a related organization. That organization was a for-profit organization, not a related nonprofit. Perry took no salary or reimbursement from the foundation.
Just how much was the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation paying former friend Perry Rogers? Well, according to the foundation’s tax returns for 2008, Rogers was getting $377,000 a year before his longtime friendship with Agassi went kaput.
Agassi’s foundation primarily funds the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy. Meanwhile the foundation’s CEO Steve Miller was only getting $128,825.
Kirk Kerkorian continues to be generous through his Lincy Foundation, giving away more than $100 million in 2008, even though the foundation’s investment values dropped by $82 millon.
Kerkorian pays his two top foundation guys more than $400,000 each but hey, it’s his money, it’s not coming from the public, so what do I care?
His foundation gives generously and to a diversity of charities, particularly those tied to his native Armenia. But he gave $1 million to the Agassi Foundation, $15 million to the Nevada Cancer Institute and, $2 million to Three Square. The Lincy donations are noteworthy for their diversity. Kids, hunger, law enforcement, and education ($8 million to the UNLV Foundation) barely show how wide his generosity extends.
Foundations are not charities, but still have to report 990 forms to the Internal Revenue Service. But the IRS seems less concerned about CEO compensation in a foundation than in a charity that relies on public funding.
The Nevada Cancer Institute paid its top operator more than $600,000, but medically based nonprofits tend to pay more since often its operators are doctors as well as administrators, which is true in this case.
Once I got started, it was hard to stop checking on nonprofits I’d written about in the past.
Angel Flights for Kids was scrutinized by the Review-Journal in 2007 because CEO Ann McGee paid herself a $196,000 salary in 2006 and her husband, William, received $51,000. Her latest tax return showed her salary is $223,795. Hubby William doesn’t show up any more on the IRS form.
By the way, if you want to give to a charity that doesn’t pay big bucks to its CEO’s, consider Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada. Of the top five highest paid employees, the highest paycheck is $72,000.
Monsignor Patrick Leary, the executive director of Catholic Charities, doesn’t charge for his services.
My more on this topic in my columns today and Monday.