EchoStar Details Exec Pay

[Slamminc11]

DENVER (AP) - Charles Ergen, founder and chief executive of satellite television provider EchoStar Communications Corp., received a compensation package the company valued at $1.4 million last year, according to an analysis of a regulatory filing stated Thursday.
Ergen, also chairman of the Dish Network operator, earned $550,000 in salary and additional compensation valued at $858,171 for such items as personal use of the company jet and tax preparation services, EchoStar reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The CEO declined to accept distributions that he otherwise would have qualified for under a 2006 cash incentive plan and did not receive a bonus.

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.aspx?Feed=AP&Date=20070405&ID=6716201&Symbol=DISH

 

[digiblur]

Jealous?

 

[ChetK]

That doesn't seem like all that much to be honest with you. The CEO of the company I work for make probably 10 to 15 times that a year.

 

[bigthrust]

That doesn't seem like all that much to be honest with you. The CEO of the company I work for make probably 10 to 15 times that a year.

But, don't forget Charles Ergen is worth around 8 billion anyway.

 

[UpAllNight]

Charles Ergen is the epitome of what you want in a CEO.

NO extravagant salary, no super extravagant perks. His real compensation comes when and if he decides to sell. He's worked his butt off to go from a small c-band supplier to what he has today. Never shys from going in front of the consumer and tries his best to be up front as much as he can(when the legal dept. lets him).

This is far from the good ol' boys on the Board of Directors slapping each other on the back and giving themselves raises and packages just because they can.

Knock ol' Charlie if you want to because you're pissed you're not getting the HD channel you expected yet, but give the guy kudos when due too.



P.S. Seems like everytime I think about Charlie and where he came from, I can't help but think of that old ten foot Ranger mesh dish, the Drake ESR model something(complete with analog needle tuning!), and this new fangled device made by Houston Tracker. It actually moved the dish automatically! lol Had purty led numbers you could use to go from Galaxy1 to Telstar5 or Satcom4! Ah... those were the days! (am glad I don't have to keep replacing those dang Chapperal rotors though!) Oh and Dr Gene Scott, can't ever forget about Gene Scott. A sat installers beacon if there ever was one. You find Dr. Scott, you basically found the Clark belt.

 

[webbydude]

That doesn't seem like all that much to be honest with you. The CEO of the company I work for make probably 10 to 15 times that a year.

I was just going to say the same thing.

A recent article I just read stated that Ford's CEO made over $39 million last year. And that was while the company LOST $12.7 billion last year. So no...I don't think it's that much for Charlie

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Yeah, I am impressed by his salary; not that 1/2 million isn't a REALLY nice piece of change. It is, but the other posts are right - it could have easily been $10Million.

And we know he is cheap -- look at the production values in the Charlie Chat

 

[BobMurdoch]

And we thought he was just cheap paying for programming....

In an era where CEOs make $100 Million a year, he's a bargain.

How much does the D* CEO earn?

 

[josem3]

Just remmenber, Charlie own at least haft of the Dish Network stocks. Really, he doesn't need to work, he just waiting the perfect time to sell the company and start to enjoy the life!

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Charlie has made billions in the past 5 years off of his stock holdings. Or at least his net worth has climbed by billions. That salary is more of a formality than anything else.

 

[Sammy033]

I was just going to say the same thing.

A recent article I just read stated that Ford's CEO made over $39 million last year. And that was while the company LOST $12.7 billion last year. So no...I don't think it's that much for Charlie

Of that $39 million... 28 was while being CEO for just 4 months.

The outgoing CEO of Pfizer got $198 million... on top of what he already made while working there. The outgoing CEO of Home Depot got $210 million... also on top of what he already made. Take that Ford.

 

[skysurfer]

Not only am I a DISH customer, I'm a DISH Network stockholder. I appreciate that charlie is not greedy when it comes to executive compensation. I appreciate he held the line on MLB EI (I get my EI from DIRECTV because DIRECTV has more channels in EI than DISH did. I have DISH because of their value programming package that gets me ESPN for $15 less a month than DIRECTV would charge me for the most basic of package to get it).

While DIRECTV stock is trying to keep afloat of $20/share, DISH Network is slowly working their way to $50/share so Charlie is doing all the right things!

 

[navychop]

Charles Ergen is the epitome of what you want in a CEO.

NO extravagant salary, no super extravagant perks. His real compensation comes when and if he decides to sell. He's worked his butt off to go from a small c-band supplier to what he has today. Never shys from going in front of the consumer and tries his best to be up front as much as he can(when the legal dept. lets him).

This is far from the good ol' boys on the Board of Directors slapping each other on the back and giving themselves raises and packages just because they can.

Knock ol' Charlie if you want to because you're pissed you're not getting the HD channel you expected yet, but give the guy kudos when due too.

Ain't it the truth. And cashing out stock does not cost the shareholders money- salary does. AND- I think he's enjoying himself now. If he wasn't, he'd be gone and spending that fortune.

There's HD, and SD, and CCD. Charlie Chat Def!

 

[Mike_H]

The difference here folks is that you see CEO or Presidents of companies taking home 20+ million a year in salary and bonuses so it looks like Charlie is low. But in effect, it's Charlie employing Charlie. So by keeping his salary reasonable, and staying away from bonus numbers, he keeps the value of the stock going well. That helps shareholders and himself.

It's not like he has to get paid big to keep him working there which is the excuse you hear when other folks take big coin, like the Ford President did.

 

[dodge]

Charlie Ergen

Just remmenber, Charlie own at least haft of the Dish Network stocks. Really, he doesn't need to work, he just waiting the perfect time to sell the company and start to enjoy the life!

I dont think Ergen will ever retire. He is the kinda guy that has satellite on the brain... Installing a C band when its 20 below outside and still enjoying every minute of it, He is also the guy at the Football tailgate party who has 3 individual dishes mounted to his truck connected to a vip 622 on a 52" plasma.

 

[Sammy033]

The difference here folks is that you see CEO or Presidents of companies taking home 20+ million a year in salary and bonuses so it looks like Charlie is low. But in effect, it's Charlie employing Charlie. So by keeping his salary reasonable, and staying away from bonus numbers, he keeps the value of the stock going well. That helps shareholders and himself.

Well thats true also. Bill Gates makes one million a year in actual salary. Woefully underpaid... even if he is, as some say, the leader of the evil empire

 

[Claude Greiner]

The difference between Charlie Ergen and other CEO's is that he owns 51% of the stock which means he has complete control of the company.

The guy is worth several billion dollars, what difference does it make if he takes out $500,000 or 10 Million dollar salery?

If I was in his position, my salery would be just enough to cover my living expenses. Anything more than that would have to be put in the bank, and taxes would have to be paid on that money.

As a 51% ower, it makes no difference wether the money is in Charlie Ergens personal bank account, or Echostar's corporate account.

The CEO of Directv might make several million dollars per year, but unlike Charlie he does not "own" the company.

As far as selling out, if it was about the money Charlie would have sold out along time ago when the stock was at one of it all time highs several years ago!

Its just like me, if I had 10 billion dollars, it would drive me nuts to sit at home all day not doing anything!

 

[navychop]

...it would drive me nuts to sit at home all day not doing anything!

I'd like to have that problem- and the money.

 

[Peter Parker]

note that the figures include the value of optiosnd received this year but do not include changes in the value of stock or options awarded in prior years. This isa decent yardstick of executive pay (although there are others.) In fact many would argue that CEOS are entitled to reap the rewards when the stock goes up since they share the rsik that it might go down.

And no mater what anyone thinks of either provider DISH had a good year financially.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Well thats true also. Bill Gates makes one million a year in actual salary. Woefully underpaid... even if he is, as some say, the leader of the evil empire

Gates is the leader of the evil empire?? I thought that was George Steinbrenner....