USEF Financial Information

[saddlebredjunkie]

just cruious if anyone else notice that USEF posted their Financial tax records. 2004-2006 on their website.
and wondered what everyone else thought.

[Dressage Art]

link?

[saddlebredjunkie]

http://www.usef.org/contentPage2.aspx?id=aboutusefhome

[Lindie]

Slap me down and call me shortie.............did I see a salary for over $300,000.00 ???????

[ddashaq]

I think that was a total for multiple salaries?

[Lisa Cook]

Nope, one person made $300k in 2006 - see page 46 of the document.

The next 5 highest paid employees made between $113k and $185k in 2006 - see page 52.

And on page 53 are the fees paid for "professional services". Mark Phillips tops the list at $272k.

[MHM]

Nope, one person made $300k in 2006 - see page 46 of the document.

The next 5 highest paid employees made between $113k and $185k in 2006 - see page 52.

And on page 53 are the fees paid for "professional services". Mark Phillips tops the list at $272k.

Holy cow! Does it say who got those salaries? Name or title?

[Lisa Cook]

JOHN LONG CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER $300,000.

JAMES ROBERT WOLF E.D. SPORT PROGRAMS $185,398.
ELIZABETH MUTH GOODMAN GENERAL COUNSEL $168,643.
LORI RAWLS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR $149,094.
THOMAS LOMANGINO LABORATORY DIRECTOR $130,000.
STEPHEN SCHUMACHER MEDS CHIEF ADMIN. $113,231.

Coaches:
Mark Phillips: $272,250.
George Morris: $254,000
Klaus Balkenhol: $181,287.

[ddashaq]

Nope, one person made $300k in 2006 - see page 46 of the document.

The next 5 highest paid employees made between $113k and $185k in 2006 - see page 52.

And on page 53 are the fees paid for "professional services". Mark Phillips tops the list at $272k.

Holy crap! I did not read that far, just the first page.

[Lisa Cook]

And if you go to page 17 (all page references are to the 2006 documents), they list contributions of more than $5k that the USEF received from individuals.

One person gave the USEF $2,295,000, another gave $1,407,354...the names of these people are not listed.

[MHM]

Coaches:
Mark Phillips: $272,250.
George Morris: $254,000
Klaus Balkenhol: $181,287.

I'd love to know how they arrived at those figures.

Flat salary? Number of days worked? Number of competitions? Resume? Results? :lol:

No offense to Mark Phillips, but I would have expected GM to top the list. ;)

[Tha Ridge]

Another good (free) resource for information like this (from any non-profit) is GuideStar - www.guidestar.com. Type in the name of the organization, click "View Report," register, then scroll down the bottom and you can view the organization's IRS 990 form for that year.

If you look at the USHJA, Susan Dotson (their executive director) is listed as one of their highest paid employees, making only $55,000 a year.

[Tha Ridge]

Looking at GuideStar document for the USEF, did anyone else notice David O'Connor's $19,500 expense account? Must be nice! :D

[LexInVA]

Looking at GuideStar document for the USEF, did anyone else notice David O'Connor's $19,500 expense account? Must be nice! :D

Someone has to pay his tab at Applebees. :lol:

[LexInVA]

I'd love to know how they arrived at those figures.

Flat salary? Number of days worked? Number of competitions? Resume? Results? :lol:

No offense to Mark Phillips, but I would have expected GM to top the list. ;)

Each one has their own different package as far as what they get but it's basically a mixture of all of the above.

[IronwoodFarm]

Financial records of non-profits are open to the public. Posting tax records on a website tells me that USEF is making a big effort toward transparency and openess with its members.

As for the salaries, I don't think they are out of line with what executive staff of major large membership associations. USEF is a large, complex organization with many levels of governance. I've spent time working for big associations, and I can only suggest from my experience that these folks earn that salary. Between the long hours (including many weekends and holidays) and the political drama (USEF has a bit :lol:), I would say that working at USEF is not your regular 9-5 job.

As for the coaches, they are contractors and negotiate their packages with the USEF. It is important to keep in mind that contractors pay all taxes on their income and receive no benefits. I also have worked as a contractor and basically 35% of my fee went to pay for taxes and benefits. I don't have any idea how the packages compare to what they can make outside the USEF. However, I would venture that the USEF has first dibs on their entire schedule and that would be a major concession for me. As for personalities, etc. -- I'm not going there. I just don't see the salaries and fees as being abnormal for the type, size, and complexity of the organization.

[saddlebredjunkie]

if the CEO makes $300,000 a year I would like to know what the bottom people are making. Like the people that post your scores and process your membership.
Must be nice to work there!
are they hiring!

[LexInVA]

if the CEO makes $300,000 a year I would like to know what the bottom people are making. Like the people that post your scores and process your membership.
Must be nice to work there!
are they hiring!

I've spoken at length to several folks who have worked there in various positions of responsibility in the day-to-day running of the machine. They had little, if anything, positive to say about their experiences. You'd probably enjoy working at Hooters more. At least you'd get free wings and a t-shirt.

[War Admiral]

What Lex said. And their salaries for the rank and file are pretty deplorable... as in, YOU try living on it. Forget about keeping a horse on it. No way. This is how you end up with non-horse people on the other end of the phone, and why they have so many expenses listed for "employee education."

[FormerShowHunter]

Yea, I've heard they had to install a revolving door in the back to keep up with all the employee turnover there. :lol:

I don't think anyone usually lasts there more than a couple of years...kind of sad, really. You'd think the National Governing Body would be a prestigous place to work. :confused:

[Lindie]

Holy Crap, I am enjoying this thread. The revolving door probably kicked a lot of people in the aZZ as they were leaving! I bet that old door is hanging by one hinge, because it has been used so much.
Can't stop laughing.

[Hunter Princess]

I'll vouch for the fact that the salaries for the peons at the bottom aren't that great. I've interviewed there and was shocked by the salary that I was offered, but I have to admit that since I work for USDF (a smaller non-profit), the benefits are great even if the salary is not what I expected. or hoped. or enjoy.

[FormerShowHunter]

Well it makes sense...they are paying the top 6 people nearly $1M in salaries (and I bet that is before bonuses too!) so there isn't much left over when you start down the ladder.

At least now I can see why they had to raise membership fees so much. :mad:

[Lindie]

I once had some Online problems renewing with USEF and I called and talked to someone there about it. I asked the person if they had seen a message that was about USEF on a Forum and they told me that they have a lady there that checks the forums often and it is one of her responsibilities to bring these messages to someone's attention. I bet she will have a lot to talk about tomorrow. If nothing else, maybe they will take a closer look at the salaries of the people at USEF, can they really afford a $300,000.00 CEO. Oh wait.........of course they can when they are paying such low salaries. I say, skim a little fat off the top and let it trickle down to the bottom. I bet they will get better qualified employees that way.

[saddlebredjunkie]

Is John Long the first CEO USEF has had??
When Alan was Prez there he didn't recieve a $300,000 a year salary he work for free basicly. That money went back to the other employees and the members! Why do they need a Prez and a CEO??:confused:

they talk about giving back to the grass roots think they mean Johns Grass roots on his farm!:no:

[poltroon]

Well it makes sense...they are paying the top 6 people nearly $1M in salaries (and I bet that is before bonuses too!) so there isn't much left over when you start down the ladder.

At least now I can see why they had to raise membership fees so much. :mad:

Those are pretty low salaries for the resumes, too. You've got an attorney, the head of a large, sophisticated laboratory, and a CEO in that list. Any one of them could leave and double their salary easily. It's just that those are high enough wages that those people aren't worried about paying the bills.

[poltroon]

Is John Long the first CEO USEF has had??
When Alan was Prez there he didn't recieve a $300,000 a year salary he work for free basicly. That money went back to the other employees and the members! Why do they need a Prez and a CEO??:confused:

they talk about giving back to the grass roots think they mean Johns Grass roots on his farm!:no:

Yes, John Long is the first CEO.

Alan Balch did the job for free. He could do so because he was semi-retired and had a significant amount of wealth. We were lucky to have him.

The problem is that if you restrict the position - which is full time and more - to people who are qualified and who will do it for free, you have a very small pool to choose from. If you further want people who won't use the position to advance their own narrow, personal agenda, the pool is even smaller, approaching zero. ;)

David puts a lot of time into being President, and he is not paid. He cannot do the job full time because he has to support himself, which he does through his coaching and training. He is a very good horseman, and someone with an inclusive style - but he does not have the skills or probably the interest in running the nuts and bolts of USEF. He can focus on long term strategy while the CEO can make sure that the day to day needs of the organization are being met, and the long term but boring needs, like health insurance for the employees, are looked after.

Let me put it this way: when you have an organization with a $64 million annual budget, I think it's a good idea to have someone skilled in charge whose allegiance is solely to the organization and its membership. This is not a good position for a volunteer.

[Lindie]

Hey Poltroon, you wrote:

Alan Balch did the job for free. He could do so because he was semi-retired and had a significant amount of wealth. We were lucky to have him.

Just curious....... define "We"

[tempichange]

When I worked there starting pay was 12.00/hr, benefits weren't bad. USDF was 10/hr with benefits (including vision and dental) were paid for.

I left both organisations for various reasons, but it does have high turnover, including the cattiness that goes with those types of organisations.

[HeathersHunter]

Someone told me to check this out.
Interesting.
Who cares?

[tempichange]

Someone told me to check this out.
Interesting.
Who cares?

Um... your membership dollars at work, accountability, a number of things.

[saddlebredjunkie]

When I worked there starting pay was 12.00/hr, benefits weren't bad. USDF was 10/hr with benefits (including vision and dental) were paid for.

I left both organisations for various reasons, but it does have high turnover, including the cattiness that goes with those types of organisations.

WOW! $12!
I that is good.
Someone told they started at $10 there.

[Tha Ridge]

WOW! $12!
I that is good.
Someone told they started at $10 there.

$12/hr? Good?! I know people in retail who make more than that!

[seeuatx]

When I worked there starting pay was 12.00/hr, benefits weren't bad. USDF was 10/hr with benefits (including vision and dental) were paid for.


Seriously? Well crud. There goes that pipe dream :(

[poltroon]

Hey Poltroon, you wrote:

Alan Balch did the job for free. He could do so because he was semi-retired and had a significant amount of wealth. We were lucky to have him.

Just curious....... define "We"

Let's just say that my perception, from all the discussion of the time, I think that he did better in terms of looking out for amateurs and rank-and-file membership than anyone else who might have held the position could have. I could be wrong.

[Lindie]

You are definitely not wrong................it was a sad day when he was forced out of USEF as their President. I have heard a lot of good things about his hard work and dedication to the sport. Someone told me once that regardless of who emails him that he took/takes the time from his busy schedule to answer any and all of his emails. One comparison that I have heard people talking about is that Alan spent a lot of his time at USEF whereas the new President doesn't. I think Alan wanted to be there and see for himself how the organization was being run and be a part of it first hand whereas the new Prez relies on word of mouth.

[saddlebredjunkie]

$12/hr? Good?! I know people in retail who make more than that!


Then someone should tell the USEF employees that. Cause I know someone that worked there 7 years and just got to that pay.

[ExJumper]

WOW! $12!
I that is good.
Someone told they started at $10 there.

Assuming 40 hrs a week and 52 weeks a year, that's under $25k pre-tax. Not poverty, exactly, but hardly worth a "WOW" I think...

[War Admiral]

Someone told they started at $10 there.

It was $10 up until fairly recently... I used to keep an eye on the job openings.

[FormerShowHunter]

Someone told me to check this out.
Interesting.
Who cares?

This is one of the biggest problems in the industry, and the country today as well. No one really cares about who is doing what, or where their money is going until a situation like AIG develops...then its like why isn't anyone doing anything?
Unlike many horse people, I don't have tons of money to blow on the USEF fees year after year and it concerns me that the cost for being a member is going up and up. It seems like they are pushing the casual show people out of the equation.

[FormerShowHunter]

$12/hr? Good?! I know people in retail who make more than that!

I guess it depends on what the cost of living in that area is. You sure couldn't pay bills in Califonia on $10 an hour!

[HeathersHunter]

I liked the comment that the fat at the top should trickle down to the bottom if what you are saying is true.
Are you making these $10.00 and $12.00 salaries up? I think there is a mistake. This is the Federation for crying out loud.

[Hunter Princess]

Cost of living in KY is cheaper than most areas.

Granted, I also work another job in addition to USDF to be able to buy groceries as well as the occasional new shirt or pair of shoes...or christmas presents! If I didn't have student loans and a car loan I wouldn't have to work the second job, but I do, so I made that choice.

I assure you, those salaries are not made up.

[HeathersHunter]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but my husband and i eat out all the time because neither of us cook. Our dinner tip is more than your hourly wage.
I guess KY has a low cost of living rate. [edit]

[Hunter Princess]

seriously, why was that needed?

I know my hourly wage isn't that great. I work hard for every penny in my pocket and if I hadn't before, sure have learned the value of a dollar and how to budget and watch my money.

Just because I don't get paid a lot of money does not mean I am an uncivilized, barefoot, outhouse using, false teeth wearing degenerate.

Perhaps you need to take a trip down here and meet people.

[shakeytails]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but my husband and i eat out all the time because neither of us cook. Our dinner tip is more than your hourly wage.
I guess KY has a low cost of living rate. [edit]

Bless your heart.

[HeathersHunter]

I did not say that people in KY are uncivilized (those were your words). I was simply making a point. How can people in KY have decent living arrangements or have decent health care on those salaries.
Hey, you guys are the ones crying over your wages, I am just making making a point...........[edit]

[Eventer13]

I did not say that people in KY are uncivilized (those were your words). I was simply making a point. How can people in KY have decent living arrangements or have decent health care on those salaries.
Hey, you guys are the ones crying over your wages, I am just making making a point...........[edit].

Troll, anyone?

[Oldenburg Mom]

Troll, anyone?
Yup. And to quote Ghost Busters: (how appropriate :lol:) A Focused Non-Terminal Repeating Phantasm, or a Class V Full Roaming Vapor. A real nasty one, too. (:lol:)

GREAT topic!

[LexInVA]

Hooo boy I saw that coming....

[saddlebredjunkie]

Assuming 40 hrs a week and 52 weeks a year, that's under $25k pre-tax. Not poverty, exactly, but hardly worth a "WOW" I think...

Sarcasm doesn't work very well in text:lol:

[saddlebredjunkie]

Does anyone know when USEF members became customers??? Hince their knew customer care center filled with non-horsey people.

What happened to the membership department???

Customers have a chose where to shop members join??

[CheeseWithYourWhine?]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but my husband and i eat out all the time because neither of us cook. Our dinner tip is more than your hourly wage.

Wow, you are spending $60 on dinner and drinks for two? You must really be living the high life.

[Lindie]

Dinner for two at $60.00 is living high? I think not, I consider it average.
Oh, I do not know what happened to the Membership Department. ....here one day and gone the next.
Customer is such a cold word. It definitely does not make you feel like a family member.....business strictly business.

[FormerShowHunter]

Does anyone know when USEF members became customers??? Hince their knew customer care center filled with non-horsey people.

What happened to the membership department???

Customers have a chose where to shop members join??

Ya know, I was wondering about that whole "customer" thing too. It made me feel like I was standing in line at wal mart or something.

Why doesn't the National Governing Body hire people that KNOW horse sports??

[LexInVA]

Why doesn't the National Governing Body hire people that KNOW horse sports??

They had quite a few in the beginning but the organization just wasn't what people who signed on thought it would be and it certainly wasn't (and still to some extent) well organized enough to hire the right kinds of people to do the jobs and they certainly weren't willing to pay them well because they wanted to keep the money circulating at the top of the organization to pay the self-important big names who don't really bring anything to the table. The USEF suffers from the same problems that plague organizations like United Way, American Red Cross, and other purpose driven groups. That problem is that there are huge amounts of money going around, with little or no oversight/transparency, and the people getting a lot of that money aren't really earning it.

[Lindie]

Whoa, did I read that right? The keeper of the money shouldn't be the keeper of the money? They should give all members a stimulus package..............say..........free membership for 2009.

[ThatScaryChick]

Someone told me to check this out.
Interesting.
Who cares?

Why respond? :rolleyes: Some of us are interested in this information.

[poltroon]

They had quite a few in the beginning but the organization just wasn't what people who signed on thought it would be and it certainly wasn't (and still to some extent) well organized enough to hire the right kinds of people to do the jobs and they certainly weren't willing to pay them well because they wanted to keep the money circulating at the top of the organization to pay the self-important big names who don't really bring anything to the table. The USEF suffers from the same problems that plague organizations like United Way, American Red Cross, and other purpose driven groups. That problem is that there are huge amounts of money going around, with little or no oversight/transparency, and the people getting a lot of that money aren't really earning it.

I wonder if they might be better off having fewer positions but paying them better. Less turnover and more knowledgeable/happier workers might be a better fit. I was pretty surprised to see that $64 million went through the organization in 2006. A lot of that is earmarked for particular things, and/or the org doesn't have discretionary spending over all of it. But if you dig in the return, it appears that only a small amount of that is spent on the people who work in HQ.

[saddlebredjunkie]

I wonder if they might be better off having fewer positions but paying them better. Less turnover and more knowledgeable/happier workers might be a better fit. I was pretty surprised to see that $64 million went through the organization in 2006. A lot of that is earmarked for particular things, and/or the org doesn't have discretionary spending over all of it. But if you dig in the return, it appears that only a small amount of that is spent on the people who work in HQ.


"Knowledgeable" is the key word! You calll their "care center" they don't know the front end from the back end of a horse if he bit them or kicked them!:no: They will put you on hold to find out what a gelding is:lol:

I hear it is like a "friends and family" hiring program that they got going. It is a shame, That the National Governing Body of the Equine sport won't take care of their own:cry:

[Lindie]

That is a great idea................less employess but better paying/qualified employees. I am tired of being put on hold when I call with a question, I wondered why that was happening and now it all makes sense. I try not to call there unless I have no other choice, that is how bad it has gotten. If I have a question I usually wait until I get to the show and ask people there. When they put us on hold at USEF are they looking in a "how to" book?
I hate going from a valued member to a mere customer. One thing for sure "times are a changin'." And, not for the better!

[Hunter Princess]

If you have to call USDF and the membership department, I promise I won't put you on hold to find out what a gelding is :winkgrin:

Unless that is, if you ask if that gelding has breed papers on file and are hidden away in the filing system and you also need to find what he produced in his past life as a stallion and oh, wait, also his scores from the past 3 years plus a history of his ownership.

Then I might put you on hold. Or ask to call you back :-P

[MHM]

Honestly, email is your friend when dealing with USEF. You don't have to wait on hold, plus you have a RECORD of what you were told, and who gave you the information. Don't underestimate that part.

[Lindie]

You get your emails answered?
I sent an email about a horse ID once and I got an answer eight months later saying my email had gotten lost in the shuffle (whatever that is supposed to mean) anyway they emailed me a reply to my question but by that time I not only had an ID for the horse in question but had gotten ID's for three more.
Shame on USEF !

[Oldenburg Mom]

Actually, I'd like to know why it always takes them so long to incorporate the breed shows. Here we are getting to the end of October and AUGUST's breed show at Fair Hill still hasn't been finished.

Go figure. *sigh*

[tempichange]

I did not say that people in KY are uncivilized (those were your words). I was simply making a point. How can people in KY have decent living arrangements or have decent health care on those salaries.
Hey, you guys are the ones crying over your wages, I am just making making a point...........[edit]

Answer is the majority don't. However, cost of living down here is lower, and USEF/DF gets a tax break for promoting jobs in the commonwealth.