Ms. Sorrell’s salary will jump from $283,000 to $325,000, not counting health and retirement benefits. The board member who could have tied the 5-4 vote walked out of the meeting just minutes before the roll was called. The board member later said she would have stayed at the meeting and voted “no” if she had known the vote would be so close.
Board members who voted “yes” on the salary increase said Ms. Sorrell was previously underpaid and the compensation boost made her salary comparable to the salaries of CEOs in similar positions. According to the report, the raise brings Ms. Sorrell back to her 2008 compensation level, before the board eliminated the organization’s incentive bonus plan last year.
Board members who voted “no” said the organization should not have re-instated the CEO’s bonuses when the state is experiencing a down economy.
Read the Bakersfield report on Carol Sorrell’s raise.
Read more on hospital CEO compensation:
–5 Recent Healthcare Compensation Controversies
–After Firing CEO, Georgia’s Memorial Health May Pay $900,000 Financial Package
–6 Questions Every Hospital Executive Should Ask When Considering New Employment
