R.G. Edmonson | Apr 07, 2009 12:53PM EDT
U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas J. Donohue, and Association of American Railroads President Edward Hamberger are the two top wage-earners among commerce and transportation association executives, according to a survey by CEO Update, a publication for executives of association and non-profit organizations.
Between them, Donohue and Hamberger earned more than $5 million in salary and $60,000 in benefits and expenses, the survey said.
Rounding out the millionaire’s club are Charles Barclay, American Association of Airport Executives, James May, Air Transport Association of America, William Graves, American Trucking Associations, and John Engler, National Association of Manufacturers.
The magazine based its survey on 2007 and 2008 public disclosures filed with the Internal Revenue Service. The organizations in the survey included 500 with more than $7 million in revenue. Well-known groups such as the American Association of Port Authorities, American Association of Exporters and Importers, National Industrial Transportation League and the World Shipping Council did not make the revenue threshold.
Trade association executives in the survey had a median salary of $506,066, up 8.6 percent from 2006-2007. Executives with professional organizations earned a median $355,911, up 3.4 percent.
| Executive | Association | Salary | Benefits & expenses |
| Thomas J. Donohue | U.S. Chamber of Commerce | $3,157,188 | $19,796 |
| Edward Hamberger | Association of American Railroads | $2,629,309 Incl. $1,585,626 deferred salary | $40,321 |
| Charles Barclay | American Association of Airport Executives | $1,374,569 | $223,787 |
| James May | Air Transport Association of |
$1,087,358 | $618,522 |
| William Graves | American Trucking Associations | $1,051,408 | $82,893 |
| John M. Engler | National Association of Manufacturers | $1,000,751 | $315,281 |
| T. Peter Ruane | American Road and Transportation Builders Association | $824,802 | $494,197 |
| Phillip Boyer | Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association | $710,703 | $405,832 |
| John W. Douglass | Aerospace Industries Association | $555,692 | $618,328 |
| Sandra J. Kennedy | Retail Industry Leaders Association | $478,431 | $19,334 |
| William Millar | American Public Transportation Association | $390,348 | $110,655 |
| Gregory Principato | Airports Council International – |
$323,571 | $35,888 |
| John Horsley | American Association of |
$296,538 | $102,957 |
| John Prater | Airline Pilots Association | $294,979 | $196,487 |