Executive Compensation at the American Association for Cancer Research

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and it’s affiliate organization, the American Association for Cancer Research Foundation (AACRF) are both 501 (c) (3)’s that operate out of the same office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  AACRF primarily raises funds for AACR while AACR engages in three (3) activities: awarding grants, conducting seminars, conferences, and workshops, and publishing research journals. 

The IRS Form 990 (2016) reports AACR employed 204 individuals in 2016 who received compensation of $19.5 million (an average of $96,000 each) although 42 individuals received more than $100,000 in compensation with the most highly compensated staff being:

• $845,678:  Dr. Margaret Foti, CEO
• $353,517:  Michael Stewart, CFO
• $331,882:  Jon Retzlaff, Mgr Director, Science Policy
• $265,826:  Christine B Rullo, Publisher
• $239,024:  Joseph Pontoski, Sr Director, Finance
• $238,094:  Richard G Buck, Sr Director, Communications
• $204,513:  Paul Driscoll, Sr Director, Graphics and Creative

As listed above, $2.5 million was provided to 7 individuals, 2 of which (or 29%) are women and 5 (or 71%) are men although it is important to note the most highly compensated individual was a woman whose compensation was 2-3 times as high as the other highly compensated individuals.

AACRF reports the foundation has no employees although the organization reported $2.3 million in compensation-related expenses on the IRS Form 990 (2016), although most of these expenses represent the amounts allocated from employees of AACR, who are in the same office. The most highly compensated individuals at AACRF were:

• $327,907:  Mitchell Stoller, Executive Director
• $185,108:  Anizia Karmazyn, Sr Director, Leadership Philanthropy
• $159,789:  Peter Van Pelt, Director, Corporate Alliances

Finally, it is important to point out the CEO of AACR, Dr. Margaret Foti and the Executive Director of AACRF, Mitchell Stoller fly first class “to accommodate business travel schedules and facilitate ongoing business arrangements.”  How first class travel accommodates travel schedules (there are flexible economy fares) is not explained further.

To read the IRS Form 990 (2016) for AACR, click here.

To read the IRS Form 990 (2017) for AACRF, click here.