Executive Compensation at The Jackson Laboratory (2019)

Unless you’re in medical research or read the New Yorker, you may not have heard of The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) – an independent, non-profit 501 (c) (3) biomedical research institute with three main research centers (Bar Harbor, Maine; Sacramento, California, and Farmington, Connecticut) that have more than 60 laboratories performing research in six (6) areas: cancer, reproductive biology, immunology, metabolic, neurobiology, and neurobehavioral disorders.  In addition, JAX has an affiliated research lab organization in Japan and China (Shanghai).

JAX is probably best known as the largest distributor of genetically engineered lab mice in the country with about 11,000 mice that are used for research, both at JAX laboratories and 1,700 research laboratories in 50 countries.

There are 25 voting members (trustees) of the governing body, 24 of whom are independent, although there are 28 listed on the Form 990 (due to timing differences). 20 of the 28 (71%) are male while 8 of the 29 (29%) are female (Note:  The Form 990 does not report gender. Determinations were made based on name and google searches).

In 2019, JAX reported total revenue of $460 million (compared to $432 million in 2018) most of which came from two sources:  genetic resources ($318 million) and government grants ($115 million). Expenses totaled $366 million (not including $42 million in depreciation) with the largest expense being $225 million in compensation for the 3,150 employees. JAX has $835million in net fund assets.

319 employees received more than $100,000 in compensation.  The 13 most highly compensated employees were reported to be:

• $1,530,354:  Edison R Liu, President and CEO
• $1,060,366:  Aurobindo Nair, EVP and President, JMCRS
• $  810,214:  S Catherine Longley, EVP and COO
• $  571,171:  Gregory Leet, VP for Advancement
• $  544,445:  Kenneth H Fasman, SVP Research
• $  534,992:  John Ryan, General Counsel
• $  482,602:  Nadia A Rosenthal, Scientific Director
• $  475,846:  Jens Reuter, Medical Director
• $  460,888:  Barbara-Jean Bormann-Kennedy, VP Sci Translation/Alliances
• $  457,637:  Charles Lee, Scientic Director JAX GM
• $  445,182:  Jacques F Banchereau, Professor
• $  434,798:  Kathy Vandergrift, Associate GM, Site Director and Prod
• $  426,956:  Douglas Abbott, CFO

8 of the 13 (62%) most highly compensated employees are male while 5 of the 13 (38%) are female. (Note the Form 990 does not report gender. Determinations were made based on name and google searches).

JAX provides a supplemental non qualified retirement plan, mainingting a deferred compensation plan under Section 457 (F). The following contributions were made:

• $100,000:  President, CEO
• $ 70,000:  EVP/COO
• $  40,000:  President, JAX Mice, Clinical & Research Services

$219,834 in distributions were made to the President and CEO.

Alan Sawyer, related to and a family member f Nadia Rosenthal, received $216,035 for employment.

67 independent contractors received more than $100,000 from JAX in 2019. The 5 most highly compensated independent contractors were reported to be:

• $33,008,370:  The Whiting Turner Contracting, of Baltimore, MD for construction management
• $ 7,368,242:  PC Construction Co, of South Burlington, VT, for construction management
• $6,775,569:  Biotrans LLC, of Morristown, NJ for transportation
• $2,399,004:  Johnson Controls, Inc, of Chicago, IL for construction management
• $1,454,677:  EYP, Inc, of Albany, NY for consulting and design

To read the IRS Form 990 (2019), click here.