Executive Compensation at the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA)

The Airline Pilots Association International (ALPA) is the largest airline pilot union in the world with more than 61,000 pilots from 38 US and Canadian airlines.  Based in McLean, Virginia, ALPA is a tax-exempt, non-profit 501 (c) (5) whose membership dues are approximately $3,600 annually (based on 1.9% of gross income which appears to be about $200,000 annually).

In 2019, ALPA reported total revenue of $235 million, most of which came from membership dues. Expenses totaled $178 million (including $3 million in depreciation) with the largest expense reported to be compensation.  378 employees received $72 million in compensation which equates to an average compensation of $190,000.  209 employees received more than $100,000 in compensation with the 27 most highly compensated reported to be:

• $1,305,050:  Joseph DePete, President
• $  741,503:  Lori Garver, Former General Manager
• $  667,744:  Ana Mcahron-Schulz, Director of Econ and Fin
• $  648,601:  David Krieger, General Manager
• $  634,378:  Jonathan Cohen, Chief Counsel/Director, Legal
• $  615,428:  Bruce York, Sr Advisor & Chief Negotiator
• $  573,486:  Elizabeth Ginsburg, Director of Representation
• $  562,478:  James Johnson, Former Sr Managing Attorney
• $  524,794:  Marcus Migliore, Sr Managing Attorney
• $  492,825:  Howard Hagy, Director, Engineering and Air Safety
• $  487,960:  Kelly Collie, Director, HR
• $  481,544:  Elizabeth Robinson, Director of Finance/CFO
• $  469,923:  Arthur Luby, Asst Dir of Representation
• $  462,991:  Andrew Shostack, Asst Dir of Representation
• $  451,029:  Thomas Ciantra, Managing Attorney
• $  434,823:  Marie Schwartz, Dir of Strategic MBR Dev and Resources
• $  429,057:  Richard Harrell, Dir, Info Tech and Services
• $  418,412:  David Weaver, Dir, Communications
• $  402,918:  Elizabeth Baker, Dir of Gov’t Affairs
• $  397,775:  Steve Hodgson, Mgr, Retirement and Insurance
• $  373,545:  John Schleder, Sr Labor Relations Counsel/MEC Coordinator
• $  365,706:  Timothy Canoll, Former President
• $  362,807:  Andrea Griffith, Comptroller
• $  360,971:  Jane Schraft, Sr Labor Relations Counsel/MEC Coordinator
• $  360,403:  Lee Veid-Norstern, Mgr, IT Development and Support
• $  355,783:  Randy Kenagy, Mgr, Engineering and Operations
• $  333,157:  Catherine Powers, Managing Attorney

The 27 employees listed above received $14 million in compensation.  16 of the 27 (59%) employees are male while 11 of the 27 (41%) are female (note:  Gender is not reported on a Form 990. Conclusions were made based on name and google searches).

ALPA paid a housing allowance or for a residence for personal use. Specifically, an officer who maintains a primary residence outside of the Washington, DC area is reimbursed for appropriate housing, meals, and incidental expenses while in the Washington, DC area and transportation between his/her primary residence outside the Washington, DC area.

ALPA provided discretionary spending accounts. Specifically, the “national” officers receive a monthly payment  for reimbursement of extraordinary expenses, both business and personal.

Lori Garver recevied $562,216 in severance payments.

Timothy Canoll received $165,257 in severance payments.

ALPA has a supplemental non qualified retirement plan. Additional taxable compensation related to a 457F non qualified deferred compensation plan was reported for Mr. Joseph DePete in the amount of $485,153 above.

45 independent contractors received more than $100,000 in compensation. The 5 most highly compensated were reported to be:

• $9,499,756:  James G Davis Construction, of Rockville, MD for construction
• $2,505,102:  Virtual Flight Surgeons, of Centennial, CO for aeromedical advisors.
• $2,286,030:  Danckler, of Capital Heights, MD for workspace solutions
• $1,378,590:  Home Front Communications, of Washington, DC for marketing/advertising
• $1,299,276:  Celebrity IT LLC, of McLean, VA for tech consulting

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