Executive Compensation at Wounded Warriors (2021)

The Wounded Warrior Project is one of the most well-known tax-exempt non-profit charitable organizations focused on rebuilding the lives of wounded veterans. Established in 2003, the Wounded Warrior Project (Wounded Warrior) is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida with about 800 employees. A 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, their mission is to “honor and empower wounded warriors.”

There are 13 independent voting members (directors) of the governing body although only 15 are listed on the Form 990 (2020 for the year ending September 30, 2021) which appears to be due to timing differences. 10 directors (67%) are male and 5 (33%) are female.

Key factors to know about Wounded Warrior include:

• In 2021, Wounded Warrior reported total revenue of $339 million (compared to $287 million in 2020 and $282 million in 2019), most of which came from contributions, gifts, and grants.
• Expenses totaled $295 million in 2021, with 61% ($206 million) of revenue spent on compensation, office, fees, advertising and promotion, direct response mail, television, postage and shipping, and on-line response (fundraising), and other expenses.
• $89 million (or 32% of revenue) was spent on grants ($54 million) and program and other provider services ($35 million).
• Wounded Warrior did not spend $44 million of revenue and allocated these funds to the general fund.
• Wounded Warrior had net assets of $390 million at year-end September 30, 2021, compared to $326 million at the beginning of the year.

800 employees were compensated $78 million in 2021, which equates to an average compensation of $97,500.  105 employees received more than $100,000 in compensation with the 11 most highly compensated listed below:

• $385,705:  Michael S Linnington, CEO
• $362,568:  Jennifer M Silva, Chief Program Officer
• $347,528:  Eric S Miller, CFO
• $343,314:  Gary A Corless, Chief Development Officer
• $304,474:  Christopher Toner, Chief of Staff
• $291,384:  John T Hamre, III, VP Direct Response
• $269,747:  Michael C Richardson, VP Independence and Mental Health (thru 4/21)
• $261,765:  Angela Strohl, VP, Human Resources
• $259,572:  Scott Coster, VP Information Technology
• $243,599:  Tracy Farrell, VP Engagement and Physical Health
• $155,794:  Kathryn Biogiovanni, Secretai and General Counsel

The 11 most highly compensated employees received more than $3 million in compensation. Controlling for these employees and their respective compensations, means the other 789 employees were compensated $75 million, which equates to an average compensation of $95,000.

7 of the 11 (64%)nmost highly compensated employees are male while 4 (36%) are female.

58 independent contractors received more than $100,000 in compensation with the five highest reported to be:

• $10.3 million:  Neuro Community Care, of Wake Forest, NC for independence program
• $ 3.7 million:  Creative Direct Response, Inc, of Bowie, MD for direct response (fundraising)
• $ 3.0 million:  Neuro-Rehab Management, of Woburn, MA for independence program
• $ 2.3 million:  Bis Global, of McLean, VA for direct response (fundraising)
• $ 2.2 million:  TV Fundraising Solutions, of Lanham, MA for direct response (fundraising)

To read the IRS Form 990 (2020 for the year ending September 30, 2021), click here.