Executive Compensation at the Jackson Laboratory (2020)

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 12,000 strains of genetically-specialized mice that are used for research, both at JAX laboratories and 2,000 research laboratories in 64 countries.

There are 24 voting members (trustees) of the governing body, 23 of whom are independent, although there are 29 listed on the Form 990 (due to timing differences). 18 of the 29 (62%) are male while 11 of the 29 (38%) are female (Note:  The Form 990 does not report gender. Determinations were made based on name and google searches).

In 2020, JAX reported total revenue of $528 million (compared to $460 million in 2019 and $432 million in 2018) most of which came from two sources:  genetic resources ($295 million) and government grants ($108 million). Expenses totaled $416 million (not including $48 million in depreciation) with the largest expense being $245 million in compensation for the 2,904 employees. JAX has $919 million in net fund assets at year-end

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

• $1,589,485:  Edison R Liu, President and CEO
• $1,131,757:  Aurobindo Nair, EVP and President, JMCRS
• $  847,135:  S Catherine Longley, EVP and COO
• $  625,679:  Kenneth H Fasman, SVP Research
• $  559,713:  John Ryan, General Counsel
• $  531,080:  Douglas Abbott CFO
• $  522,896:  Nadia A Rosenthal, Scientific Director
• $  491,324:  Jens Reuter, Medical Director
• $  477,974:  Barbara-Jean Bormann-Kennedy, VP Sci Translation/Alliances
• $  482,095:  Charles Lee, Scientic Director JAX GM
• $  462,975:  David Grass, General Manger Prod Mice & Serv
• $  457,908:  Jacques F Banchereau, Professor
• $  430,537:  Andrew Green, Prof & Direct Mass Spec Protein

9 of the 13 (69%) most highly compensated employees are male while 4 of the 13 (31%) 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:

• $350,000:  President, CEO
• $ 70,000:  EVP/COO
• $  40,000:  EVP
• $  30,000:  CFO

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

• $15.4 million  The Whiting Turner Contracting, of Baltimore, MD for construction management
• $ 7.5 million:  Biotrans LLC, of Morristown, NJ for transportation
• $ 2.5 million:  Marketing Builders, of Sacramento, CA for construction management
• $ 2.3.million:  Nickerson and O;Day of Bangor, ME for construction management
• $ 2.2 million:  Lily Transportation Corp, of Needham, MA for transportation

To read the IRS Form 990 (2020), click here.