Executive Compensation at the US Chamber of Commerce (2022)

The US Chamber of Commerce (also known as the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America) is the largest business organization in the United States representing businesses. A tax-exempt, non-profit 501 (c) 6 organization, the US Chamber of Commerce (USCOC) is based in Washington, DC.

The USCOC raised $210 million in 2022 (compared to $204 million in 2021, $230 million in 2020 and $173 million in 2019), primarily from contributions, gifts and grants with only $4 million coming from membership dues).

Expenses totaled $207 million, with the largest expense reported to be compensation followed by fees for services, office-related expenses, and advertising), leaving $3 million allocated to the general fund.  A $16 million adjustment for pension liability allowed USCOC to close the year with $82 million in net assets, compared to $63 million at the beginning of the year.  

In 2022, 483 employees received $99 million in compensation which equates to an average compensation of $206,000. However, only 241 employees received more than $100,000 in compensation with the 14 most highly compensated reported to be:

• $6,326,094:  Suzanne P Clark, President and CEO
• $4,459,879:  Agnes Warfield-Blanc, EVP, Strategic Initiatives
• $1,888,164:  Justin Waller, EVP and COO
• $1,801,378:  Neil Bradley, EVP and Chief Policy Officer
• $1,533,513:  Myron Brilliant, EVP and Head International
• $1,400,783:  Harold Kim, President, ILR
• $1,365,617:  David T Hirschmann, President and CEO, CCMC, GIPC,C-Tec
• $1,138,841:  Martin Durbin, President GEI and SVP Policy
• $1,138,641:  Michelle Russo, Chief Communications Officer
• $  800,948:  Thomas Quaadman, EVP, CCMC, Senior Advisor to the SEVP
• $  653,335:  Elizabeth Keffer, EVP and Chief Relations Officer
• $  577,857:   Stefan Freiberg, CFO
• $  382,025:  John Wood, SVP, General Counsel, CIO, and Sec’y
• $  250,143:  Crystal Jezierski, Assistant Generał Counsel and Asst Secretary

The 14 most highly compensated employees received $23 million in compensation.  9 of the 14 (64%) most highly compensated employees are male while 5 of the 14 (36%) are female.

10 of the most  highly compensated employees received nearly $100 million in compensation from 2017-2022

Suzanne Clark:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:  $24 million

• $6,326,094  2022
• $5,170,255:  2021
• $4,300,251:  2020
• $3,145,755:  2019
• $2,506,098:  2018
• $2,413,622:  2017

Agnes Warfield-Blanc:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:  $23 million

• $4,459,879: 2022
• $3,248,171:  2021
• $3,575,639:  2020
• $3,643,563:  2019
• $3,916,498:  2018
• $3,920,786:  2017

Justin Waller:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:  $8 million

• $1,888,164:  2022
• $2,006,847:  2021
• $1,307,741:  2020
• $1,168,108:  2019
• $1,051,756:  2018
• $  219,186:  2017

Myron Brillant:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:   $13 million 

• $1,533,513:  2022
• $1,959,764:  2021
• $2,254,037:  2020
• $2,436,155:  2019
• $1,950,483:  2018
• $1,994,338:  2017

David Hirschmann:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:  $11 million

• $1,365,617:  2022
• $1,733,362:  2021
• $2,059,413:  2020
• $2,369,160:  2019
• $1,841,992:  2018
• $1,911,644:  2017

Neil Bradley:  Total Compensation 2018-2022:  $7 million

• $1,801,378:  2022
• $1,334,944:  2021
• $1,219,730:  2020
• $1,015,265:  2019
• $  904,094:  2018

Martin Durbin:  Total Compensation 2020-2022:  $3 million

• $1,138,841:  2022
• $1,086,541:  2021
• $  834,435:  2020

Harold Kim:  Total Compensation 2020-2022:  $3 million

• $1,400,783:  2022
• $1,047,971:  2021
• $  216,033:  2020

Michelle Russo:  Total Compensation:  2020-2022:  $3 million

• $1,138,641:  2022
• $1.038,426:  2021
• $1,020,122:  2020

Thomas Quaadman:  Total Compensation 2019-2022:  $3 million

• $800,948:  2022
• $748,220:  2021
• $763,281:  2020
• $751,880:  2019

It is important to note that highly compensated employees from 2017-2021 but not 2022 are not included in the list above. This includes the former CEO, Thomas Donohue who received $37 million in compensation from 2017-2021 or Stan Harrell who received $5 million in compensation from 2017-2021:

Thomas J Donohue:  Total Compensation 2017-2021:  $37 million

• $9,211,428:  2021
• $7,114,289:  2020
• $6,668,106:  2019
• $6,897,144:  2018
• $6,619,841:  2017

Stan Harrell:  Total Compensation 2017-2021:  $5 million

• $1,047,932:  2021
• $ 998,714:  2020
• $1,099,944:  2019
• $  835,030:  2018
• $1,008,601:  2017

USCOC paid for first class and charter travel, companion travel, health or social club dues or initiation fees, and for personal services.  For details on these expenses, see Schedule J, Part III, Supplemental Information on the Form 990.

It is interesting to note:

• 483 employees received $99 million in compensation.
• 241 employees received more than $100,000 in compensation so 242 received less than $100,000 in compensation.
• 14 employees received $23 million so the remaining 469 employees received $76 million in compensation in 2022,  or an average of $186,000.
• Of the 469 employees who received $76 million, 227 received more than $100,000 in compensation while 242 received less than $100,000 in compensation, or a maximum of $24 million, so the 227 employees who received more than $100,000 in compensation received $52 million or an average off $229,000, and yet these employees are not listed on the Form 990 schedule as highly compensated or key employees.

For information on “Transactions with Interested Persons” where 34 substantial contributors were compensated for services (consulting, legal services, public relations, and accounting), see Schedule L, Part IV, Business Transactions Involving Interested Persons on the Form 990.

It is important to note that in 2022, there were 34 substantial contributors who received compensation for services.  The increase from 15 in 2020 to 32 in 2021 to 34 in 2022 may cause readers to wonder if “pay for play” (where contributors make donations to obtain work from an organization) exists.

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

• $3,419,287:  Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, of Philadelphia, PA for legal services
• $1,350,000:  Strategic Partners and Media, of Annapolis, MD for advertising
• $1,136,268  :  Wiley Rein, of Newark, NJ for legal services
• $  753,049:  Mayer Brown LLP, of Washington, DC for legal policy consulting (legal work)
• $  704,442:  Shook Hardy and Bacon, of Kansas City, MO for legal policy consulting (legal work(

In summary, the USCOC is a large business chamber headquartered in Washington, DC that pays its top executives handsomely. The 14 most highly compensated employees received $23 million in compensation, which equates to an average compensation of $1.6 million.  From 2017-2022, 10 of the most highly compensated employees received nearly $100 million in compensation. In addition, the organization paid for first class or charter travel, companion travel, health or social club dues or initiation fees, and for personal services.

To read the IRS Form 990 (2022), click here.