Executive Compensation at the Air Line Pilots Association (2022)

The Airline Pilots Association International (ALPA) is the largest airline pilot union in the world with more than 77,000 pilots from 41 US and Canadian airlines.  Based in McLean, Virginia, ALPA is a tax-exempt, non-profit 501 (c) (5) whose membership dues are approximately $3,000-$4,000 annually (based on 1.95% of gross income which appears to be about $200,000 annually or taking total membership revenue ($229 million) divided by total pilots (77,000)).

In 2022, ALPA reported total revenue of $246 million, most of which came from membership dues ($229 million). Expenses totaled $214 million (including $3 million in depreciation) with the largest expense reported to be compensation.

367 employees received $82 million in compensation which equates to an average compensation of $223,000.  261 employees received more than $100,000 in compensation with the 25 most highly compensated reported to be:

• $914,016:  Joseph DePete, President
• $765,199:  David Krieger, General Manager
• $715,042:  Bruce York, Sr Advisor & Chief Negotiator
• $715,966:  Marcus Migliore, Sr Managing Attorney
• $607,664:  Jonathan Cohen, Chief Counsel/Director, Legal
• $601,941:  Andrew Shostack, Asst Dir of Representation
• $584,345:  Arthur Luby, Asst Dir of Representation
• $577,869:  Kelly Collie, Director, HR
• $572,718:  Elizabeth Robinson, Director of Finance/CFO
• $562,270:  Howard Hagy, Director, Engineering and Air Safety
• $542,286:  John Schleder, Sr Labor Relations Counsel/MEC Coordinator
• $536,911:  Marie Schwartz, Dir of Strategic MBR Dev and Resources
• $533,074:  David Weaver, Dir, Communications
• $526,953:  Thomas Ciantra, Managing Attorney
• $504,586:  Richard Harrell, Dir, Info Tech and Services
• $485,845:  Elizabeth Baker, Dir of Gov’t Affairs
• $465,941:  Suzanne Kalfus, Senior Attorney
• $459,998:  Joan Bettenburg, Sr Labor Relations Counsel
• $444,362:  Kyle Johanning, Director, Economic and Financial Analysis
• $441,371:  Lee Veid-Norstern, Mgr, IT Development and Support
• $437,027:  Elizabeth Ginsburg, Director of Representation
• $436,824:  Catherine Powers, Managing Attorney
• $423,395:  Anna Lebovidge, Assistant Director, Representation

The 25 employees listed above received $14 million in compensation.  17 of the 25 (68%) employees are male while 8 of the 25 (32%) are female (note:  Gender is not reported on a Form 990. Conclusions were made based on name and google searches).

The most highly compensated employee, Joseph DePete received more than $1.4 million in 2021 and $8 million in compensation from 2017-2022 and the 10 most highly compensated employees received more than $40 million from 2017-2022:

Joseph DePete:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:  $8 million

• 2022:  $  914,016
• 2021:  $1,434,941
• 2020:  $1,389,366
• 2019:  $1,305,050
• 2018:  $1,381,738
• 2017:  $1,188,806

David Krieger:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:  $4 million

• 2022:  $765,199
• 2021:  $699,932
• 2020:  $704,146
• 2019:  $648,601
• 2018:  $559,019
• 2017:  $564,537

Marcus Migliore:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:  $3 million

• 2022:  $715,966
• 2021:  $511,191
• 2020:  $532,443
• 2019:  $524,794
• 2018:  $511,103
• 2017:  $432,313

Bruce York:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:  $4.5 million

• 2022:  $  715,042
• 2021:  $  654,235
• 2020:  $ 673,672
• 2019:  $  615,428
• 2018:  $  601,558
• 2017:  $1,119,400

Jonathan Cohen:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:  $4 million

• 2022:  $607,664
• 2021:  $674,040
• 2020:  $680,027
• 2019:  $634,378
• 2018:  $655,680
• 2017:  $577,035

Andrew Shostack:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:  $3 million

• 2022:  $601,941
• 2021:  $486,759
• 2020:  $494,544
• 2019:  $462,991
• 2018:  $513,568
• 2017:  $402,113

Arthur Luby:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:  $2,5 million

• 2022:  $584,345
• 2021:  $502,195
• 2020:  $491,817
• 2019:  $469,923
• 2018:  $459,333
• 2017:  $425,106

Kelly Collie:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:  $5.5 million

• 2022:  $577,869
• 2021:  $509,969
• 2020:  $505,591
• 2019:  $487,960
• 2018:  $440,728
• 2017:  $414,796

Elizabeth Robinson:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:  $3 million

• 2022:  $572,718
• 2021:  $514,642
• 2020:  $517,448
• 2019:  $481,544
• 2018:  $456,599
• 2017:  $430,599

Howard Hagy:  Total Compensation 2017-2022:  $3 million

• 2022:  $562,270
• 2021:  $499,981
• 2020:  $523,359
• 2019:  $492,825
• 2018:  $479,900
• 2017:  $465,112

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.

ALPA has a supplemental non qualified retirement plan. See the Form 990, Schedule J, Part III, Supplemental Information for more details.

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

• $2.9 million:  Virtual Flight Surgeons, of Centennial, CO for aeromedical advisors
• $1.5 million:  Home Front Communications, of Washington, DC for marketing/advertising
• $1.2 million  :  FYVE S, of San Jose, CA for technology
• $0.9 million  :  Kelly Press, Inc., of Cheverly, MD for printing
• $0.9 million:  Jancon Construction, of Woodbridge, Ontario for construction

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