Chairman, chief executive
Total compensation: $59,368,661 for the year ended Dec. 31
Salary: $1,025,000
Non-equity incentive pay: $5,612,000
Other compensation: $526,151
Exercised stock options: $38,598,023
Value realized on vesting shares: $13,607,487
New stock options: 77,932
CEO pay ratio: 166 to 1
Median employee pay: $125,720
Total 2020 shareholder return: 19.8%
Note: Cracchiolo’s realized compensation increased 260% over the previous year, mainly because he exercised $38.6 million in previously issued stock options after not exercising any in 2019.
Cracchiolo, the only CEO of Ameriprise since it spun-out of American Express in 2005, earned a $5.6 million cash incentive award for the company’s 2020 results, 3% less than the previous year.
While some companies have adjusted financial goals for 2020 because of the pandemic, the board of directors did not make any adjustments after the company navigated through the pandemic comparatively smoothly.
The value of Ameriprise stock, like others, fell sharply in March and April of 2020. It recovered, produced a 19.8% total return for 2020 and is currently trading near all-time highs.
Client satisfaction remained strong through the pandemic and the company made it easier than ever for advisers and clients to meet virtually and complete business. The company said 96% of its clients who were surveyed said they were “highly satisfied.”
Clients are connecting more often with Ameriprise through their app and the company website. And the company introduced more online tools for advisers, employees and managers throughout the pandemic. The company said use of electronic signatures doubled and that more than 60% of clients used their online tools to complete paperwork.
Patrick Kennedy