They earn millions of dollars and fly on corporate jets. Their pay includes $25,000 car allowances and $40,000 medical checkups. The CEOs of Florida’s top companies reap that and more, a lot more in some cases.
The Tampa Bay Times ranked the chief executive officers of the state’s 50 largest publicly traded companies. Each entry includes a quick company bio and a pay ratio, which compares a CEO’s compensation with the median salary of the company’s employees.
Combined, these 50 CEOs earned almost $500 million. No. 1 pulled in nearly $23 million. The lowest paid got $2.4 million. The youngest member is 47. The oldest 80. Just four women made the Florida list, though that’s twice as many as made the national rankings.
Meet the top 50.
1. Frank Del Rio, $22,593,061
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings
Age: 64
Del Rio has run Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings since 2015. The University of Florida accounting graduate oversees about 3,200 onshore employees and 30,000 who work aboard the company’s 26 ships. Thanks to stock awards, he earned twice as much as a year earlier, and nearly eight times what he pulled down in 2016.
Base pay: $1.75 million
Stock options and awards: $15.24 million
Other: $5 million
Perks: $100,000 travel account, $20,000 for tax preparations and $20,000 for a country club membership.
Median employee salary: $20,101
Pay ratio: 1,124 to 1
2. James Robo, $21,358,742
NextEra Energy
Age: 57
Robo heads up NextEra Energy, the parent company of , which provides electricity to about 5 million customers. NextEra also owns Gulf Power Co., which serves about 460,000 customers in eight counties in northwest Florida. Based in Juno Beach, NextEra reported $16.7 billion in revenue last year and a record $6.6 billion in profit.
Robo has a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He took over as CEO in 2012.
Base pay: $1.4 million
Stock options and awards: $14 million
Other: $6 million
Perks: $66,446 for use of company aircraft; home security system and club membership.
Median employee salary: $125,365
Pay ratio: 170 to 1
3. David Henshall, $19,253,101
Citrix Systems
Age: 51
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Explore all your optionsHenshall has run Citrix Systems since 2017. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, the software technology company has about 7,500 employees and boasts that nearly every Fortune 500 company uses its products.
Base pay: $1 million
Stock options and awards: $15.5 million
Other: $2.6 million
Perks: $5,000 to cover a physical exam, nearly $20,000 for life insurance and disability policies and $5,000 for charitable donations made under the company’s matching program.
Median employee salary: $170,433
Pay ratio: 113 to 1
4. L. Neil Hunn, $18,538,367
Roper Technologies
Age: 47
Hunn runs Roper Technologies, which develops software, engineered products and solutions. Based in Sarasota, the company has 15,000 employees.
Hunn took over the top job in September, when longtime CEO Brian Jellison was diagnosed with an undisclosed illness. Jellison, 73, died in November. During his tenure, the company’s value grew from a little over $1 billion to about $30 billion.
Base pay: $900,000
Stock options and awards: $15.6 million
Other: $2 million
Perks: $24,000 car allowance and $4,029 to cover a club membership.
Median employee salary: $88,707
Pay ratio: 209 to 1
5. Gary Norcross, $18,442,389
Fidelity National Information Services
Age: 53
Norcross runs Fidelity National Information Services, often referred to as FIS. The Jacksonville company has about 52,000 employees and provides financial services technology and outsourcing services to clients around the world. A longtime FIS employee, Norcross took over the top job in 2015.
Base pay: $1.2 million
Stock options and awards: $13 million
Other: $4 million
Perks: $64,000 in personal airplane use and $63,000 in executive health care
Median employee salary: $46,929
Pay ratio: 393 to 1
6. Jim DeVries, $17,942,615
ADT Inc.
Age: 56
DeVries became CEO of ADT Inc. in December, taking over for Timothy Whall. The well-known company provides electronic security for homes and businesses in the United States and Canada. Based in Boca Raton, ADT grew out of American District Telegraph, founded in 1874. Today, the company has about 19,000 employees and handles 15 million alarms calls annually.
DeVries earned a bachelor’s degree from what is now known as Trinity International University, a master’s from Loyola University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Base pay: $3.6 million (including bonus)
Stock options and awards: $13.5 million
Other: $710,000
Perks: $27,840 for housing expenses and $47,000 for work-related travel.
Note: ADT became a publicly traded company again in January 2018 and was not required to include a pay ratio.
7. Rick Beckwitt, $17,538,466
Lennar Corp.
Age: 60
Beckwitt rose to the top job at Lennar in April 2018. One of the nation’s largest home builders, Miami-based Lennar has divisions in 19 states and about 11,600 employees. The company was founded in 1954 as F&R Builders.
Base pay: $800,000
Stock options and awards: $16.8 million
Other: $30,000
Perks: $21,000 car allowance
Median employee salary: $88,244
Pay ratio: 199 to 1
8. Eugene Lee Jr., $15,770,151
Darden Restaurants
Age: 58
Lee is the chief executive officer of Orlando-based Darden Restaurants, which runs several chains including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House and Eddie V’s Prime Seafood. The company’s roots date to Bill Darden opening the Green Frog luncheonette in Waycross, Ga., in 1938. Today, the company has 180,000 employees.
Lee, who has an MBA from Suffolk University in Boston, took over as CEO in 2015.
Base pay: $1 million
Stock options and awards: $12.3 million
Other: $2.4 million
Perks: $31,000 for a car and an annual physical.
Median employee salary: $18,097
Pay ratio: 871 to 1
9. William Brown, $14,016,133
Harris Corp.
Age: 56
Brown runs Harris Corp., a Melbourne-based technology company and defense contractor with customers in more than 100 countries. Harris grew out of three companies founded in the 1890s and now has 17,500 employees, including 7,900 engineers and scientists.
Brown, who holds three degrees including an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, has run the company since 2014.
Base pay: $1.3 million
Stock options and awards: $9 million
Other: $3.5 million
Perks: Nearly $5,000 in insurance premiums; $126,000 for Brown’s personal use of Harris-operated airplanes
Median employee salary: $97,422
Pay ratio: 144 to 1
10. James Foote, $13,781,988
CSX
Age: 65
Foote runs CSX, a rail transportation company with 20,500 miles of routes serving 23 states and two Canadian provinces — Ontario and Quebec. Based in Jacksonville, CSX has 22,500 employees, including 18,500 union members.
Foote, who took over the top job in 2017, received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Superior and a law degree from John Marshall Law School in Chicago.
Base pay: $1.2 million
Stock options and awards: $8.8 million
Other: $3.7 million
Perks: An estimated $164,178 for use of corporate planes.
Median employee salary: $105,169
Pay ratio: 131 to 1
CSX in Tampa: City ends legal dispute involving rail line and massive Water Street project.
11. Arnold Donald, $13,515,884
Carnival Corp.
Age: 64
Donald runs Carnival Corp., the world’s largest cruise ship operator. The Miami company has more than 100 ships that visit 700 ports. It employs 88,000 people.
Base pay: $1.5 million
Stock options and awards: $11.7 million
Other: $289,790
Perks: $126,929 for company aircraft; $24,000 car allowance.
Median employee salary: $16,622
Pay ratio: 813 to 1
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12. Kenneth Burdick, $12,697,176
WellCare Health Plans
Age: 61
Burdick heads Tampa’s WellCare Health Plans, which manages health care for millions of patients with Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug plans. St. Louis-based Centene Corp. is in the process of buying WellCare. The deal is expected to close next year.
Base pay: $1.28 million Stock options and awards: $11.4 million
Other: $2.9 million
Perks: $6,507 in supplemental disability and $200 in gift cards.
Median employee salary: $81,647
Pay ratio: 156 to 1
13. Mike Jackson, $12,472,579
AutoNation
Age: 70
Jackson headed up AutoNation. With headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, the automotive retailer has more than 235 stores and 85 repair centers across the country. Jackson retired earlier this year.
Base pay: $1.29 million
Stock options and awards: $9.1 million
Other: $2.1 million
Perks: $48,344 for corporate aircraft; $22,526 for life insurance.
Median employee salary: $56,259
Pay ratio: 222 to 1
14. Richard Fain, $12,422,715
Royal Caribbean Cruises
Age: 71
Fain became chief executive officer of Miami-based Royal Caribbean Cruises in 1988. The world’s second-largest cruise company operates about 60 ships and carried nearly 6 million passengers in 2018, according to Cruise Market Watch.
Base pay: $1.1 million
Stock options and awards: $7.7 million
Other: $3.7 million
Perks: $24,298 auto allowance; $23,650 for life insurance.
Median employee salary: $19.396
Pay ratio: 640 to 1
Royal Caribbean is once again building the world’s largest cruise ship.
15. Mark Mondello, $11,396,365
Jabil
Age: 54
Mondello, 54, runs Jabil, a manufacturing services company and one of the largest companies based in the Tampa Bay area. Most of Jabil’s 199,000 employees work overseas.
Base pay: $1.15 million
Stock options and awards: $8.45 million
Other: $1.8 million
Perks: $4,596 for an executive physical.
Median employee salary: $5,091
Pay ratio: 2,238 to 1
16. Paul Reilly, $11,123,643
Raymond James Financial
Age: 65
Reilly took the helm of St. Petersburg’s Raymond James Financial in 2010. The investment bank and financial services provider has 12,500 employees in the United States, including about 5,000 in the Tampa Bay area.
Base pay: $500,000
Stock options and awards: $4.9 million
Other: $5.7 million
Perks: $55,847 in travel costs; $1,000 401(k) company match.
Median employee salary: $92,950
Pay ratio: 120 to 1
17. James “Joc” C. O’Rourke, $10,526,054
Mosaic Co.
Age: 58
O’Rourke heads the Mosaic Co., which moved its headquarters from Minnesota to Tampa last year. The phosphate giant has large mining operations in Central Florida.
Base pay: $1.18 million
Stock options and awards: $5.6 million
Other: $3.8 million
Perks: $15,000 for financial and tax planning; $273,330 for relocation expenses; $7,508 spousal travel.
Median employee salary: $41,594
Pay ratio: 253 to 1
18. Roger Medel, $9,938,017
Mednax
Age: 72
Medel co-founded Mednax in 1979. The medical solutions company is based in Sunrise.
Base pay: $1 million
Stock options and awards: $8 million
Other: $938,017
Perks: $257,848 for a leased airplane; $130 for term life insurance.
Median employee salary: $90,996
Pay ratio: 109 to 1
19. Jeffrey Stoops, $9,101,986
SBA Communications
Age: 60
Stoops has been SBA Communications’ chief executive officer since 2002. The Boca Raton company owns hundreds of cell towers and other wireless infrastructure around the country.
Base pay: $950,000
Stock options and awards: $6.8 million
Other: $1.4 million
Perks: $15,599 for health and medical.
Median employee salary: $84,778
Pay ratio: 107 to 1
20. Raymond Quirk, $9,078,683
Fidelity National Financial
Age: 72
Quirk has run Fidelity National Financial since 2013. The Jacksonville company provides residential and mortgage services.
Base pay: $1 million
Stock options and awards: $4.7 million
Other: $3.4 million
Perks: $40,344 for an executive physical.
Median employee salary: $52,530
Pay ratio: 173 to 1
21. Gerry Smith, $8,922,720
Office Depot
Age: 56
Smith runs the well-known retailer Office Depot, which also includes the brands OfficeMax, CompuCom and Grand & Toy. Based in Boca Raton, the company has about 1,360 stores and 44,000 employees.
Base pay: $1.1 million
Stock options and awards: $6.5 million
Other: $1.3 million
Perks: $25,000 car allowance; $56,971 moving expenses.
Median employee salary: $36,988
Pay ratio: 242 to 1
22. Howard Lorber, $8,441,627
Vector Group
Age: 70
Lorber runs the holding company Vector Group, whose subsidiaries are Liggett Group (tobacco) and New Valley, a real estate company that owns all of Douglas Elliman, a real estate brokerage firm that recently opened an office in St. Petersburg. Vector is based in Miami.
Base pay: $3.25 million
Stock options and awards: $1.15 million
Other: $4 million
Perks: $505,892 for corporate aircraft.
Median employee salary: $67,667
Pay ratio: 125 to 1
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23. Kathryn Marinello, $8,005,121
Hertz Global Holdings
Age: 63
Marinello has run Hertz Global Holdings since 2017. The car rental company based in Estero has 10,000 locations around the world.
Base pay: $1.45 million
Stock options and awards: $4.8 million
Other: $1.8 million
Perks: $10,283 for corporate airplane; $25,000 for travel
Median employee salary: $33,278
Pay ratio: 241 to 1
24. Stephen Weisz, $7,628,764
Marriott Vacations Worldwide
Age: 68
Weisz became chief executive officer of Marriott Vacations Worldwide in 2011. The Orlando company has about 23,000 employees.
Base pay: $925,000
Stock options and awards: $4.3 million
Other: $2.3 million
Perks: $900 for life insurance premiums
Median employee salary: $35,933
Pay ratio: 212 to 1
25. Shelley Broader, $7,604,988
Chico’s FAS
Age: 55
Broader ran the Fort Myers-based women’s retailer Chico’s FAS for 3½ years, before she abruptly resigned in April.
Base pay: $1.1 million
Stock options and awards: $6.5 million
Other: $4,813
Perks: N/A
Median employee salary: $6,242
Pay ratio: 1,218 to 1
26. Nathaniel Dalton, $7,538,535
Affiliated Managers Group
Age: 52
Dalton became CEO of Affiliated Managers Group in May 2018 after his predecessor was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The international investment management company is based in West Palm Beach.
Base pay: $650,641
Stock options and awards: $4.85 million
Other: $2 million
Perks: Profit sharing, life insurance
Median employee salary: $146,010
Pay ratio: 52 to 1
27. Robert Sanchez, $7,351,625
Ryder System
Age: 53
Sanchez has been chief executive officer of Ryder System since 2013. The Miami company is best known for its fleet of rental trucks.
Base pay: $820,080
Stock options and awards: $4.79 million
Other: $1.7 million
Perks: $10,000 in charitable matching gifts; $1,417 for life insurance premiums.
Median employee salary: $44,769
Pay ratio: 164 to 1
28. Jose Mas, $7,275,847
Mastec
Age: 47
Mas has run Coral Gables-based Mastec since 2007. The construction and engineering company builds cell towers, gas lines and energy plants, among other large-scale commercial projects.
Base pay: $1.05 million
Stock options and awards: $3.1 million
Other: $3.1 million
Perks: $23,988 car allowance; $25 gift card for company anniversary or holiday.
Median employee salary: $77,544
Pay ratio: 94 to 1
29. Liz Smith, $7,217,956
Bloomin’ Brands
Age: 56
Smith was chief executive officer at Bloomin’ Brands for a decade before she stepped down earlier this year in what the company called a planned succession. She remains executive chair of the board. The Tampa-based company’s brands include Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Bonefish Grill.
Base pay: $1 million
Stock options and awards: $4.5 million
Other: $1.7 million
Perks: $4,902 for life insurance.
Median employee salary: $10,453
Pay ratio: 691 to 1
THE REST OF THE TOP 50
30. Albert Nahmad, $7,117,698
Watsco
Age: 78
A Miami company, Watsco boasts of being the largest distributor of air conditioning, heating and refrigeration equipment in the industry.
Median employee salary: $47,786
Pay ratio: 149 to 1
31. Rakesh Sachdev, $7,045,239
Platform Specialty Products
Age: 63
Fort Lauderdale’s Platform Specialty Products, now known as Element Solutions Inc., produces specialized chemicals for use in everything from smartphones to food packaging.
Median employee salary: $49,275
Pay ratio: 143 to 1
32. Jerry Fowden, $6,979,490
Cott Corp.
Age: 62
Cott Corp. is a beverage maker and distributor. It’s one of the 10 largest companies in the Tampa Bay area based on revenues.
Median employee salary: $42,834
Pay ratio: 163 to 1
Cott Corp. sells beverage manufacturing business for $1.25 billion.
33. George Zoley, $6,963,460
GEO Group
Age: 69
Boca Raton-based GEO Group runs private prisons and detention facilities and also provides security services.
Median employee salary: $37,112
Pay ratio: 186 to 1
34. Laurans Mendelson, $6,753,991
Heico
Age: 80
Heico, based in Hollywood, is an aerospace, industrial, defense and electronics company, whose products are found on commercial and military aircraft, industrial turbines, missiles and targeting systems.
Median employee salary: $58,276
Pay ratio: 116 to 1
35. Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh, $6,666,331
Fresh Del Monte Produce
Age: 77
Abu-Ghazaleh bought Fresh Del Monte Produce in 1996 and took the company public in 1997. The Coral Gables company is best known for its fruits and vegetables.
Median employee salary: $5,525
Pay ratio: 1,207 to 1
36. James Gattoni, $5,469,699
Landstar System
Age: 57
Landstar System is a transportation and logistics company based in Jacksonville.
Median employee salary: $43,699
Pay ratio: 125 to 1
37. Michael Kasbar, $4,893,113
World Fuel Services
Age: 62
World Fuel Services is an international middleman of sorts, marketing and financing commercial fuel. Based in Miami, the company is one of the largest publicly traded companies in Florida and often makes it into the Fortune 100.
Median employee salary: $57,984
Pay ratio: 84 to 1
38. Lawrence Silber, $4,827,763
Herc Holdings
Age: 62
Herc Holdings is one of North America’s largest equipment rental companies. The Bonita Springs company was founded in 1965 and has traded on the New York Stock Exchange since 2016.
Median employee salary: $82,300
Pay ratio: 59 to 1
39. Rich Hume, $4,815,613
Tech Data
Age: 59
Tech Data, Tampa Bay’s largest company by revenues, buys equipment from major suppliers including Apple, HP and Cisco and ships it to customers through logistics centers worldwide, six of them in the continental United States.
Median employee salary: $54,160
Pay ratio: 93 to 1
Meet the CEO of Tampa Bay’s largest company.
40. Charles Sykes, $4,345,895
Sykes Enterprises
Age: 56
Tampa-based Sykes Enterprises is known for its call centers that primarily serve the communications, financial services, health care, technology and transportation industries.
Median employee salary: $10,450
Pay ratio: 416 to 1
41. David Dunkel, $4,289,262
Kforce
Age: 65
Based in Tampa, Kforce is a professional staffing company with about 60 field offices around the country.
Median employee salary: $39,585
Pay ratio: 108 to 1
Kforce sells part of its business to ManTech.
42. J. Powell Brown, $4,189,041
Brown & Brown
Age: 51
Brown & Brown is an insurance company based in Daytona Beach.
Median employee salary: $66,650
Pay ratio: 63 to 1
43. Hubertus Muhlhauser, $4,178,349
Welbilt
Age: 49
Welbilt, a commercial kitchen appliance-maker, is based in New Port Richey. Muhlhauser left in September to head up CNH Industrial N.V., which designs and makes construction and other equipment. The pay ratio below is based on his annual salary as if he had stayed.
Median employee salary: $47,561
Pay ratio: 78 to 1
44. Jerry Volas, $4,156,751
TopBuild
Age: 64
Daytona Beach’s TopBuild bills itself as the country’s largest installer and distributor of insulation. The company, which also sells gutters and garage doors, employs about 10,300 people.
Median employee salary: $51,511
Pay ratio: 81 to 1
45. Frederick Lynch, $4,107,092
Masonite International
Age: 55
Founded in 1925, Masonite International builds doors and accessories. The Tampa company has about 10,000 employees and contract workers.
Median employee salary: $40,974
Pay ratio: 100 to 1
46. Steven Nielsen, $3,873,949
Dycom Industries
Age: 56
Dycom Industries supplies skilled workers to the telecom, oil and gas, and other industries. The Palm Beach Gardens company has about 15,000 employees and 500 field offices.
Median employee salary: $49,524
Pay ratio: 78 to 1
47. Patricia Stitzel, $3,638,245
Tupperware Brands
Age: 54
Stitzel became CEO of Tupperware Brands in May 2018, taking over from E.V. (Rick) Goings. Headquartered in Orlando, Tupperware Brands still offers kitchen storage products, along with personal care and cosmetics brands Avroy Shlain, Fuller Cosmetics, NaturCare, Nutrimetics and Nuvo. The pay ratio is based on a hybrid of Stitzel and Goings’ salaries.
Median employee salary: $22,790
Pay ratio: 160 to 1
48. Richard Burke, $3,551,039
Advanced Disposal Services
Age: 54
Advanced Disposal Services is the country’s fourth-largest solid waste company. Based in Ponte Vedra, it has about 6,000 employees and 200 locations.
Median employee salary: $57,668
Pay ratio: 62 to 1
49. Todd Jones, $2,585,441
Publix
Age: 56
Based in Lakeland, Publix had 1,211 supermarkets and 202,000 employees at the end of 2018. Employees can buy Publix stock, but it’s not available to the public.
Median employee salary: $20,383
Pay ratio: 127 to 1
Why does every Florida Publix have a big scale?
50. Bob Fornaro, $2,405,551
Spirit Airlines
Age: 66
Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines offers more than 500 daily flights to 16 countries. Based, in Miramar, the company operated 128 Airbus planes last year.
Median employee salary: $47,871
Pay ratio: 50 to 1
Our methodology
This list is based on the 50 largest publicly traded companies in Florida. The Tampa Bay Times pulled the annual salaries from the latest U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
In several cases, a CEO resigned or otherwise left during the year. The Times generally used the CEO who was in place at the end of 2018 or the one the company used to calculate the CEO pay ratio.
The pay ratio is a CEO’s annual compensation compared to the pay of the median employee, which the companies report in their SEC filings. They include full- and part-time workers in the United States and abroad.
Times senior news researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.
