Non Profit ICANN pays huge salaries
By Sandhya

ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) describes itself as a not for profit public benefit corporation which coordinates the unique computer identifiers across the world. ICANN started life as an American Government instrument but now gets input from more than 100 countries while formulating policies.

ICANN overseas and authorizes the domain registration functions of companies like GoDadday.  It is also tasked with promoting competition and develops policy on the internet’s unique identifier.

ICANN has no competitors.  It started life as an American organization but has now been accepted as a global body setting some standards.  But is functions are very limited.  As it says on its website ‘ICANN doesn’t control content on the Internet. It cannot stop spam and it doesn’t deal with access to the Internet. But through its coordination role of the Internet’s naming system, it does have an important impact on the expansion and evolution of the Internet.’

But it is still under the control of Americans.  So much so that ICANN was asked to appear before the US Congress to explain its actions. Domainnamewire reported in 2009 that the US Congress questioned the ICANN bosses after Verizon complained of Cyber squatting. According to the same report Rep. Cliff Stearns, (R – FL) proceeded to blast ICANN’s financial surplus. He said ICANN should start acting like a non-profit and use excess money to lower costs to registrars and registrants. Stearns continued to berate Twomey, suggesting the current $7M surplus should be used to address cyber squatting or make domain names cheaper for consumers.

So, how much does the non profit ICANN which has no competitors pay its executives? According to its public disclosure document, these guys are paid better than the CIO’s of most businesses even though they only have a fraction of the employees of big computer departments.

The President and Chief Executive Officer Rod Beckstrom was appointed ICANN’s President and Chief Executive Officer, as well as a member of the Board of Directors, effective 1 July 2009. ICANN and Beckstrom entered in to a three year employment agreement effective 1 July 2009. Under the terms of the agreement Beckstrom is paid a base salary of US$750,000 per year, additional at risk compensation of up to US$195,000 per year, and coverage under vacation, health and welfare plans including medical, dental, vision, life insurance and a 401(k) retirement plan as ICANN makes available to its staff.

Chief Operating Officer Mr. Doug Brent was appointed as Chief Operating Officer on 13 December 2006. Brent’s compensation consists of a base salary of US$270,000 per year, a housing allowance of $24,000 per year which is tax neutralized, additional at risk compensation of up to 48 percent of base pay each year, and standard coverage under vacation, health and welfare plans including medical, dental, vision, life insurance and a 401(k) retirement plan as ICANN makes available to its staff.

General Counsel and Secretary Mr. John Jeffrey was appointed as General Counsel and Secretary on 2 September 2003. Jeffrey’s compensation consists of a base salary of US$230,000 per year, additional at risk compensation of up to 30 percent of base pay per year, and standard coverage under vacation, health and welfare plans including medical, dental, vision, life insurance and a 401(k) retirement plan as ICANN makes available to its staff.