Philosophy, Data and Structure; A Simple Guide to Executive Compensation


Executive compensation is at the top of your list of considerations when your company is recruiting. Hiring the most talented and aligned person for the job and retaining them—a simply stated goal that is far from simple. Compensation is a major piece of the recruiting puzzle. 

 

You want to position the role competitively vis a vis other companies to make sure you don’t lose your ideal candidate to someone else. To ensure a successful search, you’ll focus on three priorities:

  1. Having a clear compensation philosophy
  2. Evaluating all compensation data
  3. Proactively setting compensation boundaries and planning

 

Compensation Philosophy

Your compensation philosophy will be your north star, keeping you on track to your goal. There are numerous considerations—not everyone’s viewpoint is the same. Different businesses focus on a range of factors when establishing their philosophy. For example, does your organization believe that compensation drives performance or that performance must drive compensation? Does your organization place more value on best in class medical and retirement benefits? Those and many other theoretical positions will inform your compensation philosophy. 

 

There are many considerations as you establish a compensation philosophy. Questions to ponder are whether it’s important to: 

  • Align pay with your business’s annual and long-term performance goals
  • Ensure your compensation program is justifiable and equitable in a competitive market
  • Reward achievement, such as accomplishing specific objectives
  • Consider how you’ll balance base salary with short- and long-term incentives
  • Incorporate DEI values in your compensation scheme
  • Maintain internal equity across similar levels in different functions
  • Be a market leader, in the middle or follower with compensation for employees as compared to the competition

 

Once you come up with a compensation philosophy that will drive your recruitment and hiring, stay true to it.

 

Compensation Data

There are two basic ways to access current data about compensation within your field and in your part of the country. One is based on surveys and the other is real time data.

 

Surveys

Many companies will hire a consultant to conduct a compensation survey, looking at other companies in your industry that are commensurate in size and (if it’s important) operating in your geographic region. But those parameters can be misleading.

 

Consider whether you want to recruit from a different industry, believing that such an expanded search might bring in a skill set that will benefit you. You may be looking at companies that are larger and wealthier than yours, with the idea that the knowledge and experience of such a hire from one of those organizations will get your company to that next level. Most survey companies do not look at their targets through those lenses.

 

Surveys also cannot screen for businesses with a similar compensation philosophy. That information is rarely discoverable in public records for privately held companies, and we know that staying true to a philosophy is fundamental to a successful search.

 

A survey is definitely a piece of the picture, but probably the most notable issue with executive compensation comparison surveys is that there is a discrepancy between the actual market reality and the timing of the information they can gather. In some cases, by the time the survey is complete, the data could be antiquated for a variety of circumstance

 

Most executive compensation packages rely heavily on long-term incentive plans, but surveys mostly access information about base salary and bonuses. It is having a stake in the company that will drive executive wealth and spur the best candidates to join you, but except for publicly traded companies, information about equity is not disclosed. So how do you get accurate intel about what you’ll need to offer your recruits to get them to say yes?

 

Real-Time Data

The best way to get the inside scoop on executive compensation packages—including equity—is to work with someone who is close to the candidates - a search firm. Recruitment firms have a line on accurate, real-time information because they talk to candidates day in and day out, and though there are rules guiding what recruiters can ask, there is no rule about what a candidate can offer. It turns out, they tend to share this kind of information with recruiters.

 

If you want to have as much information as possible about what compensation looks like among the people you hope to recruit, combining survey data with the support of an executive recruitment firm should provide you a more accurate picture of the market.

 

Proactively Setting Compensation Boundaries and Planning

Once you have your compensation philosophy and the data you need to plan a winning compensation structure, be ready to make an offer. That means get pre-approval from your CEO, board, or whoever needs to sign off on compensation. And get it well in advance.

 

If your company uses a grading/leveling system to set compensation for each position, and the grade-range is out of line with what you know you’ll need in your recruitment, either adjust the candidate profile or use data to justify re-grading the position.

 

If your company is not yet able to offer equity, there are other ways to mirror that upside without an equity plan. If your targeted bonus range is lower than the market, perhaps adjusting the salary range can be the solution. to let you compete with bigger companies vying for the same candidate.

 

One of the most frustrating outcomes is to go through the entire recruitment process identifying the ideal candidate for the job—but there’s a gap in their compensation needs and what you have approved. If at this point you attempt to get approval to increase the compensation ranges, you’ll lose time, and all too often, you’ll lose the candidate as well. Once you have the candidate you want, you need to make a competitive offer fast. Good planning, understanding what you might be up against, and proactively addressing the issues before you conduct a search – make extending fast offer possible.

 

Pre-approvals are also important to consider based on the timing of conducting searches. If you are recruiting towards the end of the fiscal year, your best candidates may be a few weeks or months away from a sizeable annual bonus. You can either hire them with a delayed start date, having them sign a contract that begins after their bonus is earned and delivered, or, if time is of the essence, you can buy out the bonus they’ll be giving up with a commensurate sign-on bonus. Once you know who you want, use your compensation budget and flexibility to seal the deal.

 

Executive Compensation Can Move the Needle on Recruiting

The talent you are looking for is out there. Even if they are not knocking at your door, they are reachable—and hirable. 

 

According to a survey conducted by Experteer, 97% of sitting C-suite executives are very open to being head-hunted for relevant vacancies even if they are not actively looking. A discreet approach (the expertise of recruitment firms) often yields terrific candidates, but having something special to offer is going to be key. That includes a tempting position in an exciting, change-making, or up-and-coming company and a competitive executive compensation package to get it across the goal line.

                             

Understanding your compensation philosophy and sticking to it, leveraging real time market data to see the whole picture, and being ready and flexible with proactive planning, will put you and your organization in a better position to hire a quality leader who can take your business to the next level.


By Effie Zimmerman April 30, 2026
Director of Product Management ABOUT THE COMPANY A-dec is the premium leader in the dental equipment industry, designing and manufacturing products that span dental chairs, lights, handpieces, furniture, air management, infection control, and delivery systems found in dental offices and operatories. With over 1300 employees and headquartered in Newberg, Oregon, A-dec’s familial culture and values have been attributed to their commitment to the Newberg community and its employees through various investments and programs. ABOUT THE POSITION Reporting into the SVP of Product & Technology, the Director, Global Product Management leads teams that manage all A-dec products, including dental furniture, consumables, and core equipment (chairs, units, lights). They direct the strategic vision and purpose and are responsible for the long-term financial performance of A-dec’s product portfolio. Critical functions for this position include roadmap development, voice of the customer process, portfolio execution, roadmap execution, and the product section of the company’s business strategy. DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Creates the vision and purpose of Product Management. Leads all product management activities for the existing product lines within A-dec Builds and leads a diverse, high-performing product management team. Provides mentorship, support, and guidance, and encourages professional growth and development. Champions the strategic vision and purpose for Product Management across the organization. Implement strategic and tactical plans to meet the company’s objectives while exceeding customer needs. Maintains a constant pulse of dental equipment market developments, including consumer needs, competitive offerings, and brand position. Takes proactive measures to remain competitive with the existing portfolio. Follows industry trends and conducts capability analysis regularly. Executes competitive assessments and market research to gain market and buying preference and insights. Understands and articulates the voice of the customer. Makes tradeoff comparisons to drive decisions that deliver on success criteria. Accountable for concept development selection. Develop strategies in collaboration with Global Sales Team leaders to drive market share growth. Collaborates with Marketing Communications to plan, direct, and execute measurable global actions to drive brand awareness, preference, and demand generation necessary for achieving growth goals. Collaborates with Digital Product Management to ensure complete end-to-end solutions. Reviews revenue and profits on a weekly basis and suggests approaches to marketing and sales to drive growth. Responsible for overall product promotions and analyzing the revenue/net margin trade-offs. Accountable for the standard margins of the portfolio; pricing, positioning, and margins. Works across organizational boundaries to develop a cohesive strategy and ensures smooth execution of cross-functional plans within A-dec. Leads the future portfolio planning with their leadership. QUALIFICATIONS Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Extensive project management experience. Excellent presentation, communication, and customer skills. Proven leadership skills and effective problem-solving skills. Demonstrated experience in planning, budgeting, and developing business strategies. Ability to influence up, down, and across the organization. Education and Experience Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business management, or a similar focus. Five years of experience in product management. Five years of people leadership experience. Experience and understanding of the “Chief Engineer/Project Chief” methodology or practice. Preferred Experience Master’s degree in business administration. Experience with strategic planning and managing a category P&L in excess of $100 Million. Interested in Learning More? 180one has been retained by A-dec to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Lisa Heffernan / 971.256.3076/ lisa@180one.com .
By Effie Zimmerman April 29, 2026
Chief Financial Officer ABOUT THE COMPANY Three Bears Alaska (“Three Bears” or the “Company”) is the retailer of choice in Alaska for all essential categories, offering local communities a product selection that is not too big, not too small, but “just right” – at prices that provide value and with great service by locals, for locals. The Company was founded in 1980 by Alaskans, for Alaskans – the store footprints, inventory, and pricing are designed to meet the region’s unique needs. Three Bears offers its customers three types of shopping experiences: signature “Mini-Warehouses” (50k+ square feet with a unique, rationalized merchandise assortment model featuring grocery, outdoor/sporting products and full-service pharmacies), Supermarkets (focus is on grocery) and Convenience Stores (offer a broader merchandise selection and better pricing than a typical C-store and serve communities where population densities do not support a full mini-warehouse). Three Bears is owned by Westward Partners in partnership with the founding Alaskan family. Westward Partners is a Seattle-based private equity firm that partners with lower middle market businesses across a variety of industries based in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Westward partnered with and invested in Three Bears in early 2022, and has worked extensively with the Three Bears management team to successfully turbocharge growth, more than doubling the store footprint over the past four years. At this point in time, Three Bears has shifted gears from a growth mindset to a focus on margin improvement and optimization. As the new stores begin to reach run-rate and Three Bears fully digests and acclimates to its significantly larger scale and methods of operating, management in partnership with Westward has begun to employ a host of profitability improvement initiatives. The new CFO will have a significant role in managing, executing, and tracking these initiatives, as well as the continual development of new initiatives. It’s an exciting time to join Three Bears for an analytically minded senior finance professional who has a deep understanding of how to maximize gross and EBITDA margins (and absolute EBITDA dollars) in a retail/grocery environment. POSITION SUMMARY As a key member of the executive team and reporting to the CEO, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will assume a strategic role in the overall management of the company. The CFO will proactively engage in all areas of the Confidential Company OR “Company”, to bring data and insights, and importantly serve as a key business partner to the CEO and other Senior Leadership. This leader will have primary day-to-day responsibility for planning, implementing, managing, and controlling all financial-related activities of the company. This will include direct responsibility for accounting, finance, treasury, legal, and compliance. CORE RESPONSIBILITIES Assist the CEO and management team in achieving the company's growth and profitability targets: Assist with the facilitation and development of the Company vision, strategy, and planning needed to ensure the success of the organization. Develop and manage financial strategy. Serve as a business partner across functional areas to inform key decisions. Exceed profitability targets through operational excellence and growth in new markets. Advise management on short-term and long-term financial objectives, policies, and actions. Provide reliable forecasting and business intelligence that fuels effective decision-making: Analyze the financial details of past, present, and expected operations in order to identify development opportunities in areas where improvement is needed. Develop analysis to evaluate entry into new markets. Study long-range economic trends and project their impact on future growth in sales and market share Utilize and add to existing analytical tools (data warehouse, PowerBI tools, etc.) to efficiently convey KPIs, reports, and financials in a timely manner at all levels of the organization Exercise good financial management practices and accountability: Ensure company financials comply with GAAP, while also producing useful financial data and KPI metrics to provide senior management with critical business insights. Run a proactive and efficient budget cycle, helping the company tie its investment thesis to its strategy, operational KPIs, and financial forecasts. Make KPIs the centerpiece of the company's performance planning and dashboards. Hold peers accountable. Develop and manage the capital structure Review, oversee and present monthly, quarterly, and annual financial performance reviews. Lead the company’s compliance function with a proactive and business approach, and standardize into business practices: Monitor financial activities to ensure that all legal and regulatory requirements are met Lead the company's compliance auditing program. Proactively identify and resolve potential compliance issues before they manifest. Maintain current knowledge of organizational policies and procedures, federal and state policies / directives. Manage contract renewals and new company contracts to ensure pricing and terms are aligned with business requirements. Manage and maintain contract database to ensure compliance. Develop and maintain internal control program infrastructure throughout the organization Effectively represent the company with external stakeholders: Develop and maintain relationships with banking, insurance, benefits, 401k, and external third-party audit and tax partners. Review, oversee and present financial statements, business activity reports, financial position forecasts, and reports required by regulatory agencies and external stakeholders. DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE Bachelor’s degree (MA/MBA preferred) in Accounting or Finance. 15+ years of progressively responsible finance/accounting experience in a high growth grocery/retail organization. Knowledge of finance, accounting, budgeting, and cost control principles including Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Experience in strategic planning and execution. Ability to analyze financial data and prepare financial reports, statements, 3-statement financial projections, write MD&As, and deep understanding of cash flow forecasting, down to weekly basis. Extensive experience developing multi-faceted bottoms-up company budgets through partnership with internal management team members throughout various levels of the organization, as well incorporating external input and feedback (i.e. a private equity sponsor). Experience managing a levered business and dealing with bank covenants. Demonstrable experience leading and achieving cost savings and profitability improvement initiatives that have made a material impact on the organization by increasing EBITDA over time. Experience and know-how for scaling a growing organization, and anticipating staffing, infrastructural and procedural requirements for a larger business. Ability to deliver board-level financial presentations that accurately summarize business for investors, bankers and vendors. Prior experience with a private equity-owned portfolio company or experience in leading a company through a successful exit is highly desirable. Experience managing the acquisition process and integration of complementary businesses. Experience implementing new accounting software and integrating with broader ERP systems. Knowledge of contracting, negotiating, and change management. Knowledge of automated financial and accounting reporting systems. Experience as a liaison between company accountants, state, and government entities for financial audits. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Accuracy and attention to detail is a must. High level of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of urgency and results orientation. Unquestionable personal code of ethics, integrity, diversity and trust. Interested in Learning More? 180one has been retained by Three Bears Alaska to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Tom Haley / 503.334.1350/ tom@180one.com
By Effie Zimmerman April 20, 2026
Corporate Controller ABOUT THE COMPANY With roots going back to the 1960’s, Forest City Trading Group (FCTG), may have started as a small lumber yard run by two immigrant brothers, but has since grown into North America’s largest wholesale lumber product distributor. FCTG facilitates the distribution of products across 6 continents through our network of 12 operating companies and over 750 employees. The company’s impact is far-reaching, especially when considering that one in every ten houses today is built using products sourced and sold by our operating companies. As proponents of forest sustainability, FCTG actively supports suppliers who use sustainable forest management practices that promote forest sustainability and result in long-term environmental, social, and economic benefits. POSITION SUMMARY Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the Corporate Controller is a senior finance leader and trusted business partner to the CFO and management team. This role owns the integrity of the Company's accounting, reporting, and control environment while advancing the finance function through improved processes, disciplined decision-making, and effective deployment of technology. This is a hands-on leadership role. The Controller will operate in the details with responsibility for managing the full accounting cycle for corporate and operating companies, commodity position accounting, physical and financial settlement, and daily treasury operations—while building a scalable, high-performing finance organization. The role also operates in a matrixed environment, requiring strong influence skills to align and uplevel financial operations across Operating Companies, and partners closely with the trading desk, risk management, operations, legal, and external auditors. CORE RESPONSIBILITIES Leadership & Culture Build, lead, and develop a high-performing corporate accounting and finance team Foster a positive, accountable culture at the corporate and Operating Company levels Hire, develop, and retain talented accounting, treasury, and shared services professionals Serve as a stabilizing force during system change, organizational growth, or market volatility Assess subsidiary finance capabilities; develop structured plans to up-level talent, processes, and controls Business Partnership & Cross-Functional Influence Serve as a key finance partner to the CFO, Operating Company Controllers, and operations leadership Lead through influence in a matrixed environment—aligning subsidiary Controllers around corporate standards without relying on direct authority Translate financial information into clear, actionable insights for corporate and subsidiary audiences Collaborate with the trading desk to ensure accounting treatment aligns with economic reality and business intent Technical & Functional Oversight Financial reporting and accounting, including trader compensation, commodity futures, and mark-to-market accounting Daily treasury operations and internal cash/collateral management Tax coordination and oversight, including pass-through partnership structures Budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning Internal controls, risk management, and policy oversight Foreign exchange and cross-currency hedging for international procurement and sales Shared services leadership: expense approvals, vendor setup, purchase order controls, and finance policies Decision Support & Systems Apply cost-benefit and ROI thinking to financial and operational decisions Drive automation of routine reporting workflows to free capacity for higher-value analysis Lead ERP implementation and optimization; evaluate best-practice accounting policies as the business evolves Subsidiary Finance Uplift Establish a structured approach to evaluating financial maturity across Operating Companies Develop and maintain a corporate finance playbook that subsidiary Controllers can adopt and execute Provide hands-on coaching and technical guidance to Operating Company finance teams Drive consistent consolidation standards, intercompany accounting, and reporting cadences across subsidiaries Identify and escalate risks in subsidiary financial operations before they affect corporate reporting integrity KEY ATTRIBUTES Trusted Leader & Business Partner: Close thought partner to the CFO; credible with Operating Company Controllers, traders, and senior management. Leads with integrity, sound judgment, and practical business sense. Relationship Builder & Matrix Navigator: Builds trust-based relationships across corporate and subsidiary teams. Leads through influence rather than direct authority in a matrixed environment. Subsidiary Uplift Leader: Assesses and elevates Operating Company finance capabilities through coaching, playbooks, and structured engagement—raising the bar on controls, talent, and reporting quality. Hands-On & Detail-Oriented: Ensures accuracy and follow-through across all finance processes. Process & Technology Focused: Continuously seeks better ways to operate. Leverages ERP and other tools to improve efficiency and data quality; leads system implementation and optimization. Positive, Accountable Leader: Creates a high-accountability finance culture at both corporate and subsidiary levels. Leads by example and develops strong teams. IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE Leadership Track Record: Demonstrated ability to build high-performing finance teams Matrix Leadership: Proven success in influencing and driving change without direct authority over Operating Company teams Relationship Builder: Naturally builds trust across organizational levels—someone subsidiaries want to partner with, not just report to Strategic and Tactical Range: Operates at a senior level strategically and at the transactional level when the business requires it Technology Proficiency: Demonstrated curiosity and initiative in experimenting with and adopting emerging technologies (including AI) to enhance financial reporting, forecasting, and process efficiency Change Leadership: Comfortable reassessing processes and building scalable financial infrastructure from a hands-on starting point Integrity & Judgment: High personal integrity and sound judgment in ambiguous, fast-moving environments Interested in Learning More? 180one has been retained by Forest City Trading Group to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Tom Haley / 503.334.1350/ tom@180one.com
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