Charter Communications CEO Tom Rutledge (pictured) took a 25% pay cut in 2013, reaping about $4.5 million in total compensation for the year, far short of the $6 million the executive took home in 2012.
According to a proxy statement filed March 27, he received a base salary of $1.99 million, non-equity incentive plan compensation of $2.2 million and other compensation (mainly for use of company aircraft) of $249,849 for the year.
Other Charter executives took even larger pay cuts. Chief financial officer Christopher Winfrey received $848,122 in total compensation in 2013, a 61% decrease from the $2.2 million he received in 2012. The biggest decline was for chief operating officer John Bickham, who netted $2.8 million in total compensation in 2013, 86% less than the $20.1 million he received in 2012. The difference for Bickham, who joined Charter in 2012, was in stock awards. In 2012, Bickham received $12.7 million in stock awards and $4.8 million in option awards. He received no such awards in 2013.
