Originally Posted by PeteF

He's been with Harley a number of years and is an engineer, so he knows something about motorcycles. A big improvement over the last CEO who came from Honeywell and well, I suppose, knew a lot about thermostats.

Originally Posted by Stiggy

I'll be surprised if those other "incentive rewards" don't put him at $15 million a year, right along side CEO's of other American Fortune 500 companies.

Originally Posted by 0ldhippie

I see no reason a ceo should make more than the president. Leading the country (no matter what ya think of the job they do) is a much bigger deal than leading a company. It is obscene what ceos and loan sharks on wall street make. Not really that special to screw others.

Originally Posted by tfi racing

Sorry,just can't show any enthusiasm for the wealthy elite one percenters,I'm sure he is just a swell guy but we all would be if raking in millions a year. Close a factory,throw hundreds of Americans out of work,do some more offshore outsourcing,lay off more office staff as advances in technology take their jobs.All in a day's work to bolster the bottom line and pump up those bonuses for a CEO,while the little guy struggles to eat on the pittance that the tall tower folk allow...

Originally Posted by 0ldhippie

I see no reason a ceo should make more than the president. Leading the country (no matter what ya think of the job they do) is a much bigger deal than leading a company. It is obscene what ceos and loan sharks on wall street make. Not really that special to screw others.

Originally Posted by jefla

I basically agree. US CEO pay is off the charts compared to virtually all other developed countries. And working lots of hours doesn't distingish CEOs from someone working 3 minimum wage jobs or the lawyers and accountants I work with every day. Many of us work a lot and have big responsibilities, but very very few of us get 10s of million per year -- with zero accountability when we screw up.

Originally Posted by jefla

Many of us work a lot and have big responsibilities, but very very few of us get 10s of million per year -- with zero accountability when we screw up.

Originally Posted by Kevinch

Those that can do the job, make the hard decisions & make them well should be paid what it is worth. They are the wealthy 1%, because only about 1% of the population at large can do the job.

I've been in position to see what it takes to manage a manufacturing firm; not nearly as large as HD but with a global presence. It is constant travel; more days away from home than there & for weeks at a time. It's typical to get a call on a Friday & told you are needed in Europe on Monday morning. Hopefully, your spouse is really in love with you because you will not be around for him/her or your children. And the travel isn't all that great; these aren't sight seeing trips. The decisions that have to be made are huge.

Most of us aren't in those jobs because we wouldn't make the sacrifices in our early lives or now to do what it takes to be qualified and successful in that type of position - or we just don't have "it". For me, I'm happy to make a fair salary & know I'll be home to see my wife every night & have my weekends free.

That doesn't mean they are all good at their jobs! Some of them need to be booted out before they can do more damage. But those that are good deserve the pay they get.

Interesting that this guy came from engineering. Company CEO backgrounds are like pendulums; they swing from technical to marketing to sales and then back again - it's rare to find a person that excels in all of them. I wish him the best of luck!

Originally Posted by mountain man

Doing this for several years to make multi millions.....oh what a pain!!! I really feel sorry for these people! I'm sure they don't have the spouses who enjoy the finer things in life also!!!