Utility trade group head Thomas Kuhn took home nearly $8 million in total compensation in 2022.
Kuhn, who retired in 2023 after decades as president and CEO of the Edison Electric Institute, was the highest-earning energy trade group boss among 20 nonprofit industry organization leaders, according to an E&E News analysis. His compensation topped leaders of groups that advocate for business, manufacturing, oil and gas, renewable energy, and other sectors.
The heads of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and American Gas Association also received compensation above $4 million in 2022, according to annual tax records nonprofits are required to disclose to the public.
Those tax records, the most recent ones available, are compiled by ProPublica and were reviewed by E&E News.
Here’s how much 20 energy trade group leaders earned in 2022:
1. Thomas Kuhn, president and CEO, Edison Electric Institute
Kuhn was head of EEI, the lobbying group for investor-owned electric utilities, from 1990 until he stepped down at the end of last year and was replaced by Dan Brouillette. Kuhn’s base pay was $1,155,716 in 2022, with his total compensation rising to $7,998,010, tax records show. He has long been one of the top-paid advocacy group leaders in the country.
2. Suzanne Clark, president and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Clark took the helm of the influential business group in 2021, following the retirement of the organization’s former leader, Tom Donohue. Clark’s base pay in 2022 was $1,487,753, and her total compensation was $6,326,094, tax records show.
3. Jay Timmons, president and CEO, National Association of Manufacturers
NAM is one of the most prominent business groups in Washington, and Timmons is well-known in Republican and advocacy circles. He brought in $1,547,710 in base compensation in 2022 and $5,752,742 in total compensation.
4. Jim Matheson, CEO, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
Matheson, the top advocate for electric cooperatives, formerly represented a Utah district in the House as a Democrat before stepping down in 2015. His base salary in 2022 was $1,434,530, and total compensation was $4,627,690.
5. Karen Harbert, president and CEO, American Gas Association
A longtime fixture in the Washington energy policy world, Harbert took the reins of the gas group in 2019. She previously worked on energy issues for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and in the Energy Department during the George W. Bush administration. Harbert’s base pay in 2022 was $1,509,140, and her total compensation was $4,109,299.
6. Christopher Jahn, president and CEO, American Chemistry Council
Jahn has led the chemicals trade group since 2019 after former leader Cal Dooley retired. Jahn’s base pay in 2022 was $1,991,505, and his total compensation was $3,762,583.
7. Michael Sommers, president and CEO, American Petroleum Institute
The oil and natural gas industry’s top man in Washington was then-Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) chief of staff until Boehner’s 2015 resignation. He joined API in 2018. Sommers made $1,786,271 in base pay in 2022, and a total of $3,483,050.
8. Maria Korsnick, president and CEO, Nuclear Energy Institute
Korsnick has led the nuclear energy trade group since 2017. Her base pay in 2022 was $1,398,101, and her total compensation was $3,301,396.
9. Chet Thompson, president and CEO, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers
Thompson was an attorney in private practice and EPA deputy general counsel during the George W. Bush administration prior to joining the industry group in 2015. Thompson’s base pay in 2022 was $1,291,126, and his total compensation was $3,132,631.
10. Heather Zichal, CEO, American Clean Power Association
Zichal was CEO of ACP only from December 2020 to October 2022, when she left for JPMorgan Chase. In 2022, she was paid a $796,518 base salary and $1,254,441 in total compensation. Jason Grumet became the organization’s CEO in 2023.
11. Anne Bradbury, CEO, American Exploration and Production Council
AXPC, as the group calls itself, isn’t as big as some other oil groups but is still powerful. Bradbury, who has been CEO since 2019, made $832,856 in base pay and $1,216,259 total.
12. Rich Nolan, president and CEO, National Mining Association
Nolan took over leadership of the mining industry group in 2019 after being its head of government affairs for 13 years. He was paid a base salary of $633,880 and total compensation of $1,135,774 in 2022.
13. Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO, Solar Energy Industries Association
Hopper, a former Interior Department official under former President Barack Obama and Maryland state official before that, had a base salary of $590,114 and $1,011,108 in total.
14. Joy Ditto, president and CEO, American Public Power Association
Ditto served as APPA’s president and CEO from 2020 until early 2023. Scott Corwin took the reins of the group last year. Ditto’s base pay in 2022 was $637,911, and her total compensation was $818,405.
15. Amy Andryszak, president and CEO, Interstate Natural Gas Association of America
Andryszak was appointed to lead the natural gas trade organization in 2020. Her base pay in 2022 was $440,799, and her total compensation was $808,732.
16. Erik Milito, president, National Ocean Industries Association
Milito, a former vice president at API and an Interior Department attorney, joined the trade group representing offshore oil and gas and wind industries in 2019. His base pay in 2022 was $464,858, and his total compensation was $709,803.
17. Geoffrey Cooper, president and CEO, Renewable Fuels Association
Cooper has worked for the biofuels industry group for 16 years, and became its leader in 2018. His base bay was $402,388, and total compensation was $570,329.
18. Gregory Wetstone, president and CEO, American Council on Renewable Energy
Wetstone retired from the renewable energy trade group at the end of 2023. He was succeeded by Ray Long. Wetstone’s base pay in 2022 was $449,792, and his total compensation was $486,291.
19. David Schryver, president and CEO, American Public Gas Association
The longtime leader of the public natural gas utility’s lobbying organization earned $325,320 in base pay and $414,242 total.
20. Frank Wolak, president and CEO, Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association
Wolak has led the industry association since 2021. His base pay in 2022 was $324,000, and his total compensation was $358,885.
