Why some well-known chief executives aren’t included in our report — and what some of them are paid

Publicly traded companies aren’t the only ones that disclose aspects of their executives’ compensation.

The annual paychecks of some San Antonio-area bosses — from those at USAA to leaders of the city’s utilities, school districts and other organizations — are disclosed through filings and budget disclosures required by state open records laws. The compensation of top executives at other large employers such as H-E-B, Whataburger and Bill Miller Bar-B-Q, though, is not available because those are privately held.

RELATED: Raises up, profits down: Some San Antonio-area bosses’ pay grew as companies’ earnings dipped.

Here’s a look at what we know about compensation for leaders at some other well-known area companies and organizations:

USAA

USAA would generally not disclose total compensation for its executives because it is a private company, but the state of Nebraska requires insurers that do business in the state to report their pay. According to the insurer’s most recent report, President and CEO Wayne Peacock saw his compensation from five USAA insurance companies jump 68% to $8.1 million, according to USAA’s March report to the Nebraska Department of Insurance. That was up from $4.8 million in 2022.

University Health

George B. Hernández Jr., who retired this year as president and CEO of University Health System, was paid $1 million in 2023. He has led the Bexar County-owned hospital district for 19 years. 

Hernandez was succeeded Monday by Edward Banos, who had been executive vice president and chief operating officer. He accepted the role in late May after a unanimous vote of the Bexar County Hospital District Board of Managers. University Health is the third-largest public health system in Texas. 

State universities

University of Texas at San Antonio President Taylor Eighmy received $666,319. Texas A&M University-San Antonio President Salvador Hector Ochoa earned $400,000 last year.

City, county

San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh’s total compensation was $405,990 in 2023, a figure based in part on compensation and tenure restrictions that voters placed on his position almost six years ago.

In November, they could be asked to undo that city charter amendment, which stipulates that the city manager’s salary can be no more than 10 times what the lowest-paid full-time city worker earns. The City Charter Review Commission has recommended asking voters to end the amendment.

The leaders of other city-owned businesses also received six-figure salaries in 2023.

CPS Energy CEO Rudy Garza received $655,000, and San Antonio Water System CEO Roberto Puente received $593,838. CPS and SAWS are city-owned utilities that provide electric, gas and water services.

County Judge Peter Sakai this year is being paid $198,920. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar will get $175,223, and District Attorney Joe Gonzales is receiving $136,774.

School districts

Among leaders of area school districts, Superintendent John Craft of Northside ISD earned the most in 2023, with a base salary of $350,000. Northside ISD’s enrollment was also the highest, at 101,095.

San Antonio ISD Superintendent Jaime Aquino received the second-highest base pay at $334,183. About 44,670 students are enrolled at schools in the district, the third-highest total. The second-biggest district by enrollment is North East ISD, with 57,374 students, and Superintendent Sean Maika was paid $309,186. 

Tony Quesada contributed to this report.