Our People
E. Webb Bassick IV
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Professional Expertise
Webb is the Chief Executive Officer of Compensation Strategies. He works with the company’s largest clients on total compensation strategy development, technical aspects of executive pay (securities issues, taxation, and accounting), the design and communication of all components of total pay, and the competitive measurement of total compensation (including fixed pay, short- and long-term incentives, supplemental executive benefits, and perquisites). Webb also works at the Board of Director level on executive compensation as well as Board compensation issues. His expertise and client engagements have involved virtually all industries and company types/sizes.
Depth of Experience
Webb has consulted in executive compensation for more than 45 years. Prior to forming Compensation Strategies, he spent six years as Managing Director and Global Practice Leader for Hay Group’s Executive Compensation Practice. Before Hay, he was with Hewitt Associates for 19 years as a senior owner and leader in that firm’s global executive compensation practice. Prior to Hewitt, Webb consulted in compensation and benefits issues for a then “Big 8” accounting firm.
Education/Professional Affiliations
Webb received his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from DePauw University, with graduate work at the University of Illinois. A frequent speaker to The Conference Board, WorldatWork, and The National Association of Stock Plan Professionals, he has also been quoted widely in business periodicals such as The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Fortune, Forbes, Newsweek, and Time. Webb also co-authored a definitive, practitioners’ textbook, “Executive Compensation: The Professional’s Guide to Current Issues & Practices” (published in 2004 by Windsor Professional Information, LLC). From 2003 – 2011 he served on Boards at DePauw University.
Anna-Maria B. Tapling
Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President, and Co-Founder
Professional Expertise
An Executive Vice President and co-founder of Compensation Strategies, Anna has spent the past 30 years as an executive compensation consultant and has served as a trusted independent advisor to many confidential transactions at both the Board and Management level.
Anna consults with top executives, senior Management and outside directors on all aspects of executive pay, including base salary, short- and long-term incentives, supplemental executive benefits and perquisites. She has extensive knowledge of the technical aspects of executive compensation and assists clients with issues involving securities requirements, tax implications and accounting practice. She has equally extensive knowledge and experience working with Board of Director compensation. Further, her experience spans many industries and complex stages of company lifecycle including start-up, sale, IPO, change-in-control, strategic transition, turnaround, and bankruptcy.
Depth of Experience
Prior to co-founding Compensation Strategies, Anna was a Vice President with Hay Group’s Executive Compensation Practice, and prior to that was a Unit Manager with Hewitt Associates in their executive compensation practice. Before becoming an executive compensation consultant, she spent five years in industry with responsibility for legal, accounting, securities, and compensation issues. As a member of management, she has been involved with initial public offerings, finance, human resources, external reporting and shareholder relations.
Education/Professional Affiliations
Anna graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and was a Certified Public Accountant.
Darrell A. Karolyi
Senior Vice President and Co-Founder
Professional Expertise
Darrell is a Senior Vice President and co-founder of Compensation Strategies. He consults with Board members and senior management on all aspects of executive and Board compensation, including:
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Design of compensation programs (salary, short- and long-term incentives, executive benefits, and perquisites);
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Compensation programs in mergers and acquisitions (change-in-control severance, retention/transaction bonuses, and contract negotiation);
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Regulatory areas such as taxation, securities law, accounting treatment, public disclosure, and other legal areas such as plan drafting, preparation of contracts, and research;
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Valuation of long-term incentive opportunities; and
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Financial analysis of company performance, especially performance measurement for incentive compensation purposes.
Depth of Experience
Darrell has consulted on executive compensation issues for 25 years. Prior to forming Compensation Strategies, Darrell was a Senior Consultant in Hay Group’s Executive Compensation Practice. Before Hay, Darrell was employed by
a large publishing company where he was involved with tax and employee benefits issues.
Education/Professional Affiliations
Darrell received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Northwestern University. He also received a law degree from Northwestern University and is a member of the Illinois Bar. Darrell has spoken at various professional gatherings, including conferences and seminars sponsored by The Conference Board, the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals (“NASPP”) Annual Conference, the E-Trade Directions Conference, the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists Annual Symposium, and American Bar Association conferences.
Marshall T. Scott
Senior Consultant
Professional Expertise
Marshall is a Senior Consultant with Compensation Strategies. He works with organizations on matters relating to executive compensation and governance. His clients are both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, and privately and publicly owned companies.
His work includes compensation benchmarking, design, governance, and regulatory compliance, and the impact of corporate restructuring and other transactions upon compensation.
Depth of Experience
Typical assignments include: aligning business and compensation strategies, including the alignment of compensation with current and future business performance; modifying compensation programs to support turnaround or bankruptcy efforts; benchmarking compensation to determine market competitiveness; and effecting compensation and benefit program changes related to business merger, acquisition, initial public offering and spin-off transactions.
Prior to joining Compensation Strategies, Marshall was a Senior Director with Alvarez & Marsal Taxand, LLC and prior to that was a Director in Executive Compensation Business with Willis Towers Watson.
Education/Professional Affiliations
Marshall received a law degree from the University of Chicago, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Brigham Young University. He has been a speaker at the following: American Bar Association, Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals; National Investor Relations Institute; and National Association of Stock Plan Professionals.