DIS » Topics » Board Compensation

This excerpt taken from the DIS DEF 14A filed Jan 12, 2007.

Board Compensation

Under the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, non-employee Director compensation is determined annually by the Board of Directors acting upon the recommendation of the Compensation Committee. Directors who are also employees of the Company receive no additional compensation for service as a Director. The following table shows compensation for non-employee directors for fiscal 2006:

 

Annual Board retainer    $65,000
Annual committee retainer1    $10,000
Annual committee chair retainer2    $15,000
Annual deferred stock unit grant    $60,000
Annual retainer for Board Chairman3    $500,000
Annual stock option grant4    6,000 shares
1 Per committee. 
2 This  is in addition to the annual committee retainer the Director receives for the committee.
3 In  lieu of all other Director compensation except the annual stock option grant.
4 In  fiscal 2006, each of the current non-employee directors other than Mr. Jobs received this grant.

At Mr. Jobs request, the Board has excluded Mr. Jobs from receiving compensation as a Director.

All payments and grants other than the stock option grants (which are made on


 

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March 1 of each year to Directors serving on that date) are made quarterly in arrears. Amounts awarded as deferred stock units are calculated by dividing the amount payable by the average of the high and low trading prices of Disney stock averaged over the last ten trading days of the quarter.

Deferred stock unit grants are fully vested upon crediting and are distributed to the Director in shares of Disney stock on the second anniversary of the grant date, except that stock units granted with respect to the Board Chairman’s annual retainer are distributed in shares of Disney stock in January of the year following the year of crediting.

The exercise price of the options granted in fiscal 2006 is $28.06 (the average of the high and low prices reported on the New York Stock Exchange on the date of grant). The options vest in equal installments over five years and have a ten-year term. If a Director ends his or her service by reason of mandatory retirement pursuant to the Board’s retirement or tenure policy or permanent disability, the options continue to vest in accordance with their original schedule. If service ends by reason of death, the options vest immediately. In any of the foregoing cases, the options remain exercisable for five years following termination or until the original expiration date of the option, whichever is sooner. In all other cases, options cease to vest upon termination and all options must be exercised within three months of termination.

Unless the Board exempts a Director, each Director is required to retain at all times stock representing no less than 50% of the after-tax value of exercised options and shares received upon distribution of deferred stock units until he or she leaves the Board.

Under the Company’s Amended and Restated 1997 Non-Employee Directors Stock and Deferred Compensation Plan, non-employee Directors may elect, on an annual basis, to receive all or part of their retainers in Disney stock, distributed after the end of each calendar year, or to defer all or part of their compensation until the

termination of their service as a Director. Deferred compensation may be maintained, at the participating Director’s election, in a cash or stock unit account.

To encourage Directors to experience the Company’s products, services and entertainment offerings personally, the Board has adopted a policy, that, subject to availability, entitles each non-employee Director (and his or her spouse, children and grandchildren) to use Company products, attend Company entertainment offerings and visit Company properties (including staying at resorts, visiting theme parks and participating in cruises) at the Company’s expense, up to a maximum of $15,000 in fair market value per calendar year plus reimbursement of associated tax liabilities. In addition, the Company reimburses Directors for travel expenses incurred in connection with attending Board, Committee and shareholder meetings and for other Company-business related expenses (including the travel expenses of spouses and children or grandchildren if they are specifically invited to attend the event for appropriate business purposes), which may include use of Company aircraft if available and approved in advance by the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer.

The Company does not provide retirement benefits to Directors under any current program.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Company’s bylaws and indemnification agreements, fees and other expenses incurred in connection with derivative litigation against current and former Directors relating to the employment agreement with the Company’s former president, Michael S. Ovitz, as described in the Company’s 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K, were advanced on behalf of those Directors by the Company or the Company’s insurer. Accordingly, from the beginning of fiscal 2006 through December 31, 2006, the Company advanced $873,595 for such fees and expenses, including legal fees, relating to the foregoing matters on behalf of such current and former Directors including George J. Mitchell, Leo J. O’Donovan and Gary L. Wilson. The Company has been reimbursed by the


 

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Company’s insurers for a majority of such advances and has submitted or will submit to the insurers demands for reimbursement for the remaining amounts that have been advanced. Additional amounts (not included above) were paid directly by the Company’s insurers.

This excerpt taken from the DIS DEF 14A filed Jan 11, 2006.

Board Compensation

 

Under the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, non-employee Director compensation is determined annually by the Board of Directors acting upon the recommendation of the Compensation Committee. Directors who are also employees of the Company receive no additional compensation for service as a Director. The following table shows compensation for non-employee directors for fiscal 2005:

 

Annual Board retainer    $65,000
Annual committee retainer1    $10,000
Annual committee chair retainer2    $15,000
Annual deferred stock unit grant    $60,000
Annual retainer for Board Chairman3    $500,000
Annual stock option grant4    6,000 shares

 

1 Per committee.
2 This is in addition to the annual committee retainer the Director receives for the committee.
3 In lieu of all other Director compensation except the annual stock option grant.
4 In fiscal 2005, each of the current non-employee directors other than Messrs. Pepper and Smith received this grant.

 

All payments and grants other than the stock option grants (which are made on March 1 of each year to Directors serving on that date) are made quarterly in arrears. Amounts awarded as deferred stock units are calculated by dividing the amount payable by the average of the high and low trading prices of Disney stock averaged over the last ten trading days of the quarter.

 

Deferred stock unit grants are fully vested upon crediting and are distributed to the Director in shares of Disney stock on the second anniversary of the grant date, except that stock units granted with respect to the Board Chairman’s annual retainer are distributed in shares of Disney stock in January of the year following the year of crediting.

 

The exercise price of the options granted in fiscal 2005 is $28.21 (the fair market value on the date of grant). The options vest in equal installments over five years and have a ten-year term. If a Director ends his or her service by reason of mandatory retirement pursuant to the Board’s retirement policy or permanent disability, the options continue to vest in accordance with their original schedule. If service ends by reason of death, the options vest immediately. In any of the

 

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foregoing cases, the options remain exercisable for five years following termination or until the original expiration date of the option, whichever is sooner. In all other cases, options cease to vest upon termination and all options must be exercised within three months of termination.

 

Unless the Board exempts a Director, each Director is required to retain at all times stock representing no less than 50% of the after-tax value of exercised options and shares received upon distribution of deferred stock units until he or she leaves the Board.

 

Under the Company’s Amended and Restated 1997 Non-Employee Directors Stock and Deferred Compensation Plan, non-employee Directors may elect, on an annual basis, to receive all or part of their retainers in Disney stock, distributed after the end of each calendar year, or to defer all or part of their compensation until the termination of their service as a Director. Deferred compensation may be maintained, at the participating Director’s election, in a cash or stock unit account. In addition, the Compensation Committee has established a stock unit account for eligible Directors and annually credits eligible Directors’ stock unit accounts with stock units with a value of $60,000 instead of paying this portion of the retainer and fees in cash.

 

To encourage Directors to personally experience the Company’s products, services and entertainment offerings, the Board adopted a policy effective June 30, 2004, that, subject to availability, entitles each non-employee Director (and his or her spouse, children and grandchildren) to use Company products, attend Company entertainment offerings and visit Company properties (including staying at resorts, visiting theme parks and participating in cruises) at the Company’s expense, up to a maximum of $15,000 in fair market value per calendar year plus reimbursement of associated tax liabilities. In addition, the Company reimburses Directors for travel expenses incurred in connection with attending Board, Committee and shareholder meetings and for other Company-business related expenses (including the travel expenses of spouses and children or grandchildren if they are specifically invited to attend the event for appropriate business purposes), which may include use of Company aircraft if available and approved in advance by the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer.

 

The Company does not provide retirement benefits to Directors under any current program. Mr. Wilson is eligible for benefits under a retirement policy terminated as of December 31, 1994, based upon his years of service through that date; he will be entitled to receive 50% of the annual retainer for five years following his retirement.

 

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