California’s highest-paid state employees are not as widely recognized as one might expect. They include pension managers, correctional staff, and law enforcement personnel, some taking home nearly $2 million in total compensation, as indicated by various records.
Leading the pack of earners was Stephen Gilmore, who serves as the chief investment officer for the California Public Employees Retirement System. He earned a staggering $2.36 million last year, which included a salary of $720,608, almost $100,000 in benefits, and a striking $1.5 million classified as “other pay.”
This pay information is publicly accessible, compiled by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Out of about 250 state employees making over $600,000, many were found within California’s large pension systems such as the Public Employees Retirement System and the Teachers’ Retirement System. Other beneficiaries included staff from the California Highway Patrol and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
While Gilmore was the sole state worker to exceed $2 million, a number of other pension executives surpassed $1 million, primarily due to “other pay,” often tied to performance bonuses. For instance, managing director Arnold Phillips earned $1.73 million, which featured $1 million in “other pay.” Deputy investment chief Daniel Bienvenue and executive officer Marcie Frost each took home about $1.6 million.
CalPERS represents the largest public employees’ retirement system in the U.S., boasting over $600 billion in assets.
Interestingly, employees in the California prison system are also quite well compensated. Samita Gandhi, a psychiatrist with Corrections and Rehabilitation, was the highest-paid in that department, with total earnings of $873,872. Following closely were chief psychiatrist Olivia Del Pilar and staff psychiatrist Damon Walcott, who earned $841,878 and $822,971, respectively.
Tai Vong, the recently retired chief of the California Highway Patrol, brought in an impressive $914,554 in his final year, which included a sizable “lump sum” payment of $398,000. Other chiefs, James Mann and Donald Goodbrand, earned $838,272 and $824,122, and one sergeant, Leonard Tomboc, made $812,678.
Another notable figure is Vernon Steiner, who manages the State Compensation Insurance Fund, earning $1.2 million last year, inclusive of a $702,791 base salary.
Additionally, Ian Choudri, who oversees California’s High-Speed Rail project, also had a solid year, receiving $638,943 in compensation.
On the flip side, departments with the lowest-paid workers include Motor Vehicles and Veterans Affairs, with median salaries reported to be below $71,000, according to the Chronicle’s analysis.
