business

CEO Pay Watch Ecolab Inc.

Douglas Baker Jr., chairman, CEO

Total compensation: $27,239,330 for the year ended Dec. 31.

Salary: $1,050,000

Non-equity incentive pay: $1,950,000

Other compensation: $161,199

Exercised stock options: $23,763,209

Value realized on vesting shares: $314,922

New stock options: 195,800

Total 2012 return to shareholders: 25.8 percent

Note: Baker, who orchestrated Ecolab’s largest acquisition with the $8 billion deal for Nalco Inc. in Dec. 2011, had his biggest payout since being named Ecolab CEO on July 1, 2004.

Baker’s compensation for the year increased due to the $23.8 million from long-held stock options that were exercised during the year and approaching their expiration dates. The value realized from those stock option exercises can be attributed to Ecolab’s financial and stock performance over last 10 years.

For the 10-year period from Jan. 1, 2003, to Dec. 31, 2012, Ecolab’s sales increased 215 percent and its adjusted earnings per share have increased 210 percent. During this same period, Ecolab’s stock has appreciated 191 percent compared to a 62 percent increase in the S&P 500 Index.

According to the company’s proxy statement, Ecolab’s stock has outperformed the S&P 500 for the last nine years and in 11 of the past 12 years.