Big Oil and Lots of Gas

Every year in Texas, the Houston newspaper (there used to be two) puts out their list of the highest paid executives for the dozens of Fortune 500 and other large public companies in the area.

Instead of focusing on the best of the best from those rankings, it is more interesting to look at the oil executive names who barely squeaked in with a measly quarter of a million dollars per year. That's hardly a thousand bucks per day, and we all know $250 grand isn't what it used to be.

At Houston-based US Physical Therapy, wayyyy at the bottom of the list, Lawrance McAfee and Christopher Reading received compensation in the amount of $414,788 and $414,193 respectively. Wonder whose ass Larry kissed to get that extra six hundred dollars last year?

At Pioneer Cos we find that Kent Stephenson and Jerry Bradley both received approximately $315K for their efforts, although Mr. Stephenson got about $10 a day more which probably really pisses of Mr. Bradley since he's still with the company, unlike Stevo.

Omega Protein's Thomas Wittmann fell $314 short of the quarter million mark which most likely bothers his spouse to no end. Probably when they docked Thom those 2 hours for that "late lunch" last August. Over at Mexican Restaurants (ticker CASA) Senor Lo, Senor Dennis and Senor Andrew didn't do too shabby either, although I don't believe those monikers are on the usual list of Hispanic names.

Likewise, at Integrated Electrical -- Curt, David, Robert and Richard fared well in the compensation department -- although those first names aren't exactly integrated.

No listing of capitalist reward systems would be complete without a search for possible errors. At Bois D'Arc there appears to be a mistake where Wayne Laufer and Gary Blackie both got paid the same amount for their efforts. It's a good bet that Wayne is really pissed at Blackie.

Finally at Friedman Corp an anomaly where Ben Harper and Thomas Thompson both received $250,011 needs further study. Either socialism is well and alive at this Friedman place, or "Ben" needs to think about going by the more formal Benjamin like that Thomas guy does.

To end things we can look at the bottom of the bottom. Let's hear it for Flotek for having a female name on the very last page of Houston executive pay.  After all, it wasn't until right near the 150th place that ANY female appeared on the Top-500 Houston Chronicle annual list of those people who've made it to the top of the heap.