Translating complex compensation decisions into tailored programs that solidify loyalty and longevity of key employees.
About MCR
With singular focus on the complex area of deferred management compensation, Management Compensation Resources has been creating tailored solutions that maximize results and maintain compliance since 1999.
What We Do
A partner through the entire process — from plan design to ongoing service — Management Compensation Resources is dedicated to helping you realize the long-term success of the program, your key employees and your company.
Plan Designs
Management Compensation Resources helps companies of all sizes design plans to keep their best employees committed to staying – and growing – the company over the long-term.
| Incentive Compensation Plans |
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| Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans |
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| Retirement Plans |
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| Other Benefit Plans |
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News & Events
- ARTICLE: STAR TRIBUNE Aug 2017 Not your parents’ incentive plans
- ARTICLE: MINNESOTA BUSINESS MAGAZINE Dec 2011 Avoiding Executive Bounce
What We Do
From plan design through implementation and administration, MCR works with companies to address their needs and concerns related to compensation and benefits for management employees. We analyze existing plans and recommend changes to improve their effectiveness; we design and implement new plans that meet each client's unique needs. Our goal is to create plans that help deliver the best possible outcome for everyone.
| Our consulting and plan development process includes the following steps: | |
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Part of delivering the best possible outcome is providing funding and security for these plans – an important and often overlooked part of the plan design and consulting process. MCR includes a thorough analysis of these issues for every client, combining institutionally designed products and trusts to ensure that plans achieve their goals. Management Compensation Resources focuses on navigating the intricacies of regulatory guidelines for deferred compensation plans so that executives can focus on the future.
Case Studies
MCR works with corporations of all sizes and from varying industries. Here are some selected case studies that illustrate how our process has helped other firms select the right type of plan design — and then tailor that design to best meet their needs:
Phantom Stock Plan Redesign
Background
This privately-held company had a phantom stock plan for key management employees that would enhance their financial security. They were concerned with the complexity of the plan and wanted to know how to simplify it and increase its perceived value among managers.
Management Compensation Resources was asked to review the entire plan design and recommend a strategy to redesign the plan in a more straight-forward manner.
Analysis
MCR analyzed the financial impact of the plan redesign and communicated the accounting and tax issues to the client's finance team and the Board. As the plan has grown, MCR is now helping the client consider the best informal funding asset and the most efficient method of providing benefit security for the plan.
Action
MCR redesigned the phantom stock plan to accomplish the following:
- Provide participants with an opportunity to purchase shares of phantom stock and receive a corporate matching contribution for doing so;
- Provide participants with supplemental retirement income in the form of additional grants of phantom stock;
- Protect participant benefits in the event of death or long-term disability;
- Provide participants with protection in the event of the sale of the Company; and
- Create a measurable value for the phantom stock price that the company is now tying in to other incentive plans (share price is up almost 200% in 3 years!
MCR also conducted a complete, turn-key plan enrollment and implementation process, designed the plan's new record-keeping system, and provides ongoing plan service today.
Result
The company now has a well understood phantom stock plan with 90% of eligible managers participating and contributing the maximum allowable deferrals. The plan provides multiple options for payout at retirement as well as protection in the event of a change in control.
The plan redesign, coupled with the speed and expertise with which MCR was able to complete the enrollment and implementation have created a very positive benefit. In fact, the company has just added another incentive plan for a more limited group of managers — based on the same design concepts as this plan.
Incentive / Deferral Design
Background
A publicly-traded industrial-holding company needed to review its existing benefit plans and create an “incentive-based” plan to help retain the managers of its 15 business units and provide the managers with an opportunity to enhance their retirement savings.
Because of its diversified structure, the company wanted a uniform benefits package among its subsidiaries. Management Compensation Resources was hired to conduct a benefit analysis and recommend the appropriate plan design, funding and security alternatives. MCR also was asked to enroll, implement, and conduct the review/selection of TPA firms.
Analysis
Working with the holding company, MCR analyzed long-term financial goals and limitations, then thoroughly reviewed the available informal benefit funding and security alternatives. MCR also worked closely with the client's legal counsel to draft and review plan documents and enrollment materials.
Action
MCR designed a nonqualified benefit plan that:
- Includes a base level of company contribution to the plan and additional incentive amounts for meeting business unit performance targets;
- Allows participants to contribute pretax salary and bonus compensation to the plan without IRS limitation;
- Provides a range of investment choices to which participants can allocate their funds;
- Relies on a grantor trust to provide benefit security for plan participants; and
- Is informally funded with trust-owned life insurance.
MCR conducted the enrollment and plan implementation process and directly handled participant questions and communication.
Result
The company now has a state-of-the-art benefit plan for all corporate and business unit managers in which 74% of those eligible participate, contributing average deferrals of over $22,000 per participant. The plan contains vesting and payout provisions that encourage managers to stay with the company.
Many of the plan participants have thanked management for the chance to save additional money on a pretax basis.The holding company believes the plan has had a positive impact on manager retention and recruitment.
Voluntary Deferred Compensation
Background
A building materials company with annual revenues of approximately $200 million was interested in creating a deferral plan for its key employees that would allow them to save for their retirement needs. Being a privately-held company, executives were concerned about the security and safety of their potential nonqualified benefits.
Management Compensation Resources was asked to develop the entire plan design, benefit security, and informal funding strategy.
Analysis
MCR projected the financial impact of the proposed plan and communicated an understanding of the accounting and tax issues to the company's finance team. MCR also helped the client choose the best informal funding asset and the most efficient method of providing benefit security for the plan.
Action
MCR designed a nonqualified benefit plan that:
- Allows participants to contribute pretax salary and bonus compensation to the plan without IRS limitation;
- Provides multiple investment choices among which participants can allocate their funds;
- Derives benefit security for plan participants through a grantor trust; and
- Is informally funded with trust-owned life insurance.
MCR also conducted a complete, turn-key plan enrollment and implementation process, and recommended an appropriate trustee and TPA firm to perform the ongoing plan recordkeeping services.
Result
The result is a well-received, nonqualified deferral plan with 64% of the eligible group participating and contributing average deferrals of over $31,000 per participant. The plan provides multiple options for participant payout after retirement, as well as a facility to receive payments while still employed.
The client reports that the flexibility of the plan design, coupled with the speed with which MCR was able to complete the plan design, enrollment and implementation process, have created a very positive benefit for the key management of the company.
Survivor / Retirement Income Design
Background
This private company was interested in creating a benefit plan for key middle management employees that would enhance their financial security/retirement situation. They were concerned with the competitiveness of their current retirement benefits and wanted to do something special for this group of managers — without having to add more benefits and cost to the qualified plans already in place.
Management Compensation Resources was asked to design the plan, and develop a benefit security and informal funding strategy.
Analysis
MCR projected the financial impact of the proposed plan and communicated an understanding of the accounting and tax issues to the client's finance team and the outside auditors. MCR also determined the best informal funding asset and the most efficient method of providing benefit security for the plan.
Action
MCR designed a nonqualified benefit plan that accomplished the following:
- Provides participants with a pre-retirement survivor benefit, based on their annual compensation;
- Provides participants with supplemental retirement income, again based on their actual annualcompensation;
- Protects participant benefits in the event of long-term disability;
- Relies on a grantor trust to provide benefit security for plan participants; and
- Is informally funded with trust-owned life insurance.
MCR also conducted a complete, turn-key plan enrollment and implementation process. Finally, MCR recommended an appropriate trustee and TPA firm to perform the ongoing plan recordkeeping services.
Result
A nonqualified benefit plan with all of the eligible group participating. The client reports that the “packaged nature” of the plan design has created a very positive benefit for the key managers and it has helped the company to retain and recruit qualified people into these positions.
Newsletters
Below is a listing of newsletters previously sent to clients. If you wish to be added to our mailing list, please contact us.
- October 2012
- December 2011
- October 2011
- May 2011
- October 2010
- April 2010
- January 2010
- Pre-2009 Issues
- October 2009
- March 2009
- October 2008
- February 2008
- July 2007
- November 2006
- August 2006
- April 2006
- January 2006
- Tax Law Update - November 2005
- Tax Law Update - September 2005
- Client Tax Update - May 2005
- Client Tax Update - January 2005
- Tax Law Alert - October 2004
- Client Tax Update - Spring 2004
- Client Tax Update - Winter 2004
- Client Tax Update - September 2003
- Client Tax Update - May 2003
- Client Tax Update - January 2003
- Client Tax Alert - September 2002
- Client Tax Alert - June 2002
- Client Tax Alert - March 2002
- 419 Plan Update - 2002
About MCR
Management Compensation Resources (MCR) is a full-service firm specializing in helping companies of all sizes design plans to keep their best employees committed to staying and growing the company over the long-term.
Through nonqualified compensation and benefit plans, we help you give employees a financial incentive tied to the success of the business. Our role is to help companies navigate the intricacies of regulatory guidelines for deferred compensation plans and develop a plan tailored to their situation.
In order to deliver maximum efficiency and assure continuity of service for our clients, benefit statement processing, benefit distributions, and plan/trust accounting services are provided by select third-party administration and trust companies with which we have established relationships.
MCR's principals have over 30 years of combined experience in the field of compensation and benefits plans for key employees. And since all we do at MCR is work with clients in this field, there is no other locally-based firm in the Twin Cities that can offer this level of focus, experience, and expertise to clients.
Bios
Scott Rollin
Scott Rollin is the President and founder of Management Compensation Resources. He has been in the business since 1988 and has experience consulting to corporations on compensation and benefits issues, nonqualified benefit plan security, funding, and plan administration issues. Scott has worked with public and private companies of all sizes and from a range of industries, including: general/diversified manufacturing, insurance, banking, financial services, construction, chemical manufacturing, healthcare, marketing/information services, public utilities, print media/publishing, food wholesaling/distribution, non-profits, and general retailing.
Prior to founding MCR in 1999, Scott spent 11 years with a national nonqualified benefit consulting firm and was most recently in charge of its Minneapolis office. Before that, he spent four years in corporate accounting functions for the Northwestern National Life Insurance Co. (now ING / ReliaStar), also in Minneapolis.
Scott is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business with concentrations in Economics and Finance. In his personal time, Scott is active in fundraising and leadership for the Midwest Division of the American Cancer Society. He and his wife, Lisa, have three sons and enjoy golf, wine, and traveling.
Sarah Fulton
Director of Client Services
Since joining Management Compensation Resources (MCR) in February 2005, Sarah Fulton has been focused on helping clients implement deferred compensation programs and making sure participants feel comfortable and confident with the program.
As Director of Client Services, Sarah is responsible for all client service functions associated with the business including: coordination of benefit plan enrollment materials, benefit plan recordkeeping / reporting, and third-party administration review and reporting. Licensed for insurance and securities, Sarah is also dedicated to ensuring that MCR clients receive the proper asset reporting information.
Prior to joining MCR, Sarah developed her client service acumen in various roles within several financial service organizations within the Twin Cities area. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and a minor in Economics.
Outside the office, Sarah volunteers monthly with Bundles of Love, a nonprofit that provides “bundles” of the essential clothing and blankets for infants in need within the Twin Cities and Southeastern Minnesota. Residents of Fridley, Minn., Sarah and her husband Joe also enjoy golfing and going “Up North.”
Contact Us
If you would like additional information on any of the compensation and benefit plan services described, please contact us using the information and form below. We would love to hear from you!
Management Compensation Resources, LLC
3600 Minnesota Drive Suite 600Edina, MN 55435
We are on the sixth floor in the SE corner.
(overlooking Minnesota Drive)
Phone: 952.806.9610
Fax: 952.831.0332
Email: info@mgmtcomp.com