San Diego Magazine
June 2005
By Marcia Manna
A survey of San Diegans’ salaries—from politicians to pro sports stars; from a Hooters Girl to a symphony conductor—and yes, we polled a butcher, a baker and a candlestick maker
LIKE IT OR NOT, the digits that follow the dollar signs on our payroll checks help define who we are. The highest numbers can reflect status, a stamp of approval or a reward for years of service. But for many San Diegans, their salary represents a sacrifice - a monthly reminder of what it costs to live in sun-soaked San Diego.
Today’s job market is a rocky road. What follows is a list of the travelers - and the pay they earn along the route. A few who participated in this survey shared a window into their world but refused to reveal an annual salary. KGTV newscaster Bill Griffith, for example, says he makes more than a Superior Court judge ($100,000+) and less than President Bush ($400,000, not including perks).
Many of the salaries listed here are taken from the most recent public records. With others, we coaxed and cajoled their bottom lines out of them. We list these not merely to afflict the comforted, or comfort the afflicted. We encourage you to compare, to benchmark and to be entertained. And remember: Take-home pay still can’t buy you love.
Arts
Stephanie Casenza
San Diego Performing Arts League executive director, $72,000
Jahja Ling
San Diego Symphony conductor, $250,000+
Eve Selis
singer/songwriter, $25,000-$35,000
Most recent album: Nothing but the Truth
Best: “You work for yourself at a job you love to do.”
Worst: “You work for yourself, and income is dependent on how much you work.”
Nathan Sawaya
LEGO master model builder, $31,000+
He won the Legoland Master Builder search last year and left a six-figure income in the legal field to accept the $31,000-per-year job at Legoland Carlsbad. After nine months, he returned to New York to work as an independent mosaic artist.
Best: “It’s not about the money. I had millions of bricks. It was a dream come true to have unlimited access to my favorite medium.”
Worst: “We didn’t get to decide what we wanted to build. Now I enjoy building whatever I want.”
Warren Gref
symphony musician (French horn), $44,000
Best: “The camaraderie and getting to play some of the greatest music ever written. And every week is a different program.”
Worst: “Concerts nearly every Friday and Saturday evening, with many Sunday-afternoon performances (and some Thursday evenings), is difficult for family life. Also having to practice on days off to always be at peak performance level.”
David Holmes
Bob Baker Lexus car salesman $116,000
Best: “Having a customer for life.”
Worst: “Losing a customer to the competition.
Lynn Richardson, M.S., D.V.M.
veterinarian and exotic-animal consultant $100,000
Best: “Being able to heal a patient and have them be able to return to their intended use or life with a happy owner.”
Worst: “Recognizing there sometimes isn’t anything that I can do to facilitate a successful outcome.”
Kristen Good
part-time rape crisis counselor, $10.50 an hour/$10,000 a year
Best: “Being there for someone and talking them through the process; having someone thank you for helping them take steps toward positive change.”
Worst: “The feeling of helplessness and not knowing what will be in someone’s future.”
George Thomas
Elvis and John Travolta tribute performer $55,000
Sean Michaels
American Tattoo part-time artist $24,000
Best: “Expressing myself through art and making bodies better.”
Worst: “People who want to quit after they get the first line done.”
Bill Lansdowne
police chief, $162,000
Best: “The ability to change law enforcement across the country. Crime is down, complaints are down, and lethal force is down. It doesn’t get any better than this.”
Worst: “Officers getting injured, and the domestic violence scenes where kids are involved.”
Elected and Appointed Officials: State and National Politicians
Dianne Feinstein
U.S. senator, $158,100
Alan Bersin
California education secretary, $123,255
Bill Lockyer
California attorney general, $148,750
San Diego City Officials
Jeff Bowman
fire chief, $172,785
Michael Aguirre
California attorney general, $148,750
Scott Peters
city councilman, $71,522
Dick Murphy
mayor of San Diego, $100,464 (resigning July 15)
P. Lamont Ewell
city manager, $223,527
Chuck Abdelnour
city clerk, $134,534 (retired June 30)
San Diego County Officials
Bill Kolender
sheriff, $160,000
Glenn Wagner
medical examiner, $185,140
Greg Smith
assessor, recorder and county clerk, $167,000
Dan McAllister
treasurer and tax collector, $119,000
Richard Thome
San Diego County Office of Education assistant superintendent of human resources and technology, $142,000
Bob Glass
captain, Rescue 4, San Diego City Fire Department, $81,764
Best: “Getting immediate feedback, the benefit of knowing I made a difference in someone’s life.”
Worst: “The tragedies we see and knowing a family will never be the same afterward.”
CEOs
George W. Haligowski
ITLA Capital chairman, president and CEO $5,598,340
John B. Carrington
Websense chairman and CEO $11,953,641
Stephen L. Baum
Sempra Energy chairman and CEO $13,512,403
Peter V. Leparulo
Novatel Wireless CEO $9,528,105
Bernard Zeichner
Charlotte Russe chairman $7,581,505
Stephen Doyle
Brookfield Homes San Diego/ Riverside division president $5,572,200
Wayne R. Inouye
Gateway president and CEO $8,409,144
Miscellaneous
Kathy Nelson
life/career/business coach, $118,000
Jamie Lippitt
speech and language teacher, $42,000
Alice Dean
first-year kindergarten teacher at Ocean Knoll Elementary, $32,000
Shu Chien
chair, department of bioengineering, UCSD, $193,484
Claudette Garcia
Myron L Company customer service representative, $29,960
Heather Middleton
wedding photographer, $35,000
Dr. Dennis Fetko, Ph.D.
“Dr. Dog” radio personality, $60,000
Anthony Acosta
Rotor Rooter plumber, $69,000
Dr. Keith Jeffers
chiropractic sports practitioner and exercise physiologist, $202,000
Tamilee Webb
fitness celebrity, star of the Buns of Steel video series, $35,000 (investment income from $100,000 video earnings)
Karen Grissom
KC the Clown, $16,800
© 2005 San Diego Magazine
