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Ohio State University paid men’s basketball head coach Thad Matta $5.8 million last year and men’s football head coach Urban Meyer $4.5 million, making them the two highest paid public employees in the state.
Matta, who has a seven-year contract, has led the Buckeyes to seven consecutive March Madness tournament appearances. Meyer, who received about half of his money in base pay and half in bonus cash, led the team to a national championship in January 2015.
The university paid out more than $1 million in compensation to 11 men — coaches, administrators, doctors and scientists, according to 2015 pay data released by OSU on Friday. Ohio State President Michael Drake ranked 11th with compensation totalling $1,020,096.
Third behind Matta and Meyer is Chief Financial Officer Geoff Chatas, who made $1.88 million last year. Chatas announced a year ago that he was leaving the university to take a job with QIC, the international asset management company that OSU hired to operate its 35,000 parking spaces. Chatas abruptly rescinded his resignation and stayed in Drake's administration. His 2015 pay reflects a $1.2 million bonus that was paid out for staying five years at OSU — money he was due under contract whether he had remained or left.
Also in the million dollar club are:
* Steven Gabbe, who retired in June 2015 as medical center chief executive, $1.8 million;
* Athletics Director Gene Smith, $1.6 million;
* neuro surgeon Daniel Monte Serrat Prevedello, $1.3 million;
* surgeon Juan Crestanello, $1.16 million; Health Services Vice President Peter Geier, $1.15 million;
* Neurological Surgery Chair Russell Roland Lonser, $1.06 million;
* Comprehensive Cancer Center Director Michael Caligiuri, $1.03 million.
OSU’s payroll totalled $2.25 billion last year, including $58.6 million in bonus pay. Although some bonuses were less than $10, bonuses of more than $100,000 went to 86 employees. The university paid out $42.3 million in overtime with nurses and others in the university hospitals and law enforcement officers earning the biggest overtime money.
In 2015, 102 employees made more than $500,000; 670 made between $250,000 and $500,000; 4,054 made between $100,000 and $250,000.
The university, which employed 39,543 people last year, includes regional campuses, a major medical center, a sports enterprise and 65,000 students.
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