Computer Associates International's Wang Named Computer Industry's Top Earner For Fifth Year; Bill Gates Heads List Of Stock Holdings Leaders

For the fifth year in a row, Computer Associates International Inc. (NYSE: CA) Chairman and CEO Charles Wang -- who received a salary of $6,000,000 in 1996 -- is firmly on top of the list of the 500 executives ranked in the Computer Reseller News 10th Annual Salary Survey. Meanwhile, Bill Gates' more than $33 billion in Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) stock holdings makes him far and away the leader in the publication's look at the top 200 Stock Holdings. The full lists of the 500 Highest Paid Executives and Top 200 Stock Holdings are available in the May 12 issue of Computer Reseller News, and on the Web at http://www.crn.com/. Following are snapshots of the Survey findings and details from the accompanying report:

Following The Leade

Following are the executives who placed two, three and four, respectively on the Top 500 Highest Paid Executives list, after Wang: IBM Corp.(NYSE: IBM) Chairman and CEO Louis Gerstner, Jr. ($4.8 million), Compaq Computer Corp. (NYSE: CPQ) President and CEO Eckhard Pfeiffer ($4.3 million), and Computer Associates International Inc. President and Chief Operating Officer Sanjay Kumar ($3.9 million). Top 200 Stock Holdings executives numbers two three and four, respectively, after Gates : Microsoft Corp. board member and second largest Microsoft Corp. stockholder Paul Allen ($13.8 billion), Microsoft Executive Vice President Worldwide Sales and Support Steven Ballmer ($7.1 billion) and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) Chairman Gordon Moore ($8.7 billion).

The View Is Fine From Down Here

With 1996 pay reported at $207,750, former Global Village Communication, Inc. (NASDAQ: GVIL) Vice President Rex Cardinle is number 500 on the Computer Reseller News list of the Top 500 Highest Paid Executives (Cardinale currently heads up Global Village spin-off GlobalCenter). Seagate Technology Inc.'s (NYSE: SEG) Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ronald Verdoorn holds stock options valued at $6.8 million and is number 200 on the Computer Reseller News Top 200 Stock Holdings list.

When It Comes to Incentives, Stocks Are Hot

Of all 500 executives reviewed in the Computer Reseller News 10th Annual Salary Survey, the average salary and bonus earned in 1996 was $620,727. However, companies awarded the average Chief Executive Officer stock options valued at $3.5 million if their stocks grow in value at 7.5 percent by the time it vests. In addition, nine executives named to the Computer Reseller News Highest Paid Executives list have stock holdings valued at more than $1 billion.

But Are They Worth It

In determining how likely the average high-tech channel stock is to grow at a rate of 7.5 percent, Computer Reseller News reviewed more than 110 companies. What it found is that the average company returned $396 on a $100 investment over a five year period, an increase averaging more than 30 percent a year, and that at least 61 companies actually doubled the value of their stock. For a copy of the entire 16-page Computer Reseller News Salary Survey feature, or the complete list of the Top 500 Highest Paid Executives or Top 200 Stock Holdings, contact Leslie Dunbar at (516) 562-7040, or by e-mail at ldunbar(at)cmp.com.

Information in the Computer Reseller News 10th Annual Salary Survey list of the Top 500 Highest Paid Executives was compiled from each company's annual proxy statement. Stock holdings were determined based on each company's closing price for April 29, 1997.

Published by CMP Media Inc., Cmputer Reseller News has a circulation of more than 115,000 and reaches readers with the product trends and industry news needed to sell comprehensive technology solutions. The publication's news coverage is also available via e-mail throu CRN Direct. This customizable daily newsletter -- available in both text and full HTML formats -- allows users to choose up to 20 companies, products and trends to track. Registration for CRN Direct can be done through the CRN Online home page at http://www.crn.com/.

CMP Media Inc. provides publishing, marketing and information services to the broad high-technology spectrum -- the builders, sellers and users of technology through print and electronic media. All of CMP's publications and online products can be accessed through the company's TechWeb® site on the World Wide Web (http://www.techweb.com/). Along with Computer Reseller News, CMP's Channel Group print titles include Computer Retail Week and VARBusiness.

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SOURCE: CMP Media Inc.

CONTACT: Leslie Dunbar, 516-562-7040 or ldunbar@cmp.com, or
Catherine Jarrat Koatz, 516-562-7827 or ckoatz@cmp.com, bothof CMP Media