Investors and the business media may be vexed about rich executive pay plans, but "golden parachute" severance packages stir particular outrage. Too often, it seems, this departure pay rewards failure, is based on inflated numbers, and loses "say on parachute" investor votes. How can your board...

Public company compensation levels and programs are a key factor in determining compensation levels in private companies. It is important that companies devise and follow a compensation philosophy as part of their compensation program, which includes public company benchmarks. Does this...