Summary
Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot in a premeditated attack outside the New York Hilton Midtown before speaking at an investor conference.
The gunman, still at large, fired multiple times, leaving shell casings marked with the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose.”
Authorities suggest Thompson was targeted but remain unclear on the motive. His wife confirmed prior threats against him.
Analysts speculate a possible vendetta tied to his company. The case raises questions about executive security, as Thompson lacked personal protection despite known risks.
What I’m hearing you say is - I have no clue what these people who make so much money actually do but I’m of the firm belief that they’re paid a lot of money to do nothing. If I were you, and I have been and continue to be someone who finds so much in life curious and puzzling, I would take a moment to learn a bit more about the area before I make such bold claims about things I only know about from social media. Perhaps look up “what does a CEO do” or “why do CEOs make so much money”.
But to provide some answer to your question, from my experience, the CEOs I’ve known are super over achievers. The people I’ve known are working 24/7/365 while they appear to have somewhat fulfilling family lives. For them to take time off of work is like dying. They just can’t stop.
Granted, the CEOs I’ve known aren’t CEOs at multiple companies. They may be on a board of directors and they may be presidents of organizations in addition to their CEO title. I’m not sure I’ve heard of someone being a CEO at more than one company.
Part of the compensation for a CEO is so they can hire people to work from them (that’s how I know these people). The company is going to pay them well enough that they can hire cleaners and contractors and housekeepers and nannies to afford them the opportunity to continue their work all day without interruption. So, an average CEO household might have four people on staff for them at any given time. I can tell you, these people are paid crazy money so that’s a good half a million dollars right there that someone is being paid so they can live a life dedicated to their job, not because of the effort they put into it.
I mean, in regard to effort expended, if I mom can own and operate a local bakery while taking care of the home and coaching girls soccer and being president of the PTA, what makes a CEO any different? Just because they’re paid a lot more? A local bakery is serving the local community. It’s only ever going to generate a finite income and offer a finite value to the neighborhood. A CEO is, presumably, managing a national or international organization making millions or billions of dollars. They mange the people who manage hundreds or thousands of employees. The choices they make impact all the lives of the employees as well as the clientele and the bottom line for the company.
From the average person’s point of view, it’s obscene how much money these people are paid. From their perspective, it’s quite logical. IMO, I think there’s a cap on what a CEO should make - not because it should be regulated but because the company is just throwing money away. However, I’m aware that these people are in high demand because of the work they provide so companies are bidding for them. Sign on packages and yearly bonuses reach the sky just to acquire someone, regardless of the value they’re currently providing the company.
So, how do you fight something like this?