Despite the state notching the nation's 14th-worst unemployment rate,

recently completed a good fiscal year, leading to bonuses for its executive team.

Earlier this month and in August, bonuses were awarded to 10 top managers for $650,762 combined.

The bonuses were paid out of a possible 20-percent incentive pay clause in their contracts. Base pay for the 10 managers averaged $454,038, with the top mark going to President Joe Robertson, Jr., at $959,072. Dan Forbes, who oversees compensation and benefits for OHSU, said the bonuses were based in part on the institution's good performance, and in part on goals set for each manager.

At a recent board meeting, Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Furnstahl announced that OHSU recorded $57 million in operating income in the fiscal year ending in June, based on operating revenue of $1.9 billion. The operating income was $11 million less than the previous fiscal year, but was $44 million over projections, boosted by $10 million in federal stimulus finds, among other things.

The Legislature split off OHSU from state government in 1995 to become a public corporation, after its leaders complained of red tape.

Its board

in 2008 when it

even as declining profits led to layoffs and salary freezes. OHSU gave out no bonuses in 2009. Since 2008, the bonus portion of executives' pay package has been cut. Overall compensation still is less than it was in 2008, said spokesman Jim Newman.

The bonuses were not formally approved by the board, though they were reviewed by board chairman Charles Wilhoite.

Overall, OHSU employs 13,929 people with a combined payroll of about $900 million.

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