Goldman CEO reaped record $54.3 mln in pay in 2006

[Earth_First]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS - news) Chairman and Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein received more than $54.3 million in cash, stock and options last year, setting a record for Wall Street CEO remuneration after leading the most profitable investment bank for just six months.

Blankfein, 52, named CEO in June after Henry "Hank" Paulson quit to become U.S. Treasury Secretary, earned $600,000 in salary and a cash bonus of $27.2 million, according to a proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday.

He also received $15.7 million in restricted stock, options valued at $10.5 million and $261,906 for perks such as a car, driver and financial counseling, plus $82,876 in contributions to his pension, insurance and other benefit plans.

Excluding options, Blankfein's cash and stock pay rose 42 percent from 2005, when he was Goldman's president.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070221/bs_nm/goldmansachs_compensation_dc

:shrug:

[aquart]

Profits that excessive make me nervous.

[entanglement]

1. An undated photo of Blankfein

:puke:

[aquart]

2. Gosh, he seems happy.