Top 20 Highest Paid Retail Execs

Which retail executive earned $20 million last year? It will come as no surprise that the nation's largest retailer pays its executives the highest paychecks. Who other than Walmart could dominate a quarter of this list? But others will surprise you. Find out which executives from CVS, Polo Ralph Lauren, TJX, and Abercrombie earned mega- paychecks this year.

To rank on the top 20 highest paid list, retail executives had to earn paychecks amounting to more than $8 million. Walmart dominates this year's top 20 list claiming 5 spots (2, 6, 7, 9, 12). The only other retailer that is represented multiple times on the list is Polo Ralph Lauren (1, 8).

Many of the retailers making appearances on the top 20 list wear many hats at their retail organization and serve as the company's president and CEO. Two female retail executives place on this year's overall top 20 list - Carol M Meyrowitz, CEO of TJX as well as Katherine L. Krill, CEO, President and Director of Ann Taylor.

The top 20 highest paid retail executives are:

1) Ralph Lauren
Chairman, CEO
Polo Ralph Lauren
Total Compensation: $20,303,522

2) Michael T. Duke
President, CEO
Walmart
Total Compensation: $19,040,460

3) Thomas M. Ryan
Chairman of the Board, President and CEO
CVS Caremark
Total Compensation: $16,231,292

4) Michael S. Jeffries
Chairman, and CEO
Abercrombie & Fitch
Total Compensation: $15,623,363

5) Carol M Meyrowitz
CEO
TJX
Total Compensation: $14,796,172

6) John B. Menzer
Vice Chairman, Chief Administrative Officer
Walmart
Total Compensation: $14,609,696

7) Brian C. Cornell
Executive Vice President
Walmart
Total Compensation: $14,322,200

8) Roger Farah
President, COO
Polo Ralph Lauren
Total Compensation: $14,114,209

9) Eduardo Castro-Wright
Vice Chairman
Walmart
Total Compensation: $13,884,355

10) Terry J. Lundgren
Chairman, President, CEO
Macy's
Total Compensation: $12,848,407

11) Robert A. Niblock
Chairman of the Board, CEO
Lowe's
Total Compensation: $11,667,358

12) C. Douglas McMillon
Executive Vice President
Walmart
Total Compensation: $11,151,489

13) Julian R. Geiger
Chairman, CEO
Aeropostale
Total Compensation: $10,996,022

14) Ronald L. Sargent
Chairman, CEO
Staples
Total Compensation: $10,759,001

15) Sang Ho Lim
Pre-Acquisition Secretary
American Apparel
Total Compensation: $10,614,066

16) John J. Donahoe
President, CEO
eBay
Total Compensation: $10,132,748

17) Francis S. Blake
Chairman, CEO
The Home Depot
Total Compensation: $9,927,573

18) Paul Marciano
CEO, Vice Chairman
Guess
Total Compensation: $9,316,480

19) Katherine L. Krill
CEO, President and Director
Ann Taylor Stores
Total Compensation: $9,067,956

20) Myron E. Ullman III.
Chairman, CEO
JC Penney
Total Compensation: $8,297,994

Some names that may surprise you by not making the list are executives from Target, Best Buy, and Walgreens. Each of these retailers has been consistently delivering strong growth and healthy balance sheets, yet didn't rake in the big bucks like the retail executives from Aeropostale, Ann Taylor and Abercrombie.

To determine this list of highest paid retail executives, RIS researched the latest financial reports posted by retailers of large publicly traded companies. The numbers are based on the Proxy Statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2009 and publicly available business research Web sites. It is likely some private retail companies also have highly paid executives, but public records of these companies are not available for review.

For related content, see:

Top 20 Highest Paid Mid-Market Retail Executives

Highest Paid Retail CFOs

Highest Paid Retail CEOs 2010

Top 10 Highest Paid Female Executives in Retail