Alexander M. Cutler was the CEO of Eaton Corporation until 2016. He started working at Eaton in 1975 and climbed the ranks to lead the company. During his tenure, he emphasized performance-based pay, aiming to align his interests with the...

Alexander M. Cutler was the CEO of Eaton Corporation until 2016. He started working at Eaton in 1975 and climbed the ranks to lead the company. During his tenure, he emphasized performance-based pay, aiming to align his interests with the shareholders. His total compensation peaked at over $20 million in certain years, reflecting his role in boosting the company’s earnings and cash flow. At the time of his retirement, he owned nearly 500,000 shares of Eaton stock, worth over $143 million, which illustrates his deep connection to the company’s success. One of his notable leadership tactics was using company aircraft for personal travel mainly for security, marking his commitment to efficiency and safety. His time at Eaton is remembered for creating shareholder value and guiding the company through various economic ups and downs.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Eaton Corporation CEOs

E

Alexander M. Cutler

Ex-CEO of Eaton Corporation

Education

Bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan; MBA from Harvard Business School

Field of Expertise

Business & Management

Sector of Economy

Industrials

Born

May 1, 1951 - 73 years ago

CEO of Eaton Corporation for

15 years 9 months (Aug 2000 - May 2016)

Previous Experience

Joined Eaton in 1975 and held various senior management positions.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Alexander M. Cutler

A

Kevin J. Wheeler

CEO of A. O. Smith

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.08M

Bonus

$1.94M

Other

$236.98K

Total Holdings

$6.07M

I

Vicente Reynal

CEO of Ingersoll Rand

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.13M

Bonus

$3.43M

Other

$175.95K

Total Holdings

$65.37M

A

Richard Adam Norwitt

CEO of Amphenol

2023 Compensation

Stock

$9.10M

Salary

$1.46M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$382.12K

Total Holdings

$117.28M

H

Gerben W. Bakker

CEO of Hubbell

2022 Compensation

Stock

$1.18M

Salary

$1.03M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$283.94K

Total Holdings

$25.05M

E

Andrea J. Funk

CEO of EnerSys

2023 Compensation

Stock

$250.00K

Salary

$450.00K

Bonus

$100.00K

Other

$50.00K

Total Holdings

$4.45M

Holdings

See how much did Alexander M. Cutler make over time.

At his time of retirement in 2016, Alexander M. Cutler held approximately 500,000 shares of Eaton Corporation’s stock, valued at over $143 million. His holdings showed impressive growth, despite some market fluctuations. For instance, in 2012, his vested stock awards...

At his time of retirement in 2016, Alexander M. Cutler held approximately 500,000 shares of Eaton Corporation’s stock, valued at over $143 million. His holdings showed impressive growth, despite some market fluctuations. For instance, in 2012, his vested stock awards were worth around $10 million, while in 2009, he saw a dip in asset value due to challenging economic conditions, but still held strong overall. Throughout the years, Cutler maintained substantial stock holdings, clearly linking his personal wealth to the company's performance.

Mar 18, 2025

D

shares

DD @ $77.12

E

shares

ETN @ $290.64

K

shares

KEY @ $15.85

Total Stock Sold

$62.44M

ETN

$62.44M

929,219 ETN shares

What if they kept their stock?

If Alexander M. Cutler didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra ETN929,219 shares worth $74.47M.
This is 19.26% and $12.03M more than what they got when they sold the stock.

Charitable Transactions

ETN

87,901 shares

ETN

Recent Charitable Transactions

ETN

35,050 shares

ETN

Feb 17, 2015

Charity

ETN

915 shares

ETN

Jun 14, 2014

Charity

ETN

31,811 shares

ETN

May 20, 2014

Charity

ETN

21,040 shares

ETN

Jul 23, 2013

Charity

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of Alexander M. Cutler.

DD

$50.00K

DD at $84.25/share

Aug 30, 2024

Received

DD

2,109 shares

DD

Jun 5, 2024

Received

DD

$50.00K

DD at $82.16/share

May 31, 2024

Received

DD

$50.00K

DD at $69.19/share

Feb 29, 2024

Received

DD

$50.00K

DD at $71.54/share

Nov 30, 2023

Received

DD

$50.00K

DD at $76.89/share

Aug 31, 2023

Received

DD

$50.00K

DD at $67.19/share

May 31, 2023

Received

DD

2,566 shares

DD

May 24, 2023

Received

DD

$50.00K

DD at $73.03/share

Feb 28, 2023

Received

DD

$50.00K

DD at $70.51/share

Nov 30, 2022

Received

Compensation History

See how much did Alexander M. Cutler make over time.

Alexander M. Cutler's compensation peaked in 2016 at around $17.8 million, stemming from a combination of salary, stock awards, and other benefits. His pay structure emphasized a significant portion tied to company performance, aiming to drive up earnings per share and cash flow metrics. Over the years, his total compensation varied greatly, reflecting the company's profitability and his leadership effectiveness. For example, from 2011 to 2015, his annual compensation ranged from $4.5 million to over $20 million, underscoring the direct link between his pay and the company's performance.

Year

2016

Total Compensation

$9.28M

Salary

$541.67K

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy is designed to attract, motivate, reward, and retain highly qualified executives capable of creating and sustaining value for shareholders over the long term, with a significant portion of compensation being performance-based.

Bonus

$0.00

Board Justification

The named executive officers were not entitled to receive 'Bonus' payments for 2016 as defined under the disclosure rules as discretionary payments that are not based on any performance criteria.

Other

$143.00K

Board Justification

Other compensation includes reimbursement for financial planning, personal use of company aircraft, and contributions to retirement plans.

Restricted Stock

$8.59M(41.5K RSU)

Board Justification

The stock awards that vested in 2016 include restricted stock units and performance share units granted in prior years that were earned based on performance metrics.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics for 2016 included EPS growth and Cash Flow Return on Gross Capital (CFR) goals.

Other Eaton Corporation CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Eaton Corporation

Craig Arnold

CEO of Eaton Corporation

June 2016 - Present