Stephen E. Sterrett served as the Chief Financial Officer and later as Senior Executive Vice President of Simon Property Group until retiring in 2015. He holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he built a strong...

Stephen E. Sterrett served as the Chief Financial Officer and later as Senior Executive Vice President of Simon Property Group until retiring in 2015. He holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he built a strong foundation in finance. Under his leadership, the company focused heavily on performance-based compensation—which meant that his own pay reflected how well the company did financially. For example, in 2015, he earned a total compensation of $1.41 million, with a large portion coming from bonuses tied to the company's goals. It's interesting to note that during his time, Sterrett had significant impacts on the investor relations side of the business, engaging with shareholders regularly and prioritizing communication. After his retirement, he left behind a reputation of aligning executive pay with company performance, a principle he emphasized during his tenure. This approach not only urged the company to perform better but also satisfied the shareholders' interests.