Steven J. Kean served as the CEO of Kinder Morgan, Inc. from June 2015 to August 2023, contributing to the company's growth in the energy sector. He has held various management roles in Kinder Morgan since 2002. Kean earned his...

Steven J. Kean served as the CEO of Kinder Morgan, Inc. from June 2015 to August 2023, contributing to the company's growth in the energy sector. He has held various management roles in Kinder Morgan since 2002. Kean earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa, which adds a unique legal perspective to his business acumen. Under his leadership, Kinder Morgan focused on performance-based executive compensation, linking its success to shareholder interests. Interestingly, Kean waived annual bonuses during his tenure and did not take any cash bonuses in recent years, instead emphasizing long-term stock awards as part of the company’s strategy. He remains on the board of directors, continuing to influence Kinder Morgan's direction. Before becoming CEO, he served as Chief Operating Officer and President, showcasing a strong trajectory within the company. His educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University, demonstrating a solid foundation in business and legal principles that likely guided his decision-making in the complex energy market. With notable insights into corporate governance and performance metrics, Kean is positioned to contribute to strategic decisions even after his CEO role.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Kinder Morgan CEOs

K

Steven J. Kean

Ex-CEO of Kinder Morgan

Education

Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa; Bachelor of Arts from Iowa State University

Field of Expertise

Business & Management

Sector of Economy

Energy

Born

March 1, 1972 - 53 years ago

CEO of Kinder Morgan for

8 years 2 months (Jun 2015 - Aug 2023)

Previous Experience

President and Chief Operating Officer of Kinder Morgan, Inc.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Steven J. Kean

E

Kelcy L. Warren

Founder and CEO of Energy Transfer

2012 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$425.00K

Bonus

$225.00K

Other

$1.17K

Total Holdings

$5.72B

T

Matthew J. Meloy

CEO of Targa Resources

2023 Compensation

Stock

$24.08M

Salary

$970.48K

Bonus

$2.33M

Other

$29.54K

Total Holdings

$134.17M

A

Paul M. Rady

Founder and CEO of Antero Midstream Corporation

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.07M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$14.75K

Total Holdings

$682.48M

W

Alan S. Armstrong

CEO of Williams Companies

2023 Compensation

Stock

$27.11M

Salary

$1.39M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$54.82K

Total Holdings

$152.08M

O

Pierce H. Norton II

CEO of Oneok

2023 Compensation

Stock

$813.39K

Salary

$835.00K

Bonus

$2.10M

Other

$336.99K

Total Holdings

$19.65M

D

David Slater

CEO of DT Midstream

2023 Compensation

Stock

$2.40M

Salary

$776.92K

Bonus

$1.46M

Other

$324.09K

Total Holdings

$20.12M

Holdings

See how much did Steven J. Kean make over time.

Steven J. Kean has had significant weights in Kinder Morgan stock throughout his career. By 2023, his vested stock alone was valued at approximately $18 million, made possible through a performance-based Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) plan that rewards executives for...

Steven J. Kean has had significant weights in Kinder Morgan stock throughout his career. By 2023, his vested stock alone was valued at approximately $18 million, made possible through a performance-based Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) plan that rewards executives for achieving specific financial targets. This approach transitioned Kean from a multi-million dollar total compensation and vesting structure seen back in 2021, where he had a total remuneration of over $18 million. In terms of ownership, during his tenure, Kean's stock fluctuations indicated savvy management aimed at aligning his wealth closely with Kinder Morgan's market performance—all while opting out of cash bonuses. His strategic moves to maintain substantial holdings in the company suggest a focused commitment to both personal and corporate growth.

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Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of Steven J. Kean.

No insider trades found for this CEO.

Compensation History

See how much did Steven J. Kean make over time.

Throughout his time as CEO of Kinder Morgan, Steven J. Kean maintained an unusually low cash salary of just $1, reflecting a philosophy focused on shareholder value rather than traditional compensation structures. In 2023, his total compensation amounted to approximately $9.4 million, predominantly derived from vested stock awards amounting to roughly $18.2 million, instead of cash bonuses. Kean waived bonuses entirely for several years, aligning his and the company’s interests while promoting a culture of performance-based rewards. This compensation strategy revealed a commitment to placing long-term equity incentives over short-term cash, which is both pragmatic and indicative of his confidence in Kinder Morgan’s future. His stock vesting schedules and policies primarily focused on distributable cash flow per share as performance targets, which has resulted in significant value creation for shareholders even as he refrained from accepting any cash bonuses during his tenure.

Year

2023

Total Compensation

$18.26M

Salary

$1.00

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy emphasizes long-term equity awards and aligns executive compensation with stockholder interests, focusing on performance-based incentives rather than fixed compensation.

Bonus

$0.00

Board Justification

Mr. Kean waived his participation in the Annual Incentive Plan during his service as CEO.

Other

$9.41K

Board Justification

Represents the change in pension value for Mr. Kean's accumulated benefits under the Kinder Morgan Retirement Plan as of December 31, 2023.

Restricted Stock

$18.25M(1.03M RSU)

Board Justification

Represents a 2021 performance-based RSU award that was subject to a performance vesting condition requiring us to achieve annualized DCF per share for any four quarters of the two-year performance period equal to $1.95, which condition was satisfied. The DCF per share budget for 2021 was $1.95. This award was granted to Mr. Kean in 2021 as a multi-year award and he did not receive any RSU award in 2022 or 2023.

Performance Metrics

The primary financial performance target under both our annual and long-term incentive awards is distributable cash flow (DCF) per share.

Other Kinder Morgan CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Kinder Morgan

Kim Dang

CEO of Kinder Morgan

August 2023 - Present