Peeking into Clevelanders' Paychecks

As part of Cleveland Magazine's 30th anniversary celebration, the editors have chosen 52 of their favorite stories from the magazine's archives, and wish to share them with you.

A new story will appear every week at Clevelandmagazine.com. It might be controversial, comical, nostalgic or nonplussing. But it will be Cleveland.

Visit the archive to view other articles in the series.

From Cleveland Magazine, June 1982

CLEVELAND MAGAZINE published a list of Clevelanders' salaries in the August 1975 issue. We assigned freelance writer Sharon Cavileer of Hudson and Lake County News-Herald reporter Stephen Sawicki to track down four of the people in that article to see how their fortunes have changed in the past seven years. Here are their stories.

McLemore-Jackson and her husband, attorney Otha M. Jackson, expanded their family by adopting a four-year-old girl, Christina Marcella,' who celebrated her seventh birthday in April

McLemore-Jackson serves on the Board of Directors of the Y.W.C.A., enjoys taking African and jazz dance classes at Footpath Dance Co. and speaks to groups on stress management and self-assertion. Both personal and professional success marke the seven years which changed more than her last name: In 1981, she earned $24,000.

George Buehl, Retired dog vatcher/kennell operator

In 1974, Cleveland dog warden George Buehl was earning $14,518. After 19 years on the job, his salary grew to almost $22,000 when he retired last August. Today, Buehl makes $14,400 from his pension and a kennel he operates with his wife.

Once Cleveland's top dog in canine law enforcement, Buehl, 63, no spends his time caring for his own pets and those of customers at a small kennel in Westlake. "What's important is that I'm doing what I like," he says. "We're not trying to see how much we can leave to the kids."

And what Buehl likes is animals -- lots of them. He owns 12 dogs, 12 chickens, 10 pigeons, 4 doves, 3 ducks, a goat and an Arabian horse. "George would have the place overrun with his own animals if he could afford to feed them all," says his wife, Esther, 63. "Animals aren't work to him. They're nothing but fun."

Fun's fun, but doggone it, doesn't Buehl miss the glory days as warden? "No," he says. "I don't have to fight or argue with anyone anymore or watch any poor dogs put to sleep through no fault of their own. Now I'm mainly concerned with keeping them healthy."

Christopher Franke, Poet/ Truck Driver

Cleveland poet Christopher Franke, who earned $125 from his writing in 1975, noticed an appreciable salary decline in 1981: He made $15. Undaunted by the impossibility of earning his living as a poet, he now drives a truck for a medical supply company. His delivery route includes all of Ohio, West Virginia and an occasional trip to Missouri. "Actually, I've been enjoying the job a lot," says Franke. "It doesn't burn me out. I've always been sort of laxy and this job just fits right in."

His muse has not been silenced by the hours spent behind the wheel. In 1975, the Cleveland State University Poetry Center published his book of poems entitled, appropriately enough, Titles. He published a book of love poems in 1977 under the title S, and a sequel, 'S, is nearly complete. He also produces and edits a magazine devoted exclusively to poetry called Everyman, which includes the work of "local poets, a little of my own and whomever else's." More sporadic than periodic, Everyman appears every third or fourth year.

Franke fills his days with writing and driving, attending poetry workshops, giving readings ... and receiving rejection slips. Driving a truck not only affords him time to compose behind the wheel -- the $13,400 he earns helps pay for all those stamped, self-addressed envelopes.

Greg Pruitt, Football player

A lot has gone down in halfback Greg Pruitt's life since we last checked in -- including his trade to Oakland -- but at least his salary has gone up.

In 1974, the second-year, No. 2 draft choice was earning a paltry $50,000 annually. Eight years, three 1,000-yard seasons and one tragic knee injury later, in 1981 the Browns were paying Pruitt $200,000 (a figure Pruitt acknowledges is "not only in the ballpark, but just about centerfield").

The former Oklahoma star also draws about $5,000 each year from occasional commercials and personal appearances. Investments and limited partnerships in computers, real estate and office buildings also add to Pruitt's net worth.

And if the National Football League Players Association's demand for 55 percent of the league's giross receipts comes through, Pruitt may find himself with an additional $100,000 annually.

When Pruitt's knee was injured in 1979, his role went from being the Browns top rusher to that of a pass receiver out of the backfield. Pruitt, going into his 10th year in the NFL, says the knee injury forced him to see that there was gold in the hills beyond football. A year and a half ago, he opened Pruitt Energy Sources, Inc., a wholesale electronic component distribution center in the Flats. With only seven employees, Pruitt works nearly 65 hours a week during the off-season. Although still in the red, Pruitt says the company took in $350,000 last year.

"The only regrets I have about the knee inujury is that it didn't happen earlier," he says. "It knocked me off my throne and allowed me to see that football was going to end someday."

CORPORATE LEADERS

(The figures shown are "total compensation -- cash and cash-equivalent forms of renumeration including salaries, directors fees, bonuses, securities and property, insurance and other personal benefits, and various incentive-plan bonuses.)

Alton W. Whitehouse $751,638
Charioman, CEO, Standard Oil of Ohio

Ruben F. Mettler $662,760
Chairman, CEO, TRW, Inc.

John G. Breen $660,208
President, CEO, Sherwin-Williams Co.

Roy H. Holdt $678,400
Chairman, CEO, White Consolidated Industries, Inc.

E. Mandell de Windt $651,298
Chairman, Eaton Corp.

William J. DeLancey $701,300
Chainnan, CEO, Republic Steel Corp.

Irving 1. Stone $262,100
Chairman, CEO, American Greetings
Corp.

Morris S. Stone $262,100
Vice Chairman, American Greetings Corp.

Julien L. McCall $387,684
Board Chairman, National City Corp.

J. Robert Killpack $256,880
President, National City Corp.

M. Brock Weir $381,412
Chairman, CEO, AmeriTrust Corp.

Robert R'. Broadbent $258,832
President, The Higbee Co.

Carl Fazio $366,178
Board Chairman, Fisher Foods, Inc.

Warner B. Bishop $258,832
Chairman, President, TransOhio Corp.

Charles J. Pilliod $918,994
Chairman, CEO, Goodyear Tireand Rubber Co.

John D. Ong $480,372
Chairman, President, CEO, B. F Goodrich Co.

Richard A. Riley $953,950
Chairman, Firestone Tire and Rubber Co.

Joseph M. Bruening $240,000
President, Bearings, Inc.

L. E. Coleman $476,312
President, CEO, Lubrizol Corp.

Patrick S. Parker $432,969
Board Chairman, President, CEO, Parker-Hannifin Corp.
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES
Archie Catavolos $24,098
Bodyguard to Donald Waldrip

Dan Kalme $23,572
Bodyguard to Donald Waldrip

Patrick Coleman $25,582
Bodyguard to Donald Waldrip

Susan Parusa $12,285
Animal Warden, City of Parma

James Murray $19,500
Mail carrier, Main Post Office, Cleveland

Doug Stolarski $20,710
15-year patrolman, City of Shaker Heights

Dennis Singleton $18,521.43
Rookie patrolman, City of Cleveland

William Hanton $50,429
Police Chief, City of Cleveland

"Bud" $1.95/day hay and oats, plus free lodging and shoes
Mounted Police horse, City of Cleveland

William P. Stark $23,700
Police Chief, Village of Hunting Valley

Shireen Dorsey $10,647
Receptionist, City of Cleveland

Felton Dixon $16,348
Sewer serviceman, City of Cleveland

Nolen Ellison $59,700
President, Cuyahoga Community College

Walter Waetjen $65,000
President, Cleveland State University

PUBLIC OFFICIALS
George Voinovich $52,500
Mayor, City of Cleveland

George Forbes $35,000
Council President, City of Cleveland

Gary Kucinich $19,800
Councilman, City of Cleveland
Virgil Brown $34,500
Cuyahoga County Commissioner

Dr. Samuel R. Gerber $32,000
Cuyahoga County Coroner

William C. Lahman $65,000
General Manager, Regional Transit Authority

Sarah Ann Vigil $50/meeting
Board member, Regional Transit Authority

Peter Carlin $50,000
(ex) Cleveland Public Schools Superintendent

Joseph Tegreene $40/meeting ($480 maximum)
Board of Education, Cleveland Public Schools

Walter C. Kelley, Jr. $39,000
Mayor, City of Shaker Heights

Anthony C. Sinagra $38,500
Mayor, City of Lakewood

John Petruska $41,000
Mayor, City of Parma

David Ingalls $0
Mayor, Village of Hunting Valley

Richard V. Robinson $44,500
Mayor, City of Cleveland Heights

Mary Rose Oakar $60,662.50
U. S. Congresswoman

Howard Metzenbaum $60,662.50
U.S. Senator

James F. Kilcoyne $50,500
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge

Ann Aldrich $70,300
U. S. District Judge

Benny Bonanno $22,500
State Representative

Anthony O. Calabrese $22,500
State Senator

Sherlie Rainey $25/meeting
Councilwoman, Village of Woodmere

Stanley Cleggett $10/meeting
Councilman, Village of Woodmere

Donald Waldrip $56,750
Chief Desegregation Administrator, Cleveland Public Schools

Gerald T. McFaul $34,500
Cuyahoga County Sheriff

MISCELLANEOUS

Happy Jowers $12,900
Social worker, Hill House (two years' experience)

Anthony Pilla $6,000
Bishop, Cleveland Catholic Diocese

Andrea Seraflno $900
Starving Artist

Eric Brewer $0
Guardian Angel

Ralph Curry $30,000
Cellist, Cleveland Orchestra

David Glasser $35,000
Assistant Principal Horn, Cleveland Orchestra

Dr. Alberta Turner $32,900
English professor, Cleveland State University

Christopher Franke $13,400 (as a truck driver) (as a poet) $15

Jacquie McLemore-Jackson $24,000
Associate Dean of Students, Cleveland State University

George Buehl $14,400
Retired Cleveland dogcatcher and private kennel operator

Greg Pruitt $200,000
Cleveland Browns halfback

Marcella Kalbac $25,000
Computer consultant

Dorothy J. Stephon $21,632
Jet engine blade inspector, TRW, Inc.

John Walker $24,000
Fuller Brush salesman

Mel Reckling $33,000
Salesman, Metro Toyota

Richard Esser $33,000
Salesman, DeLuca Chrysler-Plymouth

Gary Tabar, Jr. $10,400
Manager, head salesman, Video Depot

Dianne Tabar $9,600
Secretary/operator, Childrens Services

Max Gildner $36,946
Resident inspector, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Perry Nuclear Power Plant

Sue Barnard $5,000
Farrier (horseshoer)

Don Kriss $000-100/gig
Rock musician, Tongue Thrust Band

Gary Dee $120,000
Talk show host, WHK-AM

Don Imus $500,000
Talk show host, WNBC-AM, New York (ex-Clevelander)

John Webster $40,000
News Director, WHK-AM

Rich Barnett $20,000
Talk show host, WERE-AM

Mark DeMarino $20,200
Reporter, WGAR-AM (plus a car)

Roldo Bartimole $8,041.04
Publisher, Point of View

Michael D'Amato $41,000
News cameraman, WKYC-TV (Channel 3)

Frank Valenta $40,000
Director, District 28, United Steelworkers of America

Edward L. Evans, Jr., $35,000
President, Midwest Transatlantic Lines, Inc.