Super Bowl Committee CEO Maureen Bausch paid almost half a million in 2016

Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee CEO Maureen Bausch and COO Dave Haselman received combined compensation of more than $800,000 in 2016.

Bausch was paid $335,424 plus a $123,750 bonus and $9,717 in nontaxable compensation for a total of $468,891.

Haselman received $272,632, a $55,714 bonus and nontaxable compensation of $10,141, for a total of $338,487, according to tax documents filed in November.

As a tax-exempt, privately funded nonprofit, the Super Bowl Host Committee is required to file a federal form listing revenue and expenses, including the salaries of top officers.

Bausch was the first person hired by the committee. For a quarter century she was the chief executive of the Mall of America in Bloomington. Before joining the committee, Haselman worked in operations at NBC Universal, Northwest Airlines and Mall of America.

The two came to the Super Bowl operations with deep community and business connections.

Committee Co-Chair Michael Langley, CEO of Greater MSP, the regional development organization, provided a written statement on Bausch's salary, saying, "We are fortunate to have a seasoned leader with decades of experience in destination marketing and large-scale event management. Her salary is comparable or less than similar positions both in our market and for organizations nationwide."

The football game will be held Feb. 4 after 10 days of festivities across the Twin Cities. The 30-person host committee is responsible for overseeing Super Bowl Live on Nicollet Mall, a nightly event comparable to a miniature State Fair with food trucks, concerts and ESPN broadcasting live from inside the IDS Crystal Court.

Haselman and Bausch received substantial raises in 2016. In 2015, Bausch was paid $388,092, including nontaxable benefits and a $40,000 bonus. Bausch started work in January 2015. She announced the hirings of Haselman and Wendy Williams Blackshaw in late June so they worked only six months with the committee in 2015.

Haselman was paid $190,054. He didn't receive a bonus in 2015.

Spokeswoman Andrea Mokros recently announced that fundraising had surpassed $50 million.

Five other salaries were listed on the forms:

• Williams Blackshaw, senior vice president for marketing and sales, received $215,209, including a bonus of $37,500. She was paid $116,000 for working half the year in 2015 and didn't receive a bonus.

• Jacob Miller, former vice president of operations and logistics, was paid $144,217. He left about a year ago and was succeeded by Kyle Chank who wasn't on the 2016 form.

• Mokros, vice president for communications and events, was paid $140,259.

• Britt Carlson, senior director of partnerships was paid $108,116.

• Alex Tittle, vice president of outreach to minority and women owned businesses, was paid $106,761.

Rochelle Olson • 612-673-1747 Twitter: @rochelleolson