Caren Mason is the President and CEO of STAAR Surgical Company, a role she has held since March 2015. Before leading STAAR, she was the CEO of Verinata Health from 2010 to 2012, a company that made non-invasive prenatal genetic...

Caren Mason is the President and CEO of STAAR Surgical Company, a role she has held since March 2015. Before leading STAAR, she was the CEO of Verinata Health from 2010 to 2012, a company that made non-invasive prenatal genetic tests. Prior to that, she spent several years at Quidel Corporation, where she was also CEO and transformed the company into a key player in rapid diagnostics. Caren's career includes significant roles at Eastman Kodak and General Electric Healthcare, giving her a broad perspective on the healthcare industry. One notable aspect of her compensation structure includes performance-based bonuses that connect her success to the company’s financial goals. For example, her total compensation in 2020 was over $1 million, with a good part tied to her performance metrics; she earned a target annual bonus based on achieving specific corporate financial objectives. Caren is also active on various boards, including that of the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, showing her ongoing commitment to healthcare improvement. She's not just about numbers; she has a history of innovation in the medical technology field.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Staar Surgical CEOs

S

Caren Mason

CEO of Staar Surgical

Sector of Economy

Healthcare

CEO of Staar Surgical for

10 years 3 months (Mar 2015 - Present)

Previous Experience

CEO of Verinata Health, Inc. and Quidel Corporation

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Caren Mason

Holdings

See how much did Caren Mason make over time.

Caren Mason's holdings at STAAR Surgical reflect her confidence in the company. Over the years, she has built significant equity through stock options, with notable increases in value during her tenure. Her stock options granted in 2017, for example, had...

Caren Mason's holdings at STAAR Surgical reflect her confidence in the company. Over the years, she has built significant equity through stock options, with notable increases in value during her tenure. Her stock options granted in 2017, for example, had a fair value of more than $980,000, showing her commitment to aligning her wealth with the company’s performance. As of her latest reports, the unexercised options alone date back to various grants starting in 2014, with a significant number possessing ten-year terms. The fluctuations in her stock values can tell a story about her tenure, especially when market conditions challenge the company. In recent years, her interests in the company were greatly affected by revenue growth and advancements in ophthalmic surgery technology, reflecting her strategic vision for STAAR's future success.

No data yet.

Total Stock Sold

$44.22M

STAA

$44.22M

466,167 STAA shares

What if they kept their stock?

If Caren Mason didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra STAA466,167 shares worth $21.08M.
This is -52.32% and $23.14M less than what they got when they sold the stock.

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of Caren Mason.

STAA

$6.04M

STAA at $57.48/share

May 18, 2022

Sale

STAA

$11.97M

STAA at $113.95/share

Nov 16, 2021

Sale

STAA

$12.34M

STAA at $115.29/share

May 10, 2021

Sale

STAA

$13.80M

STAA at $102.20/share

Mar 1, 2021

Sale

STAA

$271.88K

STAA at $36.25/share

Mar 19, 2019

Sale

STAA

$107.27K

STAA at $16.09/share

Mar 19, 2018

Sale

STAA

50,000 shares

STAA

Mar 18, 2016

Received

STAA

$73.42K

STAA at $7.34/share

Aug 24, 2015

Purchase

STAA

$73.42K

STAA at $7.34/share

Aug 24, 2015

Purchase

STAA

4,500 shares

STAA

Jun 9, 2014

Received

Compensation History

See how much did Caren Mason make over time.

Caren Mason's compensation structure is designed to reward her for achieving ambitious goals. In 2021, her total compensation jumped to over $5 million, driven by a mix of salary, bonuses, and stock options. The major components included a base salary of approximately $722,463 and a performance bonus of 1.2 million, designed to motivate her towards meeting STAAR's financial targets. The company's philosophy ties her pay closely to its performance, reinforcing her role in leading the firm through financial metrics like revenue and earnings per share targets. Notably, her equity incentives also count towards her overall earnings, encouraging her to foster long-term growth rather than focusing on short-term gains. This aligned strategy not only connects her financial success to the company’s performance but also promotes a culture of accountability.

Year

2020

Total Compensation

$1.06M

Salary

$667.24K

Board Justification

The compensation program is designed to reward executives for meeting or exceeding corporate financial and non-financial goals, with a significant portion of compensation being performance-based.

Bonus

$380.29K

Board Justification

The bonus was based on the company's performance against financial goals for the second half of 2020, with a target bonus of 75% of base salary, resulting in a payout of 56.2% of the target due to performance metrics.

Other

$14.90K

Board Justification

Other compensation includes insurance premiums and contributions to the 401(k) plan.

Restricted Stock

$0.00(0 N/A)

Board Justification

No stock awards vested in 2020 as the focus was on cash compensation and performance-based bonuses.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics included revenue, EPS, and gross margin targets for the second half of 2020.

Other Staar Surgical CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Staar Surgical

Barry Caldwell

Ex-CEO of Staar Surgical

October 2007 - March 2015