Donald E. Brandt has been at the helm of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation since March 2008, serving as both President and CEO of the company and its subsidiary, Arizona Public Service Company. Under his leadership, Brandt has overseen significant developments,...

Donald E. Brandt has been at the helm of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation since March 2008, serving as both President and CEO of the company and its subsidiary, Arizona Public Service Company. Under his leadership, Brandt has overseen significant developments, including a notable peak in his compensation in 2019 at around $12.25 million, driven largely by performance-based incentives. He has navigated the company through various business challenges and focused on aligning executive pay with company performance, establishing a compensation philosophy that emphasizes risk and reward based on measurable results. Interestingly, Brandt has a history of making substantial insider trades, notably reaching a trading value of up to $8.11 million in early 2020. His trading activity has reflected both confidence in the company and an evolving strategy during his tenure. Beyond his financial dealings and corporate decisions, Brandt is recognized for spearheading organizational change, ensuring that the company meets its succession planning and leadership development goals. He retired in late 2019 but left a marked legacy regarding executive compensation and performance alignment.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Pinnacle West Capital CEOs

P

Donald E. Brandt

Ex-CEO of Pinnacle West Capital

Education

Not specified

Field of Expertise

Business & Management

Sector of Economy

Utilities

Born

January 1, 1958 - 67 years ago

CEO of Pinnacle West Capital for

10 years 10 months (Mar 2008 - Jan 2019)

Previous Experience

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Pinnacle West and President and Chief Financial Officer of Arizona Public Service Company.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Donald E. Brandt

A

Warner L. Baxter

CEO of Ameren

2021 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.30M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$158.48K

Total Holdings

$23.31M

C

Patricia Kessler Poppe

CEO of CMS Energy

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.24M

Bonus

$1.95M

Other

$23.85K

Total Holdings

$26.21M

E

David A. Campbell

CEO of Evergy

2023 Compensation

Stock

$940.54K

Salary

$1.06M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$60.80K

Total Holdings

$26.23M

N

Lloyd Yates

CEO of NiSource

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.04M

Bonus

$2.50M

Other

$466.59K

Total Holdings

$10.10M

S

Christopher C. Womack

CEO of Southern Company

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.45M

Bonus

$2.80M

Other

$110.06K

Total Holdings

$13.62M

W

Scott J. Lauber

CEO of WEC Energy Group

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.09M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$504.54K

Total Holdings

$5.61M

Holdings

See how much did Donald E. Brandt make over time.

As CEO, Donald E. Brandt had a notable history of insider trading that highlighted his engagement with Pinnacle West Capital’s financial performance. Starting in September 2019, Brandt's holdings fluctuated significantly, with trading values peaking at $8.11 million in February 2020....

As CEO, Donald E. Brandt had a notable history of insider trading that highlighted his engagement with Pinnacle West Capital’s financial performance. Starting in September 2019, Brandt's holdings fluctuated significantly, with trading values peaking at $8.11 million in February 2020. These trades often reflected positive sentiment around the company's performance, indicating his belief in the organization's direction. Over time, his total holdings showed consistent trading activity, sometimes as high as $7.66 million in January 2020. Following his retirement in late 2019, the market response to his trades remained a point of interest among investors, marking him not just as an executive but as a key player in the company’s market strategies. Brandt's investments were crucial in positioning him as a trustworthy figure during his leadership, creating long-lasting effects on how employees and shareholders view the value of their holdings.

Mar 18, 2025

P

shares

PNW @ $93.38

Total Stock Sold

$26.24M

PNW

$26.24M

313,079 PNW shares

What if they kept their stock?

If Donald E. Brandt didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra PNW313,079 shares worth $24.14M.
This is -8.03% and $2.11M less than what they got when they sold the stock.

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of Donald E. Brandt.

PNW

27,256 shares

PNW

Oct 22, 2019

Received

PNW

$2.79M

PNW at $92.85/share

Feb 27, 2019

Sale

PNW

798 shares

PNW

Feb 20, 2019

Received

PNW

27,834 shares

PNW

Feb 19, 2019

Received

PNW

$1.41M

PNW at $88.88/share

Nov 14, 2018

Sale

PNW

28,581 shares

PNW

Oct 17, 2018

Received

PNW

$3.02M

PNW at $77.35/share

Mar 1, 2018

Sale

PNW

27,265 shares

PNW

Feb 20, 2018

Received

PNW

$1.92M

PNW at $79.21/share

Jan 19, 2018

Sale

PNW

$1.63M

PNW at $89.54/share

Nov 9, 2017

Sale

Compensation History

See how much did Donald E. Brandt make over time.

Donald E. Brandt's compensation as CEO of Pinnacle West Capital significantly reflected his performance-driven approach. In 2019, he earned a total of approximately $12.25 million, which included a base salary, a hefty amount from vested stock, and some additional perks. Notably, around $11.4 million of his earnings came from vested stock alone, underscoring how stock performance shapes executive pay at Pinnacle West. His compensation plan was built on a philosophy of linking pay to measurable company outcomes, which included achieving specific earnings goals and operational performance targets. This strategy emphasizes accountability and the importance of aligning executive incentives with shareholder interests. Throughout his tenure, Brandt helped create a culture that prioritizes results, setting a clear expectation regarding compensation and performance metrics.

Year

2019

Total Compensation

$12.77M

Salary

$1.31M

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy focuses on aligning executive pay with performance, ensuring that a significant portion of compensation is at risk and tied to the achievement of measurable goals that drive shareholder value.

Bonus

$0.00

Board Justification

The CEO did not receive a cash bonus in 2019, but received a portion of the 2017 CEO Performance-Contingent Award as part of the Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation.

Other

$49.06K

Board Justification

Other compensation includes contributions to the 401(k) plan, personal security, and perquisites such as a car allowance and executive physical.

Restricted Stock

$11.41M(126.18K RSU)

Board Justification

The stock awards that vested in 2019 include RSUs and performance shares that were granted in previous years and are based on the fair market value of the stock on the vesting date.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics for the CEO's compensation in 2019 were based on earnings targets and business unit performance metrics.

Other Pinnacle West Capital CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Pinnacle West Capital

Jeffrey B. Guldner

Ex-CEO of Pinnacle West Capital

January 2019 - April 2025