Donald E. Graham, born on November 1, 1946, is the former CEO of Graham Holdings Company, a diversified media and education company, where he held the CEO position from May 1991 to November 2015. He comes from a notable background,...

Donald E. Graham, born on November 1, 1946, is the former CEO of Graham Holdings Company, a diversified media and education company, where he held the CEO position from May 1991 to November 2015. He comes from a notable background, having graduated from Harvard University, and served as the publisher of The Washington Post for 21 years before becoming CEO. In 2015, he transitioned from the CEO role to Chairman of the Board, stepping down to allow Timothy J. O’Shaughnessy to take the reins. Graham is not just a corporate leader; he holds a hefty 56.7% ownership of the company’s Class A stock, which means his decisions carry a lot of weight. He has been involved with the board since 1974, giving him decades of experience in guiding company strategies and adapting to industry changes. Interestingly, he has opted not to receive bonuses or stock awards in various recent years, showing a unique approach to executive compensation. This background gives him a distinct view of the challenges and opportunities in the evolving media landscape.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Graham Holdings CEOs

G

Donald E. Graham

Ex-CEO of Graham Holdings

Education

Harvard University

Field of Expertise

Media & Entertainment - Media

Sector of Economy

Consumer Defensive

Born

April 22, 1945 - 80 years ago

CEO of Graham Holdings for

24 years 6 months (May 1991 - Nov 2015)

Previous Experience

Publisher of The Washington Post

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Donald E. Graham

F

Vincent J. Delie, Jr.

CEO of F.N.B. Corporation

2023 Compensation

Stock

$11.00M

Salary

$1.19M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$649.18K

Total Holdings

$24.80M

S

Christopher J. McComish

CEO of S&T Bancorp

2023 Compensation

Stock

$150.00K

Salary

$350.00K

Bonus

$70.00K

Other

$20.00K

Total Holdings

$715.40K

F

Mark K. Hardwick

CEO of First Merchants Corporation

2023 Compensation

Stock

$611.04K

Salary

$728.00K

Bonus

$369.81K

Other

$78.87K

Total Holdings

$128.69K

Holdings

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

Donald E. Graham has been a significant shareholder in Graham Holdings Company, which he led until 2015. His holdings represent 56.7% of the Class A stock, which places him in a powerful position at the company. In 2015, Graham stepped...

Donald E. Graham has been a significant shareholder in Graham Holdings Company, which he led until 2015. His holdings represent 56.7% of the Class A stock, which places him in a powerful position at the company. In 2015, Graham stepped down from the CEO role but continued to influence decisions as Chairman. He has famously waived bonuses and stock awards for years, indicating that his wealth isn't necessarily tied to the company's stock performance in the traditional sense. At various points, his annual compensation was around $400,000, primarily for salary, without extra bonuses or vested stock, reflecting his strategic focus rather than personal gain. Over time, his financial involvement seems to have shifted more toward long-term value rather than immediate performance metrics. His decision-making power remains substantial due to his large shareholding.

Mar 18, 2025

C

shares

CABO @ $246.84

G

shares

GHC @ $938.31

Total Stock Sold

$155.07M

CABO

$58.72M

88,765 CABO shares

GHC

$96.35M

161,897 GHC shares

What if they kept their stock?

If Donald E. Graham didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra CABO88,765 shares worth $153.18M and GHC161,897 shares worth $56.31M.
This is 35.1% and $54.43M more than what they got when they sold the stock.

Charitable Transactions

GHC

6,807 shares

GHC

CABO

287,059 shares

CABO

Recent Charitable Transactions

CABO

219,054 shares

CABO

Nov 8, 2017

Charity

GHC

1,800 shares

GHC

Dec 20, 2017

Charity

CABO

46,832 shares

CABO

Oct 19, 2017

Charity

CABO

2,000 shares

CABO

Sep 28, 2017

Charity

GHC

2,000 shares

GHC

Sep 28, 2017

Charity

CABO

17,573 shares

CABO

Nov 23, 2016

Charity

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of Donald E. Graham.

CABO

$6.39M

CABO at $926.14/share

Mar 13, 2019

Sale

GHC

$999.44K

GHC at $555.24/share

Aug 2, 2018

Purchase

CABO

$2.85M

CABO at $660.75/share

Jun 7, 2018

Sale

CABO

$1.88M

CABO at $653.23/share

Jun 5, 2018

Sale

CABO

$1.98M

CABO at $655.46/share

Jun 1, 2018

Sale

CABO

$1.25M

CABO at $656.21/share

May 30, 2018

Sale

CABO

219,054 shares

CABO

Nov 8, 2017

Charity

GHC

1,800 shares

GHC

Dec 20, 2017

Charity

CABO

46,832 shares

CABO

Oct 19, 2017

Charity

CABO

46,832 shares

CABO

Oct 19, 2017

Charity

Compensation History

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

In terms of compensation, Donald E. Graham's approach was quite different from many CEOs. For example, in 2015, he earned a salary of $362,174 but chose not to take bonuses, stock options, or performance units. This wasn’t a new trend; he has been forgoing bonuses since 1991, sticking to a simple salary while holding onto his significant ownership stake. The total compensation included contributions to a 401(k) plan. Graham's unique position as a major shareholder allowed him to prioritize the company's long-term health over short-term cash incentives, a philosophy that's not very common among CEOs. His consistent salary across the years highlights a commitment to the organization he leads, rather than personal monetary gain.

Year

2015

Total Compensation

$362.17K

Salary

$359.52K

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy is designed to attract, retain and motivate qualified and talented employees, aligning their interests with those of shareholders.

Bonus

$0.00

Board Justification

No bonus was awarded to Mr. Graham for 2015 as he waived the right to payment of his performance unit awards.

Other

$2.65K

Board Justification

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

Restricted Stock

$0.00(0 N/A)

Board Justification

No stock awards were granted or vested in 2015.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics for 2015 included diluted earnings per share targets, which were adjusted due to the spin-off of Cable ONE.

Other Graham Holdings CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Graham Holdings

Timothy J. O'Shaughnessy

CEO of Graham Holdings

November 2015 - Present