Executive salaries are skyrocketing at the nonprofit that runs the 9/11 Memorial and Museum — even as it continues to hemorrhage money — infuriating families of the victims.
Built to remember the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and to honor the nearly 3,000 people killed, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum has struggled to stay above water, despite attracting a reported 9,000 visitors a day.
In 2020, The Post revealed it doled out bonuses to its 12 top officials, despite having to lay off or furlough 60% of its staff after closing for six months during the pandemic — and landing $47 million in the red for the year.
Four years later, the bleeding — and over-sized executive salaries — hasn’t stopped.
The museum managed to lose nearly $20 million last year — even while charging a $36 admission fee, and $85 for a combined museum/memorial tour.
The nonprofit brought in $93 million in 2024 — including at least $4.5 million in taxpayer money — but racked up $112 million in expenses, its latest IRS tax filings show.
Leading the list of expenditures were bloated salaries of top brass:
President and CEO Elizabeth Hillman pocketed $856,216 — a $775,084 base salary, $34,500 in retirement and deferred compensation, and $45,679 in other benefits, according to IRS filings. That represented a 63% raise in just two years, after taking the helm in 2022 from Alice Greenwald, who made just $502,999.
Executive VP Joshua Cherwin, the chief advancement officer and second highest-paid official, hauled in $486,298 last year — $410,379 base, plus $75,919 in other compensation. This was an eye-watering 78% increase from what he made in 2020, the last time The Post reported on museum payroll.
Chief Strategy and Operations Officer Allison Blais, No. 3 on the pay scale, made $458,652 last year, including a $388,458 salary and $70,194 in benefits.
The museum’s director, Clifford Chanin, saw his pay jump 66% – from $267,613 in 2021 to $444,999 in 2024, the 990 filings show. He got a $398,114 base salary, plus another $46,885.
Chief Financial Officer David Shehaan went from making $109,938 in 2019, to $432,958 in 2024 – a jaw dropping 294% bump. His base was $392,653, and his other comp totaled $40,305.
Of the museum’s 411 total employees, 13 made more than $100,000, according to the filings.
Total payroll was $34 million in 2024, compared to just $22 million in 2020.
The surging salaries amid a continuing financial morass confounded and angered 9/11 families.
“How can you justify these salaries?” wondered Jim McCaffrey, a retired FDNY firefighter whose brother-in-law, Firefighter Orio Palmer, died on 9/11.
“It’s just another slap in the face of the families, more pain and grief to add to the heartache.”
Of its $93 million revenue, the high-profile foundation took in only $10.3 million in private donations. Most of the cash, $69 million, came from the sale of tickets, tours, memberships and souvenirs.
The bulk of the nonprofit’s $4.5 million in government funding came from the National Park Service, plus $500,000 from New York State taxpayers, and between $110,000 and $350,000 from New York City.
https://nypost.com/2025/08/23/us-news/exec-salaries-skyrocket-while-cash-strapped-9-11-museum-continues-to-bleed-red-slap-in-the-face/