What's a director worth?

Last week, Lee Enterprises added an 11th member to its board of directors, Brent Magid. Only two board members also work for Lee full-time:

• Mary Junck, Lee's president and chief executive officer is chairman of the board
• Gregory P. Schermer is one of Lee's 12 vice presidents

In 2009, the average compensation for the other nine directors was $69,167.78. In 2009, Lee laid off more than 500 employees. (Lee has made several layoffs in 2010, although I do not have numbers for several papers.)

Basic information on each director:

RICHARD R. COLE
Full-time job: Journalism professor at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill
Director since: 2006
2009 director compensation: $67,470
2008 director compensation: $71,065
2007 director compensation: $100,385

NANCY S. DONOVAN
Full-time job: Founding partner of private equity firms Circle Financial Group LLC and Oakmont Partners LLC
Director since: 2003
2009 director compensation: $70,470
2008 director compensation: $79,065
2007 director compensation: $108,385

LEONARD J. ELMORE
Full-time job: Attorney
Director since: 2008
2009 director compensation: $66,470
2008 director compensation: $46,065

MARY E. JUNCK
Full-time job: President and chief executive officer of Lee Enterprises
Director since: 1999
2009 compensation: $1,323,098
2008 compensation: $2.5 million
2007 compensation: $3.7 million

WILLIAM E. MAYER
Full-time job: Founding parter of private equity firm Park Avenue Equity Partners L.P.; director of a management investment company and another that develops and markets software and hardware for people with speech and learning disabilities
Director since: 1998
2009 director compensation (Lee only): $95,470
2008 director compensation (Lee only): $97,065
2007 director compensation (Lee only): $124,385

HERBERT W. MOLONEY
Full-time job: President and chief operating officer of Western Colorprint Inc.
Director since: 2001
2009 director compensation: $79,220
2008 director compensation: $86,815
2007 director compensation: $114,885

ANDREW E. NEWMAN
Full-time job: Private investor
Director since: 1991
2009 director compensation: $93,470
2008 director compensation: $99,065
2007 director compensation: $126,385

GORDON D. PRICHETT
Full-time job: Founder of private investment group Cairnwood Cooperative in Boston, and math professor at Babson College in Babson Park, Mass.
Director since: 1998
2009 director compensation: $71,470
2008 director compensation: $79,065
2007 director compensation: $107,385

GREGORY P. SCHERMER
Full-time job: Vice president of interactive media at Lee Enterprises
Director since: 1999
2009 compensation: Not found
2008 compensation: Not found
2007 compensation: $576,029

MARK B. VITTERT
Full-time job: Private investor
Director since: 1986
2009 director compensation: $78,470
2008 director compensation: $88,065
2007 director compensation: $114,385

Salary information from Forbes.com

Lee gives 80,000 shares to directors

On Thursday, Lee stock closed at $3.05. On Thursday, Lee Enterprises gave eight directors 10,000 shares each:

Nancy S. Donovan is a founding partner in two private equity firms. She's a member of Lee's Audit Committee. She's been a director since 2003; in 2009, Lee paid her $70,470.

Richard R. Cole is a journalism professor at the University of North Carolina. He's a member of Lee's Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. He's been a director since 2006; in 2009, Lee paid him $67,470.

Leonard J. Elmore is a New York attorney. He's a member of Lee's Audit Committee. He's been a director since 2008; in 2009, Lee paid him $66,470.

William E. Mayer is a founding partner of a New York private equity firm, Park Avenue Equity Partners. He's lead director and chairman of Lee's Executive Compensation Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. He's been a director since 1998; in 2009, Lee paid him $95,470.

Herbert W. Moloney III is a president and chief operating officer of Western Colorprint Inc., a private company that provides advertising supplements and cartoons. He's a member of Lee's Audit Committee and Executive Compensation Committee. He's been a director since 2001; in 2009, Lee paid him $79,220.

Andrew E. Newman is a private investor. He's the chairman of Lee's Audit Committee and a member of the Executive Compensation Committee. He's been a director since 1991; in 2009, Lee paid him $93,470.

Gordon D. Prichett is a private investor. He founded the Cairnwood Cooperative in Boston and is a math professor at Babson (Mass.) College. He's a member of Lee's Audit Committee and Executive Committee. He's been a director since 1998; in 2009, Lee paid him $71,470.

Mark Vittert is a private investor. He's the chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and a member of Lee's Executive Compensation Committee. He's been a director since 1986; in 2009, Lee paid him $78,470.

On Thursday, each director was awarded a 10,000-share package worth $30,500 while furloughs and layoffs continue throughout the rest of the company. By Friday, those 10,000-share packages were worth $1,900 less. (Editor's note: Stock prices bounced up a couple of cents on Monday, closing at $2.88. A weekend Blogger outage caused a posting delay.)

Read the SEC reports here.

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