Revenues at network installer-relevant trade groups are on the rise, led by the HomeGrid Forum, which more than doubled its earnings year-over-year. Four other industry trade groups--NCTA, PCIA, NATE and the Wire and Cable Industry Suppliers Association (WCISA)--showed similar trends in 2013 tax filings.
The HomeGrid Forum--which boasts members including Intel, Telefonica and British Telecom--more than doubled its previous year's total revenue of $342,615, bringing in a total of $716,713 in 2013. In fact, HomeGrid beat out its 2012 total revenue in 2013 membership revenue alone ($350,739). Interestingly, $287,000 of that revenue came from "other revenue" attributed to a cash transfer from HomePNA. The HomeGrid Forum and the HomePNA Alliance merged in 2013 under the HomeGrid Forum name.
The HomeGrid Forum focuses on G.hn, which it describes as "the technology behind the fastest and cleanest home networking service platform available today--it works over any wire in the home--and out performs any competing home network technology."
In contrast to the HomeGrid Forum, WCISA was the lowest-earning of the groups; WCISA lost almost $30,000 in revenue from the previous year, bringing in a total 2013 revenue of $24,658. Not only was the nonprofit the lowest earning among those tallied, it was also the only group of the five to decrease in total revenue.
PCIA and NATE held down the second and third spots in terms of total revenues, with the former increasing its revenue more than $500,000 to a total of $4,823,853. NATE increased revenue almost $300,000 to $1,921,317. PCIA generally represents wireless network construction companies, and NATE represents the wireless tower industry.
NCTA, which represents the cable industry including cable operators, was far and away highest earner of the groups surveyed, with a 2013 total revenue topping $70 million. Driving that point home, NCTA President and CEO Michael Powell's $3 million 2013 salary was more than 100 times greater than the Wire and Cable Industry Suppliers Association's (WCISA) total revenue of around $25,000.
Executive compensation stayed in keeping with the groups' earnings, with Powell's $3 million topping the pack, followed by PCIA President Jonathan Adelstein ($295,000) and NATE Executive Director Todd Schlekeway ($87,500). Though the HomeGrid Forum listed John Egan as director, the group reported no salary for him. Similarly, WCISA reported neither a director nor any other employees or compensation.
WCISA stood out once again as the only group of the five to report no event income, while PCIA was the only group to report more revenue from events than from membership dues ($1.6 and $1.5 million, respectively). Despite the fact that groups like NCTA and NATE are known for their yearly conferences, the former snagged over 86 percent of its revenue from membership dues, and the latter just over 50 percent.
These disparities, however, may be attributable to each group's age. Where top earner NCTA has been around for over 50 years, lower-earning organizations tend to be less established and smaller in size, such as HomeGrid Forum, which was founded in 2008 and reported no employees on its tax filing in comparison to NCTA's 117.
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