Compensation for Atrium Health's top executives rose by an average of 21 percent in 2025, according to records the Charlotte-based system released to North Carolina Health News and The Charlotte Ledger. The report, published September 9, lists 11 executives earning between about $906,000 and $5.2 million as Atrium seeks approval to combine with Raleigh-based WakeMed Health & Hospitals.
Chief Financial Officer Bradley Clark received the largest increase, with compensation up 83 percent to $5.18 million. Atrium has said competitive pay is needed to recruit and retain leaders who can run increasingly complex hospital systems. The report again left out Gene Woods, CEO of Atrium's parent Advocate Health, whose 2024 pay totaled $25.8 million according to Advocate's tax filing. Atrium has said Woods is excluded because he is an Advocate Health executive, not an executive of the hospital authority.