Following the acquisition of Clinical Revenue Management Services, LLC (“CRMS”), which provides client billing and collection services to AAC, Tina F. Cartwright has served as the Chief Executive Officer of CRMS. Ms. Cartwright is the spouse of Mr. Cartwright, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Cartwright earned compensation (including stock-based compensation) of $493,465in 2018.
As noted above, on March 1, 2018, we completed the acquisition of AdCare and its subsidiaries. In connection with the AdCare transaction, certain family members of David Hillis, who are officers and employees of AdCare, were provided a onetime transaction bonus in addition to their regular annual salaries. Accordingly, the name, title, and compensation paid to the following related persons in 2018, including the transaction bonus, is as follows: (i) Jeffrey W. Hillis, the son of David Hillis, Sr., is the President and Chief Executive Officer of AdCare Hospital of Worcester, Inc. and was compensated $301,418; (ii) Patrice Muchowski-Hillis, the wife of David Hillis, Sr., is the Vice President of Clinical Services of AdCare, and was compensated $147,062; (iii) David W. Hillis, Jr., the son of David Hillis, Sr., is the Vice President of Outpatient Operations of AdCare, and was compensated $285,451; (iv) Susan Hillis, thedaughter-in-law of David Hillis, Sr., is the Vice President of Outpatient Operationsof AdCare, and was compensated 181,055; and (v) James Hillis, the brother of David Hillis, Sr., is the Director of Housekeeping and Maintenance of AdCare, and was compensated $319,227.
Airplane Lease
AMC, Inc. (“AMC”), an entity beneficially owned by Mr. Cartwright, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, owns an airplane that the Company uses for business purposes in the course of its operations pursuant to a written lease agreement. We pay AMC an hourly rate for use of the airplane as well as fuel and certain maintenance costs. During 2018, we made aggregate payments of approximately $1.2 million to AMC.
Director Independence
The NYSE requires a majority of our Board of Directors to consist of independent directors. A director will only qualify as an “independent director” if, in the opinion of our Board of Directors, that person does not have a material relationship with the Company that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment. In addition, in order for a member of the Compensation Committee or the Audit Committee to be considered independent, such committee member may not, other than in his capacity as a member of the Board of Directors or any Board committee: (1) accept, directly or indirectly, any consulting, advisory, or other compensatory fee from us; or (2) be an affiliated person of us.
Our Board of Directors undertakes an annual review of the composition of our Board of Directors and its committees, and of our nominees for the Board of Directors, respectively, and the independence of each director or nominee. Based upon information requested from and provided by each director concerning his background, employment and affiliations, including family relationships, our Board of Directors has affirmatively determined that none of our directors, other than Messrs. Cartwright, Blackburn and Hillis, has a relationship that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director and that each of Messrs. Bostelman, Burch, Cash, Kloeppel and Freeman is “independent” as that term is defined by the NYSE Listed Company Manual. Our Board of Directors also determined that Messrs. Cash, Freeman and Kloeppel, who comprise our Audit Committee, Messrs. Bostelman, Burch, Cash, Freeman and Kloeppel, who will comprise our Compensation Committee, and Messrs. Bostelman, Burch and Freeman, who comprise our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, each satisfy the independence standards for such committees established by the SEC and the NYSE. Each of the members of our Compensation Committee is a“non-employee director” for purposes of Rule16b-3 under the Exchange Act. In making such determination, the Board of Directors considered the relationships that each suchnon-employee director has with the Company and all other facts and circumstances the Board of Directors deemed relevant in determining independence, including the beneficial ownership of our capital stock by eachnon-employee director.
20