California State Treasurer Fiona Ma walks with Todd Suntrapak in this Valley Children's Hospital photo from 2019

Fresno City Councilmembers Garry Bredefeld and Miguel Arias have planned a 9 a.m. Wednesday news conference to discuss the “astonishingly excessive pay” of Valley Children’s Hospital CEO Todd Suntrapak.

This is after reports that Suntrapak brought in a compensation package worth $5.1 million in 2021 according to IRS tax filings and received a $5 million forgivable loan for a home in Carmel.

Vintage Foster, CEO of AMF Media Group, contracted with Valley Children’s for communication services, took to the radio airwaves on KMJ Tuesday to explain and defend the compensation package. He said bonuses and adjustments to Suntrapak’s retirement package accounted for the $5.1 million figure.

He said Suntrapak’s actual, take-home pay is closer to $3.2 million.

Foster added that during Suntrapak’s 12 years as president and CEO, the hospitals net assets went from $430 million to $1.9 billion.

“Is he worth 3.2 million?” Foster told the hosts of the Broeske and Musson Show on KMJ. “Seven days a week, and twice on Sunday.”

GVWire reported that a $5 million loan from Valley Children’s “in lieu of other compensation” for Suntrapak’s 3,200 square-foot Carmel home was forgivable, part of a “retention mechanism” to keep him with the hospital.

Councilmember Bredefeld said in an interview Thursday afternoon that Suntrapak and his executive team’s compensation in the last few years has outpaced hospitals with more revenue and beds.

He added he hasn’t seen any hospital CEO compensation package in his research that includes a forgivable home loan.

At the Wednesday morning news conference, Bredefeld intends to share his concerns, including about the oversight of the Valley Children’s Hospital board of trustees, which includes Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, he noted.

---

Ben Hensley contributed to this report.