Whitman has been trying to turn the company around since becoming CEO in 2011. In the most recent quarter, profits were up but the company also said it is cutting up to 16,000 jobs.

Her base salary may be just a buck, but the bonus, stock and option awards she earned last year pushed her total pay over $17 million. That's more than she received either of the previous two years. Indeed, she is among the U.S.'s highest paid tech executives. -K.L.