The NASPP Blog

Last year, over 500 NASPP members registered to play the NASPP Question of the Week Challenge, which ranks your equity compensation prowess against that of your peers’. The challenge is now complete for 2010 and a champion has emerged.

The Power of Flowers

The number one ranked contender in the Question of the Week Challenge is Flower power 121, with a score of 310 points out of a possible 330.

Coming in close behind and tied for second place are gonefishin and SNOWPEA, with 275 points each. Ranked third is AMC35, with 270 points.

(You didn’t think I was going to post the actual name of the winners, did you? We promised anonymity to all players–that’s the reason for the screen names. I could tell you the names, but then I’d have to kill you and I don’t want to lose any blog readers.)

What’s in a Name?

Not only are the challenge participants a pretty smart bunch, but they are also very clever when it comes to screen names. Color me impressed (speaking as someone who doesn’t have an eBay account because I can’t think up a clever enough name).

In the category of stock compensation related names, my favorites are Bob: Maximum Supreme Commander, Equity Department; Got Equity?; and Sleepless in Stock Plan Admin. Land; with an honorable mention to Equity Ed.

Register for the 2011 Challenge

The NASPP’s “Question of the Week” challenge allows you to compete against your peers and colleagues (and sworn enemies) in feats of intellectual strength and skill. You are pitted against the finest in the profession to see how your expertise stacks up–and learn in the process.

Each week a new question is posted; you get ten points for each question you answer correctly. Your score is then ranked against all of the other players to see how you compare. But don’t worry, the rankings are on an anonymous basis–you choose your screen name when you register to play–so no one will know your score but you.

The challenge begins anew for 2011! If you didn’t play in 2010, choose your screen name now so you can play this year (if you played in 2010, don’t re-register–keep playing under the same screen name so we can compute your all-time score). Don’t wait–we’ll leave all the questions up for the month of January, but beginning in February, if you miss a week, you miss out on the full points for that week’s question.

Time Has Run Out!
All NASPP memberships expire on a calendar-year basis–if you haven’t already, renew your membership for 2011 today.

Got Questions on Section 6039?
We have answers!  Submit your questions now for the next webcast in the NASPP’s Ask the Experts series, “Last Chance to Ask Questions About Section 6039 Returns,” and our experts will address them during the webcast on February 3.

NASPP “To Do” List
We have so much going on here at the NASPP that it can be hard to keep track of it all, so I keep an ongoing “to do” list for you here in my blog. 

• Purchase the audio for the 18th Annual NASPP Conference.
• Submit your questions for the Feb 3 webcast “Ask the Experts: Last Chance to Ask Questions About Section 6039 Returns.”
• Complete the Compliance-O-Meter quiz on Section 6039.
• Take the “Question of the Week” challenge.
• Renew your NASPP membership for 2011 (if you aren’t an NASPP member, join today).

– Barbara