Officers at Assante Corp. cut their pay in half in 2000, but as the firm’s new proxy circular shows, they made up the difference in 2001.

In 2000, Assante’s top executives, Marty Weinberg, Laurie Goldberg and Kish Kapoor agreed, with the approval of the compensation committee of the board, to cut their year 2000 base salary and bonus cash compensation to 50% of what it otherwise would have been under the contracts. Weinberg’s salary for example dropped from $400,000 to $200,000, and his bonus was cut from $735,808 to $367,904.

At the same time the compensation committee approved a special incentive plan for 2001. The executives, as a group, were eligible to earn an amount up to the foregone amount by achieving a number of additional performance criteria.

These criteria included implementing a variety of product enhancements, implementation of certain marketing initiatives, and specific goals related to Assante’s integration process in Canada and the United States.

The execs made their targets, and the compensation committee determined that management had exceeded the target threshold at which the maximum bonus was earned.

So in 2001, the three officers returned to their regular compensation arrangements, and picked up 2000’s foregone compensation in the form of a special bonus. Weinberg’s 2001 salary was $400,000, his bonus was $700,000, and he received a special bonus of $567,904.

The company has also released is annual report, laying out its objectives for 2002. Among other things, Assante plans to: stay focused on clients and advisors; finalize new strategic alliances to strengthen the Canadian back office platform; and bring the entire U.S. operations under a single management structure.

The company also plans to expand its line of co-branded products and services; pursue recruitment and acquisition of firms that share its philosophy; and establish the Assante Professional Development Centre.