All industries have had ups and downs. Some compensation experts say they expect officials at non-tech companies to press their boards of directors for more pay. People still think there is gold in them there hills, she said. Kanas said he hasn't had trouble recruiting quality executives because North Fork attracts a different type of manager. Most people would agree the fire igniting the technology sector is burning brightly but is short term, he said.
Many executives prefer consistency and predictability rather than volatility.
Not everyone will take the tech risk. With upside there is downside, said Arnold Ross, president of the Manhattan-based compensation consulting firm The Ross Companies. Non-technology companies can attract good managers with lucrative retirement plans, health benefits and other ways to supplement income, Ross said. Tech companies have experienced some downside in the past three months as investors stopped bidding up their stocks. The share prices of Symbol and Comverse, for example, have fallen about 20 percent from March highs.