You’re viewing the FY2024 filing — not the latest on file.
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Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 1986.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
86 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.
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Who runs it and what they're paid
23 people listed on the 990; $2.3M paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).
Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President and CEO
$310,878Pt VII · Sec A
RN Bachelor Base Lead
$291,940Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Clinical Officer
$250,942Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$238,265Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Administrative Officer
$235,943Pt VII · Sec A
Rotor Wing Pilot
$218,924Pt VII · Sec A
VP Operations
$213,028Pt VII · Sec A
VP Business Operations
$188,885Pt VII · Sec A
Rotor Wing Pilot
$185,192Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Strategic Advisor
$178,661Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Joshua M Howell’s $394K as President and CEO is at the 64th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2900 $10–100M health care nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.
Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua M Howell | $393,999 | $310,878 | $304,156 | — | — | — |
| Joshua Howell | — | — | — | $352,884 | $284,010 | $166,558 |
| Steven Sterner MD | — | — | — | — | $313,978 | $343,768 |
| Robert a Sannerud | — | $178,661 | $280,310 | $330,105 | $300,529 | $259,445 |
| Bjorn K Peterson | $325,838 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lisa M Knipping | $308,105 | $238,265 | $179,848 | — | — | — |
| Kolby L Kolbet | $301,382 | $250,942 | $242,943 | — | — | — |
| Kevin R Rixmann | $300,441 | $291,940 | $259,333 | — | — | — |
Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.
See Critical Care Services INC executive salaries →5 open jobs right now. See them →
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Questions the 990 asks
The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.
- Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
- Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Updates and questions
Provides safe medical care and transportation for patients.
Our summary of the filed mission and programs (Form 990 Part III, line 4), not the words of the organization.
Questions for Critical Care Services INC
Your first name shows with your question. Nobody from Critical Care Services INC has claimed this page yet, so no one there sees or answers questions until they do.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · from the funders’ 2024 returns
Dated by each funder’s own filing year, which may not match this organization’s fiscal year.
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$25K
Federal money
Single Audit · Federal Audit Clearinghouse · money spent from federal programs
Year ending Dec 2025 · $1.3M federal money spent
Congressional DirectivesDepartment of Health and Human Services · ALN 93.493 · Direct$1.3M
The auditor reported 1 finding: a weakness in money controls.
By the numbers
The FY2024 990, line by line.
Download 990
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$62.5M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$67.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$546K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$117K
Money outPt IX
$62.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$53.7M
Managementcol C$8.6M
Owns and owesPt X
$55.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$10.5M
Total assetsLn 16$78.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$22.5M
PeoplePt VI, VII
23
listed · VII A
PaidVII A10
Voting boardVI 1a15
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$117K
Government grantsLn 1e$43K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$67.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$546K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$6.5M
Total revenueLn 12$62.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$278K
SavingsLn 2$10.2M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$10.5M
Accounts receivableLn 4$16.4M
Notes and loans receivableLn 7$542K
Inventories for sale or useLn 8$4.5M
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$568K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$28.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$6.1M
Intangible assetsLn 14$1.7M
Other assetsLn 15$8.9M
Total assetsLn 16$78.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$22.5M
Net assetsLn 32$55.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5385
VolunteersI 619
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
BondsSch K, Pt X
Tax-exempt bond debt owedX 20$1.2M
Bond issues listedSch K Pt I1
Raised by those issuesSch K Pt I$15.4M
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
| Line | Start FY24 | End FY24 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $8.4M | $10.5M |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $5.5M | $6.1M |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $51.7M | $28.7M |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $87.4M | $78.0M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $32.1M | $22.5M |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $55.2M | $55.4M |
Business incomeForm 990-T, Part I
| Line | FY24 |
|---|---|
| Gross | $58K |
| Net | $58K |
| Tax | $2K |
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5 | $1.6M | $1.6M | ||
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $31.5M | $28.3M | $3.2M | |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $1.0M | $1.0M | ||
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $2.8M | $2.6M | $231K | |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $2.4M | $2.0M | $345K | |
| Legal feesLn 11b | $186K | $27K | $159K | |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $60K | $60K | ||
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $27K | $27K | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $799K | $201K | $598K | |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $180K | $171K | $9K | |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $1.0M | $813K | $221K | |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $1.1M | $3K | $1.1M | |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $1.0M | $923K | $98K | |
| TravelLn 17 | $3.1M | $2.9M | $181K | |
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $482K | $383K | $99K | |
| InterestLn 20 | $322K | $322K | ||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $3.7M | $3.7M | $56K | |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $1.3M | $998K | $334K | |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $9.6M | $9.2M | $420K | |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $62.3M | $53.7M | $8.6M | $0 |
Part VII lists each person's pay for the calendar year, including pay from related organizations and from people who have left; Part IX, line 5 is this organization's own cost for its current officers and key staff over its fiscal year.
The full sourced Quadrant report on Critical Care Services INC
Everything above stays free. The full report adds:
- One sourced report, every figure cited to its 990 line
- Revenue quality
- Compliance checks run against 4 federal lists
- Red flags with the evaluator crosswalk
- Peer measures
$150 one time, for this organization
Buy this report See a full sample reportFiling history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest | $79.8M | $69.5M | $10.3M | $66.0M | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 ViewingFiled with the IRS Sep 25, 2025 | $62.5M | $62.3M | $258K | $55.4M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023Filed with the IRS Oct 4, 2024 | $61.5M | $63.7M | −$2.2M | $55.2M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022Filed with the IRS Oct 2, 2023 | $60.3M | $59.7M | $634K | $51.1M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021Filed with the IRS Jul 11, 2022 | $61.7M | $54.8M | $6.9M | $52.6M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020Filed with the IRS Aug 3, 2021 | $50.9M | $48.5M | $2.4M | $46.5M | 990 PDF |
Schedules filed Part IV
A · Public support
C · Political and lobbying
D · Assets and endowments
I · Grants
J · Pay
O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990
Part I · Summary $62,526,610 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $123,830$116,867
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $62,272,691$67,087,424
I-10 Investment incomePrior year −$2,674,852−$5,993,243
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,786,623$1,315,562
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $61,508,292$62,526,610
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $38,593,826$39,336,239
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $25,139,596$22,932,028
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $63,733,422$62,268,267
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$2,225,130$258,343
Part III · Program service accomplishments 3 programs, $53,662,613 spent
III-4a Rotor wing servicesprovides air transportation of patients requiring critical care and emergency medical care in helicopters configured for mobile intensive care 3,493 transports in 2024. Life link III provides helicopter air medical transportation including on-scene emergency response and inter-facility transport 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. With helicopter bases throughout minnesota and wisconsin, life link III transports all types of critically ill or injured patients.$49,963,195
III-4b Fixed wing servicesprovides air transportation of patients requiring critical care and emergency medical care in fixed wing aircraft configured for mobile intensive care 199 transports in 2024. Life link III provides airplane ambulance transportation throughout the United States, 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Life link III has a dedicated, medically-configured airplane ready at all times and has access to a fleet of other aircraft for additional support to transport all types of critically ill or injured patients.$3,699,418
III-4c Community education and safetylife link iii's airplane and helicopter transportation services are accredited by the commission on accreditation of medical transport systems (CAMTS), which reflects the organization's commitment to meeting or exceeding the highest standards of patient care, quality and safety. Life link III is one of only 60 medical transportation services nationally and internationally that are CAMTS accredited for the two modes of critical care air medical transportation: rotor wing and fixed wing. Life link III successfully completed the reaccreditation process in march 2022 that extended accreditation through march 2025.life link III provides outreach education and training to pre-hospital and hospital-based healthcare providers covering such topics as helicopter landing zone set up, scene safety, patient transport preparation and other patient care topics. Life link III actively participates with the communities it serves, including public, informational, school, injury prevention and community events. In 2024 the organization donated clinician, pilot, and aircraft time for 408 separate community and healthcare-related events and trainings with more than 36,000 estimated attendees. Life link III was the first and only critical care transport program to achieve the aacn beacon award of excellence gold level. This prestigious award recognizes excellence in critical care nursing.in addition to the community and healthcare-related education and safety events, life link III continues to seek new channels for delivering education to emergency service, first responder, and healthcare personnel from minnesota, wisconsin, and surrounding states. Life link III provides high quality continuing education with exceptional speakers and special guests through both its clinical educational program and linked events, a regional educational series that brings education to the region with the goal of enhancing skills and demonstrating transport best practices for providers of all levels, from rescue and pre-hospital situations to transport and in-hospital treatment.$0
Part VI · Governance 13 of 15 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body15
VI-1b Independent voting members13
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VII · Officers, directors and key employees 23 people listed, 10 paid by the organization
VII-1a Joshua M HowellPresident and CEO$310,878
VII-1a Kevin R RixmannRN Bachelor Base Lead$291,940
VII-1a Kolby L KolbetChief Clinical Officer$250,942
VII-1a Lisa M KnippingChief Financial Officer$238,265
VII-1a Cathy L RichardsChief Administrative Officer$235,943
VII-1a Andrew B TidballRotor Wing Pilot$218,924
VII-1a Gregory A ThingvoldVP Operations$213,028
VII-1a Carolyn P India-BlackVP Business Operations$188,885
VII-1a Martin IskeRotor Wing Pilot$185,192
VII-1a Robert A SannerudSenior Strategic Advisor$178,661
VII-1a Anupam KharbandaDirector$0
VII-1a Bjorn PetersonDirector$0
VII-1a Bob BeacherDirector$0
VII-1a Bret HaakeDirector$0
VII-1a Brian HoernemanDirector$0
VII-1a Joe HellieDirector$0
VII-1a Kelly SprattChair$0
VII-1a Kevin BorenVice Chair$0
VII-1a Nick Van DeelenDirector$0
VII-1a Patty AllenDirector$0
VII-1a Rj FrasconeDirector$0
VII-1a Steve SternerDirector$0
VII-1a Wendy Stulac-MotzelDirector$0
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $62,526,610 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$43,257
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$73,610
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$116,867
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $67,087,424$67,087,424
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $546,124$546,124
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$6,539,367−$6,539,367
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Unrelated business $58,429 · Excluded from tax $1,257,133$1,315,562
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $67,087,424 · Unrelated business $58,429 · Excluded from tax −$4,736,110$62,526,610
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $62,268,267 across 19 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Management $1,570,196Part VII lists each person's pay for the calendar year, including pay from related organizations and from people who have left; Part IX, line 5 is this organization's own cost for its current officers and key staff over its fiscal year.$1,570,196
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $28,325,595 · Management $3,207,727$31,533,322
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,047,438$1,047,438
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $2,566,588 · Management $231,207$2,797,795
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $2,042,336 · Management $345,152$2,387,488
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $26,665 · Management $158,907$185,572
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $59,987$59,987
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $26,856$26,856
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $201,277 · Management $598,204$799,481
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $171,138 · Management $8,522$179,660
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $813,402 · Management $220,708$1,034,110
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $2,689 · Management $1,051,367$1,054,056
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $923,001 · Management $97,758$1,020,759
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,930,151 · Management $180,775$3,110,926
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $382,805 · Management $99,035$481,840
IX-20 InterestPrograms $322,150$322,150
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $3,671,606 · Management $55,766$3,727,372
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $997,885 · Management $333,620$1,331,505
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $9,177,900 · Management $419,854$9,597,754
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $53,662,613 · Management $8,605,654 · Fundraising $0$62,268,267
Part X · Balance sheet $77,953,749 assets, 21 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $156,436$278,487
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $8,212,839$10,207,982
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $12,493,933$16,409,648
X-7 Notes and loans receivableStart of year $917,173$541,605
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $3,959,000$4,527,647
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $770,365$568,192
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $51,711,339$28,713,674
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $5,534,985$5,892,161
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$183,000
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $1,692,425$1,688,584
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,912,232$8,942,769
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $87,360,727$77,953,749
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $4,112,369$5,073,468
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $1,842,892$1,242,302
X-23 Secured mortgages and notes payableStart of year $20,206,305$9,080,307
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $5,978,948$7,140,047
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $32,140,514$22,536,124
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $55,179,208$55,355,060
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $41,005$62,565
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $55,220,213$55,417,625
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $87,360,727$77,953,749
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $55,417,625 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$62,526,610
XI-2 Total expenses$62,268,267
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$258,343
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$55,220,213
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$86,835
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$147,766
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$55,417,625
Form 990 e-file FY2024 from the IRS (about our sources) · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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Jobs at Critical Care Services INC
5 open jobs right now.
Future Hiring Pool – Flight Nurse & Flight Paramedic (All Bases)Life Like III (All Bases)
Future Hiring Pool – Fixed & Rotor Wing Pilots (All Bases)All Life Link III Bases
Flight ParamedicHibbing, MN
Rotor Wing Relief PilotAll Life Link III Bases
Aircraft Maintenance TechnicianMarshfield, WI
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