With proper regulation in the stock market by agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission, it is pretty tough to cheat and get out in front without being good.

Rex Tillerson and Michael Duke are the CEOs of the two biggest companies in the United States — Exxon Mobil and Wal-Mart Stores.

One is an oil company, while the other is a chain of department stores.

But these companies did not get to where they’re at today without hard work.

Tillerson, 60, earned $25.2 million according to Wikipedia, while the 63-year-old Duke earned $18.2 million.

Curbing the pay of these hard-working executives wouldn’t be fair, all to be judged by those that are jealous?

Essentially a company must hope its CEO can keep a healthy relationship with his employees, even if it means acting fake.

A dysfunctional company will likely never be successful, and if it is, it probably won’t live long to tell its tale because eventually lawsuits by lower-ranking officials will exhaust CEOs among others.

As it is, many businesses aren’t even properly structured, sitting just their CEO, another high-ranking official to be a second pair of eyes, and then nothing after that.

That said, let’s continue to reward those that work hard, even if they make tons more money than we do.

These CEOs are inspiring figures, which set the bar high for students to want to study hard to someday attempt to reach it.

Let’s not follow in the footsteps of a country that ranks No. 8 in the world in terms of economical standing, against our No. 1.

If we were to follow a country, let it be one of prominence.