Rumors have circulated for months that ChannelAdvisor, the global provider of ecommerce services that is based in Morrisville, was preparing to go public. But co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Scot Wingo as well as other executives declined all comment.

However, in reality, ChannelAdvisor’s plans became clear in November when the privately held, venture capital-backed firm hired financial industry veteran John Baule as its chief financial officer.

And ChannelAdvisor is paying him a lot for his work.

Based on the SEC filing made Thursday in which ChannelAdvisor made its case to investors to back an IPO that will generate in the neighborhood of $80 million, the company disclosed the compensation that Baule has already received.

Hired in November, Baule earned $47,949 in salary through December 31.

He also received 663,000 stock options for a compensation package listed at $711,115.

More importantly, Baule also was awarded another 4.4 million stock options at 54 cents each to be exercised at a later date.

So how does Baule’s compensation compare to other executives at the firm?

Wingo and co-founder Aris Buinevicius, who also serves as chief technology officer, received $125,000 in salary – the same as the year before.

President and Chief Operating Officer David Spitz earned $245,000 in salary, up $30,000 from the year before, plus 500,000 options.

General Counsel Scott Alridge earned $200,000, up $20,000 from 2011, plus 220,000 options.

Not that Wingo nor Buinevicius, who partnered on two earlier previously sold ventures, are poor. They no doubt have equity in the firm and their own horde of options waiting to be redeemed at a later date. So do the other executives.

But the compensation given Baule for his expertise is still striking.

No company is going public these days without expert CFO guidance, given the increasingly difficult and expensive regulations, such as Sarbanes-Oxley.

So who is Baule?

Here’s his bio as posted by ChannelAdvisor:

“John Baule, Chief Financial Officer for ChannelAdvisor, oversees global financial operations and strategy for the company. In this capacity, he manages all accounting, treasury and cash management operations, financial planning and analysis, long-term strategic planning and investor relations, as well as human resources.

“Before joining ChannelAdvisor in November 2012, John consulted for private equity investors on potential education acquisitions and most recently served as interim chief financial officer for INTO, a London-based global education company. With more than 20 years of experience in executive financial roles, John has served as COO and CFO of K12 Inc, leading them through an initial public offering, and Apollo Global, a leading post-secondary education company. Prior to those positions, he was CFO at Headstrong, a global consultancy services firm. Before Headstrong, John worked for Bristol-Myers Squibb, or BMS, where he began as a corporate internal auditor, held several Asia-Pacific based roles including finance director for BMS Philippines, and regional finance director for Asia Pacific in Hong Kong before progressing to regional finance director for the company’s international nutritional division. John began his career as an auditor with KPMG.

“John received a B.B.A. degree in Accounting from the College of William and Mary, and he is a Certified Public Accountant.”

ChannelAdvisor executives, investors and employees have a great deal banking on Baule’s expertise.

They soon may all cash in on what could turn out to be the most important hire Wingo and Buinevicius ever made.