I like Frank Carroll and I always enjoy his on- and off-ice workshops. Well worth the money, imo.
There aren't many people in skating that I dislike, so don't go by me. He does have lower-level skaters - many attend the summer camps in the hopes of making it onto the elite coach's roster.
Debbie S has said in the past that PSA ratings are a way to judge coaches, yet in many areas of the country, PSA membership was forced on the coaches by new USFSA rules. Many of the coaches jsut complied with CER because they had skaters testing/competing, but they haven't really pursued ratings. That includes my former coach, who is a quadruple gold medalist and former Olympian. She didn't "need" the ratings to prove her worth. The costs of memberships, insurance, commissions and certifications add onto the expense of coaching and drive up coaches' rates. When I took lessons from her, my former coach charged $12/30 minutes. Today, she charges $45 or $50 for the same 30-minutes.
Elite skaters negotiate contracts with their coaches so compensation is handled differently than skaters taking lessons. Lysacek wouldn't be standing at a desk, buying lesson tickets weekly. There are invoices and payments, but it's handled more like a small business and the skater usually has a manager. While I'm rambling, all these expensive cars and hotel rooms may be purchased by the skater's "small business," therefore, it's not a personal expense. It's a business expense that may be written off later on taxes. [/endramble]