SLOC CEO Mitt Romney, who took his position in
February, "inherited a team long on dedication but generally
short on previous Olympic experience," according to Jerry
Spangler of the DESERET NEWS, who wrote that "only five
members" of the SLOC executive team have Olympic experience,
while "only six have experience with major sporting events."
Additionally, SLOC managers "average only about 19 months'
experience" with the organization. Romney: "In some areas,
I need Olympic experience, like sport, construction,
protocol and operations. ... In other areas, it is more
important to go after the highest talent available ."
Spangler wrote that "instead of a typical organization that
has low-level managers reporting to mid-level managers who
report to high-level managers," Romney and SLOC COO & CFO
Fraser Bullock "flattened the organizational chart." Most
SLOC managers "report directly" to Romney or Bullock,
meaning "very few middlemen." The "flat" structure
"increases the speed with which decisions can be made" and
also "promotes accountability." Spangler added that
"efficiency has become a mantra" for the SLOC, as Romney
"has trimmed" $186M from the budget (DESERET NEWS, 11/28).
