Mather had been the subject of two workplace complaints from female employees in '09-10GETTY IMAGES
Mariners President & CEO Kevin Mather yesterday apologized for "past workplace conduct and said he has become a better co-worker and leader in recent years," according to a front-page piece by Baker & Baker of the SEATTLE TIMES. In response to a story published yesterday, the Mariners "acknowledged for the first time that Mather had been the subject of two workplace complaints from female employees." The Mariners said as a result of investigation, they imposed “appropriate discipline, management and sensitivity training, and other corrective actions.” Mather said he “participated in banter and was at times overly familiar, in ways that I came to realize were inappropriate in the workplace" (SEATTLE TIMES, 7/26). Baker & Baker in the initial report noted Mather and two other execs "were accused by women of inappropriate workplace conduct" in '09-10, "resulting in the complainants receiving financial settlements." The complaints "roiled the organization internally, triggering reviews and staff-wide sexual-harassment seminars." The other execs included in the complaint were former President Chuck Armstrong and former Exec VP/Business Operations Bob Aylward. The three women involved "left their jobs." All three execs "remained in their positions, and two were later promoted." Armstrong and Aylward "declined to comment." Mariners Chair & Managing Partner John Stanton "declined to answer whether the team has paid settlements or disciplined any executives for misconduct this past decade." Sources said that the Mariners had a consultant "give sexual-harassment-prevention seminars separately to senior management and rank-and-file employees." A handful of employees said that the team in recent years "appeared to be making honest efforts to ensure the appropriate treatment of women in the workplace" (SEATTLE TIMES, 7/25).
BUT STILL CLIMBED THE LADDER? SPORTSPRESSNW.com's Art Thiel wrote by “promoting him after his harassment episodes and settlements, it's going to take more than a press release to establish” Mather now “gets it” when it comes to appropriate workplace conduct. Fancred.com’s Jon Heyman called the allegations against the front office a “bombshell.” He also noted how Mather “was promoted to become president and ceo of the team” after the fact.
