New York Road Runners today announced that CEO MICHAEL CAPIRASO "would depart at the end of the year, amid complaints from current and former employees who questioned the organization’s commitment to diversity and social justice," according to Matthew Futterman of the N.Y. TIMES. Capiraso, who has led the organization since '15 and is "credited with generating significant revenue," is leaving Dec. 31. Former NYRR VP/Strategy & Planning KERIN HEMPEL will serve as interim CEO "until a permanent replacement is named." NYRR since the spring has been "reviewing how it has addressed systemic racism and social justice." The review "gained added urgency in August when a group of anonymous current and former employees published online a letter with a series of complaints about New York Road Runners, accusing it of financial mismanagement and failing to adequately address diversity and issues related to racism." The organization also hired former New York City Economic Development Corp. diversity specialist ERICA EDWARDS-O'NEAL to serve as Senior VP/Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. And its BOD hired a major N.Y. law firm to "conduct an investigation of its workplace culture." During Capiraso's tenure, revenues at New York Road Runners increased to more than $100M from roughly $70M "with the help of new media and sponsorship deals" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/30).
