Based on the facts I had in hand, I wasn't convinced that the firing of Charlotte United Way Executive Director Gloria King was justified. Ms. King had raised a mega-amount of money but some folks didn't like the pay and benefits she negotiated. The board originally said it was ok but then decided otherwise and poof, no more Ms. King.
Well, the votes are in and could we say there's been a big show of support for getting rid of Ms. King and/or confidence that this wouldn't happen again? Nope, not really.
According to the Philanthropy Journal, "the Charlotte-based United Way of Central Carolinas is taking up to $5 million from its reserves to compensate for a dismal 2008 fundraising campaign, The Charlotte Observer reported Jan. 23 (see reserve story). The agency also plans to cut its full-time staff by up to 30 percent. In part because of fallout over former CEO Gloria Pace King's controversial pay package, the agency's 2008 annual campaign fell $15 million below the previous year's total".
So, who's to say that the United Way couldn't have simply done a better job of communications? Who's to say Ms. King couldn't have stayed and kept the peace and doing what she did best - raise money. For sure, these results certainlly challenge what was done.
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