[FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif]The appointment of a new chief executive at IBM has revived the debate over Augusta National's all-male membership just one week before the Masters. Augusta National does not ban women. They can play the golf course but no female has been accepted into the exclusive membership since it opened in 1933. The golf club declined comment, keeping with its policy of not discussing membership.
[/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif]
IBM hired Virginia Rometty as its CEO this year. She has been named to Fortune magazine's "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" for the last seven years, and was at No. 7 last year. If Rometty was of the male persuation there would be no debate; she would surely meet qualifications to join the 300 or so members. The last four CEOs of IBM all belonged to the club.
Martha Burk, former chair of the National Council of Women's Organizations who has lobbied for a woman to be admitted said "What IBM needs to do is draw a line in the sand - 'We're either going to pull our sponsorship and membership and any ancillary activities we support with the tournament, or the club is going to have to honor our CEO the way they have in the past,'" Burk said. "There's no papering over it. They just need to step up and do the right thing.
"They need to not pull that argument that they support the tournament and not the club," she said. "That does not fool anybody, and they could undermine their new CEO."
Burk said she would not be surprised if IBM pressured Rometty to say she doesn't want to be a member. IBM has not commented.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20120330/D9TQHEBO1.html
While many in America have problems keeping a roof over their heads & food on the table, some sno oty clubbers & corporate high-rollers are hashing out a big ol' bug-a-boo ... behind closed doors.
What do you think will happen? Will Augusta National relent on policy or will IBM withdraw support for the biggest tourney in golf? Could you care less? Do you think Tiger may be slipping into another green jacket or do you not give a flip about who plays or wins[/FONT]
?
[/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif]
IBM hired Virginia Rometty as its CEO this year. She has been named to Fortune magazine's "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" for the last seven years, and was at No. 7 last year. If Rometty was of the male persuation there would be no debate; she would surely meet qualifications to join the 300 or so members. The last four CEOs of IBM all belonged to the club.
Martha Burk, former chair of the National Council of Women's Organizations who has lobbied for a woman to be admitted said "What IBM needs to do is draw a line in the sand - 'We're either going to pull our sponsorship and membership and any ancillary activities we support with the tournament, or the club is going to have to honor our CEO the way they have in the past,'" Burk said. "There's no papering over it. They just need to step up and do the right thing.
"They need to not pull that argument that they support the tournament and not the club," she said. "That does not fool anybody, and they could undermine their new CEO."
Burk said she would not be surprised if IBM pressured Rometty to say she doesn't want to be a member. IBM has not commented.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20120330/D9TQHEBO1.html
While many in America have problems keeping a roof over their heads & food on the table, some sno oty clubbers & corporate high-rollers are hashing out a big ol' bug-a-boo ... behind closed doors.
What do you think will happen? Will Augusta National relent on policy or will IBM withdraw support for the biggest tourney in golf? Could you care less? Do you think Tiger may be slipping into another green jacket or do you not give a flip about who plays or wins[/FONT]
?
