Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Bowman says he didn't push board for severance; agreement was mutual
We published a story this morning about Reyn Bowman, the recently retired head of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau. He was the first CEO and president of the organization and worked there 20 years.
Years ago, the board that governed his organization promised him one month's pay for every year he stayed in his job. With his recent retirement, the bureau and Tourism Development Authority owe him $275,000. See Bowman's contract and payout schedule >>
Meanwhile, the Bureau has faced some serious financial setbacks, and last year had to lay off five workers—three full-timers and two part-time job holders.
Late yesterday, after the story went to press, Bowman addressed a query that was not included in the story: when his contract was modified in 2004 to allow him to collect up to 19 months pay at the end of his tenure, who was the driving force behind it? Bowman answered in an e-mail before leaving town for a personal trip.
"I want to clarify that negotiating employment agreements aren't done with one or the other party having advantage over the other or playing hard ball. Those are bound to be short term relationships. Ours have always been based first on outstanding performance ... and mutual respect and understanding value and return on investment. So there wasn't any big ego or push and shove involved. Just two entities, management and [the] governance board, trying to make the best mutually beneficial agreement."
Comments (2)
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Apparently Durham Annon and many others, including the media, missed the key point which is that this was not earmarked as a lump sum of $275,000. the amount depended on how long he worked. It was deferred compensation / incentive that, according to his contract attached, the Durham CVB knew about and funded monthly as he earned it. This is not like he won the lottery.
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It seems that this issue is classic example of “the left hand not aware of what the right hand is doing” after reading this and the corresponding posts. I find it interesting to be informed the city elected public officials (County Commissioner Ellen Reckhow, City Manager Tom Bonfield, Durham Mayor Bill Bell and City Council members Eugene Brown and Diane Catotti) have claimed to be unaware of this after reading Mr. Reyn Bowman’s rebuttal. One would think that years ago if and when this lump sum of $275,000.00 was ear marked to be paid out it would have raised a few cautionary flags. I would think that in a community the size of Durham, NC individuals would be more in tune/frugal with where its moneys are being spent. This appears to be yet another dissolute mark for the city Durham, NC.
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