Ex-employee drops harassment suit against Newport Beach & Co. chief, marketing group says
A former office manager at the agency that markets Newport Beach as a travel destination has dropped a sexual harassment lawsuit against the group’s chief executive, according to an announcement from the organization.
The lawsuit, filed in April 2014 in Orange County Superior Court, alleged that Newport Beach & Co. CEO Gary Sherwin made inappropriate comments to employee Alicia Snyder, including encouraging her to wear shorter skirts and “dress sexier.”
But in a signed statement from Snyder provided Friday by Newport Beach & Co., she says, in part, “Upon reflection, I acknowledge there was no factual basis for any of the causes of action relating to sexual harassment, and further, such allegations were untrue.”
Snyder’s lawyer did not respond to requests for comment.
Snyder’s lawsuit also alleged she worked 60 to 70 hours a week at Newport Beach & Co. without receiving overtime pay she was entitled to.
Those claims also have been resolved, according to Newport Beach & Co. spokeswoman Jenny Wedge. She said further details were not provided publicly.
Newport Beach & Co. contracts with the city to promote it to tourists. The organization manages the nonprofit visitors bureau known as Visit Newport Beach, which is funded mainly by hotel occupancy taxes collected by the city and from membership dues from tourism businesses.
Newport Beach & Co. and Visit Newport Beach function separately from local government, though there is some oversight, including a city-appointed member on the groups’ boards.
The city was not named in Snyder’s lawsuit, which claims she started work at Newport Beach & Co. in November 2011 and was fired in August 2014 for her harassment complaint.
When asked about Snyder’s allegations in April 2014, Sherwin called the lawsuit a “nuisance” that lacked any merit.
“This is unfortunately a cultural dynamic where an employee gets terminated for cause and they’re trying to get a quick cash payment,” he said at the time.
On Tuesday, Newport Beach & Co. released a statement from Visit Newport Beach Chairman Andy Theodorou supporting Sherwin.
“Gary is an honest individual and highly respected within the community, as well as a national figure in the hospitality industry,” the statement said. “For nearly a decade, he and his team have elevated the Newport Beach brand locally and on an international scale. …
“I’m happy that we can move past this and spend our time doing what we do best, which is marketing this great destination.”
