IBM CEO Still in the Rough Over How to Handle Augusta Snub

By John Grgurich – Can one of America‘s reigning corporate titans — a company that has miraculously remade its name as a progressive, forward-looking organization — let its brand-new CEO be publicly snubbed with no bold response or defense of any kind?

Arguably, IBM wouldn’t even be where it is today if it weren’t for Rometty.

It should be noted that Rometty plays golf. And since so much business is still conducted on the links, her being kept out of Augusta National is more than just an academic issue. more> http://tinyurl.com/cxd433n

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Famed boys’ club feels the heat

By Lawrence Donegan – How on earth could the club promote ”growth” while at the same time denying half of the world’s population the opportunity to become members? ”That is a membership issue and I’m not going to … thank you for your question, sir,” the club chairman replied.

The issue was not Augusta National‘s membership policies, but its hypocrisy. Augusta club’s chairman, Billy Payne is a powerful man who is unused to being confronted by such uncomfortable truths, especially in the comfort of his own exclusive club. But since Wednesday’s (Apr 4, 2012) press conference the mood music had started to change, and not just because of the presidential intervention. more> http://tinyurl.com/6sopjvl

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• Obama: It’s time for Augusta golf club to admit women members (theneteconomy.wordpress.com)
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• Gender Debate Simmers as Augusta National, IBM Try to Keep Focus on Golf, Spencer E. Ante and Jason Gay, WSJ.com
• IBM chief chilling out at Masters, UPI.com
• What Would Jesus Do at the Masters? Maureen Dowd, NYTimes.com
• Back to the past at Augusta: women still outsiders, David Crary, MercuryNews.com
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IBM Facing Golf Gender Bias After Fighting Racial Barriers

By Beth Jinks and John Helyar – Twenty-two years ago, International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) used its clout to protest racial discrimination. The company joined other corporate sponsors in pulling television advertising from the PGA Championship which was being played at a whites-only Alabama golf club.

The Shoal Creek club caved. Augusta National Golf Club followed, also inviting its first black member to join in 1990.

The company’s CEO traditionally dons the club’s signature green member blazer at the tournament, as do the CEOs of co- sponsors Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) and AT&T Inc. (T) IBM will have to decide whether to keep spending the money if its CEO lacks equal status with other sponsors.

“All issues of membership remain the private deliberations of the membership. That statement remains accurate,” Payne said in response to questions about reconsidering female membership. “We don’t talk about our private deliberations. We especially don’t talk about them when a named candidate is part of the question.”

That leaves IBM, which promoted Rometty to CEO in January, with a dilemma: Should it pressure the near 80-year-old club to change its gender policies or, if it can’t do that, should it withdraw its tournament sponsorship? more> http://is.gd/lCP5Aj

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Golf’s Masters Facing Male-Only Dilemma With New IBM CEO

By Beth Jinks and Michael Buteau – Will International Business Machines Corp. (IBM)’s Ginni Rometty be able to wear a green jacket at the Masters Tournament?

As Augusta National Golf Club prepares to host the competition next week, it faces a quandary: The club hasn’t admitted a woman as a member since its founding eight decades ago, yet it has historically invited the chief executive officer of IBM, one of three Masters sponsors. Since the company named Rometty to the post this year, Augusta will have to break tradition either way.

IBM holds a rarefied position at the Augusta, Georgia, course. The company has a hospitality cabin near the 10th hole, beside co-sponsors Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) and AT&T Inc. (T) The companies’ male CEOs have been able to don the club’s signature green member blazers while hosting clients. Non-members, who don’t wear the jackets, must be accompanied by a member to visit the course or play a round. more> http://is.gd/yG00MR

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