Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Announced Today Firing Of President/CEO And General Counsel 11 Months After They Were Placed On Paid Administrative Leave During Internal Investigation Of Workplace Wrongdoing Charges By Staff - Executive Search For New Leadership Begins
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President/CEO Shelton Haynes and General Counsel Gretchen Robinson have been on paid administrative leave since January 2024 awaiting the outcome of an investigation into charges made by RIOC staff of workplace wrongdoing by Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson.
 |
| Shelton Haynes, Gretchen Robinson (Standing), RIOC Chair Ruthanne Visnauskas at 11/14/23 Board Meeting |
Last week, a usually reliable Tipster reported that Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson were fired by the RIOC Board of Directors. On November 27, I asked RIOC Board Chairperson/NY State Division Of Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas and the RIOC Board of Directors:
Please confirm the status of RIOC President/CEO Shelton Haynes and General Counsel Gretchen Robinson currently on paid administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation regarding allegations of wrongdoing on their part.I was told today that they were both fired from their positions and will not be returning to their prior positions. Is that true?
What were the findings of the investigation?
What if any, is Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson's current position with RIOC?
If they are no longer with RIOC, what is the leadership plan for RIOC?
Please let me know if RIOC will comment on this important issue for the Roosevelt Island community.
Today, the RIOC Board of Directors announced:
As of Monday, November 25th, Shelton Haynes and Gretchen Robinson are no longer employed with the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. The Board thanks them for their service to the Roosevelt Island community and wishes them the very best in their future endeavors. The Board will immediately begin an executive search for new leadership. In the interim, RIOC will continue to be led by Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Dhruvika Amin, Acting Chief Operating Officer Mary Cunneen, and Associate General Counsel Lada Stasko until replacements for the CEO and General Counsel positions are secured.
I followed up asking:
Has there been any resolution of the lawsuit?What were the results of the investigation of charges by staff of wrongdoing by Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson?
There was no additional info from RIOC.
Today, I asked Milton Williams, a partner in the law firm of Walden Macht Harran & Williams, the attorney representing Mr Haynes and Ms Robinson in a racial discrimination lawsuit
against RIOC and members of NY State Governor Kathy Hochul's staff:
... Do either Mr Haynes, Ms Robinson or yourself have any comment on the firing or any other aspect of this matter including the investigation of staff charges of wrongdoing brought against them and their pending lawsuit against RIOC and members of the Governor's staff...
On November 22, 2024, Shelton Haynes, former CEO and President, and Gretchen Robinson, former General Counsel of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC), were unjustly terminated. This can only be viewed as retaliatory for their filing a lawsuit in late 2023 that exposed the systemic and pervasive discrimination and racism that they have endured at the hands of the Executive Chamber for the Office of New York Governor Hochul and RIOCFourteen times over the past three years, Haynes and Robinson have been investigated by several New York State entities and two law firms – costing New York taxpayers well more than half a million dollars.
Each and every investigation has found nothing more than unsubstantiated claims and concluded there were no material actionable findings.
These baseless probes, weaponized to undermine their leadership, demonstrate a pattern of retaliation and serve as yet another attempt to silence individuals who stand against injustice, particularly racial injustice.
This is nothing short of a travesty, Shelton Haynes and Gretchen Robinson have dedicated their careers to public service and served the Roosevelt Island community with integrity and excellence. Instead of addressing their legitimate concerns about systemic issues, they have again and again been met with retaliation and unfounded accusations. The actions taken against them, under the guise of a ‘loss of confidence,’ reflect a disturbing misuse of power that undermines the principles of fairness and justice.
I followed up asking Mr Williams:
Have you received the results of the most recent investigation?
Can you share what it said?
Mr Williams replied:
No findings or report from the last investigation at all. Very different from the Greenberg Traurig report which cleared them. Also, the areas that the recent investigation covered were substantially similar to what Greenberg Traurig cleared them for approximately 18 months ago.
Here's the Haynes/Robinson racial discrimination amended complaint.
