Mavericks' Interim CEO Talks Harassment Investigation, Reform

DALLAS, TX — In a press conference Monday, the Dallas Mavericks announced Cynthia Marshall will act as interim CEO of the organization. Marshall joins the team at a time when the Mavs are under serious scrutiny following a report exposing alleged sexual harassment within the team's offices.

The report came from Sport Illustrated which, after an investigation, uncovered alleged predatory and abusive behavior toward women.

According to the report, at least six women the publication spoke with said they had left their jobs with the Mavericks or the American Airlines Center because the environment "left them feeling vulnerable and devalued while protecting—and continuing to employ—powerful men who misbehaved."

Some women told of specific times when they were preyed on by high-ranking Mavs employees while police reports told of another woman attacked in a violent domestic incident with a former Mavs.com staffer.

Marshall said in Monday's press conference that she aims to tackle the trend of workplace harassment and inappropriate behavior by focusing on three main areas.

"Although we are in the early stages of our response, we have identified three immediate areas of focus: the investigation, culture transformation and operational effectiveness," Marshall said.

Independent investigators are interviewing former and current employees in an effort to bring all of the organization's issues and allegations to the surface, she said.

The culture transformation, meanwhile, is an effort make the Mavs a "great place to work for everybody." She said her goal is to turn the organization into a workplace with zero tolerance for sexual harassment, domestic violence or any other type of inappropriate behavior.

She said the organization is working to improve the systems, processes and policies so they meet the needs of each employee.

Read more:

• Dallas Mavericks' Workplace Culture 'Corrosive' For Women: Report

"Specifically we are starting with improving our employee complaint process," Marshall said. "Our goal is for the Dallas Mavericks' organization to be a great place to work for everyone, not for a few people but for everyone. A place of character and integrity where individuals are held accountable for their actions."

Team owner Mark Cuban told Sports Illustrated the organization had created a hotline for counseling and support services after the report was published.

The team will also bring in experts to train employees, including Cuban, on making sure the organization's office is a "safe, respectful and productive one for all Dallas Mavericks employees," a statement from the Mavs read.

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