NEW YORK - Plagued by turmoil at the top, the American Red Cross ousted its president, Mark Everson, on Tuesday for engaging in a "personal relationship" with one of his subordinates. He took the job six months ago.
The congressionally chartered charity, America's foremost emergency responder, has now had five leaders, including the interim chief named to fill in for Everson, in the past six years.
Everson, a former corporate executive and commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, assumed the Red Cross post on May 29 as the charity sought to restructure itself and bolster its public image after sharp criticism of its response to Hurricane Katrina.
The Red Cross said its board of governors asked for and received Everson's resignation, effective immediately, after being notified about 10 days ago by a senior executive at the national office about Everson's relationship with a woman on the staff. The woman's name was not released.
The Red Cross released a statement from Everson, 53, who is married and has two children.
"I am resigning for personal and family reasons, and deeply regret it is impossible for me to continue a job so recently undertaken," he said. "I leave with extraordinary admiration for the American Red Cross."
"This comes at a particularly critical moment in the history of the Red Cross as they are desperately trying to rebuild their brand name," said Paul Light, a New York University professor of public service who studies charities.
"It will not destroy the organization," Light said. "But it will erode confidence in the Red Cross and thereby in the charitable sector as a whole."
The Red Cross board appointed Mary S. Elcano, its general counsel for the past five years, as interim president and CEO. She said a search committee has been formed to seek a new leader.
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