The board of directors for the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) has voted unanimously to grant an early separation agreement for the contract of embattled RSCVA CEO Charles Harris, who will now depart at the end of June instead of the original termination date of October 31.
According to terms of the agreement reported by the Reno Gazette-Journal, Harris will receive his usual salary through the end of June, and nothing further—the RSCVA made sure to point out to the newspaper that this is “not a severance for a buyout.”
In order to facilitate the arrangement, the RSCVA agreed to waive a 90-day notice period for early termination, and Harris will have 21 days to review the terms of the separation agreement and sign it.
The agency did say, however, that Harris would still be able to receive certain bonuses through the end of the fiscal year, which coincides with his expedited departure. Those amounts won’t be calculated until the 2022-2023 budget is closed and the numbers are reviewed, the agency said.
In the end, both sides acknowledged that all compensation had been received or accounted for, and both admitted no wrongdoing.
After the vote, RSCVA board member Stephen Ascuaga told the Gazette-Journal that the new agreement “ is a positive for everybody. I also appreciate Mr. Harris’ willingness to stay on for the fiscal calendar and we’ll go on to the next step after that.”
The agency has not yet named an interim CEO to replace Harris until a full-time replacement can be found. Jennifer Cunningham, who previously served as executive vice president of the RSCVA, had served as interim CEO in the past, but she is no longer a part of the organization.
Harris’ unceremonious departure from the RSCVA is indicative of his entire tenure with the agency, which began in late 2020.
Shortly after his hiring, in December of that year, local outlet This is Reno reported that a number of RSCVA staff were heard criticizing Harris on a hot mic after a meeting for his refusal to give employees back pay after Covid-related wage cuts.
Additionally, others often criticized the CEO for his apparent lack of involvement with or connection to the Reno-Sparks community, including not purchasing a home in the area and spending long stretches of time away on personal trips.
Harris previously spent many years in executive positions for Visit Anaheim, and made frequent trips to the area during his time at the RSCVA, which were chalked up to the fact that Harris’ fiance lived there with her son at the time.
At a December 2021 meeting, Harris and Bob Lucey, former chair of the RSCVA, were overheard having a heated argument behind closed doors, but details of the conversation were not disclosed.
Months later, in September 2022, it was announced that Harris’ compensation package would include a 35 percent bonus, which was not received well by the other members. According to the Gazette-Journal, one board member, Jessica Sferrazza, said that she was “struggling” to see how that was justified.
Finally, after the board had more heated discussions about the CEO’s potential contract extension in February of this year, Harris formally announced on February 27 that he would not seek an extension after all.
In an email obtained by the Gazette-Journal, Harris said: “After two and a half years of hard work representing this community, I am disappointed in the manner in which the board is handling this subject. I did not ask to open contract negotiations and I have no interest in extending my contract with the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors authority beyond the Oct. 31, 2023, expiration date.”
