Linda Bonnin, named the University’s vice president of strategic communications on Sept. 2, is mentioned in a lawsuit alleging she discriminated against a former employee prior to his termination.
The employee, Charles “Curt” Guenther, filed the lawsuit in Shelby County, Tennessee, District Court on April 21 against the University of Memphis — where Bonnin most recently served as vice president for communications, public relations and marketing — claiming age and sex discrimination under the Tennessee Human Rights Act.
According to a University news release, Bonnin’s new position will consolidate chief communications jobs for the Baton Rouge campus and the LSU System, pending approval by the LSU Board of Supervisors. She will report directly to LSU President F. King Alexander.
“We won’t be able to comment on this litigation,” Ernie Ballard, University media relations director, told The Daily Reveille in a statement. “But LSU did its due diligence in the hiring process and stands by its decision.”
The lawsuit, obtained by The Daily Reveille, alleges Bonnin, 55, made remarks about Guenther’s age to coworkers before terminating him on April 23, 2013. Guenther, now 66, was 64 at the time he was fired.
“My communications director is 64 years old,” the suit alleges Bonnin said. “What do you think the chances are that he is going to do any social networking?”
Two days later, according to the suit, Bonnin told a student intern of her plans to replace Guenther.
“I have just fired Curt Guenther as Director of Communications Services, and I want to replace him with somebody younger and female,” the suit alleges Bonnin said.
According to the suit, after Guenther was terminated, most of his work was reassigned to Gabrielle Maxey, the communications coordinator for the University of Memphis, a female who is 10 years younger than Guenther.
The suit alleges Bonnin was “motivated by [Guenther]’s age and/or his gender and not his abilities and work performance” in terminating Guenther.
Bonnin was named by the University on Sept. 2 to “lead LSU’s public relations, marketing, media relations, web, social media and related communications functions, as well as overseeing multi- institutional branding,” according to a University news release. She was introduced at the Sept. 12 Board of Supervisors meeting.
Bonnin had worked at Memphis since 1997, where she served as its associate vice president for 12 years before being promoted to vice president for communications, public relations and marketing in 2012.