Three months ago, Joe Solmonese, president of The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), announced his departure. The search for a replacement is in progress, and there is heavy speculation about who will be chosen to lead the battered but venerable advocacy organization that is eager to improve itself.

Do not look for HRC to admit to any failings and shortcomings in the course of its ongoing search for a new leader. Instead, the job description highlights HRC’s more than 30 years of experience as an advocate for LGBT Americans, a supporter of grassroots efforts to improve LGBT lives in America, a political lobbyist, and an educator about LGBT issues. The job description will contain no visible hand-wringing over loss of prestige and financial support that may have beset HRC in recent years. The job description contains no visible discontent with its departing president whose tenure has not been without significant controversy. The job description also contains no dirty laundry about the way the outgoing president managed the staff and operational functions of HRC, but these elements are visible between the lines. HRC has engaged Russell Reynolds Associates to conduct the search for its new president. The job description has been published.

By Tony Adams, Feature Author

photo by Marius Bugge

Tony Adams is a writer, editor, retired CFO, and Roman Catholic priest. He is Senior Features Correspondent with South Florida Gay News and is the editor of the 20-member queer arts and culture blog Queer New York. He is also a member of the editorial board of Bilerico. His writing has been featured in the 2010 and 2011 issues of PRIDE Magazine.

Tony and his husband Chris have been together for 27 years and were married in Connecticut in December 2008. They divide their time between homes in Fort Lauderdale and Manhattan.

Comments(5):

1. Sources for This Story - For Real!?

   Since I'm quite familiar with the sources (Spaulding and Browning) and the relationship they've had with the HRC over the years, I don't believe those two were the best NEUTRAL sources to use for this story. When they were on good terms with the HRC, Solmonese could do no wrong and his sh*t didn't stink no matter how badly everyone else, including myself, thought it did. Spaulding and Browning are hardly human resources (HR) experts and neither of them have ever run a large non-profit organization. Neither of them have a clue what it takes to hire the right person to run an organization like the HRC. Perhaps the author should have interviewed someone like, oh, the Executive Director of GLAAD, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the NAACP, or any other large organization that works daily to promote the rights of various minority groups - instead of providing a platform for Spaulding and Browning to take one last jab at Solmonese.

   Thursday, December 01, 2011 Genia

2. Dear Commenter (1): I'd invite you to read the article again. Neither Spaulding nor Browning take "one last jab" at Mr. Solmonese, nor were they invited to comment on his tenure. I think you take a cheap shot at them when you say that they do not "have a clue what it takes to hire the right person to run an organization like the HRC." Also, I did seek input from some of those who are leaders in organizations like HRC. As I anticipated, they all felt it would be inappropriate to comment. That is why I framed the article as I did, around input from well-qualified LGBT writer/activists. Did you stop to think that those folks who declined to comment might be themselves candidates for the position or might be working for candidates for the position? I also declined some offers of "off the record" comments because I think readers do not benefit from that. Also, did you notice that I did include a link to an essay on the subject by Matt Foreman, the previous executive director of NGLTF? NGLTF is one of the orgs you say would have value in this discussion. You would have done better to question my interpretation of the rather generic language of the job description. If there is a shaky limb in what I wrote, that, my dear, is it.

   Thursday, December 01, 2011 Tony

3. Matt Foreman

   Foreman was a reasonably effective leader at NGLTF, but he was also predictably liberal, pushing the organization into partisan positions that had little to do with the mandate of the organization. One of the challenges that the new HRC leader will have is restoring a sense of independence to the HRC. Salmonese has appeared to function as little more than a Democratic lap dog, fawning at the feet of the Obama administration. If the HRC wants to restore it credibility, it's going to have to take on Democratic leaders who represent an impediment to our progress. I don't think Foreman is well suited to this particular task. I hadn't thought about Robin McGehee, frankly. At first blush, I'd say she's a little green for a role this mainstream. Still, she's an amazing leader and has surprised me before, so maybe....

   Saturday, December 10, 2011 Tom

4. Response to Tom

   Dear Tom, I entirely agree with your statement that Mr. Salmonese gave the impression of being a lap dog. In general, LGBT activists/writers are "accessocrats" who crave invitations to the White House and high level inclusion. This comes from being excluded and treated as fringe voices for so long. Now that we have made such huge strides in respectability and reach, we can hope that the next HRC leader will be someone who will carry water only for and to those whom he/she represents. I think Matt would do this. He is far enough along in his professional life that he is not starry-eyed.

   Sunday, December 11, 2011 Tony

5. Response to Tony

   Tony: If a source tells me they feel it might be inappropriate to comment, I trust their instincts and air on the side of caution. I trust they know something I don't know. As for Robin McGehee: Back in the beginning days of GetEqual, we always said Robin was gunning for Joe's job. Whoever they choose as the new leader, that person will want to be careful about ticking off those LGBT bloggers! Ha!

   Thursday, December 15, 2011 Genia