Board reinstates suspended executive
Karel Minor had been put on leave for Facebook comment
Karel Minor will be reinstated as president and chief executive officer of Humane Pennsylvania.
The Humane Pennsylvania board of directors announced Wednesday that after further consideration and review the members decided they will welcome back Minor to his post following a two-week suspension without pay on Monday. Minor was suspended over a racially charged joke he made on Facebook.
The incident also led to Minor’s resignation June 10 from the Owen J. Roberts School Board, where he had served as president.
The Humane Pennsylvania Board of Directors stated in a press release that they believe Minor understands the gravity of his actions and is regretful for his comments.
The board members added that they have accepted his apology and are committed to working with him to provide the best possible outcomes for the animals and the community they serve.
“Humane Pennsylvania is an organization that is built on second chances for the animals in its care,” the board stated in the release. “Karel Minor has been a transformational leader over the past 16 years — taking the organization from the brink of bankruptcy to financial stability. The establishment of veterinary services, an animal welfare management consulting entity, improved public events, merging with Humane League of
Lancaster County, and rebuilding the shelter are examples of some of the accomplishments realized under his guidance.”
The directors said under his leadership, Humane Pennsylvania has grown to a level that few could have ever imagined.
But, they added, the incident spurred them to develop an action plan for organizational improvements that will create a more diverse and inclusive organization.
“Humane Pennsylvania strongly condemns discrimination based on race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or any other distinction,” the board stated in the release. “We also support the fundamental right to freedom of speech. We deeply value the trust that has been placed in us over the past several decades and the cultivation of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and in our community.”