Following sexual misconduct allegations that forced its chief executive to resign and raised questions about the future of its Massachusetts casino, Wynn Resorts has added three women to its board of directors, the company announced Wednesday.
The casino giant has expanded the board to 11 members with the additions of Betsy Atkins, Dee Dee Myers, and Wendy Webb as independent directors, company officials said in a statement. Their appointments take effect immediately and advance “the company’s commitment to diversity the gender, skills and experience of the board,” officials said.
Steve Wynn resigned in February after The Wall Street Journal detailed sexual misconduct complaints against him, complaints that went unheeded by supervisors in the company, according to the newspaper. The allegations, which Steve Wynn has denied, led the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to launch a probe into whether Wynn Resorts remains suitable to hold a casino license in the state.
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The company is scheduled to open a $2.5 billion casino along the Mystic River in Everett in June 2019. Last week, the Globe reported that Wynn Resorts had preliminary talks about selling its Everett casino to MGM Resorts International.
Of the new board members, Atkins is “a three-time CEO, serial entrepreneur and founder of Baja Corporation, an independent venture capital firm focused on technology, renewable energy and healthcare,” the company said.
Myers is currently an executive at Warner Bros. Entertainment. She previously served as White House press secretary in the Clinton administration.
Webb serves as CEO of Kestrel Advisors, “which advises corporations on growth initiatives, governance, investor relations and strategic issues,” the company said. She also served as a senior executive at The Walt Disney Company for 20 years.
Atkins and Webb have Massachusetts connections, the company said. Atkins graduated from the University of Massachusetts, while Webb holds degrees from Smith College and Harvard University.
“To be clear, this is the first step in our effort to refresh the board,” D. Boone Wayson, the board’s chairman, said in a statement. “We intend to add additional new directors in the coming months.”
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Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox said the new appointments represent “a turning point for us.”
“We have made it a priority to implement meaningful change at Wynn Resorts and are committed to elevating our corporate governance practices and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace,” Maddox said in a statement.
Wynn Resorts has retained a law firm to spearhead an internal investigation into the company’s “awareness and response to allegations regarding” Steve Wynn, according to a statement from the company.
Mark Arsenault and Jon Chesto of the Globe Staff contributed to this report. Danny McDonald can be reached at daniel.mcdonald@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @Danny__McDonald.