By PETER HUSSMANN
Two former Skiff Medical Center executives have filed a lawsuit against a local doctor claiming he engaged in a smear campaign to get the women fired from their positions at the city-owned hospital.
Cheryl Ritter, the former vice president and chief financial officer at Skiff, and Gena Garber, the former director of human resources at the hospital, filed suit last week against Dr. Gary Richardson alleging he "engaged in an effort to harm the professional reputations" of both women.
"Richardson's objective was the termination of Cheryl Ritter's and Gena Garber's employment with Skiff," the lawsuit alleges.
The suit, filed last Thursday on behalf of the women by Des Moines lawyer Joseph Cacciatore, claims Dr. Richardson's "malicious acts and statements ... created an environment where it became impossible for (Ritter and Garber) to effectively perform their respective duties at Skiff, causing their resignations in March of 2009."
In making the claim of Dr. Richardson's malicious activity, the suit notes a February 2009 letter to the editor in The Newton Daily News where Dr. Richardson states "(T)he two executives - the chief financial officer and the human resources director - have taken over the culture of Skiff. You ask nearly any physician or employee, these two are responsible for the declining employee morale, bloated management staff, constant conflicts with physicians, and poor financial performance of the hospital. Many physicians and employees have called for the dismissal of these two former Maytag managers, without satisfaction."
The suit goes on to note a comment attributed to Dr. Richardson in the Newton Independent where he allegedly says "(T)he problems can all be traced back to the CFO and HR director. Until this is recognized and dealt with Skiff will not be able to move forward and succeed."
The two former Skiff executives also claim Dr. Richardson "falsely and unfairly criticized the performance" of Ritter and Garber "and/or called for the termination of their employment with the hospital" at Skiff executive committee meetings and in private and public meetings of Skiff employees and members of the general public.
"Richardson's statements as described above where libelous per se because such statements falsely attacked Cheryl Ritter's and Gena Garber's competence and skill in the occupations in which each of them earned their living," the lawsuit states in claiming damages for defamation and interference with their contractual relationship with Skiff. "Richardson's statements... also falsely attacked the integrity and moral character of Cheryl Ritter and Gena Garber."
The suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the two women's loss of earnings, expenses in seeking other employment, mental anguish, emotional distress and damage to their reputations.
"Richardson's wrongful conduct was willful and wanton and done with malice or in reckless disregard of the rights of Cheryl Ritter and Gena Garber," the lawsuit alleges.
The two women are seeking a jury trial. Dr. Richardson has yet to file an answer to the petition.
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