Sexual Harassment By Nevada Tourism Panel Leader Alleged

The head of Nevada's overseas tourism initiatives has been named in a sexual harassment lawsuit by a former employee.

Bruce Bommarito, executive director of the Nevada Commission on Tourism, was named in the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Reno last month by Reno resident Teri Schloemer, who had the title of North American tour manager until she was fired in late June.

In recent years, Bommarito has led the state's efforts to develop tourism offices in China. Schloemer is of Asian descent.

In the suit, filed by the Reno law firm of Bradley Drendel & Jeanney, Schloemer accuses Bommarito of arranging for them to dine together "in inappropriate romantic locations," including the Eiffel Tower restaurant at Paris-Las Vegas, and buying her perfume, jewelry and wine. She said Bommarito once declared his love for her and stated that he would want to date her if she was not his employee.

Bommarito, in Las Vegas this week for several meetings, said he would be exonerated in court and that he always treats his employees with respect and that Schloemer was a disgruntled former employee.

"I didn't do anything wrong," Bommarito said.

According to the suit, Schloemer said she was hired by Bommarito's predecessor, Tom Tait, in August 1999 and worked at the Commission on Tourism's office in Carson City.

The suit says when Bommarito became her boss upon Tait's departure, he required her to attend meetings and to join various committees with him as a pretext to spending more time together.

Bommarito required her to travel with him in his personal vehicle rather than having her go separately or with other NCOT staff. The suit says Bommarito required her "to sit next to him and, at times, he arranged for the parties to sit away from the group where Bommarito drank alcoholic beverages."

But the suit says things changed when Schloemer did not respond favorably to his advances. The suit says when Bommarito "had occasion to see (her) relating to other males, he became openly enraged and verbally attacked (her) in front of all present."

The suit says Bommarito became abusive in his office and, on one occasion, verbally berated her "to the point of reducing her to tears, at which point he approached (her) from behind, placed his arms around her and declared his love" for her.

The suit says Schloemer took her complaints to the Commission on Tourism's human resources manager and when Bommarto learned that she had made a sexual harassment complaint, he retaliated by increasing his hostilities and withdrawing many of her responsibilities.

In the suit, Schloemer said she was placed on administrative leave after being falsely accused of misappropriation of funds. The allegations were made public and on June 27, she was fired. She said she received no opportunity to clear her name.

Bommarito said he could not disclose details about the circumstances of Schloemer's firing.

Schloemer took her complaints to the Nevada Equal Rights Commission, which issued a notice of right to sue in May.

The suit includes nine claims for damages and seeks an order for reinstatement and general and special compensatory damages in excess of $50,000 as well as unspecified punitive and exemplary damages, plus attorney's fees.

Among the claims for relief are for violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, negligent hiring, retention and supervision, slander, libel, breach of contract and infliction of emotional distress.

In an interview, Schloemer said she is unemployed, but that her position with the Commission on Tourism was her "dream job." She has been in the tourism industry for 20 years and once worked for Planet Hollywood International. She said her trouble at work led to a break-up with a boyfriend though there was no sexual relationship with Bommarito.

Bommarito said the suit would be defended by the state Attorney General's Office. An answer has yet to be filed in the case.