Search firm: Teague properly vetted for U athletics job

The search firm that helped the University of Minnesota hire Norwood Teague maintains it properly vetted the U's former athletic director.

In a letter sent last week to U President Eric Kaler, Atlanta-based Parker Executive Search took issue with Kaler's suggestion to MPR News that a background search by the firm should have turned up a 2012 gender discrimination claim against Teague when he was athletic director at Virginia Commonwealth University

Teague resigned his position at the U on Aug. 7 after admitting he'd sexually harassed two female coworkers during a conference.

The VCU complaint against Teague was filed after the firm completed its background check process and after Teague was hired by the U, Parker Executive Search attorney Richard Robbins said in the letter.

Regardless of the timing, the discrimination case may not have disqualified Teague from the U of M job nor was it an indication that he was a risk of sexually harassing U employees, the attorney added.

Kaler has said the U will not likely use Parker's services as it begins the search for a new athletic director.