More on Francine Katz’s gender discrimination lawsuit against Anheuser-Busch
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The lawsuit that Francine Katz dropped on Anheuser-Busch’s desk last week was perhaps the juiciest news to come out of the brewery in a while. Just to recap, Katz was A-B’s highest-ranking female executive when she left on Dec. 31 following InBev’s takeover of the company. Katz, who had worked as vice president of communications and consumer affairs, sued the company in Missouri court last week for gender discrimination, which allegedly manifested itself in lower pay than what male colleagues received.
The lawsuit by a veteran A-B insider - who until now had been one of the company’s most vociferous defenders - caught a lot of folks by surprise. Here is a roundup of some of the things being said:
“It sure seemed that August Busch III leaned heavily on the advice and judgment” of John Jacob, whom Katz replaced, says our Post-Dispatch colleague Bill McClellan. “When the big boss trusts your judgment, you’re going to be very highly compensated. So after several years on the job, [Jacob] was making some very serious money. Should his replacement expect to match that salary? That’s a tough argument to make.”
The St. Louis Business Journal’s Chris Tritto writes that Katz “was an example of success other women at Anheuser-Busch Cos. admired.” From the story:
When she was promoted in 2002 to vice president of communications and consumer affairs and became the first woman to join the company’s Strategy Committee of most senior executives, others took notice.
“Francine was the role model,” said Debbie Norman, a former Anheuser-Busch lawyer. “She was someone who had made it to that level but didn’t act untouchable. You could pick up the phone and talk to her. Francine was one of them but remained accessible to us.”
Katz’s lawsuit alleges that Anheuser-Busch promotes a “locker room” and “frat-party” atmosphere while paying women less in salaries and bonuses than men for the same work. The Deal, a website focused on mergers and acquisitions, notes that Anheuser-Busch InBev is in the midst of shedding billions of dollars in assets, and making good progress on that front. “But if it loses this suit, the world’s No. 1 brewer will have a hard time unloading its tainted image,” according to The Deal’s story.
Meanwhile, Katz, a trained lawyer herself, has retained a heavy-hitting plaintiff’s attorney to argue her case, the St. Louis Business Journal reports. Trade publication Human Resources Executive named Mary Anne Sedey one of the nation’s “Top 10 Plaintiffs’ Attorneys to Fear the Most” in a 2007 list, according to the Business Journal.
“She’s fabulous,” local attorney Mary Coffey said of Sedey. “She has a ton of energy and won’t back away from a fight. She’s willing to go up against the big boys and take the risks and spend the money to do that.”
Sedey, who has argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, is certainly taking on the big boys in her most recent case. [But] A-B is not the only corporate giant Sedey has faced.
The Business Journal notes that in 2002, Sedey won a $47 million settlement of a sex discrimination suit against Rent-A-Center. That case involved more than 5,000 women. Sedey was also involved in a $34 million sexual harassment case against Mitsubishi in 1998. She helped win $4.8 million for two former Adam’s Mark Hotel employees who alleged they were fired due to race discrimination.
This suit is already fascinating. If it goes to trial, it could be explosive. As always, stay tuned.
(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Jeremiah McWilliams is a native Virginian who came to the Post-Dispatch in early 2007 to cover beer and other consumer products. He previously covered manufacturing for the Virginian-Pilot newspaper in Norfolk, Va. He is a graduate of Washington and Lee University. 
In the eyes of the law, I think she has a case.
The convenience store near my house has a large poster of a very scantily clad Bud Light girl at the front door. We have children and have been trying to get them to take it down. As VP marketing/communications, Katz OVERSAW strategy, marketing, commercials and posters that catered directly to the frat boy culture (farting horses, etc.) and that commodify women into simple body parts (for the frat boys). (It’s about their bosoms and butts, not brains.)
Hard to feel sorry for her now.
@a mom - Katz was never VP of Marketing. You appear to have your facts confused.
Did she complain about all her issues while at AB, or simply after she was let go?
Maybe that is the difference, not gender, but putting gender aside and still having balls, not just for the job but for self respect.
Hmmm, I would sue AB if I could because I was let go last December. Unfortunately, I am a White Male, which doesn’t fall into any minority category. I have no recourse. I am a little confused, I thought everybody that was let go had to sign a waiver? Maybe she didn’t get a package deal? Not sure?
We all know Francine Katz
She wore many A-B hats
Now she’s engaged in major spats
So much for any welcome mats
Jeremiah, ask her to do some chats
Not about underage drinking stats
But about working with the boys of frats
The ones she thinks are dirty rats
Or playboy, funny, immature brats
Drinking deep from those golden vats
And cracking wise like Minnesota Fats
Sleeping with women in condos and flats
Being all arrogant like the New England Pats
Well to Francine, I’m not saying congrats
Her case is as strong as the Washington Nats
Scotch Tape: others will have to decide if you are right on the merits, but I’ll say this…that was probably the cleverest limerick ever posted on Lager Heads. Well played.
Oooooh, a limerick contest. Can I play?
There once was a girl named Francine
Who claims that the boys were obscene
But while she was there
She coiffured her hair
And quipped, “Our ads DO NOT target the teen.”
There once was a lady named Katz
Whose belfry was chock full of bats
She said she would sue
And then leave St. Lou
To take up binge drinking of Blatz
Greg, thanks for pointing out the semantic note about Marketing vs. Communications. You correctly note that Katz’ title was VP Communications, not VP, Marketing. In most corporations, Marketing is closely related to the Communications function and quite often the same individual presides over the function.
The point is, Katz oversaw a communications campaign that consistently promoted and catered to the course “frat boy culture” she now complains about. The Bud Light girls are not up on those life-sized posters promoting women’s brains or education.
AB is communicating a very clear message by using a few other female body parts that might begin with a “B.” And now that mindset, that culture, is coming back around to bite her in the “B.”
I say good for Francine Katz. Of course she is not the only one in A-B this is happening to…there are several people that work for A-B where they are not paid fairly. I image if the EEOC would check into gender and other positions pay they would find the same thing down the line. This is very news worthly since it is so much money. What we need is a law that forces companies to post eveyones salary and title - this way everyone can compare salaries and titles and see if they are on a fair playing field.