What to Know
- The CFO for St. Thomas University was a member of the board of trustees for the parent company of Smith & Wesson.
- Criticism over her position at the university while at the board followed the Parkland school tragedy.
- Prosecutors in the case against suspected Parkland school gunman have announced they will seek the death penalty.
St. Thomas University's chief financial officer resigned after criticism regarding her position on the board of trustees for the parent company of arms manufacturer Smith & Wesson.
The school hired Anita Britt in December. She also sits on the board of American Outdoor Brands Corporation, which manufactures firearms, recreational and outdoor sports equipment.
Following the Parkland school shooting tragedy, Britt's position at the university while on the board of the company that owns Smith & Wesson, which makes semi-automatic rifles, has been under fire.
“Nobody is questioning Anita Britt’s performance on campus," St. Thomas University student Diego Sanchez said. "I’m sure she’s good at her job, that’s why she’s there, but we see a big conflict when a Catholic institution and what it’s supposed to stand for is basically saying we are ok with one of our staff members – mind you – our CFO, is on the board of trustees of a major gun manufacturer where she’s profiting out of the making of these weapons.”
The university initially issued a statement which said that Britt's position with the company did not conflict with her responsibilities at school. However, school officials later changed their mind collectively about Britt's situation – giving Britt the option to either stay at St. Thomas or remain on the parent company's board.
Britt resigned shortly after the ultimatum.
