Anti-Muslim images on personal Facebook page cost Maine bank executive her job

pressherald.com

Kennebunk Savings bank has parted ways with a high-ranking executive whose personal Facebook page contained anti-Muslim images.

The bank announced in a statement on its website and Facebook page Friday that it was no longer employing a staff member whose “personal Facebook page contained some disturbing and offensive images.” The bank did not identify the employee or say whether the employee resigned or was fired. But the Maine Beacon, a liberal website, named the employee and identified her as a high-ranking official, and also published the offending images that appeared on her Facebook page. 

The Portland Press Herald is not identifying the former executive because the bank did not name her and the newspaper could not reach her or independently confirm that the Facebook posts came from her.

A Kennebunk Savings customer told the Press Herald that he made the bank aware via Facebook of the anti-Muslim images.

Kennebunk Savings had announced in a news release last month the promotion of the woman named in the Maine Beacon story to a top position. News of the promotion was published in Kennebunk-area newspapers in August and on the bank’s website and Facebook page. After the announcement of the promotion, bank officials learned of the images on the woman’s Facebook page.

“As you might imagine, our first reaction is one of dismay and disappointment,” Brad Paige, president and CEO of the bank, said in a written statement. “We expect all of our employees to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and respect. The images are not appropriate, the themes portrayed in the images are unacceptable to the Board of Directors, our management team and our employees and in no way reflect the view of values of Kennebunk Savings.”

The bank said in its statement that “the employee mentioned in the press release is no longer with the company.”