Smithsonian Business Chief Steps Down

The Smithsonian Institution’s chief business executive announced he will leave the organization this year, becoming the second Smithsonian executive to depart amid internal and Congressional inquiries into the organization’s practices, reports The Washington Post.

Gary M. Beer was the founding chief of Smithsonian Business Ventures, which was created seven years ago to run the profit-making entities within the charity, such as gift shops, restaurants, and theaters. He earned more than a half-million dollars in 2005, and negotiated a deal with Showtime Networks that drew much criticism.

As investigations into the Smithsonian’s practices have evolved over the past few weeks — following the departure of the charity’s top executive, Lawrence M. Small — more attention has been paid to Mr. Beer’s expenses and actions in his position, the Post reports.

Among those actions were the five promotions and four raises over six years that Mr. Beer gave one subordinate, Jeanny Kim, with whom some speculate he also had an intimate relationship, the Post reports. Ms. Kim did not comment.

Mr. Beer declined to speak directly about his relationship with Ms. Kim, the Post reports, but said, “Ms. Kim is an accomplished professional who has received promotions and raises based on merit.”

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