FC Cincinnati have expanded their ownership group, adding Meg Whitman and Dr. Griff Harsh as new managing owners, the club announced Wednesday. FCC add the couple's investment will aide in the club's goals, including the completion of their brand new West End Stadium.
Whitman is currently the Chief Executive Officer at Quibi while Harsh is the Julian R. Youmans Chair in Neurological Surgery at the University of California, Davis. Whitman, a former California gubernatorial candidate, also boasts local connections as a board member of Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble, where she began her career.
“Cincinnati has a special place in my heart and I’m so pleased to join FC Cincinnati at this exciting juncture in the club’s history,” Whitman said in a club statement. “FC Cincinnati and soccer have both already proven to be cultural forces in the market. Between the crowds at Nippert Stadium and the corporate commitments it has drawn, it’s a team with an exceptionally high ceiling. I’m looking forward to getting more deeply involved with the ownership group and helping elevate the club in the city, around the country and internationally.”
Whitman will serve as the club’s Alternate Governor on the MLS Board of Governors.
“My wife Martha and I are thrilled to welcome such accomplished professionals and philanthropists as Meg and Griff to the FC Cincinnati family,” FCC CEO and controlling owner Carl H. Lindner III said. “At the heart of our ownership group is a love and connection to Cincinnati. With Meg’s background and network in our city, she and her family are a perfect fit for our club. They bring a wealth of experience and expertise in support of our ambitions and goals. We expect Meg and Griff will play a large role not only at the club level, but will also serve an influential role at the league level.”
