American businessman Robert Sarver was recently accused of creating a racist and misogynistic workplace environment during his tenure as Phoenix Suns owner.
In another report published by ESPN, it was mentioned that the entrepreneur allegedly sent questionable photos of his wife, Penny Sanders, to his colleagues during a meeting. A former Suns executive reportedly opened up about the awkward situation in their statement:
“We’re passing it around like a hot potato. Like, what in the hell are we supposed to do with this?”
Several other employees also claimed that Sarver often discussed personal details about his married life and made inappropriate comments about the players’ romantic relationships during staff meetings:
“A lot of the stuff he says is to get a big reaction. And who’s going to tell him he can’t? He speaks in threats.”
However, Robert Sarver refuted all the allegations and explained that the picture of his wife was taken as a sample of NBA branded swimwear. He also mentioned that the photo was given only to employees overseeing Suns merchandise:
“This is a perfect example of how things get twisted.”
The Southwest Value Partners co-founder has also denied accusations of enabling a toxic workplace culture. Meanwhile, NBA spokesperson Mike Bass shared that the league has not received any complaints of workplace misconduct against Robert Sarver.
Meet Robert Sarver’s wife, Penny Sanders
Penny Sanders hails from Kansas City and moved to Phoenix after her graduation. She reportedly earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1990 and started working at the Prentice-Hall publishing house.
Her job involved marketing textbooks to universities. She first met Robert Sarver in Scottsdale in 1991 and married the businessman in 1996. The pair have been involved in charity work since 1998 and actively donate to the Sarver Heart Center.
Speaking about their charitable activities, Sarver once said:
“Penny and I are fortunate that our parents taught us to give a little back when we have been successful. We are fortunate to be able to do that. Our sons may not understand that now, but they will one day and this will be something that they can be very proud of too.”
Sanders and Sarver share three children, Max, Jake and Zach. Penny currently lives in Paradise Valley, Arizona, with her husband and children.