15 Examples of Nepotism in the US • Eat, Sleep, Wander

Nepotism is an age-old issue that has plagued organizations for centuries. In its simplest form, nepotism is defined as the favoring of relatives or friends in business, employment, and/or political circles. It is rooted in the belief that nepotistic relationships bring both tangible and intangible benefits, such as access to decision-making and increased trust among people. Unfortunately, it also undermines organizations, leaving out qualified individuals and fostering an environment of mistrust and resentment. Here are fifteen examples of nepotism in practice today.

Examples of nepotism

1. Amazon: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos hired several of his cousins for leadership-level positions in the company’s early years.

2. Trump Organization examples of nepotism: President Donald Trump used nepotism to install his daughter and son-in-law in powerful roles in his administration.

3. Apple examples of nepotism: Apple co-founder Steve Jobs employed several of his relatives in prominent positions within the company.

4. Big tech firms: Google, Microsoft, and Facebook have all been accused of nepotism by hiring or promoting relatives of senior executives.

1. Google: Google has been accused of nepotism after the hiring of the daughter of its former CEO, Eric Schmidt.

2. Microsoft: Microsoft has been accused of nepotism after the hiring of the daughter of its former CEO, Steve Ballmer.
3. Facebook: Facebook has been accused of nepotism after the hiring of Mark Zuckerberg’s sister, Randi, as the company’s spokeswomen.
4. Intel: Intel has also been accused of nepotism after the hiring of the grandson of its founder, Andy Grove.

5. Koch Industries: Charles and David Koch, brothers and co-owners of the billion-dollar company, both have their sons in executive positions.

6. The Vatican examples of nepotism: Pope Benedict XVI appointed several of his relatives to senior positions within the Vatican.

7. Local Politics: Nepotism is rampant in many town halls, with relatives of mayors and other elected officials often having their fingers in many pies.

1. In Washington DC, the nephew of a former mayor was accused of theft and bribery.
2. In New Jersey, a councilman’s son was hired as a police lieutenant despite having a history of felony convictions.
3. In Ohio, a mayor’s niece was appointed as the city treasurer despite not having the qualifications for the job.

4. In California, a city councilman’s son was given preferential access to land deals due to his family connections.
5. In Illinois, a mayor’s daughter was appointed assistant mayor despite having no relevant experience.
6. In Arizona, a mayor’s son was granted a lucrative no-bid contract to provide materials for the local government.

7. In Texas, a county commissioner’s son was given a highly sought-after job on the commission despite his lack of qualifications.
8. In New York, a mayor’s brother was appointed to a community redevelopment committee despite having no qualifications.
9. In Alabama, a city councilman’s daughter was given a government-funded job despite not meeting the necessary requirements for the position.

10. In Oregon, a county commissioner’s daughter was hired for a county job despite having no significant qualifications or experience.
11. In Georgia, a county commissioner’s son was given exclusive access to large contracts despite having no prior experience in the industry.
12. In Pennsylvania, a mayor’s sister was given a high-paying job in the mayor’s office despite having few qualifications or relevant skills.

8. Business Owners: Many business owners promote their own family members to key positions rather than hiring from outside.

9. Hollywood examples of nepotism: Hollywood has a long history of nepotism, with many celebrities having employed their family members to be their directors, producers, or agents.

10. Professional Sports: Professional sports teams often reward relatives of players who have already made it big, with spots reserved for them in the team.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: Art Rooney II, current president of the team, is the son of former owner Dan Rooney.
2. Baltimore Ravens: Ozzie Newsome, the team’s general manager, hired his son Michael for a scouting role.
3. New York Knicks: Steve Mills, the team’s president and former general manager, hired his brother-in-law for the team’s director of player personnel.

4. Chicago Bulls: Jerry Reinsdorf, team owner, has his daughter Jessica occupying various leadership roles within the organization.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers: After Dan Gilbert purchased the team, numerous family members were promoted to leadership roles, including his son Nick.
6. Houston Rockets: Les Alexander, the former owner of the Rockets, appointed his wife Lynda to executive positions within the team.

7. Toronto Blue Jays: The Rogers family, which owns the Blue Jays, has several family members employed in executive positions.
8. Los Angeles Lakers: Jeanie Buss, the team’s current president, is the daughter of previous owner Jerry Buss.
9. Detroit Lions: Martha Firestone Ford, the current principal owner of the Lions, is a granddaughter of Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company.

10. Boston Red Sox: Larry Lucchino, the team’s president and CEO, appointed his brother Joe to a senior position in its ticket sales department.

11. Casinos: Casino owners often hire family members for high-level positions, often in lieu of more qualified candidates.

12. Music Labels: Major record labels often turn to family members or close friends of the label’s executives to fill important positions.

13. Media Companies: Nepotism is extremely common in media companies, with many relatives of senior executives occupying key positions.

1. News Corporation: Rupert Murdoch, the late founder of the global media giant, promoted multiple family members to leadership roles and positions.
2. Viacom: Sumner Redstone, executive chairman of Viacom, appointed his daughter, Shari Redstone, as president of the company.

3. Turner Broadcasting System: Ted Turner, the founder of TBS, employed multiple family members in important positions within the company.
4. National Amusements: Shari Redstone, daughter of National Amusements founder Sumner Redstone, served as president and CEO of the firm for many years.
5. NBCUniversal: Brian Roberts, Chairman and CEO of NBC Universal, hired his sister-in-law, Bonnie Hammer, to serve as the company’s Chairman.

6. Hearst Corporation: William Randolph Hearst III, heard of the Hearst Corporation, appointed his brother-in-law, Edward Perry, to serve as the firm’s CFO, and his sister-in-law, Victoria Hearst, as Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications.
7. CBS Corporation: Leslie Moonves, former CEO and Chairman of CBS, appointed his sons to important positions within the firm.
8. Fox Corporation: Lachlan Murdoch, son of founder and former CEO of News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch, is currently CEO of the parent company, 21st Century Fox, which also owns Fox Corporation.

9. Disney: Bob Iger promoted his daughter, Amanda Iger, to Vice President in 2015.
10. Sony Pictures Entertainment: Howard Stringer, former CEO of Sony, donated thousands of dollars to fund his nephew’s education when he was appointed to senior positions within the firm.

14. Banks: Many banks have employed family members of senior executives to fill important positions in order to keep control of the company in the family.

1. Wells Fargo: Numerous relatives of Adam Stork, Wells Fargo’s former CEO, were hired in prominent positions within the company.
2. JPMorgan Chase & Co.: Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan’s CEO, has a large extended family that he employed in various positions within the company.
3. Bank of America: Brian Moynihan, the CEO of Bank of America, has several family members in prominent roles within the company.

4. Goldman Sachs: Some of Goldman Sachs’ top executives employ their family members in the company, having them fill out various roles.
5. Citigroup: Citigroup has long been accused of nepotism, with family of high-level executives being employed and given plum assignments.
6. Barclays: Several of Barclays’ top executives and shareholders have chosen to employ family members within the company in various roles.

7. UBS: UBS has long been accused of appointing family members to various positions, particularly in their more senior roles.
8. Credit Suisse: Several of Credit Suisse’s top executives are accused of using the company to employ their family members in order to maintain control of it.
9. Deutsche Bank: A number of high-level executives at Deutsche Bank have hired family members for leadership positions within the company.

10. Morgan Stanley: Many of Morgan Stanley’s senior executives have appointed family members to serve in important roles within the company.

15. Government: Nepotism is unfortunately common in government, with relatives of elected officials often benefiting through jobs, contracts, or other forms of favoritism.

1. The Johnson family in Texas: Former president Lyndon Johnson had several relatives that he appointed to positions in the Texas government.

2. The Blagojevich family in Illinois: Former governor Rod Blagojevich appointed his wife and brother to prominent posts in the state.
3. The Adams family in Louisiana: Former governor John Bel Edwards appointed his brother-in-law and several other relatives to positions in the state government.
4. The Kennedys in Massachusetts: Several members of the Kennedy clan have been appointed to government posts in Massachusetts.

5. The Patricks in Massachusetts: Former governor Deval Patrick and his siblings often provided each other with jobs and opportunities while in office.
6. The Pawlenty family in Minnesota: Former governor Tim Pawlenty appointed his wife to a prominent position within the state’s education department.
7. The Beebe family in Arkansas: Former governor Mike Beebe often provided jobs and contracts to his relatives and extended family.

8. The Davis family in California: Former governor Gray Davis and his father-in-law had prominent positions with the state government.
9. The Romney family in Massachusetts: Mitt Romney’s son and brother-in-law were both appointed to prominent positions in the state government.
10. The Barbour family in Mississippi: Former governor Haley Barbour and many of his relatives had important jobs in Mississippi’s state government.

More examples of nepotism are coming soon…