Utah’s most exclusive gated community ordered ex-Ford CEO’s wife and female friends off golf course so the men could play, lawsuit alleges, then offered women hat-making class instead

It should have been just another blissful summer’s day at Utah’s most exclusive gated community, so elite it is described as ‘for the one percent of the one percent.’

But things are said to have taken a dark turn at Wasatch Peaks Ranch (WPR) in July while Jane Fields, 65, and a female friend prepared to tee off at a golf contest they had each paid $900 to enter.

Mrs Fields, whose husband Mark is the former CEO of The Ford Motor Company, said she and her friend were approached by the caddy and told to play quickly, finish up early and forfeit their shots if needed.

She has since filed a lawsuit alleging that the reason they were asked to exit the course early was one of naked sexism.

Mrs Fields’s suit alleges that she and her friend were booted so that male members could play that afternoon, without any women on the green. 

The allegations, which have been vehemently denied by the management of Wasatch Peaks, have triggered the ugliest of scandals inside the gilded enclave.

The couple say they have now been banned from using the many amenities that surround their mansion, which convinced them to become founder members of Wasatch Peaks in 2021 and complete one of the club’s first homes in 2024.

So exclusive is WPR that any residents must be recommended by two other members and heavily vetted before they’re even allowed to look at its listings website.  

The Fields’ wealth and success meant they fit right in, until their legal battle erupted. 

The couple, who first met when both were working at IBM, are trying to sell their stunning home and are seeking $30 million in damages for their troubles. 

Mrs Fields’s lawyers told the Daily Mail on Wednesday that she and other female golfers were offered the chance to attend a hat-making class after coming off the green.

They further claimed that the winner of the men’s tournament that day was awarded a Rolex Daytona watch, which costs between $15,100 and $56,400, while the women were given participation trophies. 

The Fields’ lawyers also claimed to the Daily Mail that the loss of amenities means snow is not plowed from the family’s mansion, making it near-impossible to access the home during the freezing Utah winters.  

Mrs Fields’s lawsuit said she found the caddy’s alleged order to hurry up a ‘disturbing and negative way to start play.’ 

Angered by what she said had transpired, Mrs Fields approached the member services manager and voiced concern about how men and women were treated differently, her suit said.

She told the male manager that it was ‘unfair, disrespectful, derogatory and sexually discriminating’ to women golfers, according to her lawsuit.

Mrs Fields alleges that she urged that manager to share her feedback with senior staff.

And it appears he did just that – with disastrous consequences for Mr and Mrs Fields.  

Four days later, the couple were informed by the ranch’s disciplinary committee that they had been expelled effective immediately, Mrs Fields’s lawsuit said. 

In their notice, they accused Mrs Fields of using ‘abusive and profane’ language toward staff members and of behavior ‘unbecoming’ of the club, her lawsuit alleges. 

The couple, via the lawsuit, have disputed those characterizations and insist that they should never have ever been kicked out.

Instead they said the club banishing them was their way of concealing gender discrimination and removing members ‘whose criticism it no longer wished to hear.’ 

After being stripped of their membership, the couple’s $500,000 membership deposit and contractual refund rights were put at risk with the expulsion starting an 18-month timer to transfer their membership, the suit said. 

The couple say their mansion has suffered ‘serious devaluation’ since the loss of access to amenities, according to their lawsuit.

Membership privileges may be reactivated for whoever buys the property. 

An attorney for the family described the home, that they built themselves, as being their ‘legacy property’ that they intended to hand down to their children for generations. 

According to public records seen by the Daily Mail, the couple also own a $7.5 million home in Delray Beach, Florida. 

After being expelled, the couple requested a hearing and asked for more details, but the suit said that the ranch failed to provide them with any reports or witness statements. 

At a hearing in August of this year, the two claimed they were not permitted to ask questions and were not given the opportunity to dispute anything, the suit claimed. 

At that same meeting, the two said they read prepared statements and apologized, with the suit adding that they still did not think they had breached any provisions. 

They also requested probation or at least a temporary suspension as an alternative to being forced out entirely, the suit added. 

Despite that, they said they were informed in early August that their expulsion had been ‘reaffirmed.’

The lawsuit named the ranch’s CEO Tiger Shaw, who is also the former president and CEO of US Ski and Snowboard. The disciplinary committee were also named.

According to the ranch website, it is a private mountain community with over 12,000 acres for residents to explore. 

In addition to the golf course, there is also 3,000 acres of private skiing for residents, fly fishing, as well as miles of trails for hiking. 

Mark was previously the president and CEO of Ford Motor Company from 2014 until 2017 after having previously served as their Chief Operating Officer from 2012 until 2014.

His rise to the top job for the firm came after he worked as an executive across the Americas for the company for 23 years.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he is currently sitting on the board of Hertz, and is a Chairperson for software firm Planview.  

In a statement to the Daily Mail, representatives for the ranch said: ‘Wasatch Peaks Ranch strongly believes in respecting the privacy of its members and employees. 

‘While WPR will not discuss the specific details of this matter, WPR disputes the allegations in the Fields’ complaint and is prepared to defend against the lawsuit. 

‘WPR stands by its decision and remains committed to maintaining a positive and respectful environment for both its members and employees.’

Lawyers have been appointed by the ranch who have made their appearance known, court filings showed, but they have yet to file a response to Fields’ lawsuit.