By Jeff McKinney
The Cincinnati Enquirer

In a move counter to a national corporate trend, shareholders of Fifth Third Bancorp voted Tuesday against including gays and lesbians in the company's non-discrimination policy.

Investors attending the annual meeting for the parent of Fifth Third Bank in person and by proxy rejected the proposal. The vote totals weren't disclosed.

The proposal came from Boston-based portfolio management firm NorthStar Asset Management.

NorthStar's shareholder action coordinator, Margaret Covert, said it was unusual for the bank not to recommend a position on it.

George Schaefer Jr., Fifth Third's president and chief executive officer, said the bank decided to leave the issue with shareholders.

"You can't get any more democratic than allowing them to speak," he said.

Covert said NorthStar would resubmit next year.

Of the nation's Fortune 500 companies, more than half include gays and lesbians in their non-discrimination policies. Local companies with such policies include Cincinnati's Procter & Gamble, Kroger, Federated Department Stores and Cinergy.

E-mail jmckinney@enquirer.com