HIGH RISK POST: West Marine Apologizes...

[bstreep]

At the risk of opening a huge can of worms... Mods, feel free to close this right down, I just thought others would like to know. Personally, I'm impressed. I just received this note from West Marine:


Hi,

I made a mistake, and I’d like to tell you about it.

Randy Repass, West Marine’s founder and chairman, recently asked me if the company would send his (and his wife’s) letter on Ocean Acidification to West Marine Customers. As a close friend and business associate of mine for 34 years, I of course carefully considered the request.

On the one hand, I thought the topic was very relevant and very important; the health of the oceans is an important topic for those who enjoy fishing and boating as well as those who make their living around boats! On the other hand, since 1976 when I became the second Associate at West Marine (Randy was the first) I’ve always felt there should be a solid wall between personal and business.

I (naively!) figured the letter would do no harm, and at the least would spotlight what I thought was an important topic. I did not try to validate any of it, or otherwise attempt to make it a “West Marine” project. I thought it was great that Randy and Sally Christine were passionate about this topic, and so I gave our team the go ahead to send the letter.

And now I realize I made an error in judgment. As I should have understood before, but certainly do now, it’s not whether the contents of the letter were right or wrong; nor whether acidification or a congressional bill is correct or not, it’s that I allowed West Marine to cross the line from business to personal.

And I apologize to you for my error.

America is the greatest country for a lot of reasons; one of them is because we enjoy the freedom to have and express our opinions. And I would defend Randy, or anyone else’s, right to their opinion. But opinions need to be expressed in appropriate ways at appropriate times. Clearly, what was a personal opinion should not have been sent to West Marine Customers, and I feel awful that we did just that.

A lot of people loved Randy and Sally Christine’s letter. And a lot of people hated it. No matter which side one is on, the fact of the matter is that West Marine should not have sent the letter to our Customers.

We tried to do a good thing, but we messed up. As the CEO of West Marine, the responsibility is mine, and I accept it. Whether you will forgive us for this is of course up to you. For not the first time in my life, I’ve learned a lesson I should not have had to learn, but I can promise you it will not happen again.
I think it’s also important for you to know that Randy feels the same way I do, has learned the same lessons I have, and has made the same commitment to assure we always keep a hard line between business and personal in the future.

Whether you shop with us again or not, I wanted to explain the situation so you’d have a fuller understanding.

Good Boating,


Geoff Eisenberg
CEO
West Marine

[Tellie]

Fair enough.

[sww914]

Who HASN'T regretted something said at a later date?
Have a beer, Geoff & Randy.

[Cheechako]

I think they and Obama (on the "stupid" cops) should have both stuck to their guns... but then I'm not a very good businessman!

[Arch Stanton]

Considering that the ten gallons per hour crowd is West Marine's bread and butter, this was probably a smart retraction.

[slomotion]

Works for me.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by bstreep

At the risk of opening a huge can of worms... Mods, feel free to close this right down, I just thought others would like to know. Personally, I'm impressed. I just received this note from West Marine: <snip> [entire West Marine letter available in post #1.]

I don't believe your post necessarily represents a "High Risk," Bill. Rather, it is an interesting bookend to the whole, lamentable, off-topic direction the other thread on this subject took.

For anyone who got wrapped up emotionally in that other thread, however, please be aware that any attempt to take this thread down that same blind alley will be quickly dealt with, and this thread, too, will be closed.

As long as posts are on-topic, which is to say "cruising- and sailing-related," and the give-and-take among posters is kept cordial and impersonal, there is no reason why this thread can't have a long life. If members will just read the Rules, moderate their own emotions and post appropriately, there is no reason to ever close any thread.

Thank you in advance, everyone, for your cooperation.

TaoJones

[svHyLyte]

For anyone who got wrapped up emotionally in that other thread, however, please be aware that any attempt to take this thread down that same blind alley will be quickly dealt with, and this thread, too, will be closed.

Frankly--I'd like a bit more information on the Goat thing, No? I googled the practice but the only thing I could find was an article entitled:

"The Influence Of Capra Hircus [“goats”] On Slow Decay Phase Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) Events As An Indication Of Particle Reservoirs In The Inner Heliosphere"

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I think they and Obama (on the "stupid" cops) should have both stuck to their guns... but then I'm not a very good businessman!

Maybe he should have Randy Repass and CaptMick over for a beer!

[Chief Engineer]

Boo-Yah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JimM]

Eisenberg's note is nonsense. Exactly how is it good business -- for a marine supply company of all things -- to do or say nothing about the destruction of the oceans?

[slomotion]

Originally Posted by Christian Van H

Maybe he should have Randy Repass and CaptMick over for a beer!

Yup, and Geoff too.

But I think we should confine the party conversation to the cat vs. goat thing. I am feverishly working on my new web site: goatbusters.com

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by slomotion

Yup, and Geoff too.

But I think we should confine the party conversation to the cat vs. goat thing. I am feverishly working on my new web site: goatbusters.com

Have you seen the avatars of Christian Van H and David_Old_Jersey side-by-side? I think Christian's avatar is actually a chupacabra (that means "goat-sucker".) Here's a link: Chupacabra - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I believe it somehow passed some dna to David's goat!

TaoJones

[slomotion]

Wow! Thanks - this is just the kind of thing I need to support my theory that cats are crazier than goats!

Personally, I think the chupacabra is some kind of cat. But it doesn’t matter as long as there are no legends about anything being crazy enough to suck cats.

Eat your heart out, David - you got infected goats and all your data is bogus (except for the cat graph, of course).

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by slomotion

I am feverishly working on my new web site: goatbusters.com

I aint afraid of no goat!