I started with J C Penney in Early Eighties.... 1982 to be precise. I started as a temp, and was retained. I worked hard and long long long hours, won awards and was promoted many times. I moved from town to town as needed by JCPenney. I was a "lifer". I was proud of the Company Mr. Penney built many years before my time, built on sound business and moral principles. I had a number of offers to go with other companies, and though some paid a bit better, I stayed. I trusted this Company.
Then, suddenly, it was alll destroyed. New CEO Ron Johnson and his merry band of vultures picked it clean. Then flew away, with Johnson's belly full of $53 million. The contempt that Johnson and his minions had for the long term Penney people was clear from the beginning. He was like an evil Willy Wonka, coming up with a new "great Idea" every day, changing course on a whim. When it failed, they kept firing.... must be the old dinosaurs' fault. More failure? The stupid customers don't get it! He left 60,000 people without a job, an iconic business built by a great man is in ruins, and he lost $4 billion. No Ron, it was all yours.