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What was Herman Cain like as CEO?
CBS News ^ | October 21, 2011 | Laura Strickler

Posted on 10/22/2011 9:51:37 AM PDT by MitchellC

Herman Cain's former employees at Godfather's Pizza recall him as an energetic and dynamic leader. They say he listened to new ideas and went out of his way to remember everyone's name and wanted his team to do the same.

Four times a year, Godfather's executives would hold corporate meetings with all 300 employees in the company's auditorium in its Omaha headquarters. According to two former employees, at each meeting, Cain would pick one executive at random and call them onto the stage to identify each employee by name. If the executive missed any names, they would be required to take that person to lunch.

Cain himself took the "employee of the quarter" to lunch personally and was known for cheerleading his staff. One former employee, Jolene Jeffries, said she can't recall ever seeing Cain angry. She said, instead, he would rally employees by saying things like, "We can do better than this." One employee told CBS News he recalled a day when he and his colleagues went into Cain's office expecting a stern talking to, only to be shocked when he surprised them with bonus checks.

Employees concede that Cain downsized Godfather's after the company was bought from Pillsbury in the mid 1980's but one said, "It was mostly through attrition." One employee said stores were also closed to "stop the bleeding" so the company could become more profitable.

During the downsizing, one employee surprised Cain by offering to eliminate his own job. Bruce Newharth who is now the President and COO of Arrow Stagelines in Norfolk, Nebraska says he helped Cain develop his first "100 day strategy" to turn the company around after it was bought from Pillsbury.

Newharth, who worked as the head of Godfather's training at the time, said when he looked at the restructuring that needed to happen he concluded that his own job was no longer necessary. He says he presented this to Cain saying this move would be "true to Godfather's and to himself". Weeks later Newharth was downsized but he says Cain helped him land a job in worldwide training at Burger King.

Former employees say Cain would regularly solicit and implement ideas from junior employees, even teenagers who worked at the chain's stores.

In the mid 1990's Cain was personally featured in Godfather's TV ads and as a result the company received threatening racist phone calls directed at Cain from the Pacific Northwest according to two former employees. One employee who golfed regularly with Cain, told CBS News that the CEO also faced threats in the South. Because of this, the employee said, Cain would fly from city to city instead of driving due to safety concerns. Former employees said Cain appeared to easily shake off the threats. A campaign spokesman did not respond to a request for comment for this story.


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cain; cainbio; ceo; godfathers; hermancain
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1 posted on 10/22/2011 9:51:40 AM PDT by MitchellC
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To: MitchellC

So why didn’t SeeBS ask what Obama was like as a teacher or a student, or a committee chairman? Where was ths kind of research when Zero was running?


2 posted on 10/22/2011 9:55:14 AM PDT by mkmensinger
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To: onyx; TheConservativeParty; NoGrayZone; BenKenobi; Kartographer; justsaynomore; MNJohnnie; ...

Herman Cain Ping! Photobucket
~~~~~~FReepmail me if you want to be on this list!~~~~~~ Learn More: Herman Cain’s Bio * Cain’s YouTube Channel Cain’s Commentary * Podcast Connect and Get Involved! Join Team Cain! * Donate! * Twitter * Facebook

3 posted on 10/22/2011 9:55:56 AM PDT by BenKenobi (Honkeys for Herman! 10 percent is enough for God; 9 percent is enough for government)
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To: mkmensinger

Stark contrast!!

Cain’s life is an open book and a good read. BO’s is fiction.

So who yah gonna trust?


4 posted on 10/22/2011 9:59:31 AM PDT by sodpoodle (Cain - touching the better angels of our nature.)
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To: mkmensinger

He’d have my vote, with enthusiasm!


5 posted on 10/22/2011 10:00:12 AM PDT by KoRn (Department of Homeland Security, Certified - "Right Wing Extremist")
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To: MitchellC
Wow. A pro Cain piece from CBS.

First Fast and Furious and now this.

Are they aiming to become the new Fox News?

6 posted on 10/22/2011 10:01:19 AM PDT by comebacknewt (Newt (sigh) what could have been . . .)
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To: sodpoodle

Hey SeeBS, run that story on Tuesday morning.


7 posted on 10/22/2011 10:02:46 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (I am a Cainiac)
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To: MitchellC
Cain would pick one executive at random and call them onto the stage to identify each employee by name. If the executive missed any names, they would be required to take that person to lunch

George W. Bush was skilled at names. At the 2nd meeting of his fraternity at Yale the pledges were supposed to know the names of all the members. W passed with flying colors, not only knowing all the names, but something about each one too.

8 posted on 10/22/2011 10:02:54 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: mkmensinger

Actually coming from CBS, this is a very flattering portrayal of Cain. This only reinforces my positive view of Herman.


9 posted on 10/22/2011 10:03:19 AM PDT by aquila48
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To: comebacknewt

I think CBS is just trying to regain a little credibility, They still have a long way to go.


10 posted on 10/22/2011 10:03:38 AM PDT by mkmensinger
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To: comebacknewt

All we are saying, give pizza a chance!


11 posted on 10/22/2011 10:03:54 AM PDT by outhousepatrol
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To: BenKenobi
Yay! The red X.
I won't be shy from posting the list!
12 posted on 10/22/2011 10:05:18 AM PDT by onyx (You're here on FR so, support it! Compiling New Sarah Palin Ping List! Tell me if you want on it!)
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To: lonevoice

This will put a smile on your face. Yes We Cain!


13 posted on 10/22/2011 10:06:09 AM PDT by Pride in the USA
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To: onyx

I’m not sure why it keeps cropping up. *sigh*. I’m using the code you sent me.


14 posted on 10/22/2011 10:08:31 AM PDT by BenKenobi (Honkeys for Herman! 10 percent is enough for God; 9 percent is enough for government)
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To: MitchellC

Again, See B.S. “News” is verrrrrrrrrrry interested in the background of Republicans, but have been totally uninterested in the background and massive black holes in the life of Hussein.

They also refuse to report, by and large, the failures of his policies.

See B.S. “news” is another part of the Hussein Cult.


15 posted on 10/22/2011 10:10:04 AM PDT by Recovering_Democrat
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To: comebacknewt
You're not the first to notice a rash of some conservative friendly coverage from CBS.

Maybe some reasonable person has managed to “OccupyCBS” and realized the left view of the news is already well covered...it could happen.

16 posted on 10/22/2011 10:10:23 AM PDT by Tex-Con-Man
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To: MitchellC; Just Lori; Libertina; Lexinom; horatio; freebird5850; Horatio Gates; Ramius; ...
WA Ping


"In the mid 1990's Cain was personally featured in Godfather's TV ads and as a result the company received threatening racist phone calls directed at Cain from the Pacific Northwest according to two former employees."

Imagine that. Death threats from the liberal land of peace and love.


17 posted on 10/22/2011 10:10:24 AM PDT by Baynative (The penalty for not participating in politics is you will be governed by your inferiors.)
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To: MitchellC

GO Cain! Go!


18 posted on 10/22/2011 10:14:50 AM PDT by F.J. Mitchell (YES WE CAIN!!!)
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Are You A Whining FReeper?

Got A Gripe So You Won't Donate?


Click The Pic

Isn't That Like Setting Fire To Your Own Home?

When FR Is Gone, Where Will You Go Then?

19 posted on 10/22/2011 10:15:39 AM PDT by DJ MacWoW (America! The wolves are here! What will you do?)
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To: Baynative

In the mid 1990s, I suspect that racial threats from the PNW towards an accomplished black man were most likely coming from Northern Idaho. That would be my guess.


20 posted on 10/22/2011 10:30:53 AM PDT by lonevoice (The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers, impeach we much. We will much about that be committed.)
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