I first want to give a big thank you to everybody that e-mailed me in droves over the past 24 hours bringing this to my attention. To be quite honest, I have not read anything from The Reading Eagle for the past couple of months now.
However when this article came to my attention this morning that was written by Tony Lucia, I had to comment on this, because in my opinion, this article is nothing but your typical public relations spin piece. I want to address the facts that Tony Lucia either failed to mention or did not research. I know The Reading Eagle reads this site, and I will tell you guys right now you can quote me on record with everything I’m about to say in this posting without violating any Berks Blog Network Copyrights.
First let’s start out with Dave Walton’s quote in the article about selling the company, because he is nearing retirement. Dave’s statement is partially correct. When I started with RAM Industries in February of 1998, every year at the annual all staff meeting, Dave would mention that he intends to sell the company in a few years, but the part that is not being told is that he was in a previous buyout agreement with RAM Industries staff where they bought stock in the company and became partners. Those people’s names are Bryan Feeney, Stan Levandoski, Mike Gaza, Jeff Graby, and Barry Bowers. Part of this partnership was that every 5 years Dave would sell more stock to them making it a phased buyout. This partnership was going on for at least a couple of years. Despite all of this Dave kept the majority of stock, and could pull the plug on this deal if he so decided which is obvious he did. Which now comes to why did he pull the plug?
The answer to that question is simple and can be proven by just simply checking public records. RAM Industries has been plagued with several lawsuits and scandals particularly involving wrongful terminations, and the various abuses of employees while under the watch of this partnership.
First there was the Karen Kershner PAC which was a large group of employees in the harnessing department that were bullied and pressured until they quit, and when they did not quit they got laid off by being told that their jobs were going to Mexico, when in fact they simply replaced them with temps in Leesport. RAM Industries was found guilty of this, and each of these ladies was paid $40,000 each. Considering this PAC consisted of over 10 people that is without a doubt a hard financial hit for a company that size during a slow economy.
Then there is my mother Mary Ann Helbert. Since this case is currently in a pending status I will not go into detail. I will say that Mary has been subjected to several tactics of abuse by Glen Adams who is in my opinion a self centered violent egomaniac, especially toward women as he once had his ass kicked by a stripper in Somerset, NJ while on business, because he would not give her a dollar after getting a lap dance.
It is these types of things, that I’m sure was the reason Dave Walton was really compelled to sell to Schneider Electric. Now if The Reading Eagle really wants to be an “objective” news source, they will look into this information I provided.
Again everything I’m saying is fact. All the claims I mentioned above were either filed in court records, or The Pennsylvania Department of Labor And Industry.
Source: http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=95054
June 11, 2008 at 1:32 pm
With the severe economic decline especially in Berks County, you can bet that it’s a sure thing those jobs will eventually go by either downsizing or consolidating.
June 12, 2008 at 11:31 am
You can bet they are going to go. Count on it. I realize that every company has a fair share of petty office politics, but RAM Industries was just a giant drama queen. Other scandals RAM has been involved with was “The Pottstown Scandal” where Brian Mehle was admitting to lying under oath to protect RAM. RAM used to have a warehouse in Pottstown years back and the whole operation tanked because of the same type of abuse, but on a much wider scale. From what I was told there was rape, S&M, felching, snowblowing, and all kinds of crazy shit going on there. This subjected RAM to more lawsuits and several $$$ in payouts. Again all this can be confirmed by simply checking out public records.
Then there was the Illegal Software scandal which Glen Adams was loading bootleg software on several machines. He started this practice right before I left, and I was the primary whistle blower on what he was doing. The Business Software Alliance fined their ass $100,000.00 for several illegal copies of windows 2000 and various versions of Microsoft Office at the time.
Bottom like is RAM Industries has always had this attitude that they are above the law. Now that they will be purchased by a responsible company I’m sure the few people that remain will get treated much better.
July 17, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Public records on felching?
July 19, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Not on felching so to say SteveO, but reports from former employees on what went on there.