Joseph sent a message to Stefan Larsson – Chief Executive Officer of Ralph Lauren Corporation – Email Address that said:
Hello Stefan , my name is Joe. I am a dockworker in Virginia and I am a husband, and father of two. My wife is a wonderful woman, and that she is the daughter of Faye Smolder is no surprise. Faye is 62 years old, and has worked for Polo's distribution warehouse in Greensboro for 25 years, until today. She was told her services were no longer needed today, 6 months before she was to retire. Can you imagine, giving a company 25 years of your life, and at 62, less than a year to the finish line, the company you put blood, sweat, and tears into, ends your life as you know it. This is simply not the legacy Ralph Lauren wants to leave behind, yes things must always change, and yes, there must be sacrifices, but to cut a team player, after all they have done for the product, after showing up an hour early, off the clock, for 25 years, not only because of the pride she had in herself as an employee, but the pride she had in the Polo industry, oh how highly she always spoke of the brand, the people, the pride she had in the company's success. Ask around, they'll tell you, this lady was all in. And now she's gone, at 62, she's been dumped in the shuffle, another casualty. I can't help but wonder, if sometimes, even though it is a business, that those that are perched high up can ever take it personal, for this would be an instance to take a closer look at, if any. Ralph Lauren, Polo, Stefan Larsson, have all benefited by having dedicated machines like Faye Smolder pump out hard, prideful labor, day in and day out, on and off the clock, for the better part of their lives. To leave this woman out in the cold, unprotected, unrewarded for 25 years of top shelf service and dedication, does not seem like the kind of inspiring story that helps build the remarkable Polo legacy, does it?
