The disgraced former CEO of Papa John’s has launched a website so he can communicate with employees and customers as the pizza chain’s board of directors tries to ‘silence’ him.
John Schnatter is sticking to his promise to not ‘go quietly’ after resigning as chairman last month amidst claims that he used the n-word during a conference call.
On SavePapaJohns.com, Schnatter wrote: ‘I built Papa John’s from the ground up and remain its largest shareholder. I love my Company, its employees, franchisees and customers.
‘The Board wants to silence me. So this is my website, and my way to talk to you.’
John Schnatter has launched a website where he hopes to communicate with employees and customers after being ousted as CEO of the pizza chain he founded last month
On the website Schnatter claims that the company’s board of directors is trying to silence him
The note on the site’s landing page continues: ‘As I said in a recent letter, I miss you all very much. More than words can express! Papa John’s is our life’s work and we will all get through this together somehow, some way. I can only imagine how difficult this entire situation is on you, and I’m very sorry you all have to go through this. Know that in every minute of every day you are all in my thoughts and prayers.
‘Included in this website are links to recent press releases, news articles, and public filings – we are getting the truth out there.’
Schnatter took out a full page advert in a newspaper on Wednesday telling ‘fellow team members’ that he misses them ‘more than words can express’ and that ‘we will all get through this together’.
‘You are the heart and soul of this company – please know that in every minute of every day you are all in my thoughts and prayers,’ he writes in the open letter to employees.
The site has copies of court documents from Schnatter’s ongoing legal battle with the chain
It also features links to news coverage and press releases approved by the former CEO
The company is still reeling after Schnatter, who founded Papa John’s in 1984, stepped down as its chairman last month when it was revealed that he used the N-word during a media training call with the marketing agency Laundry Service.
Schnatter, who has since apologized, later claimed that he was ‘pushed’ to use the racial slur.
Neither the website nor the ad addresses Schnatter’s remarks during a training session. He has said he didn’t use the N-word as a slur and that his remarks were taken out of context.
Sales have since plunged by more than ten percent at the firm since last month and Papa John’s is now stepping in to help its struggling franchises by cutting some royalties, food prices and online fees for the rest of the year.
The ousted Papa John’s chairman took out a full-page advert in the Louisville Courier Journal on Wednesday, featuring an open letter to the company’s employees
The company is still reeling after Schnatter stepped down as its chairman last month when it was revealed that he used the N-word during a media training call
The website includes a letter from one of Schnatter’s lawyers challenging the company’s right to lock him out of the company’s headquarters and another complaining that it has stopped subsidizing security at his Anchorage mansion.
A representative for Papa John’s has since shared a statement with Fox News indicating that the company’s stakeholders agree with its decision to separate the brand from Schnatter, and writes that he ‘will not be able to distract’ from the ‘inappropriate comments’ he had made.
‘We are not, nor should we be, dependent on one person. Papa John’s is 120,000 corporate and franchisee team members around the world,’ reads the statement.
‘Stakeholders, including customers, franchisees, employees, and investors, have expressed strong support for the actions we have taken to separate our brand from Mr. Schnatter. No matter what John does, he will not be able to distract from the inappropriate comments he made. We appreciate this support and are confident we are taking the right steps to move the company forward.’
Papa John’s has about 1,200 employees in Louisville, including 650 in its corporate headquarters. Including workers at its franchises, it has about 120,000 employees worldwide.
Earlier this month, Schnatter vowed that he is ‘not going away and will continue to fight to do what’s best for the company and its employees, franchisees, shareholders and customers’.
He resigned from the board July 11 after Forbes disclosed he had used the N-word in a media training session in May, but he later said quitting was a mistake.