AOL CEO Fires Patch's Creative Director In Front Of 1K Coworkers

[CommanderFrank]

Seriously, is this any way to run a business, especially a major corporation? AOL’s CEO publically fired Abel Lenz, the Creative Director of Patch.com in front of 1K of his co-workers. The firing took place on Friday during a conference call to Patch employees to inform them of major cutbacks in the Patch local news sites. The cutbacks will result in a large number of layoffs for Patch. Business School 101: take company HR business private, not in front of 1K company employees.

We were unable to get a comment from AOL on this story. A second source with direct knowledge of these events confirmed this story, and said that Lenz has been fired.

 

[Dekoth-E-]

Stay Classy AOL...Stay Classy.

 

[Reimu]

I am starting to think that Armstrong should just fine everyone at Patch.com and be done with it, given just how much flak, negative press as well as ridicules he is about to get.

A few minutes later, Armstrong complained about leaks to the media. He said the leaks were making Patch seem like "loser-ville" in the press.

He said, "That's why Abel was fired."

 

[Reimu]

Tim Armstrong basically made himself king of loser-ville with how he handled the affair

 

[sliverjazz]

Well, with all the rumors of the looming divorce I am not suprised he took it out on that person.

 

[michael.pa2]

AOL. Any One Left?
Seriously,I 'm surprised they're still in business,the rest of the IP industry left them in the dust long ago.

 

[ICOM]

Won't be long before that scumbag AOL CEO is out of a job, too. The sooner the better.

 

[jstnomega]

Tim Armstrong basically made himself king of loser-ville with how he handled the affair

later that same day, he went down to City Hall & changed his name to Strongarm

 

[Shambler]

WTF is patch.com?

 

[Taranabas]

WTF is patch.com?

Exactly.. Never heard of it.

 

[Tweak42]

AOL. Any One Left?
Seriously,I 'm surprised they're still in business,the rest of the IP industry left them in the dust long ago.

They're definitely still in business with the number of popular news sites they own. It's their dial ISP business they've let die away as they transition to an online media company.

I'm not sure about leaks media and the "loser-ville" comment relates, considering they are a media company. Still regardless firing in front of employees is poor taste regardless circumstances.

 

[mynamehere]

In a way this makes some other less than popular(?) CEO's seem like real humanitarians.