Feedback

Chief Executive, The, Dec, 2001

I Spy A Redesign

What a difference. The "new" magazine is right on the mark. Much better articles, and a layout that is very user friendly. Suddenly I have renewed interest.

Doug Durein

Alameda, CA

Former Employees Influence Brand

J.P. Donlon's article in the March issue titled, "Guess Who's the Chief Reputation Officer?," does a great job of emphasizing the CEO's role in shaping a company's reputation and of examining the tools that CEOs can use to manage this central, yet often problematic, dimension of an organization's brand.

But the article doesn't mention an increasingly important indicator of, and channel for, corporate reputation: former employees.

As president of an organization that helps leading companies create and manage their corporate "alumni" networks, I've noted that the smartest companies take action to build relationships with former employees.

Academic institutions have long benefited from nurturing their graduates as organizational ambassadors. Now, progressive businesses, many of them professional services firms, are realizing competitive advantage by reaching out to former employees. The Internet has made this process relatively direct and straightforward -- and also compelling and rewarding for the former employees and the corporate "alma mater."

Cem Sertoglu

CEO and Co-founder, SelectMinds

New York City

Heat over Global Warming

Pasquale Pistorio's op-ed, "Global Warming: Business' Biggest Economic Threat," (CE, October) reflects a poor understanding of the state of climate science and the U.S. record of environmental progress.

U.S. businesses understand that economic growth can be compatible with environmental progress. Maintaining a healthy economy, however, is not compatible with national policies based on worst-case scenarios.

Pistorio is wrong when he asserts that greenhouse "gas emissions are now accepted by the scientific community as a major cause of environmental damage." Report-1 of the International Panel on Climate Change Working Group--as opposed to the summary written by government representatives--doesn't reach that conclusion. And, a recent report by the National Academy of Sciences stated that there is considerable uncertainty in our understanding of global warming.

Climate policy debate has never been about whether action is justified. It has been about whether action be based on our state of knowledge or on questionable predictions and ideology.

William O'Keefe

President, George C. Marshall Institute

Washington, DC

CE's Confidence in the Future

I have often intended to write to you regarding a number of inspiring articles that covered various aspects of the executive world.

What finally prompted me to write this letter is my observation that regardless of the existing economic conditions through the years, there remains an optimism towards the future, a confidence in all areas of problem-solving, and an overall continuation of self-assurance at management level.

This, I have no doubt, is largely responsible for our general strength and growth as a productive society.

Sam Chinkes

President, Sound Advertising

Las Vegas