Monday morning, I drove my old Toyota to Collins Industrial Holdings headquarters wearing a simple navy dress. Richard spotted me in the lobby and immediately began mocking my supposed cleaning position. He joked about showing me the supply closets and letting me see how successful executives lived. Several employees watched uncomfortably as he continued.
Then the elevator doors opened. Rebecca Hayes stepped out with senior executives and approached me. She announced that the board was assembled and addressed me as Chairwoman Collins. Richard’s smile disappeared. I explained that my late husband, Thomas, and I had founded the company thirty-two years earlier. I remained its controlling shareholder and chairwoman. Richard desperately insisted his remarks had been jokes, but I asked why five employees had complained about his treatment. His face turned pale. I invited him upstairs to explain the troubling financial records.
