Walmart's EGOnomics Always: The Greed Behind the Smiley Face - Paperback

by Charles H. Hood (Author)

The Fore/Word review describes this book as being "incredible." It then bestows its highest award, FIVE STARS (out of five), a rare and momentous rating for any book, much less for the product of a first-time author. The Kirkus Review states: A well-crafted personal tale of business gone bad ... Hood documents the sorry story of how at best Wal-Mart management ineptly implemented a promotional program they had agreed to support, and at worst, sabotaged it because of a perverted ego and profit-driven arrogance ... a true corporate David and Goliath story ... after reading this book, it will likely be difficult for the reader not to accept the author's claim that Wal-Mart is a corporate villain." Gary L. Richardson is frequently described as being Oklahoma's "top gun" trial attorney. In the past, he has successfully represented clients against Wal-Mart. These trials, in combination with his heavy amount of preparatory research, have left Gary with an intimate knowledge of Wal-Mart's frequently harmful business practices. Gary wrote the book's "Foreword." In it he states: "I have found Chuck's story to be fascinating, and one all of America should read ..." And, this recommendation was not as a result of Gary being our filing attorney. Our filing attorney was Tom Mars, who today serves as Wal-Mart's executive vice president and chief legal counsel, heading Wal-Mart's entire legal department. To most readers this story will prove to be a very surprising expose, as it chronicles Wal-Mart's continued, unpredictable and too-oft odious actions -- all of which led to the filing of a $40 million lawsuit against Wal-Mart for "breach of contracts and corporate sabotage." This suit was settled in less than nine months for more than half of the filing amount -- but an amount equivalent to the debt that had been incurred in the company's attempts to fulfill their contracts with Wal-Mart. This book is a factual account of the attitudes, ego-driven actions and what we found to be the apparently normal business practices that lie behind Wal-Mart's constant, outward facades of the feel-good smiley face and the powerful banner that touts their "everyday low prices." But that was not the end of the story. Once the suit was settled, Wal-Mart set out on a path of retribution. This in combination with the damages they had inflicted on our company, previously, led to the company being forced to close its doors, releasing its more than one hundred employees. This is a story that will allow the reader to experience first-hand, the lies and greed-driven acts perpetrated upon a tiny company -- by the "Goliath" of the retail industry.

Author Biography

Charles H. "Chuck" Hood is a veteran of 40 years in the advertising/marketing business. He co-founded an advertising agency in 1969. Thereafter, Hood and the agency were recipients of numerous local, regional and national ADDY awards, inclusive of him being recognized as Tulsa's Ad Man of the Year. Upon his retirement from the advertising agency business, the agency was ranked as being the 108th largest ad agency in the world. Thereafter he purchased the rights to a patent for calculators on shopping carts. He redesigned the product to include an advertising image area, then re-patented the product in fourteen different configurations. He then founded the ADDvantage Media Group, Inc. and proceeded to establish an in-store advertising network comprised of grocery stores, located throughout the United States. Soon thereafter the company was taken public. Hood is a past member of the boards of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) and the Point of Purchase Advertising Institute (POPAI). He also served on the Editorial Review Board of Advertising Age. Hood is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism. He and his wife reside in Tulsa, OK and have four children and seven grandchildren.