personnel for it but I assume you will take over that job now. Do you have any idea who you’re going to hire for the position?”
She brushed past Meredith. “Not that it’s any of your concern, but yes I do. I’ve already interviewed several people and have a candidate in mind for the job. I will be making the announcement soon. We have a meeting to attend,” she said over her shoulder and went out the door. Meredith, with her mouth gaping open stared at Sydney’s back. After a few seconds, she regained her composure and followed suit.
Sydney walked the short distance to the conference room. She could hear the buzzing sound of multiple conversations coming through the door. She pushed the door open and the room went silent. “Can you close the door, please?” she asked Meredith who came in a few seconds behind her.
She waited for Meredith to close the door then took her place at the end of the long table. Bill Amos sat in a chair to her right. He looked considerably older than Sydney remembered. His hair seemed whiter, his eyes were not as lively, and it was obvious that he had lost a considerable amount of weight based on the way his suit jacket hung loosely around his shoulders. The stress of his fledgling company had taken its toll on him. Andrew Amos, Bill’s grandson sat on her left, directly across from his grandfather.
“Ms. Welsh,” the older Amos said as he stood. His hand shook as he took her hand in his.
“Mr. Amos,” Sydney nodded then turned to shake Andrews’s hand. “Please be seated,” she said as she laid the file folder on the table. She picked up a carafe, and poured herself a cup of coffee. “Mr. Amos, can I get you something to drink?” she asked, offering the carafe.
“I’m good, thank you,” he said, shaking his head.
She looked at his grandson, who declined her offer with a shake of his head as well. Sydney pulled out the chair and sat down. She glanced around the table. Allen Carmichael, the Assistant VP of Computer Logistics sat at the far end of the table, Virgil Parsons, VP of Acquisitions sat directly to his left, Kenneth Worthington, the Computer Design Manufacturing Manager sat on his right. Robert VanDersmote, the Sr. Manager over Computer Manufacturing sat next to Andrew with Meredith directly on his left.
The conference room door opened. “Good morning, sorry I’m late,” Bev Andrews, VP of Marketing, said apologetically as she took the empty seat next to Meredith.
“Good morning, Bev, no biggie, we’re just getting started,” Sydney said, flipping open the file folder. “If everyone’s ready, let’s begin,” she said, looking at Bill Amos and then his grandson.
Bill Amos cleared his throat. “With all due respect, Ms. Welsh, I think your behavior is reprehensible concerning my company.”
He certainly doesn’t beat around the bush , Sydney thought as she met the older man’s steely gaze. “With all due respect, Mr. Amos, I find it just as appalling that your company has basically been run into the ground.”
Andrew Amos stood up from his chair. He glared at Sydney. “How dare you speak to my grandfather with such disrespect? He built that company from the ground up with his own two hands.”
“It’s okay, Andrew,” Bill said soothingly to his grandson.
“I do not owe either of you an explanation. I only called this meeting out of courtesy. Welsh Enterprises has done nothing wrong. Your shareholders sold their stock freely.”
Andrew’s look was incredulous. “What did you expect they would do when you offered them twice as much as the stock was worth?”
“Greed can make the most honest person think irrationally,” Sydney said with a shrug of her shoulders.
“If your actions were above board, then why did you use separate Welsh holding companies to secure the stock?” Bill Amos asked.
Sydney looked at Virgil Parsons. “I’ll let our VP of acquisitions answer that question for you.”
The grey-headed older man
She brushed past Meredith. “Not that it’s any of your concern, but yes I do. I’ve already interviewed several people and have a candidate in mind for the job. I will be making the announcement soon. We have a meeting to attend,” she said over her shoulder and went out the door. Meredith, with her mouth gaping open stared at Sydney’s back. After a few seconds, she regained her composure and followed suit.
Sydney walked the short distance to the conference room. She could hear the buzzing sound of multiple conversations coming through the door. She pushed the door open and the room went silent. “Can you close the door, please?” she asked Meredith who came in a few seconds behind her.
She waited for Meredith to close the door then took her place at the end of the long table. Bill Amos sat in a chair to her right. He looked considerably older than Sydney remembered. His hair seemed whiter, his eyes were not as lively, and it was obvious that he had lost a considerable amount of weight based on the way his suit jacket hung loosely around his shoulders. The stress of his fledgling company had taken its toll on him. Andrew Amos, Bill’s grandson sat on her left, directly across from his grandfather.
“Ms. Welsh,” the older Amos said as he stood. His hand shook as he took her hand in his.
“Mr. Amos,” Sydney nodded then turned to shake Andrews’s hand. “Please be seated,” she said as she laid the file folder on the table. She picked up a carafe, and poured herself a cup of coffee. “Mr. Amos, can I get you something to drink?” she asked, offering the carafe.
“I’m good, thank you,” he said, shaking his head.
She looked at his grandson, who declined her offer with a shake of his head as well. Sydney pulled out the chair and sat down. She glanced around the table. Allen Carmichael, the Assistant VP of Computer Logistics sat at the far end of the table, Virgil Parsons, VP of Acquisitions sat directly to his left, Kenneth Worthington, the Computer Design Manufacturing Manager sat on his right. Robert VanDersmote, the Sr. Manager over Computer Manufacturing sat next to Andrew with Meredith directly on his left.
The conference room door opened. “Good morning, sorry I’m late,” Bev Andrews, VP of Marketing, said apologetically as she took the empty seat next to Meredith.
“Good morning, Bev, no biggie, we’re just getting started,” Sydney said, flipping open the file folder. “If everyone’s ready, let’s begin,” she said, looking at Bill Amos and then his grandson.
Bill Amos cleared his throat. “With all due respect, Ms. Welsh, I think your behavior is reprehensible concerning my company.”
He certainly doesn’t beat around the bush , Sydney thought as she met the older man’s steely gaze. “With all due respect, Mr. Amos, I find it just as appalling that your company has basically been run into the ground.”
Andrew Amos stood up from his chair. He glared at Sydney. “How dare you speak to my grandfather with such disrespect? He built that company from the ground up with his own two hands.”
“It’s okay, Andrew,” Bill said soothingly to his grandson.
“I do not owe either of you an explanation. I only called this meeting out of courtesy. Welsh Enterprises has done nothing wrong. Your shareholders sold their stock freely.”
Andrew’s look was incredulous. “What did you expect they would do when you offered them twice as much as the stock was worth?”
“Greed can make the most honest person think irrationally,” Sydney said with a shrug of her shoulders.
“If your actions were above board, then why did you use separate Welsh holding companies to secure the stock?” Bill Amos asked.
Sydney looked at Virgil Parsons. “I’ll let our VP of acquisitions answer that question for you.”
The grey-headed older man
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