Clients

Department Store Chain

Reputation Partners was originally engaged by this private, family-owned department store chain to manage its response to a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleging unfair hiring practices. Reputation Partners devised and executed a multi-faceted response that leveraged the company’s strong employment, community and charitable messages and data. Coverage of the lawsuit was mostly contained and favorably stated the company’s compelling arguments.

In December of 2007, a troubled teenager entered the company’s Omaha store and, with no warning, shot and killed six employees and two customers before killing himself. Reputation Partners led the company’s immediate and long-term response (media, employee, family, community, elected officials) to this tragedy, which was one of the largest workplace violence incidents in U.S. history. When the store reopened five days before Christmas, 90 percent of employees went back to work and its one-day sales record was broken. Nearly three years later, the company enjoys a strong relationship with its employees, customers and community.