Chapter 8 - The Public Face of Logistics
The first interview I gave as CEO was with the Wall Street Journal.
I didn't wear a designer dress.
I wore a simple,
tailored black suit.
I didn't talk about my marriage.
I didn't talk about Ethan.
I talked about the new automated sorting system in our Atlanta hub.
I talked about the expansion into the Southeast Asian market.
I talked about the people who drove the trucks and worked the warehouses.
The journalist looked at me with a mixture of curiosity and respect.
"People are calling you the 'Saviour of Whitmore Global',
Claire."
"How does it feel to finally be the face of the company?"
I looked at the camera,
my expression calm and focused.
"The face doesn't matter,"
I said.
"What matters is the delivery."
"A company isn't built on charisma."
"It’s built on consistency."
"And I’m here to ensure that we are the most consistent company in the world."
The stock price began to rise.
The investors liked the "new" Whitmore Global.
They liked the transparency.
They liked the efficiency.
They realized that the "ghost" was actually the one they should have been betting on all along.
Ethan tried to call me after the interview aired.
He left a voicemail.
His voice sounded thin,
unsteady.
"You look good on TV,
Claire."
"I guess you didn't need me to be the face after all."
"I'm sorry."
"I'm so sorry for everything."
I didn't listen to the whole message.
I deleted it halfway through.
Apologies are like late shipments.
They don't matter once the contract has been cancelled.
I went back to work.
I had a meeting with the union reps in two hours.
I had a budget review at five.
I was busy building a future that didn't include his name.
The Whitmore Global sign on the building was being changed.
Now,
it just said Whitmore Logistics.
I removed the 'Global' part because I wanted it to be grounded.
May you like
I wanted it to be real.
And I wanted it to be mine.
