By Leslie Shedd, CARLY for America National Press Secretary
UPDATED: December 4, 2015
Carly Fiorina has an impressive resume, working her way up from a secretary in a small, nine-person real estate firm to the CEO of one of the largest companies in the world. And while Hillary Clinton and her Democrat allies at the DNC try to smear Carly’s success driven by partisan politics, Carly’s former colleagues have heaped praise on her leadership.
Here is a small sampling of some of Carly’s former co-workers praise where they discuss their first-hand experience with Carly’s leadership and why they support her for President of the United States.
Hewlett-Packard Employees
Former HP Board Of Directors Member Tom Perkins: “I Can Attest To The Strength Of Carly’s Leadership.” “I was a member of the HP Board of Directors much of the time Carly was the CEO. I was in the room for many of the decisions she made. I can attest to the strength of Carly’s leadership, the accuracy of her vision and the quality of her management.” (Tom Perkins, “The Truth About Carly,” The New York Times, 8/27/15)
Former HP Executive Bill Mutell: “Carly Is One Of The Brightest, Most Articulate, Candid, Well-Versed, And Engaging Leaders I Have Ever Known. Period.” “I was a Senior Vice President at Hewlett-Packard during Carly Fiorina’s tenure as Chairman and CEO. Working for Carly was a once in a lifetime opportunity. She is a person of tremendous courage, character, capacity and conviction. Carly is the one of the brightest, most articulate, candid, well-versed and engaging leaders I have ever known. Period.” (Bill Mutell, “Carly Fiorina a True Leader,” InsideSources, 9/2/15)
Current HP Employee Bruce Dunai: “I Am A Current Employee At Hewlett-Packard And I Support Carly Fiorina For President Of The United States.” “I am a current employee at Hewlett-Packard and I support Carly Fiorina for President of the United States…From my first-hand experience of working with HP and my interaction with HP employees, Carly was incredibly admired and provided strong leadership in a time when it was needed most. She provided a sense of enthusiasm and company pride, which permeated throughout HP. I am proud to support Carly Fiorina for President of the United States.” (Bruce Dunai, “Carly Fiorina, the Strong Negotiator,” Townhall, 11/6/15)
Former HP Employee Phil Rieger: “Carly Fiorina Has A Track Record To Prove She Is The One We Need To Get America Back In The Leadership Business Again.” “As a conservative, one of my biggest concerns is the health of the US economy and the growing national debt since the Reagan years. I want a candidate that has the knowledge and proven track record to put policies in place to allow our economy to thrive and rein in our out-of-control spending. We need a leader who has an understanding of the economy and the insight to guide our country. I truly believe Carly Fiorina is that leader. Given what she has accomplished in her life, my personal experience working for her at HP, and her success throughout her career, Carly Fiorina has a track record to prove she is the one we need to get America back in the leadership business again.” (Phil Rieger, “Let’s Get Technical: Why Carly Fiorina,” Daily Caller, 9/29/15)
Former HP Employee Susan Slane: “I Can Personally Attest That Carly Fiorina Was A Great CEO.” “I worked at DEC/Compaq/HP for more than 30 years, through mergers, acquisitions, tumultuous economic times, and several CEOs – including Carly Fiorina. And I can personally attest that Carly Fiorina was a great CEO. She not only saved HP, but grew the company. I wholeheartedly support Carly for President.” (Susan Slane, “Fiorina Was Great CEO at Hewlett-Packard,” The Nashua Telegraph, 9/30/15)
Former HP Employee Bob Stamps: “Carly Was Exactly The Change That HP Needed.” “Like many other HP “old timers” I will admit, I wasn’t the biggest fan of some of the changes Carly initiated when she arrived. Change can be daunting, but sometimes it’s glaringly necessary. HP was a company that desperately needed change. We still had technical excellence and exceptional quality built into our products. But our cost structures were way out of control and we were having problems meeting our commitments to customers and shareholders. It became clear rather quickly that Carly was exactly the change that HP needed and she won over many of her initial detractors – including me.” (Bob Stamps, “We Always Said Carly Would Be President One Day,” The New Hampshire Union Leader, 9/18/15)
Former HP Employee Bob Haefner: “Carly Has Demonstrated She Has The Vision And Knowledge To Make The Right Call During Hard Times.” “She is wowing and inspiring audiences in New Hampshire — asking them to rethink the tired, old red-versus-blue mentalities. Whether the policy in discussion is feminism, immigration, foreign policy, the economy — Carly brings a common-sense, forward-thinking perspective that inspires followers. But I know from my personal experience under her leadership, her rhetoric doesn’t just sound good. It actually works. After all, Carly has demonstrated she has the vision and knowledge to make the right call during hard times.” (Bob Haefner, “Carly Fiorina Has Strong Leadership Experience,” The New Hampshire Union Leader, 7/13/15)
Former HP Employee Jack Leber: “I Think Carly Did A Great Job Revitalizing The C0mpany.” “I think Carly did a great job revitalizing the company. She grew HP when other companies were going out of business, and she helped to expand HP’s reach around the world so that by the time she left, it was operating in 170 countries…We need someone who can get things in order, and Carly Fiorina will actually do it — not just talk about it like all the career politicians in Washington.” (Jack Leber, “Fiorina Can Get Things Done,” The Charleston Post and Courier, 10/23/15)
Former HP Employee Hugh Baver: “Fiorina Was An Excellent And Effective CEO.” “As former CEO Carly Fiorina runs for Republican presidential nomination, her record continues to come under attack. I worked at Compaq during the Hewlett-Packard/Compaq merger and the transition period was extremely positive and well-conceived. Working closely with Compaq chairman and CEO Michael Capellas, Fiorina was an excellent and effective CEO…I was privileged to work under Fiorina’s direction. Now citizens are seeing what we saw in her all those years ago, and I am thrilled we have someone of her caliber running for president.” (Hugh Baver, “Forget What You’ve Heard – Carly Fiorina Was Great at HP,” The Boston Globe, 11/11/15)
Former HP Employee Tom Ambrose: “Carly Took A Company That Had Been Significantly Diminished By gross Mismanagement And Turned It Around.” “While her detractors paint an idealistic portrait of a company before her tenure — where everything was in good order and people were happy – this could not be further from the truth…It became clear that a change was needed, and HP brought in Carly Fiorina. Among other accomplishments, she streamlined the bureaucracy within the company and made it easier for customers to get the help they needed. More to the point, Carly took a company that had been significantly diminished by gross mismanagement and turned it around.” (Tom Ambrose, “I Worked at HP; I Can Tell You Carly Turned That Company Around,” Laconia Daily Sun, 11/12/15)
Former HP Employee Scott Cooper: “Carly Is Both A Proven Business AND Public Policy Leader Who Has A Lengthy Track Record Of Accomplishing The Tasks She Has Taken On.” “I have lived in and around the Washington DC area for almost 40 years, and have watched multiple administrations come and go. And no matter what party is in control, the same thing continues to happen. Politicians make big promises to voters, but they never deliver. That is not likely to happen in a Carly Fiorina Administration. Carly is both a proven business AND public policy leader who has a lengthy track record of accomplishing the tasks she has taken on. No other candidate has this unique – and needed – set of qualities and skills. Carly is driven, dedicated, and exactly the kind of leader we need to fix the dysfunction in Washington and jumpstart our economy. As a former HP employee who worked directly with Carly Fiorina, I am honored to know her and to have worked with her. I strongly believe she will be the president we can all be proud of.” (Scott Cooper, “Carly Fiorina’s Unique Skills Can Fix the Dysfunction in Washington, Revive the Economy,” Breitbart, 12/3/15)
Former HP Employee: Carly Fiorina Has Proven Experience Successfully Implementing Change. “There are a lot of big ideas that are floated around, a lot of words that are said, and a lot of plans that never come to fruition. The logistics matter. How does a big idea get from point A to point B? Ask Carly Fiorina. She successfully executed one of the largest technology mergers of the time, which was instrumental in bringing Hewlett Packard back as an industry leader. I would know, I worked at Hewlett Packard during Carly’s time as CEO of the company.” (Michelle Hines, “Why Logistics Matter in Carly Fiorina’s Run for President,” Brietbart, 10/5/15)
Former HP Executive: Carly Fiorina Was The Leader HP Needed To Produce Real And Necessary Change. Real change, the kind that was needed to reinvigorate HP, requires a comprehensive understanding of the market and the economic conditions. It requires steady and crisp implementation and execution. It calls for a leader with humility and exceptional communication skills – a person who is capable of rallying the corporate core and extended partner community to support that strategic vision. Carly was that a leader.” (Bill Mutell, “Carly Fiorina a True Leader,” InsideSources, 9/2/15)
Former HP Board Member: “Carly Is a Transformational Leader.” I have no question that Carly is a transformational leader who uniquely has both vision and the expertise to implement it. We are in the middle of a heated election, and often facts and the truth get lost in the heat of partisan rhetoric. As someone who worked with and observed Carly first hand I can attest to her abilities, intellect and talent. I am proud to support Carly Fiorina for President of the United States.” (Tom Perkins, “The Truth About Carly,” The New York Times, 8/27/15)
The Compaq Merger
Former HP Employee: “The HP-Compaq Merger Was A Step Into The Future.” “The HP-Compaq merger was a step into the future: it brought in an expanding section—personal computers—to HP that allowed the new company to grow and evolve…The decision made by Carly to buy Compaq was one that was for the good of both companies, and it set HP on a path to become the largest technology company in the world.” (Phil Rieger, “Let’s Get Technical: Why Carly Fiorina,” Daily Caller, 9/29/15)
Former HP Board Member: The HP-Compaq Merger Made HP “The Biggest Computer Company In The World.” The merger, while controversial, was unanimously approved by every member of the HP Board and won approval from shareholders. Thanks to Carly’s leadership there was a path forward for this storied but troubled company. Critics questioned the move, but history proves Carly was right. Post-merger, HP became the biggest computer company in the world. It positioned HP to compete in integrated systems and allowed us to compete in sectors beyond the core strength of the company, printers.” (Tom Perkins, “The Truth About Carly,” The New York Times, 8/27/15)
Former HP Employee: “Because Of Carly’s Handling Of The Merger, Hewlett-Packard Was Able To Weather A Long Storm Within The Tech Industry.” “I worked at Compaq Computer Corp. until it merged with Hewlett-Packard in 2001. During and after the merger, I was introduced to Carly’s leadership. What struck me most about Carly as a CEO was her incredible foresight. Because of Carly’s handling of the merger, Hewlett-Packard was able to weather a long storm within the tech industry. It was such a storm that the stock index has only just recently recovered.” (Bob Haefner, “Carly Fiorina Has Strong Leadership Experience,” The New Hampshire Union Leader, 7/13/15)
Former HP Employee: “Fiorina And Her Team Worked Tirelessly” To Ensure A Smooth Integration. “Fiorina and her team worked tirelessly to make sure she kept her promise of a smooth transition. On day one, we integrated the two companies with common e-mail nomenclature. The new HP also sunset the legacy systems and product groups that were not the market leaders in their categories, as in the retirement of HP NetServer in favor of Compaq ProLiant. These were extremely difficult business decisions, which Fiorina and her team engineered gracefully and employed with solid business logic. Fiorina was instrumental in consolidating and prioritizing hundreds of overlapping and disparate IT projects and applications. She effectively organized and conducted cross-cultural workshops and teams aimed specifically at successfully integrating the two corporate cultures.” (Hugh Baver, “Forget What You’ve Heard – Carly Fiorina Was Great at HP,” The Boston Globe, 11/11/15)
The Impact of the Recession
Former HP Executive: “Carly Tried Everything She Could To Avoid Layoffs.” After the dot com bubble went bust, like many other technology companies HP was forced to eliminate jobs. It very painful time for the technology sector. Companies in and related to Silicon Valley were desperately trying to right a sinking ship during an unprecedented recession. Carly tried everything she could to avoid layoffs, but in the end it was the only viable option to keep the company afloat. By making this tough leadership call, HP emerged healthier, more competitive and now has well over 300,000 global employees.” (Bill Mutell, “Carly Fiorina a True Leader,” InsideSources, 9/2/15)
Former HP Employee: “There Was Just No Way HP Could Continue To Have So Many Employees And Survive.” “Carly’s detractors often bring up the layoffs as a sign that she was not a good CEO, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. HP had way too many people working for it, and I think everybody realized that. After the market started to crumble, there was just no way HP could continue to have so many employees and survive. But unlike what some outsiders reported, this was not a brutal blood bath. There was always a plan in place to help people when they left. Carly did everything she could to place people in different sections of the company when it was available, and people had great severance packages.” (Bob Stamps, “We Always Said Carly Would Be President One Day,” The New Hampshire Union Leader, 9/18/15)
Former HP Employee: “HP Remained A Viable Company That Employed Tens Of Thousands Of American Employees While Carly Was At The Helm. That Is Far More Than You Can Say For Other Silicon Valley Companies At That Time.” “Just a few months into her time at HP, the dot-com bubble burst, followed by a major stock market crash. Everything changed. Layoffs, mergers and bankruptcies became the norm. Several of HP’s competitors no longer exist. Carly’s critics have tried to blame her for what happened next at HP, but they fail to mention the terrible impact the recession had on companies all over the country, and the fact that HP remained a viable company that employed tens of thousands of American employees while Carly was at the helm. That is far more than you can say for other Silicon Valley companies at that time.” (Tom Ambrose, “I Worked at HP; I Can Tell You Carly Turned That Company Around,” Laconia Daily Sun, 11/12/15)
Managed Service Contracts
Current HP Employee: “After The Compaq Merger, Carly Negotiated More Than 200 Deals With Other Top Companies.” “In fact, after the Compaq merger, Carly negotiated more than 200 deals with other top companies, including Procter & Gamble (P&G) and Ericsson – where I worked at the time…The P&G deal was an agreement on a $3 billion, 10-year managed services contract, which included insourcing approximately 2,000 employees from P&G to HP. This deal was extremely beneficial to both HP and P&G, expanding both of their operations that helped both companies. Under the terms of the agreement, HP would now manage P&G’s IT infrastructure, including data center operations, desktop and end-user support, and maintenance of P&G’s global operations in 160 countries. These were two of hundreds of blockbuster deals that Carly was very involved in. She provided superb leadership and vision to break the ice for HP in the Managed IT Services industry. This would not have happened without Carly’s gumption and follow-through.” (Bruce Dunai, “Carly Fiorina, the Strong Negotiator,” Townhall, 11/6/15)
Consumer Privacy Protections
Former HP Employee: “Carly Advocated That Consumers Had the Right To Know What Companies Were Going To Do With Information That They Collected from Consumers” And Fought To Protect Their Privacy. “Carly understood very early on that New Economy companies like HP had an obligation to ensure the internet was a clean, well-lit venue for American consumers. Carly advocated that consumers had the right to know what companies were going to do with information that they collected from consumers. Unfortunately, Carly was one of the few top technology CEOs who did. But Carly Fiorina is a true leader in every sense of the word and, as good leaders do, Carly took action…Carly used her position as a top tech CEO and as chair of the GBDe consumer advocacy effort to ensure that governments and consumer groups as well as business leaders worked collaboratively to support personal privacy measures and to bring oversight to, in Carly’s words, “the wild west” of global e-commerce. And in the end, Carly won the support of the US government, the EU and Japan, as well as Consumers International, the global consumer federation, which represented 250 consumer organizations in 115 countries.” (Scott Cooper, “Carly Fiorina’s Unique Skills Can Fix the Dysfunction in Washington, Revive the Economy,” Breitbart, 12/3/15)
AT&T/Lucent Employees
Former Lucent Contractor Bob Henry: “Carly Is The Sharpest Business Person I Encountered In My 40-Year Career.” I worked with Carly Fiorina in a joint partnership between Lucent and a telecom startup that I was part of, where she served as our executive sponsor…I have often said to friends that Carly is the sharpest business person I encountered in my 40-year career. She is smart, well-spoken, and I can personally attest that Carly is a real motivator in the workplace. Carly is a committed, value-driven leader that believes in the American people. These are exactly the qualities we need in our next president of the United States.” (Bob Henry, “Fiorina Sharpest,” The Dallas Morning News, 10/14/15)
Former AT&T COO Howard McNally: “Carly Will Lead Our Nation With Intelligence, Integrity, And Conviction.” “I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with some very smart people throughout my career, and Carly Fiorina is one of the smartest people I have ever worked with who also inspires and encourages the best in everyone around her. I know that Carly Fiorina is the leader we need for this country right now. Carly will lead our nation with intelligence, integrity and conviction.” (Howard McNally, “Critics of Carly Fiorina’s AT&T Record Are Wrong,” Forbes, 10/12/15)
Former AT&T/Lucent Executive Bill Rohrbach: “Fiorina Is The Real Deal.” “I’m here to tell you that Fiorina’s detractors, including Donald Trump, couldn’t be more wrong in their assessment of her leadership. Fiorina was bright, insightful, and dedicated to growing our company and developing relationships with employees and customers. There is a reason she rose from a secretary to a CEO – Fiorina is the real deal.” (Bill Rohrbach, “I Worked with Carly Fiorina and Her Critics Are Dead Wrong,” FORTUNE, 9/29/15)
Former AT&T/Lucent Employee Joe Russo: “Carly Is Not Another Politician In Washington. She’s One Of Us.” “Carly is not another politician in Washington. She’s one of us: An American citizen who is frustrated with our federal government and wants to restore our great nation to what it once was. And I can tell you from personal experience, once Carly sets her mind to something, she will accomplish it. Don’t be fooled by partisan talking heads or career politicians that fear an outsider like Carly. Carly is the leader we need in the White House.” (Joe Russo, “I Worked with Carly Fiorina at AT&T. She’s the Leader We Need in the White House.” IJ Review, 8/26/15)
Former AT&T/Lucent Executive: “Those Of Us Lucky Enough To Work With Her Reaped The Rewards Of Her Leadership.” “We at AT&T saw this pattern time and time again: When Fiorina put her mind to something, she accomplished it. She was relentless, and through persistence, perseverance, and personality she gradually won people over. In the end, her changes were made and all of us working within Network Systems benefited. Fiorina’s genius was recognizing the problem, analyzing the situation, developing a solution and implementing the fix. And those of us lucky enough to work with her reaped the rewards of her leadership.” (Bill Rohrbach, “I Worked with Carly Fiorina and Her Critics Are Dead Wrong,” FORTUNE, 9/29/15)
