Target’s incoming CEO, Michael Fiddelke, who will assume his role on February 1, sent a message to employees about the escalation of violence in the company’s hometown of Minneapolis, describing it as ‘incredibly painful.’
In the video, Fiddelke did not mention President Donald Trump or his administration, or identify the two U.S. citizens who were killed in the ICE shootings, Renee Good or Alex Pretti.
“The violence and loss of life in our community is incredibly painful,” he said in the video message. “I know it’s weighing heavily on many of you across the country, as it is with me.”
“I know it’s weighing heavily on many of you across the country, as it is with me. What’s happening affects us not just as a company, but as people, as neighbors, friends and family members within Target. We are doing everything we can to manage what’s in our control, always keeping the safety of our team and guests our top priority.”
“During my more than 20 years at Target, one of the things I’ve loved is how we are part of the communities where we operate. Since the beginning, we’ve given 5% of our profits and millions of volunteer hours to make them strong and vibrant places to live and work.”
“In line with that, I’ve been meeting with a range of leaders and this weekend added my signature to a statement using our collective voice to call for calm, constructive dialogue and deescalation to reduce tension and keep people safe. As that work continues, looking ahead to next week, I’ll spend my first days in the field listening and learning alongside our teams, and then we’ll come together for an all-team huddle to talk about how we’re moving our business forward.”
Fiddelke’s comments were echoed by more than 60 Minnesota-based CEOs who signed a letter speaking out against the violence, underscoring how the broader public is turning against the administration’s actions.
Leaders from prominent Minnesota companies such as 3M, Cargill, and UnitedHealth called for an “immediate deescalation” of tensions in Minnesota following the Saturday shooting of U.S. citizen Alex Pretti.
“In this difficult moment for our community, we call for peace and focused cooperation among local, state and federal leaders to achieve a swift and durable solution that enables families, businesses, our employees, and communities across Minnesota to resume our work to build a bright and prosperous future,” the letter reads.
By CEO NA Editorial Staff
