Whole Foods CEO apologizes
The Associated Press DALLAS - Whole Foods Market said federal regulators and its own board of directors are investigating online postings by the chief executive, who apologized for his actions.
CEO John Mackey used the name "Rahodeb" to boast about Whole Foods and attack rival Wild Oats Markets on Internet financial sites from 1999 to
2006."I sincerely apologize to all Whole Foods Market stakeholders for my error in judgment in anonymously participating on online financial message boards," Mackey said Tuesday in a statement. "I am very sorry and I ask our stakeholders to please forgive me."
Some of Mackey's postings claimed Wild Oats was overvalued and poorly run. This year, Whole Foods announced it would buy the chain, but federal antitrust regulators won an injunction temporarily blocking the deal.
The company said it wouldn't comment further until the internal investigation is completed.