Furman Men’s Soccer Accepting Money from Employees' Pensions
(Note to Mods/Readers: This post abides by all Reddit and r/greenville rules. The individual named is a public corporate executive, and the events/statements described are corroborated by multiple witnesses, public federal court dockets, and breaking news reports).
For those following the Bostwick Braun collapse: we’ve already established that Simpsonville CEO Rick Slagle oversaw the shutdown of a 170-year-old company last month, completely zeroing out the life savings (ESOP) of hundreds of blue-collar workers.
While those workers in the Midwest are left with nothing, Slagle remains a massive financial booster and self-described “father figure” for the Furman University Men’s Soccer program. He continues to be pictured with the team and invited by University staff to exclusive team events. Is this the kind of ethical role model Furman wants mentoring its student-athletes?
At what point do our local institutions say no to money built on corporate destruction?
This isn't just about a business failing; it’s about executives allegedly hiding financial ruin from their employees until the bitter end, protecting their own wealth, and then using that wealth to buy status and influence in our local community.
(Remember: Slagle was also an executive during the $106M WYNIT bankruptcy right here in Greenville).
Furman University prides itself on ethics and leadership. The Men's Soccer program should publicly clarify if they plan to continue accepting financial support from leadership currently facing intense scrutiny and potential federal ERISA investigations over wiped-out employee retirement funds.
If you have ties to Furman, start asking these questions—we can't let Upstate wealth shield executives from accountability!