Home Savings Sweatshop

As a former senior loan consultant and a five-time President’s Club member achieved through blood, sweat and tears and at the cost of having so-called “family balance” I could not agree more with the recent letter “Rinehart a Harsh Task Master” (Dec. 1) written by Cliff Collins, the former senior vice president and national director of sales for Home Savings.

CEO Charles Rinehart, who likes to be called Charlie, believes in a balanced life, which he can only enjoy at the cost of many hard-working employees, not to mention his incredible multimillion-dollar annual bonuses. He truly needs to get in touch with the troops or they will continue to go AWOL. I, too, finally decided that Charlie was not the only one who could enjoy the perks of a well-balanced life, and guess what? You don’t have to be a CEO.

I wanted to enjoy seeing and participating with my daugher through her last two years of high school. I decided to leave the company in January 1997 to start my new business as a loan broker. Having the time to see my daughter compete in tennis matches, kick-boxing, violin lessons and just to see her grow on a daily basis is the best feeling in the world. I can smell the roses and I have found my soul once again.

Now, I enjoy my family and again make the income that all successful individuals deserve based on good, hard work. My dream is a reality, but not for my former co-workers at Home Slavings… oops, Savings.

Shareholders have to profit, but at what true cost? Greed? In the last two years, it cost the company its best loan consultants/sales force. Be careful, shareholders, because what rises will fall, especially without a good sales force.

LOUIE LUCERO

Sierra Madre