Lowe’s executive vice president of stores Joe McFarland offended some people after he described a compact DeWalt power drill by saying, “It fits anywhere … Some of our Hispanic pros with smaller hands, this is perfect for them.”
McFarland was speaking in a recorded segment that was meant to be shared with managers to train employees on product selling for the large hardware store chain, as first reported by the Washington Post.
An assistant manager at a store in the Pacific Northwest expressed shock as he viewed the video in a conference room with several other managers on Monday. “Everybody in the room was just like, ‘What? Did he just say that?'” the assistant manager described. “Immediately after it happened, everyone was just like ‘Whoa, why would he say that?'”
The videos reportedly are meant to stay on the internal website for a significant time, but this one was not posted and was removed from all stores after the first day. Employees from around the country had already shared the clip on company forums and expressed concern over McFarland’s comment about the physical stature of “Hispanic pros.”
“What has my team more upset is it feels like our leadership has looked the other way,” one employee said. “By them not posting the video like they always do, they know it was wrong but haven’t addressed it to the employees so it makes me feel like they are trying to sweep it under the rug.” The employee also referred to McFarland’s comments as “unacceptable and degrading.”
McFarland, who was reportedly the recipient of a $3.74 million compensation package last year, apologized for his remarks, taking “full responsibility” for the comment he now deemed to be “ignorant.”
“I am sorry for a careless and ignorant comment I made during an associate broadcast yesterday,” he said. “Our associates shared how my statement was harmful and inappropriate. This is a key reflection moment for me.” He also said he hopes to “learn and grow from this moment.”
