The experience was an eye-opener, Forman told attendees at the Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce 12th Annual State of the County event on Friday morning.
GLASSBORO -- When Forman Mills CEO Rick Forman appeared on the TV show Undercover Boss last year, he wanted to "get in the trenches" with his employees.
The experience was an eye-opener, Forman told attendees at the Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce 12th Annual State of the County event on Friday morning.
He was so impressed with one of the employees he met during the process -- in which he posed as new Forman employee Brad Bandini -- that he gave the man a raise, a promotion and $250,000 to buy house.
That employee, Kurtis Deal, ended up buying a house in Florida and moving there.
"He's a brilliant guy," Forman said to chuckles from the crowd in the Eynon Ballroom at Rowan University, explaining that Deal spent $150,000 of the total on the house and held onto the rest. "I just hope everything goes good with that."
While he didn't say if the employee still worked for the company, a previous media report indicated Deal still rented a home in Philly while working for the company.
Forman launched his business empire in 1977 when he began selling discounted T-shirts at flea markets around the region. He gradually formed a clothing retailer that boasts 35 stores in nine states, including a location that opened in Deptford Township in late 2014.
Forman's success drew the attention of Undercover Boss producers, so he donned a wig, fake mustache and glasses and learned what it's like to work for his company.
The Pennsauken native has a reputation of an unconventional, hands-on boss who speaks his mind and regularly patrols his stores -- even temporarily closing a location if he sees problems.
"I now had to listen. I had to sit there and do the register and have patience. It was real," he told the crowd of about 350 attendees at the sold-out event. "You have to face the fear and get into the trenches."
What did he learn once he shucked his disguise and revealed himself to his employees? That is was time to make changes.
Those changes include a profit-sharing program for employees that has distributed more than $600,000 in the last 13 months, technology upgrades to his stores, establishment of an employee training program called Forman University and creation of a community outreach program.
"What I really found out is that there are a lot of great people out there that really want to do a great job," Forman said. "They have tough lives but they come to work each day. How do we give them the tools to succeed?"
In addition to helping Deal, he also assisted other employees he met during his TV experience.
Forman is also trying to make changes in his management style.
"I hope to be a better leader. I hope to be able to delegate and bring people in," he said. "I'm on that journey right now and that's an exciting thing."
His biggest tip for success in business?
Specialize in something. "What are you good at? Famous Amos was good with cookies ... he created demand," Forman said. "The flea markets taught me to keep it simple. I have three T-shirts for $5. It's about simplicity."
As for the state of Gloucester County:
Freeholder Director Robert Damminger talked about several initiatives, including development of the Pureland East-West Shuttle, which launched in June to provide bus transportation to businesses at the Pureland Industrial Park and other destinations not served by existing bus routes.
"Steadily gaining ridership, it fills the gap to provide access to workplaces, human service locations and health care facilities for more than 20,000 households located in proximity to the route whose residents are dependent on public transportation," Damminger said.
Damminger also spoke about the recently announced Gloucester County Internship Scholarship, which will allow 20 Rowan College at Gloucester County students to attend school free of charge in return for interning with the county in their fields of study while they take classes.
The program is set to begin this fall.
Other initiatives Damminger noted included:
- The county's small business revolving loan fund will receive a fresh infusion of $250,000 this year.
- Holt Logistics is hiring employees for the new Paulsboro Marine Terminal, which will see its first ships arrive this spring.
- The county's new 700 MHz public safety radio network will come online by mid-2016, helping improve communication between dispatchers and emergency responders.
Rowan University President Ali Houshmand talked about ongoing improvements on the campus, both in construction and new program offerings.
"I'm willing to bet that over the next 10 years if you come in here every six months you're going to see something new," he said. "This is a crazy place."
He spoke about continued growth in student housing, the importance of public-private partnerships and plans to make education more affordable.
One such concept includes a four-year, $25,000 degree. While the details are still being worked out, the idea is an internship program in which students pursue a degree while working for a business in their career path. The business would in turn compensate the university for these services, helping to pay for the student's education.
Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce had a good story to report, too. The chamber has grown to 850 members, up 110 over last year, reported President and CEO Director Les Vail.
The organization has created new revenue opportunities that have allowed it to hire full-time employees for marketing and membership/events, he noted.
"We're continuing to look and reach out to you to find out what we can do as an organization to help you grow your business," Vail told the audience. "We're excited for the future."
Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.