Steve Ritchie knows that the buck stops with him. As the CEO of Papa John’s he is taking on a leadership role with the company as it moves forward. Steve Ritchie is aware that there is some work to do. Papa John’s has always prided itself on the trust it has with its customers, and he wants to return the company to that level. Steve Ritchie has been with the company in one capacity or another for over 22 years, and he sees this as the most important job he has had.
Steve Ritchie has penned an open letter to the company’s employees in an effort to reassure them that steps are being taken at the highest levels. Steve Ritchie has been traveling the country in order to hear from a wide variety of people. He wants to hear from franchisees about the communities they serve. He is also seeking the advice of leaders in the fields of diversity and equality. He is going to implement everything he has heard to make Papa John’s more inclusive moving forward. Staff at the highest levels have already been through training to help facilitate the changes. Anything that goes against the ethos that the company is trying to create will just not be tolerated.
Steve Ritchie has made it clear that this letter shows that he will be transparent in all efforts in the future. The loyal and hardworking people that have made the company such a success deserve nothing less. Steve Ritchie knows that he has been made a caretaker for the company, and Papa John’s is bigger than any individual. Ritchie’s heartfelt apology is the first step in taking Papa John’s forward. Ritchie will be front and center during the process, and he will continue to keep employees and customers up to date on the company’s actions.