Letters

Andersen: A Tragic Case of Corporate Murder

I read your October 2002 Editor's Note with grave disappointment. As a still-proud former employee of Andersen, your remarks regarding the firm were offensive to former Andersen professionals, thousands of whom are still engaged in the consulting industry.
As any reasonable businessperson understands, the collapse of Enron was not caused by their external auditor, but rather triggered by a series of complicated events, including failings by Enron's management, board of directors, outside attorneys, investment bankers, regulators, other Big Five firms — and yes, a bevy of management consultants.
And as for cost, I would humbly submit that my former firm and tens of thousands of my former colleagues have paid their own stiff price — the loss of jobs, homes, retirements, invested capital, family security, and self-respect. (In fact, 28,000 Andersen employees in the U.S. alone lost their jobs in the aftermath — that's nearly six times the number of displaced Enron employees.) The unprecedented feeding frenzy — led by overzealous prosecutors, spotlight-craving politicians, and the ill-informed media — led to a tragic case of corporate murder, as one astute observer noted.
After working for Andersen for more than a decade, I can unequivocally say that the majority of my peers did not "trample" on the values of our founder. Instead, we lived every day with the strong sense of integrity, reinforced by a great firm that contributed untold dollars, time, and intellectual capital to communities and businesses around the world. … Frankly, the loyalty of our great clients and talented people until the very "bitter end" more articulately speaks to the qualities of Andersen than I could ever attempt.