Fidelke, Target’s chief operating officer, will become CEO on February 1. In a video message to employees, he said he was looking forward to starting work in a week and said, “This is not the first message I intended to send.”
“I have been meeting with various leaders and this weekend added my signature to a statement using our collective voice calling for calm, constructive dialogue and de-escalation to de-escalate tensions and keep people safe as work continues,” he said.
Hello, team.
I will officially take over as CEO within a week.
We’re entering a new chapter for Target. I’ve been looking forward to starting this work with you all for some time, but this wasn’t the first message I thought I’d send.
We’ll have time soon to talk about our plans for moving Target forward, but for now, I want to acknowledge where we are as people raising families here in the Twin Cities and as leaders of this local company.
The violence and loss of life in our communities is incredibly heartbreaking.
I know this weighs heavily on many of you across the country, just as it does me.
What’s happening affects us not just as a company, but as people within Target, our neighbors, friends and family.
We are doing everything we can to manage what is within our control, with the safety of our team and guests always being our top priority.
One of my favorite things about my 20-plus years at Target is being part of the community in which we operate.
Since our founding, we’ve donated 5% of our profits and millions of volunteer hours to make us a strong, vibrant place to live and work.
In line with this, I have been meeting with various leaders and this weekend added my signature to a statement using our collective voice calling for calm, constructive dialogue and de-escalation to reduce tensions and keep people safe.
As that work continues, I will spend the first few days on site listening and learning with my team over the next week. The whole team will then meet to discuss how to move the business forward.
Our leadership team is energized, our human resources department is in place, and our resources are always ready to provide you with the care and support you need.
Thank you for all you do for each other, our guests, and our community.
