Headhunter Speaks Out About Ongoing Lawsuit Between Motorola And Ex-CFO
There’s been no shortage of surprises when it comes to the lawsuit between Schaumburg-based Motorola (NYSE: MOT) and its former CFO Paul Liska, who is saying he was fired for refusing to accept misleading financial forecasts by the company’s mobile-phone division. Meanwhile, Motorola has accused Liska of plotting “an extortion-like scheme” against the company.
Now a Chicago-area headhunter, who is currently working with Motorola to find Liska’s successor, is getting caught up in the drama. Gregory Crecos, the founder of executive search firm Gregory Michaels & Associates, appeared in court today “to object to a subpoena in the case,” according to the Chicago Tribune. Motorola’s attorneys asked him to produce documents involving his dealings with Liska dating back to the executive’s former positions at other companies, and to hand over documents related to job searches at Motorola in 2007.
Crecos told reporters after the hearing that he has enjoyed “a great relationship with this company,” but he said Motorola’s lawyers are now smearing his reputation. “I’ve been doing this while they’re knocking the crap out of me,” he told the Tribune.
Crecos said the problem is that Motorola believes he tipped off Liska in December 2008 that the company was secretly searching for a new CFO. Knowing that he was going to be replaced, Motorola is alleging in court filings that Liska had months to scheme against the company in retaliation. But Crecos said that’s not true. While he may have been working with Liska on several searches for other Motorola positions, he did not tip off Liska and never breached professional confidentiality. And, he was not retained by Motorola to find the CFO’s replacement until “months and months” later, he said.
Instead of smearing the reputation of a CFO who CORRECTLY felt the forecasts were waaaay to optimistic, perhaps Motorola should concentrate on actually inventing things that people want to buy. Between this, the New York 9/11 lawsuit, the alleged Chinese spy Hanjuan Jin….Motorola has been spending more time in court than inventing new technologies … for the Chinese to steal. I guess these are the results when you lay off experienced Americans and hire the lowest cost workers.
You get what you pay for.
Gregory Crecos first mistake was trusting that he was dealing with a company with ethics. He should just walk away from the deal with this dying company. They'll be late to pay anyway.