Weston Smith is not a sympathetic figure. He’s a convicted criminal. He was central to the fraud that rocked HealthSouth. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth listening to what he has to say about the crime.
It’s been said that we learn from our mistakes. We can also learn from Weston Smith’s mistakes.
Smith, former Chief Financial Officer at HealthSouth, is scheduled to be the guest speaker at the Opelika Chamber of Commerce’s Business over Breakfast event Feb. 11 at Saugahatchee Country Club. The event kicks off at 7:30 a.m.
Smith, now employed as a business ethics consultant, was caught up in the $2.7 billion accounting scandal and eventually became a whistleblower that put former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy and other executives behind bars. Smith paid a heavy price, personally and financially. Not to mention that he spent 14 months in federal prison, as he should have.
Smith realized his involvement in the scam was wrong and called himself out on it. Kudos to him for that. But it was too little too late.
There are many lessons that can be learned from his downfall. We should listen to what he has to say and take it to heart. What happens in this day and age is very important, not just for business barons on Wall Street, but also for small business owners on Main Street.
His Web site reads, “Weston Smith tells the true, behind-the-scenes story of how HealthSouth, once a Fortune 500 company and Wall Street darling, made its rapid ascent. However, under the direction of CEO Richard M. Scrushy, behind the company’s closed doors, swirled a maelstrom of crime, threats, betrayal and pathological greed.”
We urge local business leaders to listen to what Smith has to say and apply it. After all, there was a reason Smith ascended to the lofty position of CFO at such a large corporation to begin with.
Sometimes the best person to take advice from isn’t the one who was perfect all of the time. Those who have fallen on hard times are much more qualified to discuss the road to recovery than one who had never fallen at all.
Those interested in attending the event should call the chamber at 745-4861 to register by Feb. 4.
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