Fidelke, Target’s chief operating officer, will step into the CEO role on Feb. 1. In a video message to employees, he said he was looking forward to starting work in a week and “this is not the first message I imagined I would send.”
He added that he “has been meeting with a number of leaders this weekend and added his signature to a statement calling for calm, constructive dialogue and using our collective voice to de-escalate tensions and keep people safe as this work continues.”
Hello to the team.
In a week I will officially start as CEO.
We’re about to step into a new chapter for Target, and I’ve been looking forward to starting this work with you for some time, but this isn’t the first message I imagined I’d send.
We’ll have time to talk much sooner about our plans for Target moving forward, but right now, as someone who is raising a family here in the Twin Cities and as a leader of this hometown company, I want to acknowledge where we are.
The violence and loss of life in our community is incredibly painful.
I know this is taking a toll on many of you across the country, as it has on me.
What is happening affects us not only as a company, but as people within Target, neighbors, friends and family members.
We are doing everything we can to manage what is within our control, always keeping the safety of our team and guests as our top priority.
During my more than 20 years at Target, one thing I’ve loved is how we are a part of the communities where we operate.
Since the beginning, we have given 5% of our profits and millions of volunteer hours to create strong and vibrant places to live and work.
In line with that, I am meeting with a number of leaders and added my signature to a statement this weekend calling for calm, constructive dialogue and using our collective voice to defuse tensions and keep people safe.
As that work continues, looking forward to next week, I’ll spend my first day with our teams listening and learning, and then we’ll meet with the whole team to talk about how we’re moving our business forward.
Our leadership team is proactive, HR is equipped, and our resources are ready to give you the care and support you need.
Thank you for all you do for each other, our guests and our communities.
