The Madness of King Donald

David G Sacks (1924 - 2004) was president and chief operating officer of The Seagram Company, Ltd, when I worked there in the 1980s. His main job was to manage decline because the products they distilled were very much out of fashion. Moreover, the nascent health movement was taking hold in the United States with people jogging, exercising and being careful about what they ate. In addition, the firm was beset by what was called the Neo-prohibition movement. It was a difficult time to be a senior PR guy for such an enterprise. Many of the managers I worked for were dinosaurs, with red meat, cigarettes and two cocktails and wine at lunch - men out-of-touch with modern America. David Sacks, an exception, knew well what the company was up against. He gathered the senior leaders to announce massive layoffs and, in describing what he planned to do, said something I’ve never forgot.