Bailed-Out Bank Execs to Live It Up in Vegas
What's a bunch of Wells Fargo bigwigs to do now that their struggling bank has gotten a whopping $25 billion from the federal government? Two words: Vegas, baby. Update
What’s a bunch of Wells Fargo bigwigs to do now that their struggling bank has gotten a whopping $25 billion from the federal government? Two words: Vegas, baby.
Update: The trip is off. After defending the event to an outraged public, the bank, which lost 2.55 billion last quarter, canceled the junket.
Your support matters…AP via Google News:
Wells Fargo, once among the nation’s top writers of subprime mortgages, has booked 12 nights at the Wynn Las Vegas and its sister hotel, the Encore Las Vegas beginning Friday, said Wynn spokeswoman Michelle Loosbrock. The hotels will host the annual conference for company’s top mortgage officers.
The conference is a Wells Fargo tradition. Previous years have included all-expense-paid helicopter rides, wine tasting, horseback riding in Puerto Rico and a private Jimmy Buffett concert in the Bahamas for more than 1,000 employees and guests.
“I was amazed with just how lavish it was,” said Debra Rickard, a former Wells Fargo mortgage employee from Colorado who attended the events regularly until she left the company in 2004. “We stayed in top hotels, the entertainment was just unbelievable, and there were awards — you got plaques or trophies.”
While the nation’s recession has led other banks, such as Bank of America, to cancel employee recognition outings, Wells Fargo has not.
“Recognition events are still part of our culture,” spokeswoman Melissa Murray said. “It’s really important that our team members are still valued and recognized.”
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