Taking Back Control

Chapter 60 The Next Day

Chapter 60

The storm moved out to the ocean by Sunday evening, and the roads reopened. Early Monday morning, Jess called Paris at home. When she didn't answer her cell phone or the apartment landline, he tried the hospital. The hospital answering service patched Jess to the nurses' station, where she was working on the NICU floor. They couldn't talk long, so she told Jess she should be home at noon. Satisfied that Paris was safe, Jess called Matt and Chris. They decided to leave around ten when they knew that the roads would be at least plowed and salted after the storm. When Jess arrived at Chris's house, Matt was already there. The men decided they would follow Jess in Matt's car since Jess planned on staying in Hartford for a few weeks.

*********

At seven-thirty am, London time, the airport gave the all-clear for the private flights to fly. Logan, his uncle, grandfather, and the lawyers boarded HPC's private jet. Once in the air, the men sat across each other, eating the breakfast prepared by the personal stewardess on the plane.

As they finished their meal, Elias looked across the aisle where his son and grandson were sitting. "Have you thought about when you want to hold the board meeting?"

Logan nodded as he finished his cup of coffee. "Yes. We should meet as soon as possible to formally announce the restructuring of HPC."

"So you are going through with the restructure," Elias asked.

"Gramps. We talked long and hard about this. There is no way of getting around it. We signed agreements with Christopher MacLaughlin and Matthew Kirkhorn, updating their contracts with their new salaries, benefits, and new responsibilities and titles. Alec and Matt have generously agreed to invest in the company to save what you built. Now that it is the twenty-first century, we need to restructure. Alec and I have agreed to divide the company into two components. We need the board to approve this, and then we will expand."

"Alec, this is what you want to do?" Elias asked his son.

"Yes. HPC needs to rebrand itself, and the sooner the board understands the reason for the change, the better it is. We already met with the press in London, confirming that there will be changes in the leadership of HPC. The press, along with other publishing companies, will be observing us. We don't want to lose subscribers or have our stock drop any lower than it already has. Honor's husband, Josh, and Jay Fogarty worked in the finance department for years. They were the ones that contacted Logan, alerting him that something was wrong. I'll be splitting my time between Josh in the home office here in New York and Jay's office in London."

Elias looks at Robert Charmichael. "Do you agree with this plan?"

"Yes," Robert replies. "Your son and grandson have a plan to restructure HPC and strengthen it. By adding Alec's company Silicone Valley and the Streamline Media Group, the company now has the revenue and a way to reach more subscribers."

Elias sat there for a moment in silence. "If everyone agrees that we must do this to save my legacy, then you have my approval to move forward. Alec, I am happy you returned to the family company. I trust you and Logan and I will support both of you at the board meeting. After the board approves it, I will submit my retirement letter."

Alec looked at his father in surprise. "Dad, are you sure this is what you want to do?"

"Yes, it's time for me to retire. I'm eighty years old, and I already had one heart attack. I will keep a seat on the board and recommend that you and Logan be named Co-Chairman. At that meeting, I will announce that Logan will be the publisher, and you will be the CFO."

Logan looked up in surprise. "Gramps. Are you sure you want me to be the publisher of the company? I think Alec should have that position. He has more experience than I do."