Two Degrees of Separation

Radio Shack CEO David Edmondson was forced to resign today after padding his resume with two bogus degrees.

Edmondson, 46, had claimed degrees in theology and psychology from Pacific Coast Baptist College in California, which moved in 1998 to Oklahoma, where it was renamed Heartland Baptist Bible College.

The school’s registrar told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that records showed Edmondson completed only two semesters, and that the school never offered degrees in psychology.

There are obvious lessons for anyone who works in corporate America.

One. Why bother to pad your resume with bogus degrees when many successful executives never even finish college and openly boast about it? Microsoft founder Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard as an undergraduate. Microsoft #2 Steve Ballmer dropped out of Stanford Business School. Apple CEO Steve Jobs never went to college.

Two. If you are going to bother going down this road, why pick Heartland Baptist Bible College? I’d much rather have a bogus degree from NYU, Oxford or The Sorbonne.

The truth will out. And when it does the final lesson from this sorry episode is not to issue the type of statement attributed to Mr. Edmondson:

“The contents of my resume and the company’s website were clearly incorrect,” Edmondson said in his statement. “It is my belief that I received a ThG diploma, not a BS degree as I asserted. I clearly misstated my academic record, and the responsibility for these misstatements is mine alone. I understand that I cannot now document the ThG diploma.”

Better to say “I lied” and bow out gracefully.

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I have to agree with you about fabricating a degree from Heartland Baptist, of all places! I wonder what their sports team mascot is — the Firy Brimstone?

Actually, looking at their website, I now see there are no Athletics there. Some cute co-eds, though!

“It is my belief that I received a ThG diploma.” Dorothy, just click your heels together three times and say “I do believe in dilpomas.”



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