NEWS: CEO of Whole Foods Revealed to be Rahodeb

CULTURE: CEO of Whole Foods Revealed to be Rahodeb

It isn't illegal (yet) for the CEO of a company to use an alias to praise his stock in online forums. It isn't even illegal (yet) for the CEO of said company to anonymously bash his competitors online—but should it be? This is one of the questions that springs from a recent revelation in an antitrust suit against John Mackey, co-founder and chief executive of Whole Foods. It turns out that Mackey spent 8 years posting in the Yahoo stock market forums, under the pseudonym "Rahodeb." He used the screen name to praise Whole Foods and bash Wild Oats.

It seems that the FTC was late to catch on. As early as 2002, another Yahoo! Message Boards user was speculating that Rahodeb was Mackey.

Interestingly, the poster was "The Boston Cowboy," real name: Chris Kilham. Kilham's Massachusetts-based company, Cowboy Marketing, has functioned as a consultant to the natural foods industry. Kilham is also the author of a book called Cowboy Marketing: How to Shoot From the Hip and Win on the Wild Frontier of Natural Foods Retailing.

It seems likely that Rahodeb wasn't the only alias Mackey used on the boards. In fact, various posters accused him of using multiple screen names, and creating conversations among them.

Mackey has defended himself, saying that he was simply "having fun" and playing "devil's advocate."

Rahodeb and Mackey may not have always seen eye to eye, but one view they surely did share was posted by the alias in 2000: "While I'm not a 'Mackey groupie, I do admire what the man has accomplished."

wow, oh well

This is going to make me feel even worse when I buy my eight dollar kalamata olives tomorrow.

I, for one, would like to point out that no employee of Trader Joe's at any level would ever engage in such Tomfoolery!

further demonstrating that online forums may not be the best investment for all of your trust.

I still like Whole Foods better than Wild Oats. Better selection.

Plant!

heh, i had to click on your name after i blinked a few times...

Or are you the plant?!

Avoid shit like this and buy from Suma Wholefoods if you're in the UK (www.suma.coop) wholefoods should also mean ethical, apparently not so in th US!

drama was found, drama was got.

there is no strange thing.

Give the guy a break. I admire The concept of what he did. guerilla marketing.

Like JMCIII said, don't hate on the man because he's a smart goofball.
His company, however, is a scamster to the Nth degree and you will find a better deal elsewhere.........anywhere.
Is paying $10 for a loaf of whole grain bread (not even sprouted! the nerve!!) a worse travesty than paying $2.00 at Walmart?
Please, discuss.

Why the fuck does this matter at all? Seriously.

I prefer Wild Oats.. but then again, they pay my bills.

Whole Foods kind of brain washes their employees anyway.
Anyone that only makes 9 bucks and hour to cashier and runs around town talking about how amazing their job is (I mean, scanning things. its not hard- but, it still kinda sucks) has been tampered with.

And this isn't really guerilla marketing- yes, he was talking up his own company but his goal was to help make Wild Oat's stock prices drop so that Whole Foods would have to shell out less money to buy the company.
It is not creative- its sneaky, underhanded, and I think undeserving of praise.
If it were the CEO of any other company (one that wasn't so trendy) we'd all be appalled.

Shut up JOHN !

I'd have to agree with you there.
If not illegal what he did seems highly unethical at least. I am not at all impressed. Not at all surprised really either.
If I'm not mistaken people have been convicted for manipulating stocks or markets via chat or message boards.
I'm guessing it must be a matter of what exactly he was saying and where rather than his intent that is keeping him on the legal side.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't know shit about fuck when it comes to the inner workings of business, but I find it unlikely that this guy set his nefarious takeover plan in motion eight years ago with forum posts being the secret weapon.

He didn't perpetrate any wrong doing…legally speaking. Ethically, that can be debated. Besides, if people are getting their financial advice from a ghost online, than they can just send their money to me. I accept paper currency of any type (as long as the currency's nation is still sovereign), checks, gold bullion, Vegas casino chips, and precious gems (refined or straight from the ground).

I doubt that his shenanigans had any moderate to major impact on either company's stock prices.

P.S. This message in no way is affiliated with any natural foods farmers, producers, distributors, or end consumer outlets. At no time did the creator of this message have or may have had contact with any associate of the natural foods industry for the purpose of making of this message. All rights not reserved.

I have boobs.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't know shit about fuck when it comes to the inner workings of business, but I find it unlikely that this guy set his nefarious takeover plan in motion eight years ago with forum posts being the secret weapon.


I'd have to agree with you on that one...an eight year takeover strategy based on internet forum postings just doesn't sound like it could hold water.

I like boobs

lol.

well, maybe next time he should HIRE someone else to do the dirty work...through some cleverly laundered chain of...I dunno...hemp novelties or something...

Seriously...if that's the worst that the Whole Food executives have done it still doesn't change the fact the contributions they make locally...

although if you live in a town in where one of the wild oats closed I suppose you may have a different opinion.

Suuure Mr. Mackey. Of course you do.