Obama Foundation — Attraction in Hyde Park Township

While this may not be the correct space to write a review of an individual at the Obama Foundation I do need to share an experience I had with an employee there as I think all should know before having to interact with them. I am the GM for a local South Side Chicago business who is owned by local South Side husband and wife team. Our business employees 35+ local South Side team members who the majority of are minorities and we have been around for over 10 years. What Eric Hub** (I will leave the rest of the last name out of this as I do not want to be as immature as she was with using my team members full name in a yelp and google review as it is just rude)….. did to one of our employees this past week is something I never thought I would see as an adult. She belittled, threatened to try to get them fired, swore at them, caused a scene with other clients, and was not the type of person I would expect to be a Director level at such a prominent Foundation, especially for someone whose role is to work with the local community. Erica showed up a couple minutes late to a set time frame and when our employee reminded her of the time frame she became upset, started to make accusations, and raised her voice. Our team member never refused service and only provided a reminder of the time frames. When Erica wouldn’t stop making accusations, raising her voice our team member asked her to not speak that way as it was not nice or professional. This is all on video, with audio of over 8 minutes of her being unprofessional, rude, yelling, and harassing. Our team member was shaken and concerned. When Erica left our business she was outside the entrance, cause it a scene to two other clients who were also being reminded of the time frames. No one was singled out, no one was refused service, and the other two clients understood the time frame policy. Our team member called our owners who advised him to contact the police as she was not leaving the front of the premise and was harassing other clients as they entered. I understand everyone can have a tough day, a flat tire, not have their morning coffee, or whatever may happen but what she did after is something I have not seen in over 25+ years in business experience. Erica contacted her friends and family to begin a campaign to discredit our local south side business. In the course of 3 days there were over 20+ reviews on yelp and google with fake reports of bad service and business and calling out our team member she dealt with. She used his full name, asked for him to be fired, and her friends and family made up fake reviews as part of her campaign. For being a small local business in this area for 10+ years and to see all that hard work try an be demolished because they didn’t like being reminded of a company policy time frame. For someone who is suppose to advocate, support, and be part of the local South Side community to do this is unthinkable. We all accept that sometimes we are not our best, that sometimes we get upset, that sometimes we don’t handle every interaction perfectly. I just can’t accept the treatment my team member had to go through and then to see the mass amount of fake reviews to try and tear down a local business is atrocious, immature, and something I...

I like what youre doing (mission) but I really wish you’d adjust these traffic lights for our week day traffic at the new location where the library will be. I am not sure what changed but it seems someone put the foot on the gas and everyone is running wild like they are behind. For example, a freight truck red delivering heavy equipment a red shovel was lane switching no blinker what so ever. Second example, one of your loader was moving a large cement barrier and wasnt looking left or right to see if traffic was good and when honked at proceeded to enter the street as traffic both ways was green already. Third, the synchronization of the lights around the library would keep traffic moving and prevent this bottle neck. I drive down here everyday I am graduate student at UCHICAGO at Harris earning an MPP and I need not tell you if an unfortunate accident were to happen during construction because of negligence by the workers say one of the parents dropping their kid off at the two schools across the street that border our university a early morning runner who is a student at the university or anyone the blame would be blamed on the foundation and the Obama Family themselves. That isn’t a good look not good for future development considering how long it took to break ground. Help us out by making sure your workers are working in a safe manner regardless of deadlines. Our most important asset/cargo/resource is our youth as y’all know. More valuable than any piece of heavy equipment higher priority than any deadline.

Not for nothing I have thirteen years of combined experience in energy distribution (electrician) and underground mining. Ive been responsible for entire projects as a superintendent, entire trades as a general foreman, and my own crew as a foreman as well as being the low man (apprentice greenhorn). Point of it is Ive built many things from Natural Gas, hospitals, to airports and mined high in Rockies to know what I witnessed today as reckless endangerment by the construction workers operating heavy equipment and the truck drivers delivering it. The resolution could be to synchronize and retime the lights around the library specifically at the intersections immediately surrounding the library as well as folks flagging and stopping traffic for heavy equipment movement through the middle of...

Obama Presidential Center, located in the hometown neighborhood of Mrs. Obama, Southside Chicago. The work here is by the Obama Foundation is to serve the community, nation, and all people with interest in making a better home for all. Click the website to donate or...