nothin Gant CEO: I’m Sorry | New Haven Independent

Gant CEO: I’m Sorry

The global chief of the Gant shirt company wants New Haven to know he really does think it’s a nice city, despite an unfortunate” joke he made in a newspaper interview.

The CEO, Dirk-Jan Stoppelenburg of Gant Global, issued an apology for the joke in a letter Friday afternoon to the New Haven Independent.

He was responding to a story published earlier in the day that detailed local outrage over the remark he made in an interview last week with the Times of India. The remark, as reported in this story: ““Only two things ever came out of New Haven — Yale University and GANT, in that order (laughs).”

Click here and on the play arrow at left to see how that joke went over in New Haven.

Following is the full text of Stoppelenburg’s apology letter:

New Haven is a great city with a rich and longstanding history that extends far beyond Yale and our company heritage. I am deeply sorry that my recent comment to the India Times suggested otherwise. It was an unthinking comment, said in good humor, which in hindsight disparaged the people of New Haven and the local legacy that we hold dear. I am deeply sorry.

GANT is proud of our long-standing relationship with the city of New Haven and our close association with the university. Certainly, GANT would not be here today without the support of the city’s hard-working and dedicated community. The GANT brand is what it is today because of hte people that have worked for our company throughout the years. From what started as a small family run shirt maker, to the global lifestyle brand that it has become today, GANT continues to bear the fruits of the hard work of so many who came before us.

GANT has changed ownership a number of times through the years, and as its latest custodian, we were proud to return to New Haven in 2010 with a new shop. It was a small step but we stand behind our decision to return to our birth city, and are committed to once again becoming an important part of the fabric of New Haven.

Please accept my sincerest apology.”

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