Lippert Components said in a statement that it has filed a lawsuit in Elkhart County, Ind., against its former president, Scott Mereness. The company alleges that Mereness used LCI’s “confidential information to usurp a corporate opportunity.” The lawsuit says that Mereness, after actively pursuing an acquisition target on behalf of LCI as an LCI employee, “personally invested in the target company for his own benefit.”
Lippert announced on November 16 that Mereness planned to step down as president after 24 years with the company. Jason Lippert took on the title of president with his current CEO title. Mereness started with the company in 1994 as a welder and moved up through the ranks with different executive titles, including general manager, chief operating officer and president. He was one of the company’s first hires in Lippert’s Executive Leadership Training Program which was launched by Jason Lippert.
In the court filing, LCI said it is seeking to retroactively terminate Mereness for cause and recover related damages. “LCI has a longstanding reputation for, and commitment to, acting ethically and with integrity,” said the statement.
