- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Coaching Changes
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: RIP - Jim Bernhard
Posted on 11/17/25 at 8:29 am to LSBoosie
Posted on 11/17/25 at 8:29 am to LSBoosie
"For some reason I just find it hard to believe that someone could run a legitimate business like this, but maybe I’m wrong."
Billions of dollars lets you decide what is or is not legitimate.
Billions of dollars lets you decide what is or is not legitimate.
This post was edited on 11/17/25 at 8:30 am
1
Posted on 11/17/25 at 8:44 am to Bigfishchoupique
quote:
Jim and his wife have been my customers for almost thirty years. Never anything but fine dealings. They have never been anything but friendly and polite. Fine people to me.
It’s only because they needed something from you. I guarantee they were looking down their nose at you.
I hope you charged them a premium and made a lot of money off of them.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 8:56 am to wallowinit
quote:
It’s only because they needed something from you. I guarantee they were looking down their nose at you.
Jim wasn’t looking down his nose at people. He had a big inferiority complex. When Jim was meeting with us, trying to buy our company, he was remarkably rude. I started involuntarily giggling at one point and he stopped the meeting and fussed at me for being “disrespectful”. Well, I had an even harder time containing myself after that.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 8:56 am to topdollarbill
This is how I feel.
“All men have an emotion to kill; when they strongly dislike someone they involuntarily wish he was dead. I have never killed any one, but I have read some obituary notices with great satisfaction.” - Clarence Darrow, The Story of My Life
“All men have an emotion to kill; when they strongly dislike someone they involuntarily wish he was dead. I have never killed any one, but I have read some obituary notices with great satisfaction.” - Clarence Darrow, The Story of My Life
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:01 am to Penrod
quote:
Jim wasn’t looking down his nose at people. He had a big inferiority complex
Both are usually the case and the behavior results from compensating for it.
It in no way excuses that behavior.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:03 am to topdollarbill
I worked at one of his fabrication shops a year after Katrina and i stayed there after the sell to CB&I. Shaw had lawsuits coming that CB&I didn`t know about for shady business practices and bankrupted CB&I. They never paid their bills on time. I would meet people out tailgating and people ask where you work and what not and as soon as I said Shaw, " oh, y`all owe my company this or that amount" kind of embarrassing when Shaw was so well known back then.
The old guys would tell us stories from the original shop (NATIONAL) in downtown BR before it became Shaw. Some included him just taking people`s umbrellas so he didn't get wet and firing people for random things. The elevator stories may not all be true, but i know some were definitely legit. There were many times we heard about them at the shop and confirmed from corporate employees. Mello Joy was also his thing at the fab shop, but that was only for the engineers and front office workers not shop hands.So i know he didn`t want community in his businesses.
He held a huge party for Hillary at his home when she was running for President. $50,000 a ticket.
He did come to the shop after he made the deal with CB&I around Christmas time and we had name drawings where he gave some people TV`s and hunting trips and pair of SB tickets (Ravens vs 49ers). I did not get my name pulled so i didn`t win shite lol. I think he could`ve splurged and gave everybody something with that Billion dollar deal, but hey it was his money and that`s life.
So i guess some people have great stories about him and others terrible stories. I met him before and he did nothing wrong to me and his business helped me get ahead in life, so for that I`m thankful.
The old guys would tell us stories from the original shop (NATIONAL) in downtown BR before it became Shaw. Some included him just taking people`s umbrellas so he didn't get wet and firing people for random things. The elevator stories may not all be true, but i know some were definitely legit. There were many times we heard about them at the shop and confirmed from corporate employees. Mello Joy was also his thing at the fab shop, but that was only for the engineers and front office workers not shop hands.So i know he didn`t want community in his businesses.
He held a huge party for Hillary at his home when she was running for President. $50,000 a ticket.
He did come to the shop after he made the deal with CB&I around Christmas time and we had name drawings where he gave some people TV`s and hunting trips and pair of SB tickets (Ravens vs 49ers). I did not get my name pulled so i didn`t win shite lol. I think he could`ve splurged and gave everybody something with that Billion dollar deal, but hey it was his money and that`s life.
So i guess some people have great stories about him and others terrible stories. I met him before and he did nothing wrong to me and his business helped me get ahead in life, so for that I`m thankful.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:08 am to dovehunter
quote:
Had one meeting with the man. I felt sorry for his employees in the room. When he walked into the room it was like all the oxygen got sucked out. He looked at himself in the mirror and i told my partner when we left that we’d never do business with that arrogant prick. His poor employees. No reason to treat people like he treated those guys. I have no idea about the elevator story but i can believe it. I know a person could suffocate in one with him.
Sounds like he died a painful death with his illness. I’m sure he would have given all his money away to be healthy again when he was laying in the hospital bed. Billionaires are used to having all the advantages in the world but yet they still all die just like the rest of us and that’s so hard for them to accept. Puts life into perspective that you should not treat people the way he did.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:14 am to bdavids09
quote:
Sounds like he died a painful death with his illness
Do you have some details that you can share?
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:15 am to bdavids09
What did he die from?
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:19 am to doublecutter
Word on the street is Tetanus. Possibly contracted from his equestrian center and just not caught early enough before the infection got to his brain. Strange...
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:21 am to mthorn2
quote:
Word on the street is Tetanus. Possibly contracted from his equestrian center and just not caught early enough before the infection got to his brain.
Jeez, not only was this guy a grade A a-hole, he was also a horse fricker as well?
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:21 am to doublecutter
quote:
What did he die from?
Some brain issue that was diagnosed only about a month ago. I heard that from someone who should know.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:29 am to mmmmmbeeer
quote:
As Bill Burr says, 99% of CEOs are absolute fricking psychopaths. You don’t get in those positions by having empathy, compassion, or good will toward Man.
This is baloney, and Jim Bernhard wasn’t a CEO. He probably was at some time, but in his highest professional role he was an investor/Capital Member Manager who had CEOs reporting to him through his key employees.
I’ve known too many CEOs who are damn good people, including at least two who post on this board.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:32 am to wallowinit
quote:
Do you have some details that you can share?
The wbrz article said he died of a brief illness. Not sure what he had
This post was edited on 11/17/25 at 9:39 am
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:34 am to Lombardi44
quote:
Billions of dollars lets you decide what is or is not legitimate.
I get that, I’m just saying that I’m surprised that he was able to get people to work for him if he’s firing a person a week for doing things like wearing white after Labor Day. And all of that long before he had billions of dollars.
This post was edited on 11/17/25 at 9:35 am
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:34 am to mthorn2
quote:
Word on the street is Tetanus.
Wow.
Saw him about a month ago at a function in NO. Looked fine.
Jim was....mercurial. I cant imagine working for him.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:38 am to Penrod
quote:
When Jim was meeting with us, trying to buy our company, he was remarkably rude. I started involuntarily giggling at one point and he stopped the meeting and fussed at me for being “disrespectful”. Well, I had an even harder time containing myself after that.
That’s the most efficient way to set off guys like that.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 12:14 pm to fightin tigers
quote:
fightin tigers
If one needs a white knight for their legacy, it's likely not the best legacy
Posted on 11/17/25 at 1:40 pm to LSBoosie
quote:
I’m just saying that I’m surprised that he was able to get people to work for him
If Jim was anything, he was a world class salesman. That’s about the only positive thing I have to say about him.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 1:51 pm to mthorn2
quote:
Word on the street is Tetanus.
Slight but related thread jack....
I get an annual physical, and my doctor has never suggested I get a Tetanus shot yet the google machine says to get one every 10 years.
Do you guys get a Tetanus shot every 10 years?
Page 7 of 8
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News