Nine years ago, Bryan Bedford decided to bring God to work with him."We've been building a business together ever since," said Bedford, chief executive of Republic Airways, which recently acquired Frontier Airlines.
Bedford has infused his Christian faith into Republic's vision statement and believes it has made the company stronger.
Republic employees may be used to Bedford's tack, but as new members of the Republic family, a number of Frontier workers find it jarring — as do some outsiders.
"It worries me that the environment created by the boss feels like: If you're not with Jesus, you're not on board with Republic," said Buie Seawell, an ethics and legal-studies professor at the University of Denver and a Presbyterian minister.
Bedford says he doesn't try to convert anyone or require faith as an employment litmus test.
But he also says he isn't shy about sharing his religious faith along with his faith in Republic's business plan in company newsletters — signing them: "I pray for God's continued blessings on our families and our airline."
"This tells you where I come from, what makes me tick, and this is what I believe and what the company value system is," Bedford said.
Republic's vision statement says, in part, "every employee, regardless of personal beliefs or world view, has been created in the image and likeness of God."
Some might reel at the mention, but others say it doesn't cross the line.
As the statement doesn't mention Christianity, "there is no reason why that couldn't have been written by someone who is Jewish," said Mark Silverstein, legal director of the Denver office of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Silverstein said Bedford has a right to express his values to company employees as long as he complies with statutes protecting religious freedom.
A devout Catholic, Bedford said he decided nine years ago to avoid compartmentalizing his life by being one person at work, another at home and another on Sundays.
"I needed to be a whole person in all facets of my life each day," he said.
There is a big trend globally to build businesses on religious foundations of integrity, character and trust, said Steve Stanley, chief executive of Christian Business Leaders.
The Texas-based organization helps develop "spiritual business statesmen out of business leaders," Stanley said, "where their public and private conduct is guided by the same principles and values."
DU's Seawell said he's uncomfortable with mixing business and religion, that principles such as respecting co-workers are "universal values."
"God would be pleased if we did that without doing it in his name," Seawell said.
Bedford said in a recent newsletter that he was sure the vision statement reference to God was getting a "fair amount of debate."
"Gasp . . . He talks about God in public and to his employees," mused Bedford, 48.
Some Frontier workers who want to remain anonymous out of concern for their jobs said they have been stunned by Bedford's writings. "Very bizarre!!" one wrote to The Denver Post.
There have been a few complaints, Bedford said, but he also has heard from 300 Frontier employees whom he described as grateful for his words.
Bedford doesn't limit himself to religious views. He also writes on issues that don't directly affect the airline.
Several years ago, Bedford created what he calls a "community dialog" in Republic's home base of Indianapolis when he wrote about abortion.
"This is more than words on a sheet of paper," Bedford said. "God is an important contributor to our business, and there is more going on here than flying airplanes."
On Internet pilot forums, where Bedford is referred to as "Rev. BB," some pilots question how Bedford's "cutthroat" business practices jibe with his expressions of religious faith.
Bedford shrugged off the comments.
"Business is competitive," he said. "I think Scripture quoters — and I'm not — would refer to parables about using your talents, that we each have gifts and are called on to use these gifts to our fullest potential."
