Let me tell you a couple of three things: forget the excuses, forget the value Lyons managed to erase, and forget the corporate incompetence that put Fiserv in this position.
Takis took that stock—weak, embarrassed, wandering around like it had no leadership—and brought it all the way back to where it was before Lyons left. Frankly, it’s an honor to be surrounded by shareholders who still believe in execution, discipline, and making money—and not incompetent executives like Lyons, who should’ve stayed in whatever management-development program he crawled out of.
The future? I’m optimistic. Takis has restored respect, restored confidence, and most importantly, restored the stock price.
As far as Lyons is concerned, my estimation of him as an executive just plummeted.