Apollo Design CEO Pens Apology After Facebook Posts Cause Boycott

The CEO of Apollo Design, Joel Nichols, has removed his Facebook page and issued an apology from the company's official account after his politically motivated posts spurred a boycott by lighting designers, electricians and others.

Designer Jake DeGroot posted a summary of Nichols' posts, calling them "vile, hateful, pro-Trump, anti-woman, anti-LGBT, anti-PoC, anti-Union opinions and links."

After closing his Facebook account, Nichols wrote several updates apologizing to the company's dealers and customers from the Apollo Design page, including:

Nichols added in his most recent post, "I just want that to be in the past and to begin anew," and that he wants his "online presence and in person presence to reflect a positive, thoughtful, caring person."

DeGroot told Live Design that he is "pleased to see this morning that Joel came forward with responses in the form of open letters to his employees and his dealers/customers. It is very clear that his mindset about this topic has changed dramatically since he commented on my Facebook post Friday night (a comment he since deleted). It is also clear that the new attention being paid to his politics was deeply unsettling to Joel." The designer also said he hopes Nichols will "back up his apologies with action."

"If it sometimes takes a proverbial 2x4 to the back of the head to make someone realize that all humans deserve respect and love," DeGroot continued, "then I am more than happy to be the one wielding that 2x4."

Editor's Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified Joel Nichols as the CEO of the Apollo Theater in New York City. Nichols is the CEO of the lighting design company Apollo Design. BroadwayWorld regrets the error.