New Day Comes Back Stronger From Scandal

The former CEO of New Day Products, a Pocatello non-profit that employs and serves disabled adults, has been charged with 35 counts of grand theft by embezzlement. Nancy John is accused of stealing more than $100,000 from the business and was served a felony summons after the year and a half investigation finished.

CEO and Executive Director Terry Fredrickson said he simply cannot imagine what it would take to steal from the people he is proud to work with.

“In all honesty, I get sick thinking about anybody who would allegedly steal from this company. I mean you’re literally taking from the downtrodden, from people who don’t have anything already,” he said.

Fredrickson stepped in to the position just months after John was let go. Since then, the work of the investigation has hung over his head, and everyone else’s, he said.

Jolene Barnett-Stephens, president of New Day’s board of directors, said the year and a half long process was exhausting, and losing a huge sum of money was not easy, but she was confident they would pull through.

“I guess survival is the biggest thing. We made it. We were able to stick together and survive, so that’s the best part,” she said.

Because New Day had lost a substantial amount of money, it had to get more creative with its business model and money. That actually helped New Day open its car detailing shop. Some of the investors who stepped away from New Day because of the scandal are now coming back, Fredrickson said.

“It’s actually kind of opened some doors that maybe had never opened if this had never happened. Trying to make good out of a bad situation. Trying to look at a positive in a very dark situation,” he said.

John faces a $100,000 fine and up to 14 years in prison for each of the felony counts against her.