A Failed Merger Becomes A Blessing for Stuyvesant

"There are real dangers in verbal agreements," he warns emphatically. "Every word must be written into the contract. If you're going to merge, it's absolutely imperative to know the people and company with which you're merging. Find out all you can about that business—its ethics and policies. Ask the employees, customers and other businesses how they feel about that company. Do your homework. A merger is a marriage, and a split-up can be as nasty as any divorce."