Buy Photo John Schnatter, founder of Papa John's Pizza (Photo: The Courier Journal file photo)Buy Photo 
 
 Attention Papa John's employees: Papa says he still loves you. 
 
 Escalating his battle with the company he founded, ousted Papa John’s chairman John Schnatter tells "fellow team members" in a full-page ad in Wednesday's Courier Journal that he misses them “more than words can express” and that “we will all get through this together.” 
 
 In the ad, which was placed by the firm handling Schnatter’s public relations, the founder of the world's third-largest pizza company says current managers “will not let me talk to you and this has been very difficult.” 
 
 The open letter to employees doesn’t specify whether Schnatter wants to return as chairman, but he tells them “you are the heart and soul of this company” and “in every minute of every day you are all in my thoughts and prayers.” 
 
 More coverage 
 
 ► John Schnatter on sales drop: Papa John's 'performs better with me' 
 
 ► The rise and fall of John Schnatter: His mouth was his own worst enemy 
 
 ► 'Papa John' Schnatter: Black people know 'I’m not a racist' 
 
 ►U of L is pulling Papa John's off Cardinal Stadium after N-word scandal 
 
 The ad also directs readers to a new website www.savepapajohns.com, on which he says: "The board wants to silence me. So this is my website, and my way to talk to you." 
 
 The site includes a letter from one of Schnatter's lawyers challenging the company's right to lock him out of the company's headquarters and another complaining that it has stopped subsidizing security at his Anchorage mansion. 
 
 In a statement, the company said: “Stakeholders, including customers, franchisees, employees, and investors, have expressed strong support for the actions we have taken to separate our brand from Mr. Schnatter. No matter what John does, he will not be able to distract from the inappropriate comments he made.” 
 
 Papa John's has about 1,200 employees in Louisville, including 650 in its corporate headquarters. Including workers at its franchises, it has about 120,000 employees worldwide. 
 
 Schnatter vowed earlier this month that he is “not going away and will continue to fight to do what’s best for the company and its employees, franchisees, shareholders and customers.” 
 
 He resigned from the board on July 11 after Forbes disclosed that he had used the N-word in a media training session in May, but he later said quitting was a mistake. He has sued the company seeking documents that detail what he calls the “heavy-handed” way the company has treated him. 
 
 The ad ramps up the conflict between Schnatter, who owns nearly 30 percent of the company and remains on its board, and the company’s management, including CEO Steve Ritchie, Schnatter's handpicked successor. Schnatter has since criticized Ritchie's performance and demanded his firing. 
 
 More coverage 
 
 ► 'Papa' John Schnatter says he was justified in actions against CEOs 
 
 ► Schnatter says he shouldn't have resigned from Papa John's 
 
 ► John Schnatter resigns from University of Louisville board of trustees 
 
 ► Papa John’s embattled CEO Steve Ritchie braces for fight: 'Pizza is my life' 
 
 An analyst who follows the pizza industry said the “ongoing drama” between Schnatter and management was “destroying shareholder value,'' while another said "a complete separation" of Schnatter from the business "is the right thing to do," though the founder is "digging in his heels." 
 
 Forbes reported Saturday that pictures of Schnatter have disappeared from corporate offices, including an image of his face painted on a ceiling. During an employee town hall on Aug. 14, Ritchie told employees that Schnatter requested the items be removed, Forbes reported. 
 
 Schnatter's missive to his former employees disputes that. 
 
 “This is not the case at all,” the ad says. “As you all know, Papa John’s is our life’s work and we will all get through this together, somehow, some way.” 
 
 The open letter closes with “Your Founder" and Schnatter’s first name. 
 
 Terry Fahn, a Schnatter spokesman who works for Sitrick and Company, the Los Angeles-based firm retained by Schnatter, would not comment on the ad. Nor would Fahn say what Schnatter hopes to accomplish with it. 
 
 The ad does not address Schnatter's remarks during a training session. He has said he didn't use the N-word as a slur and that his remarks were taken out of context. 
 
 More coverage 
 
 ► Papa John's can't remove John Schnatter from board right away 
 
 ► Papa John's estimates $30 million to $50 million cost this year from crisis 
 
 ► Vowing to fight Papa John's, Schnatter hires Harvey Weinstein's lawyer 
 
 ► After racial slur revealed, fall comes swiftly for Papa John Schnatter 
 
 Even before Schnatter stepped down as chairman, he was in a pitched battle with management over the company’s direction and his role as brand spokesman. 
 
 Ritchie, who was elevated to CEO on Jan. 1, blamed Schnatter for causing sales to plummet last November when Schnatter blamed sagging sales on the NFL’s handling of player protests during the national anthem. 
 
 Ritchie told analysts earlier this month that Schnatter’s comments were “inexcusable and irresponsible” and repairing the damaged brand could cost as much as $50 million. 
 
 The president of the Papa John's Franchise Association, Vaughn Frey, also said it's time for Schnatter to move on. 
 
 But Schnatter counters, saying that Papa John’s earnings began to fall before the NFL controversy — when Ritchie was in charge of the company’s day-to-day operations. 
 
 Papa John's stock (Nasdaq: PZZA) closed at $42.92 per share Tuesday, down from a high of $80.80 exactly a year ago. 
 
 Andrew Wolfson: 502-582-7189; awolfson@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @adwolfson. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/andreww 
 
 Support our journalism Become a Courier Journal subscriber today to support stories like this one. Get unlimited digital access here! 
 
 Read or Share this story: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2018/08/21/john-schnatter-publishes-open-letter-papa-johns-employees/1053597002/ 

 As I said in a recent letter, I miss you all very much. More than words can express! Papa John’s is our life’s work and we will all get through this together somehow, some way. I can only imagine how difficult this entire situation is on you, and I’m very sorry you all have to go through this. Know that in every minute of every day you are all in my thoughts and prayers. 
 
 Included in this website are links to recent press releases, news articles, and public filings – we are getting the truth out there. 

 The Papa John's Pizza saga has reached new heights. 
 
 John Schnatter, the chain's founder, has created a website stating, "We are getting the truth out there," and is running a full-page ad in the Louisville Courier Journal on Wednesday telling employees how much he misses them. 
 
 The Save Papa John's website includes legal documents relating to Schnatter's feud with the board of the pizza chain, which has removed his "Founders Agreement" from its site, has taken him off marketing material and stopped him from using corporate headquarters. 
 
 The Papa John's board acted after Schnatter appeared on Louisville television claiming that PR agency Laundry Service tried to extort $6 million from the pizza chain. Schnatter filed a lawsuit against the board on July 26, accusing it of negligence. 
 
 Under the headline "I am Papa John," Schnatter states on his website that he loves the company and its employees. "I built Papa John's from the ground up and remain its largest shareholder… The board wants to silence me. So this is my website, and my way to talk to you."
– Who gets the kids in the divorce? John Schnatter is hoping it's him. The former Papa John's chairman, ousted in the wake of his use of the n-word while on a conference call, has published a full-page ad—or "love letter," as the Louisville Courier Journal calls it—in Wednesday's edition of the paper. The letter, which is addressed to "fellow Papa John's team members," begins with Schnatter saying he misses them all "more than words can express," that the board is barring him from talking to them, and that he knows how difficult a situation they are in. "Please know that in every minute of every day you are in my thoughts and prayers." More: He clarifies that he doesn't want his face and name pulled from company materials, ending the letter with a URL: www.savepapajohns.com. The site, which rounds up legal documents and news coverage, proclaims, "The Board wants to silence me. So this is my website, and my way to talk to you." Nowhere does he explicitly say if he wants to become chairman again. The homepage's main image simply declares "I am Papa John." CNBC reports he has pushed to be named CEO once more.