CHATSWORTH : Charity Event Is as Easy as Pie for Devon

Top executives of Devon Industries on Friday couldn’t escape being targets of their employees’ sweet revenge.

At $1 a throw, 276 employees of the Chatsworth medical supplies company lined up after lunch Friday to throw whipped creamed pies at the faces of Devon President Joseph R. Kletzel and a few of his vice presidents--all in the name of charity. The pie-throwing event was held to raise money for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides walk-a-thon to be held June 4 at CityWalk in Universal City.

“They stuck their heads through big plastic sheets but it didn’t help much,” said Jim Wunderlich, spokesman for the company. “The pies were just flying.”

The executives took turns at being targets. Mike Griffin, vice president of operations, spent the longest time as a target. He withstood the sticky onslaught for 20 minutes.

“The truth is most of these pies weren’t thrown,” Wunderlich said. “People walked right up to them and smashed it into their faces.”

Wunderlich said at times, a whole department would gang up on their boss and throw the pies all at once, “really slamming the victim.”

“But it was a good time for everyone,” he said with a laugh.