KALAMAZOO (WKZO) -- The Wall Street Journal is reporting what had only been rumors at the time of former Stryker CEO Stephen MacMillan’s sudden and unexpected departure from the local firm.

It was a suspected affair with a flight attendant from the corporate jet that cost MacMillan his job.  The official company reason for his departure was that he was leaving for family reasons, which seemed strange given his wife had already filed for divorce.

According to the Journal article, the 48-year-old MacMillan had gone to top corporate officials and asked permission to date Jennifer Koch, a 41-year old divorcee.  They said yes but only if she quit her job.

The Journal claims she quit and they dated, but unproven suspicions they had begun the affair before her departure began to eat away at his credibility and eventually led to his resignation.