Seriously? - Design Engineer IMI Critical Engineering Employee Review

I left this company a while ago. I'm not sure why, but for some reason, people in high levels of management at this company are still besmirching me. I recently had a friend tell an executive he knew someone who used to work at IMI, and this executive proceeded to tell my friend that I was incompetent. Why? I have no idea. But honestly, this isn't surprising behavior. Management at IMI is childish, vindictive and petty. And at least while I was there, they wouldn't promote from within. In order to get promoted, people would leave the company and then get hired back at a higher position.