I am a 33 year resident and minority business owner of Kensington California and candidate for the KPPCSD Board. Recently after raising a question of endorsement and then subsequent un- endorsement without explanation, Cathie Kosel has challenged the authenticity of my professional credentials. I question why I am the only candidate being asked to respond in this manner. The query begins by talking about vagaries. For the sake of setting the record straight and to provide both clarification and additional substantiation of my credentials I have agreed to address the allegations here on my candidate website:
Question # 1. What college(s) did you attend and what credentials did you receive: Wayne State University has no record of graduation.
Response: Note the comment does not state that Wayne State University states or claims it has no record of graduation. Had this information been provided by WSU where I attended undergraduate studies in the School of management and Business administration from 1967 -1972 it would have verified my dates of enrollment. In 1972 as a senior and with permission of my faculty advisor I was allowed to take a postgraduatelevel course curriculum while waiting for two prerequisite undergraduate courses to be offered that I needed to take to complete my degree requirements. In June of 1972 I was also offered an employment opportunity with AT&T in their accelerated management development program, which I accepted. I participated in continuing education for the next 30 years, which provided me with credits exceeding those required for graduation but have never taken the time to have the credits applied. I am currently in discussion with WSU to have this oversight corrected. A side note is that I retired from AT&T in 2008 after serving in the positions of Director Sales and Marketing Planning, Executive Director Sales Bay Area, Executive Director Telemarketing Services and Customer Education, and Director Regulatory and Public Policy.
Question # 2. Post Graduate attendance Northwestern University participation being questioned.
Response: I attended the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Where I completed The Executive Sales and Marketing Certification program, Evanston Campus in 1988. This course was designed for corporate executives in charge of large marketing operations and who had completed or met the equivalency of BA / BS in Business Administration / Sales & Marketing.I also earned university degree credits for successful completion of the AT&T School of Advanced Finance, Securities and Financial Services, Sandy Linver School of Executive Communications, AT&T Masters School of Sales and Marketing. I am certified in Leadership Development and Total Quality Management.
Question # 3. * 33 - year Kensington resident?
Response: Moved to Kensington in 1976 and lived at 149 Purdue. Purchased our current home 1978 on The Arlington from Cathie Kosel’s Uncle (George Brassfield)
Question # 4 . Corporate Director what did you direct?
Response: Joined AT&T (Michigan Bell in 1972) as Sales Manager, Transferred to AT&T (Pacific Bell in 1976) Sales Manager, Promoted to Director Strategic Marketing Planning 1983, Promoted to General Manager Marketing Sales 1987 (200 employees, S10 M budget $160M Revenue Base), 1988 Promoted to Executive Director Telemarketing Services and Customer education 310 employees $119 M Budget $600 Million revenue contribution base. Early Retirement August 1990. President of I.D.M.G Inc. 1991-1996 (Consulting practice). Recalled to AT&T 1996 to 2008 retired as Director Regulatory & Public Policy AT&T Network Operations responsible for revenue asset protection and development of $1.2 B.
Question 5: * Senior Partner - Management Consulting Co. A google search of "Management Consulting Co." renders no results for a firm by that name.What is the name of the firm where you were senior partner? Can you please give details on where this company is located, and what years you worked there? What was your particular position?
Response: Google as far as I am aware is not the validation and certification source of business operations. My company name is The Business Axiom Management Company. It is a legally filed business consulting practice with two years of current taxes paid since 2008 when the venture was formed at the time of my retirement from AT&T. My Partner is Carol Lloyd who also owns and operates a small management and bookkeeping business. This is also a legally filed California tax paying business. My current client list understandably is confidential given the nature of this communication. However it includes a healthcare clinic and rehabilitation business in Sacramento County, a Non-Profit Corporation in Oakland, Ca. and a small entrepreneurial start-up locally. It is important to keep in mind that I am semi-retired and this is the reason I am even considering being a KPPCSD candidate. My company is headquartered out of my residence as are over 100 small non-mobile businesses in Kensington (see Kensington Business Professional Association Guide). Prior to The Business Axiom Management Company I owned and operated I.D.M.G. Inc. a California corporation with clients such as Pacific Bell, Bell Atlantic, Voice and Data Networks, Airpower Inc., Early Cloud Inc. and ESI Inc. To name a few. Iam also currently on the Board of Directors of three Bay Area Non-Profit Corporations, one for profit corporation and executive advisor to one additional Local California Corp.
Question 6: Current - Arlington Church Senior Moderator Arlington Church has two co moderators but no senior moderator.
Response: Arlington Church implemented the co-moderator position in 2003. The term of office is two years. Since the implementation of this policy there has been an incoming moderator (“junior”), and the incumbent Moderator who is in their second year becomes the senior moderator. The senior moderator has overall authority for lay leadership of the church council and congregation. I began my year as senior Moderator in January 2010. Ms Kosel is neither a member of the church or attendee (see church membership directory) and mistaken in her claims.
Question # 7: . Past President -Kensington Business Owners Association What is the Kensington Business Owners Association? Past president when? How many members?
Response: I became President of the Kensington Business Owners Association in 1991 by membership vote. I took over the leadership from Beth Tenbrink (Kensington Travel) and Ali (the last owner of the former Narsai’s restaurant operation). During my tenure we published the first KBOA guide of business owners that wanted to be listed. I believe Dr. Russ Cotteral took over after my tenure was complete.
To those reading this information first let me say that it has never been my intention in any way to be deceptive about my credentials and experience. I strongly believe that I have long ago more than fulfilled the requirements for my undergraduate degree. In retrospect I could have just shown five years undergraduate study. Also I believe if one considers the balance of my responses to this inquiry, there can be no question that the motivation for these questions was to try to discredit me personally and professionally.
In conclusion, this inquiry is not about what qualifications I have it’s about someone’s personal prejudice. Out of all of the accusations there is to the best of my knowledge only one area where there is any potential for substantiated vagaries which has to do with graduation from WSU. I have addressed this to the best of my ability. For those that want to make the response criteria to be akin to an employment application, it might be worth considering that most employment applications request certification or demonstration of comparable experience. Thirty plus years in successful business practice must surely count for some comparable experience.
However, having said that, if after reading this explanation you feel that it would cause you not to vote for me then indeed you must vote your beliefs. It would, however, be a mistake to not consider Linda Lipscomb and Paul Dorroh as they have only been made aware of the information in this response as of late on October 31, 2010. They very much deserve your vote and they will represent you strongly and favorably in the community.
My focus if elected is unchanged: Board financial best practices, efficient and quality oriented public safety programs, improvement in parks and recreation facilities and management, traffic issues resolution, solid waste issue resolution, and community emergency preparedness.
|
