In addressing the PROBLEM of HBCUs in need of MONEY and the fact that they often REJECT or work against their OWN STUDENTS and alumni; WHO ARE A GREAT AND DEDICATED RESOURCE; I present ANOTHER CASE. This PROGRAM was designed to generate some $250,000 plus dollars PER HOMECOMING to A&T when I originally proposed it in 1987 to THEN CHANCELLOR ED FORT. And though his STAFF/ADMINISTRATORS PUSHED me to get it COMPLETED and ready by HOMECOMING (I had presented in 2 weeks prior); once the Greensboro News & Record and the Carolina PEACEMAKER and WEAL, got FIRMLY BEHIND THE PROJECT; A&T and DR. FORT, THREATEN THE RADIO STATION and ME with a LAW SUIT for using the term AGGIE without HIS PERMISSION. Obviously, I lost my ass on that proposal AND I CONTENT that A&T lost much more. FAST FORWARD a decade and a half AND THE THEN NEW CHANCELLOR, James Renick. Different man, different approach, SAME BASIC RESULTS. This situation is NOT CONFINED EXCLUSIVELY TO ME (I just KNOW MY CASE/EXAMPLE; THUS I PRESENT IT). But ASK SPIKE LEE about his EARLY ATTEMPTS TO WORK WITH MOREHOUSE COLLEGE in Atlanta to produce his first film and several other BLACK movie producers who were alum of HBCUs. BUT, here is a detailed account of MY EXPERIENCES...MINUS 1986-87, THE FORT ERA. SYNOPHSIS OR CASE STUDY OF HOW BLACK SCHOOLS WORK AGAINST BLACK BUSINESSES. November 11, 1999 Having read an article in the September 15, 1999 edition of the Greensboro News & Record in which North Carolina A&T State Universities new Chancellor, James Renick, expressed a desire and priority to see the University raise significant sums of money; I decided to see if he was open minded enough to work with several fund-raising/revenue generating concepts I had. One such suggestion was a concept Id developed over 14 years ago and had devastated by the Ed Fort Administration. Thus, I waited for all the hoopla surrounding Dr. Renicks taking office to die down before I approached him. On November 11, 1999 I took the initiate to contact him by e-mail and congratulate him on assuming office and ask if I might have an opportunity to meet with him. I was surprised to receive a response back along with an invitation to make arrangements through his secretary (at the time Ms. Carolyn Caldwell) the same day. Thus on November 12, 1999, I e-mailed him back thanking him for his promptness and called Ms. Caldwell to set up a meeting date. She gave me December 3, 1999 at 8:30 or 9:00 am. December 3, 1999 I met with Chancellor Renick and thought the meeting went quite well. Id expected and was prepared to meet with him for about 20 minutes--but instead we engaged in a number of different topics and ended up meeting for over an hour. During our discussions, we talked about the lack of a comprehensive history of A&T being on record--either written or given the technological advances--I proposed that a video history would be better received by todays generation of students, alumni and people in general. I told him that if he was interested I could produce both a prototype example and a proposal to that affect. He expressed an interest and after talking about several other projects--including community wide projects--we ended our meeting. January, 2000 By January, I had talked to several A&T alumni members and supporters who thought the concept of producing an Aggie History Video was an excellent idea. Several AGGIES lent money so that I could rent and lease the professional quality BETA/SP equipment I needed to produce broadcast quality video. Thus, by Mid-January Id produced a sample of the video and a CD version. On Friday, January 21, 1999 Id brought the sample CD along with my notebook computer to the A&T cafeteria and showed it to several alumni members during lunch. Chancellor Renick and Mr. David Hoard came in and I had a brief opportunity to show a little of it to them. Chancellor Renick then introduced me to Mr. Hoard and asked that I might set up a meeting with him to discuss this project and several others Mr. Hoard had. As we were leaving the cafeteria, Mr. Hoard asked me if I might have some time right then to meet in his office and show him more of the CD and discuss other projects. We met in Mr. Hoards office and he reviewed and liked the Aggie History CD; but told me that he had an immediate need for an Aggie Football Highlight video to use as a fund raiser in taking advantage or capitalizing on A&Ts first outright MEAC championship football season. I told him I could produce such a video and as a matter of fact over the past 10 years Id video taped and acummulated quite a bit of A&T football footage. Mr. Hoard told me he was only interested in the 1999 season and a rather short highlight video. I told him I would produce a sample and get back with him. On January 23, 2000 (see e-mail copy), I sent Mr. Hoard an e-mail as a follow-up to our meeting and to ask clarification concerning several of the details he wanted to include in the video tape so that I could present him with a formal proposal and cost/pricing structure. Later that week, he gave me the additional information over the phone. February 1, 2000 I e-mailed Chancellor Renick and told him of my meeting with David Hoard and several other concerns I had concerning student safety on campus. He sent me an e-mail response on February 6, 2000 and asked me to meet with David Hoard with regards to development/fund raising projects (see e-mail letters for both Feb.1 and Feb. 6, 2000). In Mid-February, an A&T Alumnus and former employee, James I. White and myself were invited to David Hoards office to discuss the Aggie Football highlight video and to show the initial prototype or sample. Mr. White borrowed a TV/VCR combination from the Chancellors office and we set up in the Development offices conference room. Mr. Hoard offered that he loved the video (six minutes in duration at the time); and offered several suggestions as to what he would like to see in the final product. He wanted me to call Paul Pope at WRAL -TV (channel 5) in Raleigh to see if he would allow me to obtain Aggie-Eagle Classic football highlights from 1999. Additionally, he wanted a current or recent interview with Coach Bill Hayes to be included in the final production. He told me to tell Paul Pope that I was working with him and had asked me to call him in an attempt to obtain the Aggie-Eagle Classic Highlight footage. Then he asked me for the full proposal and cost. I told him that now that I had a more complete picture of what he wanted--I would get him a full proposal package within the next couple of weeks and that I was in the process of forming a company to handle the production of projects such as this. I told him that therefore, he would be dealing with our company and not me individually. The next week I presented Mr. Hoard with a proposal for the project including an outline of the cost and an itemized breakdown of what work or task would be required. I presented him an initial total cost of between $21-22,000.00. Though I asked him to compare such broadcast quality production cost with video production houses in the area; he appeared somewhat upset; but stated he wanted the project to continue through completion and offered $5,000.00 (to be picked up later during the week) as an initial payment and another $5,000.00 within the next month. I told him that I was ALSO WILLING TO SIGN OVER ALL COPYRIGHTS to A&T so that they might CONTINUE TO PROFIT from the song/production. Then, he told me he had NO INTEREST in the CD but WANTED ONLY the VHS version (talk about NO VISION...CDs and DVDs were just around the corner...but I could NOT convince him of this.) I told him I would agree to the drastically reduced lesser amount, IF A&T would agree to give The F.M. GROUP all rights concerning the CD version of the video and would help to promote the CD. He agreed. But, after the initial payment, he informed me that we had a problem. Mainly, he stated that Dr. Alphonso Scandrett, Jr., A&T s Athletic Director had entered into a deal or agreement with WFMY-TV 2 to produce a 1999 A&T documentary type video of the championship football year. He said we (he and I) needed to meet with Scandrett. I told him that was fine and for him to set up the meeting and I would travel from Durham to meet with them whenever. After a few weeks passed in which no meeting was arranged; Mr. Hoard suggested that I take it upon myself to meet with Dr. Scandrett. In the intermim I met with Ms. Georgia Farrar. She offered some financial backing for the project and we formed The F.M. GROUP, Inc. and initiated the original paperwork for the company. On several occasions during this time, while eating in A&T cafeteria I talked with Dr. Alfonso Scandrett, Jr.. Since it appeared Scandrett and Hoard were at a stalemate and wed invested much time, resources and money towards the production of this project; during one of our cafeteria conversations, I asked for and received a meeting with Scandrett. Dr. Scandrett was equally as impressed with our production and kept asking what kind of agreement or deal did I have with David Hoard. Scandrett stated he wished he had seen our production before he reached an agreement with WFMY (?). I explained to him, as I had to Mr. Hoard, that the two videos were not in conflict but rather very supportive of each other. The more detailed documentary type might appeal to the older alumni and supporters who might want a blow by blow account of the 1999 season. While the AggieBad 2000 Championship Football Highlights would appeal to the younger alumni and present students and in fact the AggieBad background theme song had been song by some 1986 Aggie cheerleaders and a choir member. I continued to meet with A&T officials (David Hoards office, Dr. Scandrett and his Assistant Athletic Director and Auxilarily Services/Bookstore,etc. Given the fact that I was meeting once or twice a month with top A&T personnel and receiving active input and feedback and encouragement from them--I moved to ensure that not only would the project be completed in a timely manner--but that we (The F.M. GROUP) would be able to produce and supply the quantities which were needed also. The F.M. GROUP marketing strategy was geared towards two events--The Annual Aggie/Eagle Football Classic and Homecoming 2000. Given our ongoing communication and encouragement from A&T personnel--The F.M. GROUP targeted a minimum of 10,000 AggieBad 2000 CDs for both events (minimum of 20,000) total. Accordingly many of my friends and relatives were encouraged to--and did--invest as a means of raising enough capital for the project. The amounts of investment capital and expenditures to produce and market the product was better than $22,000.00. Did A&T actively engage and encourage The F.M. GROUP to proceed and incurr the cost of producing and marketing the AggieBad 2000 Championship Football Highlight project? The answer to this question is quite clear: (1) Not only did A&T participate and encourage the project—but the “original” request for the championship football highlight production came directly from A&T and David Hoard’s office. (2) Far from being “kept in the dark”—throughout the production process David Hoard and Alfonso Scandrett offered production suggestions (Hoard wanted to add the 1999 NCCU Aggie-Eagle Classic Game” and an “updated” interview with Coach Bill Hayes—both these “suggestions” were incorporated into the production. Dr. Scandrett suggested that The F.M. GROUP contact Mr. Sam Smith at WFMY (Channel 2 Sports) and get some footage of the 1999 Aggie-Eagle Classic. Dr. Scandrett also made his office available for the final F.M. GROUP interview with Coach Bill Hayes. This also was followed up and incorporated in the final production. (3) A&T’s Department of Auxiliary Services provided The F.M. GROUP with a “short form” application from the College Licensing Company (CLC) in order to get the application approved and the products (The Aggie Bad CD, Aggie History Calendar and The “DO YOU KNOW YOU’RE A(ggie), B, C’s Coloring/Activity Book) in the school bookstore and available for sale by the September 3rd 2000 Aggie-Eagle Classic” and put The F.M. GROUP in direct contact with CLC officials in order to facilitate the approval process. The Department then accepted $500.00 from The F.M. GROUP and assigned it a location next to the School Bookstore for sales of The F.M. GROUP products during the “Aggie-Eagle Classic”. The “AggieBad 2000 Championship Football Highlight CD was then placed on sale in the School Bookstore and The F.M. GROUP was asked to furnish a test market of 1,000 copies (ordered and paid for by The F.M. GROUP from A&V Company). The actual “AggieBad 2000 CD’s” went on sale in the student bookstore during the first week of freshman orientation. The F.M. GROUP was also asked to purchase $1,000,000.00 in business insurance in order to receive approval and license to sale at the upcoming events and the bookstore. (4) While all of the aforementioned were a “direct” indication of the involvement and encouragement of A&T towards the cost and production of these three F.M. GROUP products; The F.M. GROUP was waiting for the final CLC licensing and holding A&V Company to a tentative schedule of 5,000 CDs per week for a total of 10,000 copies by the Aggie-Eagle Classic. Then three days before the event, Leslie Renwick, who The F.M. GROUP had sought to meet with in May of 2000; had e-mailed on several occasions over the course of this project—not wanting to get too far out on the expenses without having complete A&T approval all along the way—suddenly had the Dept. of Auxiliary Services to contact The F.M. GROUP and inform us that The F.M. GROUP would not be “allowed” to have a booth or sale our products at the “Aggie-Eagle Classic”. (5) What was particularly heartless, cruel and manipulative was the actions of Leslie Renwick, A&T’s legal counselor. Though I had made numerous efforts since early May of 2000 to inform and receive “input and or guidance” from Attorney Renwick concerning the products and the overall project; Attorney Renwick bent over backwards to avoid any direct or phone conversation with me. During this period of time I left several messages for Attorney Renwick to call me as soon as possible on my cell phone. The purpose of this call was simply to have Attorney Renwick review the products (Quality and content and see how the total project could benefit A&T State University). Having completed the video production project and “delivered” it David Hoard; and in conjunction with my verbal agreement with David Hoard for his office and A&T to help with the promotion and sales of the “AggieBad 2000 CD” in exchange for a flat video production price of $15,000.00—people in Auxiliary Services had advised me to share the products with Leslie Renwick as early as possible. Finally after almost two weeks of leaving messages with Attorney Renwick’s office and not receiving any phone calls back and sending several e-mails with similar results; I finally called her office and had her answer the phone. She then refused to see me—but advised me to submit my application and products to CLC; but from our phone discussion she didn’t anticipate any problems. (6) Having led The F.M. GROUP to “follow the quidelines” through CLC and stating that, though she saw no problem with it (the products); we later found out that Attorney Renwick called CLC and actively “reject” the licensing of our products while claiming to have “nothing to do with the process”. Accordingly, throughout the summer, The F.M. GROUP continued to solicit investors, videographers, illustrator/artist, video production editors; incur marketing and production cost and ruin business relationship with suppliers (A&V Company of Greensboro, NC and eyebeam, Inc. of Raleigh, NC). None of the aforementioned would have been pursued had we known in May or June that Attorney Renwick was secretly and actively moving to keep The F.M. GROUP from obtaining licensing for its products. (7) Throughout the summer, The F.M. GROUP also continued to meet with University officials, Auxiliary Services and The Athletic Department. Copies of the final “AggieBad 2000 Championship Football Highlights” CD were provided to all of the aforementioned departments and individuals—including David Hoard; Dr. Scandrett and Coach Bill Hayes (who expressed that he thought it was one of the best products he had ever seen since coming to A&T). Having so many of A&T’s top people with us “every step of the way”—there was no way we could anticipate that we were being “setup” and let to the financial slaughterhouse. (8) Later during the summer of 2000, Auxiliary Services furnished The F.M. GROUP with a “short version” licensing application form for submission to CLC and asked us to check with the Student Bookstore and let them (The Bookstore) know that we were working directly with Auxiliary to ensure that we received our product license in a timely manner and for the bookstore to go ahead and clear us out a space for The F.M. GROUP products and sales. We submitted our application and $50.00 application fee as instructed by Auxiliary Services to CLC’s Atlanta office. The application form suggested that “applicants” would need up to $1,000,000.00 worth of business insurance once approved—but suggested accordingly that applicants “wait” until licensing approval was given before incurring such cost ($1,000,000.00 insurance). Along with the fee and application form—The F.M. GROUP sent several samples of it’s A&T product line (AggieBad CD’s, Coloring/Activity book, A&T History Calendar) to CLC as required on the application form. We began to monitor and request “updates” on the licensing process weekly at first. Then given the sense of urgency associated with the upcoming “Aggie-Eagle Classic”; Homecoming 2000 and the return of A&T students to campus for the 2000-2001 school year—we began to contact CLC daily to find out what the “holdup” was as we needed the “approved license” in order to get the initial 10,000 copies of the CD and 1,000 copies of the coloring/activity book and 1,000 copies of the history calendar published. During one of these calls in mid to late August, CLC suddenly informed us that they were not likely to “approve” the licensing since we had furnished no proof of having obtained the $1,000,000.00 business insurance necessary for this level of production. We immediately, purchased the requested $1,000,000.00 business insurance policy and “faxed” a copy of the policy to CLC. Then, the next time we talked to them—they informed us that “though” they had received examples and copies of our product with our initial application—they could only “approve it” and issue a license if “Leslie Renwick’s Office” approved of the products and its impact on the school. Thus, they had to “send the examples” back to Leslie Renwick’s office and give her time to decide if it “met A&T’s standards”. At this point it was really confusing—but somewhat obvious that “tricks” were being played against our investment. So, I (Ted Mangum) told CLC not to waste another week sending “examples” back to North Carolina—when I could just as easily “deliver” the same samples to Attorney Renwick’s office the same day. They agreed and said that should work. I immediately packaged up three copies of the AggieBad 2000 CD; and the Coloring/Activity Book—by now it was too late to publish the History Calendar before the Aggie-Eagle Classic—and hand delivered the complete package to Attorney Renwick’s office. She looked me dead in the eye—but never spoke a word to me. Instead, I could only speak to her secretary who graciously (with some degree of embarrassment) took the package and with Attorney Renwick looking right at me; assured me that she would give the package to Attorney Renwick. In the mean time, Auxiliary Services and the bookstore—loving the products and the revenue they could bring to A&T—suggested that we go ahead and mass produce an initial 1,000 copies of the CD and wait for the license to complete the package of the other products. They even cleared up an area and display for a “re-edited” promotional video version of the “AggieBad 2000 CD”; put up posters and displays for leaflets to students. Posters and leaflets were “approved” and distributed through the proper channels at The Student Union Advisory Board in the Student Union. Auxiliary Services accepted the $500.00 fee for a concession booth (to be located next to the student bookstore booth). Armed with all of this support and being guided and led by A&T officials—The F.M. GROUP had 1,000 copies of the AggieBad 2000 CD produced and placed an order with eyebeam, Inc. for the publication of 1,000 “Do You Know You’re A(ggie), B, C’s” Coloring/Activity Book for 3-8 year olds”. (9) AFTER AN ENTIRE SUMMER AND AFTER WORKING TO ENSURE THE QUALITY AND POSITIVE RESULTS FOR OUR COMPANY AND FOR NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY—ONLY THREE DAYS BEFORE THE “2000 AGGIE-EAGLE CLASSIC”; WHILE I WAS IN RALEIGH TRYING TO ASSURE eyeBeam, Inc. that we still wanted to publish the coloring/story book and that the license they were waiting to include on the cover of the book was being approved as we spoke—I got a call from Mr. Moore at the Student Bookstore saying that Leslie Renwick had “refused” to grant The F.M. GROUP a license and that we would be forbidden from selling our products at the “Aggie-Eagle Classic”. All I could say was “WHY?”. He told me he would be “e-mailing” me the ruling and explanation within the next couple of days (August of 2000)—we, The F.M. GROUP—have yet to receive that so-called ruling. (10)Mr. John Fitzgerald, President of The F.M. GROUP immediately contacted Mr. David Hoard and attempted to contact Attorney Leslie Renwick. For the next two weeks, Attorney Renwick, again refuse to return phone calls or discuss the issue with The F.M. GROUP. Finally, Mr. Fitzgerald called Attorney Renwick’s office while her secretary was out and Attorney Renwick answered the phone herself. She became somewhat upset and told Mr. Fitzgerald that the “ruling” came directly from CLC and that she would request CLC to send the ruling to The F.M. GROUP. Within the next two days, Mr. Fitzgerald received a ‘fax” from CLC which supposedly, indicated that The F.M. GROUP was in violation of NCAA rules governing collegiate athletics. But not only did the “faxed” ruling fail to state specifically what “rule was violated”—it also contained the “routed” phone number of Leslie Renwick’s office—NOT CLC. Mr. Fitzgerald immediately called NCAA officials directly and explained the AggieBad Championship Football Highlights CD to them and was told that as “long as the school or the company did not use an eligible athlete to promote the sale of the CD”—they saw NO VIOLATION with the product and therefore CLC was wrong in using them (NCAA) to refuse The F.M. GROUP a license to sale the product. Mr. Fitzgerald immediately called CLC and when confronted with the facts from NCAA; CLC said “it was not their ruling or doing to deny The F.M. GROUP a license—rather, they were merely caring out the instructions of Attorney Leslie Renwick. When Mr. Fitzgerald “finally” was able to get Attorney Renwick again—she expressed displeasure with CLC for giving The F.M. GROUP that information and instead said she had relied on an “internal” legal source—the Assistant Athletic Director, Earl Hilton—to supply her with the “ruling”. She assured us that Mr. Hilton would be in touch with us with the specific ruling within a few days. After another two weeks, Mr. Fitzgerald called Mr. Hilton—who argued that “his interpretation “ was correct and offered to get the ruling directly from the NCAA and fax it to The F.M. GROUP. That was in October/November of 2000—WE HAVE YET; TO RECEIVE ANY SUCH WRITTEN RULING from the NCAA OR MR. HILTON. Meanwhile, what started out, at A&T’s request and what should have been a very positive example of HBCU’s and Black businesses working together to enhance the image of our institutions and support each other—instead has become a “classic example” of how blacks work against each other. Or as one person said, “For some reason, the lasting legacy of slavery is that we, no matter how “educated or well off”, still believe that the “white man’s ice is always colder”. Why else would MY SCHOOL; MY ALMA MATER have done so much to ruin my business? SO UNLESS YOU JUST WANT TO WRITE ENDLESS CHECKS to your HBCU, dont ask them to venture with you...even IF THEY ARE TO BENEFIT MUCH MORE THAN YOU. Unfortunately, the EXCLUSIONARY POLICIES OF THESE INSTITUTIONS; ARE ONLY SERVING TO ADD TO THE LIST OF HBCUs that are in SERIOUS FINANCIAL DANGER. Ted L. Mangum ALL OF THE AFOREMENTIONED INFORMATION IS VERIFIABLE AND DOCUMENTED BY E-MAIL CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THOSE MENTIONED AND OTHER DOCUMENTATIONS/SOURCES. https://youtube/watch?v=XRns2_KS5hM
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 00:10:45 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015