The May Report: 1/31/2011: Leigh Segall, SAVO Group’s CMO and a source of many problems has left the firm; Clean Energy Trust Announces Finalists for the First Clean Energy Challenge; $130,000 in Prizes to Be Awarded March 3 and the finalists include: Agentis Energy, Clean Urban Energy, Energy Recovery Technologies, General Biomass Company, Intelligent Generation, NextGen Solar, Power2Switch, PV Power, Root3 Technologies, Sol Xorce; Lotus Creative Innovations, Orbeon Technologies, Sun Phocus, S2E Solar, Thermal Conservation Technologies

The May Report January 31st, 2011

Editor and publisher: ron@themayreport.com, ronaldmay@aol.com, www.themayreport.com , 773-525-3944.

Assistant editor: Melanie Adcock, iPHONE: 312-259-0610, melanie_adcock@msn.com

If you missed an article, go here: www.tmronline.com/A55951/tmrarticles.nsf/vwFullNewsletter
_________________________
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Scoop section:

– SAVO Group’s CMO leaves…
– Payment Pathways Press Release but where is it Rick?
– Clean Energy Trust Announces Finalists for the First Clean Energy Challenge; $130,000 in Prizes to Be Awarded March 3
– Monday, February 7: A new educational series on Intellectual Property in the 21st Century sponsored by Heartland Angels: A panel discussion on the topic: “Copyright-The Changing Face of Creativity”
– Tuesday, February 1: BNC VC Group, Presenters: Exmovere, AllMedia On Location, LidoPatch
– Monday, January 31: Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable – “Going Mobile: What’s best for my business?”
– SBA.gov uses Drupal
– Uki Lucas has a new App.
– Uki Lucas: Let’s Tango!
– Thanks to Chris Rollyson, Ron May is now a destination point on Foursquare
– Jeff Garbaciak: Nice Article: Affluence.org
– Tom Figel: 50 on Friday – a Thursday this time, February 3rd
– Meet Chicago Tech’s Class of 2015 [May here. Thanks for the invite Matt Hancock, I'll try to be there.]
– There he goes again! Ed Domain is still up to his nasty antics
– Tons of Rahm stuff that is obviously out of date due to the rapid development of events last week
– What Jeff Garbaciak does
– A variety of notes between Ron May and Josh Metnick, from Doug Stukel to Josh Metnick, notes from Randy Shipley and an answer from May to Kathryn Born’s good question: What is important about the Affluence.org story — all from this weekend
– People with address changes
– New Google Offers Joins Daily Deal Trend, Experts Available for Comment
– DPOE Names New Chicago Area Sales Manager

[Editor's note: Ron May here. Well, it was not a boring weekend.:-) See the correspondence in this report. Randy Shipley and Doug Stukel talked for an hour yesterday and Doug told Randy, according to Randy, that "This has already cost us an investor." Those were his words, according to Randy, but I don't know what "this" is since the report went out just before midnight on Saturday. Was it Josh's resignation or the termination of David Beazley's contract? We don't know but I will find out Thursday at my meeting with Doug and Mike Profita at The Bagel. Randy did reconfirm with me that the total amount owed by Affluence.org to former consultants and a few vendors is in the $400K range. Hey, they should talk to Terry Howerton. $400K is chicken feed based on what he owes. And overall, their debt, again according to papers I have seen and to Randy Shipley is around $2.9MM.

I just heard back from Len Bland and he'll have a full response to what I wrote about his activities in the letter below to Kathryn Born by end of day today. He did say that they participated in two deals, one being Jim Orrico's firm and the other being the guy with the movie theaters in Naperville, I believe. There were term sheets for OpGen and I don't know what else, but I wanted to let Len respond to Mike Profita's comment that the BNC VC Group had not raised money for anyone. Now that was told to Mike by competing fundraising groups.

In other news, Melanie has a story on Fig1 that we'll have for you later this week. Lots of developments there.]
_________________________________
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The Scoop section:
_________________
SAVO Group’s CMO leaves…

Subject: SAVO Group’s CMO leaves…
Date: 1/28/2011 8:04:07 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: melanie_adcock@msn.com
To: ron@themayreport.com, ronaldmay@aol.com

Hey Ron,

I’ve heard from 4 independent sources now that Leigh Segall, long time CMO and member of Senior Management at the SAVO Group has left the company. They have a new CEO over there who I hear is doing a great job so far, people like him and from the sounds of it he’s going to be successful. I talked to John Aiello, the past CEO, earlier this year and he’s still in town and doing great things to positively impact the tech community.

-Melanie

Melanie Adcock
Assistant Editor of The May Report
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/melanieadcock
Cell: 312-259-0610
E-Mail: melanie_adcock@msn.com
The May Report Facebook Page: on.fb.me/TheMayReport
Visit The May Report Archives: bit.ly/TheMayReportArchives
Subscribe to The May Report: bit.ly/TheMayReportSubscribe
___________________________________
Payment Pathways Press Release but where is it Rick?

From: “Richard O’Brien”
Subject: Payment Pathways Press Release
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 07:47:38 -0600
To: The May Report

Ron,
For public release after 9:30 AM Central time, today.
Enjoy!
Rick
_________________________________
Ron May here. Rick, please send the release in plain text with no attachments to my AOL address, ronaldmay@aol.com.
________________________________
Clean Energy Trust Announces Finalists for the First Clean Energy Challenge; $130,000 in Prizes to Be Awarded March 3

From: “Sadira Tash”
Subject: Fwd: Clean Energy Trust Announces Finalists for the First Clean Energy Challenge; $130,000 in Prizes to Be Awarded March 3
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2011 20:40:09 +0000
To: “Sadira ”
Cc: “Daniel”

We are pleased to share our good news with you!

Sadira

Sadira Suzan Tash, M.S.Ed., M.S.W.
Director of Development & Marketing
General Biomass Company www.generalbiomass.com
2906 Central Street, Suite 134
Evanston, IL 60201
Office: 847-433-4323
Cell: 847-970-0889
Home: 847-433-0162
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
January 25, 2011 02:06 PM Eastern Time
Clean Energy Trust Announces Finalists for the First Clean Energy Challenge; $130,000 in Prizes to Be Awarded March 3

Entrepreneurship Thrives as More Than 70 Illinois Clean Energy Businesses Enter Inaugural Competition

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Clean Energy Trust is excited to announce the finalists in the first Clean Energy Challenge. A distinguished panel of independent evaluators selected 10 companies to compete for the $100,000 early-stage business prize. Five finalists will vie for $30,000 in concept-stage funding.

“These were highly competitive applications, showing innovation and entrepreneurship are thriving in Illinois”

More than 70 applications from across Illinois were submitted for businesses in all aspects of clean energy, from battery usage and solar panels to smart grid technology and biomass development. The strong response, combined with the quality of the companies, resulted in two rounds of evaluations before the final selections were made, according to Amy Francetic, Clean Energy Trust Executive Director.

“These were highly competitive applications, showing innovation and entrepreneurship are thriving in Illinois,” Francetic said. “The evaluators were extremely impressed by the quality and originality of the business plans they reviewed and there was a lively debate during the final selections.”

Early-stage business finalists
Company Location Category

Agentis Energy

Elmhurst

Smart Grid

Clean Urban Energy
Chicago Smart Grid

Energy Recovery Technologies
Evanston Energy Efficiency

General Biomass Company
Chicago Biofuels

Intelligent Generation
Chicago Smart Grid

NextGen Solar
Chicago Solar

Power2Switch
Chicago Energy IT

PV Power
Chicago Solar

Root3 Technologies
Chicago Energy Efficiency

Sol Xorce
Northbrook Solar

Concept-level finalists
Company Location Category

Lotus Creative Innovations
Compton Wind

Orbeon Technologies
Chicago Building Technology

Sun Phocus
Chicago Solar

S2E Solar
Evanston Solar

Thermal Conservation Technologies
Chicago Energy Efficiency

All finalists will receive mentoring to help them prepare to present their business plans to an all-star panel of judges–including venture capitalists, corporate investors and business leaders–at the Midwest Energy Forum March 3, 2011 at the University of Chicago’s Gleacher Center. The event will feature panel discussions and keynote speakers on various clean technology topics, as well as presentations from the finalists. To register for the Midwest Energy Forum at the early-bird discounted rate, visit www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaID=214640 by January 31.

“The Clean Energy Challenge is about connecting the most innovative clean energy ideas with the business and finance experts who know how to develop new technology for commercial deployment,” Francetic said.”This competition shook the bushes to find the best ideas and early-stage companies and we’re very pleased with the extraordinary people and concepts we’ve found.”

Funding for The Clean Energy Challenge is provided by the U.S. Department of Energy, Acciona, Arcelor Mittal, City of Chicago Department of Environment, Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, Google, Illinois Technology Association, Invenergy, Ungaretti and Harris, University of Chicago, University of Illinois, University of Illinois at Chicago, the Clean Energy Trust and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship at Chicago Booth.

Additional supporting sponsors include Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, Kauffman Foundation and TechAmerica.

About the Clean Energy Trust

The Clean Energy Trust is a clean energy business accelerator. The founding board members of the Clean Energy Trust are: Nicholas Pritzker, Tao Capital (Trust Co-Chair); Michael Polsky, Invenergy (Trust Co-Chair); Antonio Gracias, Valor Equity Partners (Treasurer); Paula Crown, Henry Crown & Company; Richard Sandor, Environmental Financial Products; Tim Schwertfeger, Former CEO Nuveen; and Keith Crandell, ARCH Ventures.

The Clean Energy Trust was awarded a $1.05 million “Innovation Ecosystem Development Initiative” by the U.S. Department of Energy. Support for this grant is provided by state and local government, research partners, corporations, investors, foundations, and trade groups. The consortium includes: Illinois Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois, University of Illinois at Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, Acciona, Arcelor Mittal, Apex Venture Partners, ARCH Venture Partners, Center for Neighborhood Technologies, ComEd, The Chicago Community Trust, Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, Deloitte, Global Midwest Alliance, Illinois Science and Technology Coalition, Illinois Technology Association, Illinois Ventures, Intellectual Ventures, The Joyce Foundation, Kauffman Foundation, LaSalle Investments Inc., Lincoln Renewable Energy LLC, McGuire Woods, Midwest Energy and Sustainability Leadership Alliance, Neal Gerber Eisenberg, New World Ventures, Norwottuck Charitable Trust, Sidley Austin LLP, SoCore Energy, City of Chicago, the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and TechAmerica.

Visit www.cleanenergytrust.org to learn more.
Contacts

Aileron Communications
Sheridan Chaney, 312-629-9400
schaney@aileroninc.com
or
Clean Energy Trust
Amy Francetic, 847-899-2225
amy@cleanenergytrust.org
Permalink: www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110125006941/en/Clean-Energy-Trust-Announces-Finalists-Clean-Energy
Sharing
________________________________
Monday, February 7: A new educational series on Intellectual Property in the 21st Century sponsored by Heartland Angels: A panel discussion on the topic: “Copyright-The Changing Face of Creativity”

Subject: Copyright in the Internet Age: Lost in Cyberspace?
Date: 1/26/2011 1:44:38 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: ron.kirschner@comcast.net
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

For Immediate release For Further information:

Ronald L. Kirschner

Ron@Heartlandangels.com

847-675-3057

Are the copyright laws out of touch in the new reality of digital on-line media?

With the expanding reach of the internet and social media, it is becoming less clear who is the author of new visual and written works.

A panel discussion on the topic: “Copyright-The Changing Face of Creativity” will be held on Feb. 7, 2011 starting at 6:30 p.m. at Drinker, Biddle and Reath LLP 191 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 3700, Chicago, IL.

The panel consists of:

David Frey, J.D, Partner, Drinker, Biddle and Reath LLP

Ed Lee, J. D., Professor, Chicago-Kent College of Law

Daliah Saper, J.D., Saper Law

With Moderation by Tim McCarthy, J.D., Senior Counsel of Clark Hill.

This is the first installment in a new educational series on Intellectual Property in the 21st Century sponsored by Heartland Angels, a Chicago based, early-stage private equity capital investment network.

Attendance sign-in will begin at 6:00 p.m. The presentation will include a question and answer period.

Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Registration and inquiries by e-mail only to: Ron@heartlandangels.com. There will be a $10 charge (payable by cash or check only) at the door.
_________________________________
Tuesday, February 1: BNC VC Group, Presenters: Exmovere, AllMedia On Location, LidoPatch

Subject: BNC VC Group 2/1/2011 5:00 PM at LLB&L.Presenters: Exmovere, AllMedia On Location, LidoPatch
Date: 1/29/2011 12:26:14 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: len_bland@conceptequity.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com

The BNC Venture Capital Group introduces exciting investment opportunities to professional investors (angels, early stage venture capitalists, and private equity firms seeking add-ons) and fosters the growth of entrepreneurial activity.

Len Bland, CEO of Concept Equity, and David Carman, CEO of Business Network Chicago, lead the BNC Venture Capital Group. We will review three entrepreneurial opportunities. Each presentation lasts 10 minutes, followed by a 15 minute Q&A.
Effective presentations answer 5 questions:

·What is the product or service?
-Why will customers buy it?
·Why is this management team the best one to run the business?
-How does the company make money?
·How will the investor make money?

5:00 PM – Networking
5:30 PM – Introductions
5:45 PM – Exmovere
6:15 PM – United Food Group: All Media On Location
6:45 PM – Break
7:00 PM – LidoPatch
7:30 PM – Results

Exmovere is a biomedical engineering firm with three signature products built around human emotions. These include the Exmobaby wireless biosensor baby pajama, the Telepath Zigbee biosensor wristwatch for remote elder care monitoring and the Chariot sports mobility device. The company has been featured in the Wall St Journal, Business Week, Fortune Magazine, PC Magazine, Popular Mechanics, AARP Magazine, and on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” and Retirement Living.

To date, 5,000 UFG customers have indicated their interest
in upgrading to the screen-based dispensing machine as soon as
possible. AMOL’s advertising network will offer highly targeted
advertising, mobile device proximity promotions, mobile coupons,
enhanced loyalty programs and other similar next generation, in-store
campaigns.

JAR Labs (Lidopatch) is a start up pharmaceutical company with expertise in transdermal patch technology. Our lead product is an analgesic patch that we plan to introduce into the OTC market place. One of our two major target customers would use our product as a replacement to a similar $750M branded product.

Locke Lord Bissell

111 South Wacker Drive, 41st Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60606

Evening Meeting includes food and beverages

Call Len Bland at 847-317-0656 or write len_bland@conceptequity.com with questions or if you have any difficulty registering. Other investors welcome.
___________________________________
Monday, January 31: Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable – “Going Mobile: What’s best for my business?”

Subject: Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable – “Going Mobile: What’s best for my business?” – MONDAY, January 31, 2011, 6:00 p.m.
Date: 1/14/2011 4:13:51 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: smcg@am3inc.net
Reply To: smcg@chicagobooth.edu
To: marketing-roundtable@lists.chicagobooth.edu

Topic: Going Mobile: What’s best for my business?

Speaker: Tim Frick, author, Return on Engagement: Content, Strategy and Design Techniques for Digital Marketing

Date: MONDAY, January 31, 2011 — NOTE SPECIAL DATE

Time: 6:00 – 6:30 Registration — Networking and Cash Bar
6:30 – 8:00 Program
8:00 – Cash Bar Re-opens

Once again, we’ll have a cash bar before and after the presentation in order to maximize your networking opportunity. If you need to leave at 8, we encourage you to come early and enjoy the pre-meeting networking.

Location: Gleacher Center – Room 600 — NOTE SPECIAL ROOM

To RSVP: Register Online

Questions? Please contact Kyle Akerman at kyle.akerman@gmail.com

Session Overview

In 2010, internet access via mobile devices surpassed 50% of all online traffic. Mobile apps and mobile websites have been game-changers for many businesses, but how do you decide which might be right for your own organization? This session will cover how to make educated, business-specific decisions regarding the constantly evolving world of the mobile medium. We will discuss marketing opportunities, trends, technologies and considerations for creating content-in-context to the platform on which it is delivered.

Framing this discussion will be a comparison of mobile applications versus web applications optimized for mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) and when it might be appropriate to use each. We will present several cases of businesses using these tools effectively and round out the session with a set of actionable tasks that you can use to create the most direct and effective roadmap to a mobile future for your company or organization.

About Our Speaker

Tim Frick is the author of Managing Interactive Media Projects, an interactive media process guide from Delmar-Cengage Learning and Return on Engagement: Content, Strategy and Design Techniques for Digital Marketing from Focal Press. He has contributed to a variety of publications, including Marketing Profs and Business Insider. Tim regularly presents at conferences and gives seminars and workshops on various aspects of design, media, technology, and marketing. Tim is also currently on the steering committee for MobileAppEx, an upcoming B2B trade show and conference dedicated to bringing business end-users to developers, service providers, distributors and hardware manufacturers in the mobile space.

Tim is currently the owner of Mightybytes, a Chicago-based creative communications firm that creates rich user experiences to tell clients’ stories, brand their products, and meet technology and marketing needs. Tim spent his formative years as a DJ/VJ and producing educational television. Since then, he has provided creative and interactive media services to an extensive client list. He has held positions on the board of the Association for Multimedia Communications, the Advisory Committees of the Illinois Institute of Art’s Animation and Interactive Media Departments, and the Interactive Media Department of Columbia College.

* * * * *

Special Note

Once again, we’ll set up a Literature Table in the front registration area before the meeting. You may use the table to distribute copies of anything (within reason) that communicates your business, your capabilities, and/or career interests. This would include a brochure, a fact sheet, a resume, or other items of interest. This will give us all an opportunity to share our interests and find ways to help each other achieve goals.

* * *

Discounted Parking

Chicago Booth has arranged with the AMC Theater-River East Self parking Garage to provide discounted parking:

300 East Illinois Street (AMC Theater-River East Self Park Garage)
$6.00 after 3:00pm
Garage: Self Park Facility
Payment: Automated; at pay-stations by cash or credit card or upon exit pay by credit card only.
To receive discounted rate: There is a card validator at the first floor security desk of the Gleacher Center. The new system for the AMC Theater- River East Self Park Garage is automated. You will only need to insert your parking card in the validator and the new price will be automatically applied. You can validate your parking ticket at any time between your arrival at and departure from the Gleacher Center. When you leave the lot you will be charged for the lower $6.00 fee.

Detailed Directions :
Garage is located next to PJ Clarks and below the AMC Theater.
a) When traveling east on Illinois cross over Columbus and enter the Garage on the left (north) side of the street.
b) If driving west on Grand (north of Theater), you can enter the garage ½ block before Columbus on the left (south) side of the street.

* * *

CHECK YOUR CHICAGO WEEKLY FOR OTHER CHICAGO BOOTH ALUMNI EVENTS OF INTEREST:

For information on other coming Chicago Booth Roundtable meetings, Chicago Booth Alumni Club events, and other alumni events of interest, visit www.chicagobooth.edu/chicagoweekly/. The Chicago Weekly is updated every Thursday.

* * * * *
ABOUT THE MARKETING ROUNDTABLE

Our mission: The mission of the Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable is to help Chicago alumni and a broader community of marketing professionals learn more, meet other colleagues, and solve marketing issues. Our vision is to be the first choice for learning and sharing new marketing ideas.

About our meetings: Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable meetings are typically scheduled at the downtown campus (Gleacher Center), on the last Wednesday of each month (with some variation), from 6:30 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. They are free of charge, and no food is served. (Food is available, if you wish, in the cafeteria.) Room location is posted each month at the front desk. Please note date is subject to change – check calendar listing for details.

Guests: Your guests who have an active interest in marketing are always welcome via your personal invitation. Please RSVP and let us know how many to expect! (But please don’t post this or any Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable announcement in any public forum.)

Got a topic idea? If you have a topic idea, a presenter to recommend, or any questions or suggestions, please contact any Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable Steering Team member:

Kyle Akerman, 847-414-1426, kyle.akerman@gmail.com
Bijoy Chacko, 847 598 7016, chackobe@yahoo.com
Santanu DasGupta, 312.961.4866, sdasgupt@chicagobooth.edu
Dan Drake, 630.212.2314, Ddrake1@chicagobooth.edu
Jordan Katz, 312-288-2422, Jordan_Katz@gallup.com
Scott McGarvey, 312.648.6275, smcg@chicagobooth.edu
Vivek Prabhu, (312) 493 4987, vivek.r.prabhu@gmail.com
Les Stern, 847.205.1936, les@lsternmktg.com
Jim Steuer, 773-935-7208, JSEChicago@aol.com
Galen Williams, 312.810.1300

_______________________________________________
Marketing-Roundtable mailing list
Marketing-Roundtable@lists.chicagobooth.edu

lists.chicagobooth.edu/mailman/listinfo/marketing-roundtable

_________________________________
SBA.gov uses Drupal

From: Michelle Thomas
Subject: SBA.gov uses Drupal
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:06:55 -0600
To: ron@themayreport.com

Ron,

On behalf of Promet, I am emailing to notify you of our vital involvement in the SBA.gov websites migration to Drupal platform. The press release below highlights our role in converting the site:

www?.prweb.com?/releases/?PrometSour?ce/sba/prw?eb4926814.?htm

Thanks for your time and consideration,

The Promet Team
__________________________________
Uki Lucas has a new App.

Subject: Uki Lucas has a new App.
Date: 1/30/2011 8:31:32 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: melanie_adcock@msn.com
To: ron@themayreport.com, ronaldmay@aol.com

Uki D. Lucas
is tired, but happy for new Android app released to the Market
19 hours ago · Unlike · Comment
You, Natalia Cantemir and David Galante like this.

Melanie A. Adcock What is your newest App? Send me some info on it and we’ll put it in the report… 35 minutes ago · Like

Uki D. Lucas Check it out…

sites.google.com/site/dominiquelucasportfolio/home/children-books

I have sent you the link to FREE download.

Subject: Let’s Tango!
Date: 1/28/2011 4:18:13 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: ukidlucas@gmail.com
To: UkiDLucas@gmail.com

I would like to share with you the coolest app I found called Tango. We can do free video calls on iPhone and Android phones. Tango me today.

To download Tango visit: install.tango.me, or search for Tango in the iTunes App Store or Android Marketplace.
________________________________
Thanks to Chris Rollyson, Ron May is now a destination point on Foursquare

Subject: And now for something fun and silly!!!!!!
Date: 1/27/2011 3:01:07 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: melanie_adcock@msn.com
To: ron@themayreport.com, ronaldmay@aol.com

Thanks to the fun antics of Chris Rollyson, Ron May is now a destination point on Foursquare. Everyone can now check in to Ron May when they run into him at an event. LOL!

4sq.com/fZEKHq

From: Jeff Garbaciak
Subject: Nice Article: Affluence.org
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2011 11:11:10 -0800 (PST)
To: The May Report

Ron,

Enjoyed reading the piece on Affluence. I was also curious why Affluence was no longer on Len’s 2/1 BNC agenda from a couple days ago.

During the FFF presentation I believe, but could be wrong, Affluence mentioned Mercedes was a potential sponsor. I forwarded your article to a friend at Mercedes N.A. Marketing out of Denver, CO for informational purposes.

Hope to see you soon,

Jeff
_____________________________________
Tom Figel: 50 on Friday – a Thursday this time, February 3rd

Subject: 50 on Friday – a Thursday this time, February 3rd
Date: 1/28/2011 3:25:03 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: tfigel@lake-effect.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com

January 28, 2011

Ron,
Our 50 on Friday luncheon in Chicago’s Loop is occurring this time on a Thursday, February 3rd.
The noon luncheon hosted by Lake Effect Communications, LLC features a leader of the Chicago Muslim community, Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, who will speak about the Quran. We have asked him to discuss reasons the holy book stirs so much passion among believers and non-believers.
As always, the get-together of friends from the business community will include a fine meal prepared by the Culinary School of the Illinois Institute of Art.
You and others who would like to attend will find the invitation and be able to register at our web site. Visit www.lake-effect.com and see the “50 on Friday” tab at the top of the page.
Thank you.

–
Thomas Figel
Lake Effect Communications, LLC
211 West Wacker Drive, Suite 1150
Chicago, IL 60606
312-223-9536 x 301
www.lake-effect.com
_____________________________________
Meet Chicago Tech’s Class of 2015 [May here. Thanks for the invite Matt Hancock, I'll try to be there.]

Subject: Meet Chicago Tech’s Class of 2015
Date: 1/28/2011 8:32:43 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: mhancock@chicagotechacademy.org
To: ronaldmay@aol.com

Chicago Tech 2011 Student Lottery

Where:
UIC Forum
725 West Roosevelt
Chicago, IL 60607

Driving Directions

When:
Thursday February 10, 2011 from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM CST
Add to my calendar

Dear Ron,

Please join Terry Howerton, Chairman of the Illinois Technology Association, Todd Thibodeaux, CEO of CompTIA, our Board of Directors, students, staff and partners as we welcome the class of 2015. Over 1,000 students have applied for just 250 open positions.

I hope you’ll be able to join us at 5:30 PM, Thursday February 10th at the UIC Forum for a pre-lottery reception. You’ll have a chance to meet some of our current students, staff, partners and Board members.

Following the reception, at 6:30 PM, we’ll begin the lottery that will determine who will be a part of Chicago Tech’s class of 2015.

Please RSVP by clicking the link, below.

Looking forward to seeing you at this important event for our school.

Sincerely,

Matt Hancock
Chicago Tech Academy
mhancock@chicagotechacademy.org
773.534.0897
___________________________________
There he goes again! Ed Domain is still up to his nasty antics

From: Melanie Adcock
Subject: FW: Vacation reply
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2011 19:10:04 +0000
To: ,

Ron,
I was invited to Ed’s event last week via e-mail but then I received this response from him below as a result of him seeing my e-mail auto-responder. I bet he just wanted to stir up a bunch of crap to help promote his event. Nice try, Ed.
-Melanie

——————————————————————————–
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:24:37 -0600
Subject: Re: Vacation reply
From: edward.domain@gmail.com
To: melanie_adcock@msn.com

You shouldn’t have been on that list- I’ll unsubscribe you

On Tue, Jan 25, 2011 at 5:19 PM, wrote:

Thanks so much for getting in touch. This is an auto-response message sent to you to let you know I’ll be checking my e-mail messages and responding to them after 8pm daily and as I have time. If you have already been in touch with me about setting up an appointment I will get back to you with dates and times. If this is a new meeting please suggest times from Noon- 2pm or after 5pm Monday-Friday or late afternoons on weekends. If you would like me to interview you or your firm please send me some dates and times that work for you, and I will look forward to the opportunity to write about your exciting technology endeavors. Happy 2011, Melanie Adcock, Assistant Editor of The May Report melanie_adcock@msn.com
____________________________________
Tons of Rahm stuff that is obviously out of date due to the rapid development of events last week
_________________________
From: “William A. Price”
Subject: Emmanuel Opinion
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:27:01 -0800 (PST)
To: ron@themayreport.com

Thought you might like a copy of the court’s opinion. More interesting than the news reports.

William A. Price
Attorney at Law
www.growthlaw.com
ph/fax 800-630-4780
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Name withheld upon request
Subject: Re: Rahm’s Residency Issue
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 10:02:51 -0600
To: ron@themayreport.com

Ron,

The situation in my mind is far easier to resolve than everyone is trying to make it….

As a member of the U.S. Military stationed overseas you must still file Federal and State tax returns while performing your government service. So, if Rahm filed Illinois State returns while he was in DC the matter is clear. If he didn’t file Illinois tax returns but filed DC tax returns then he was a resident of DC. Why isn’t anyone asking this simple basic question?

Please withhold my name and company as I still must do business in this State…
–
Sincerely,
[Name withheld upon request]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Oh, stop the presses! Ed Domain endorses Rahm in his moment of need

Ed endorses Rahm – the earth is shaking now. What about Fred and Terry? The earth will really move then. HEADLINE: The most UNIMPORTANT and unsolicited political endorsements of the mayoral race.

Edward Domain via Flyover Geeks

Flyover Geeks Chicago Mayoral Endorsement: It’s Rahm | Flyover Geeks
bit.ly
I have said it before and I’ll say it again, Chicago as a startup city is booming. Launching a startup in Chicago now is a good thing; the barriers to entry are low and there is a thriving community that is starting to come together in exciting ways.

41 minutes ago ·LikeUnlike · Comment · Share

Brendan Tripp likes this.

Eddie Carroll NOOOOOOOO… you’re endorsing Obama’s guy? I didn’t have you pegged as a Liberal… say it isn’t so! lol
15 minutes ago · LikeUnlike

Edward Domain Eddie- im independent! Ha. And, don’t know if you know, but there is no Republican on the ticket. Chicago only has Democrats running for Mayor. Both parties drive me nuts so you have to weed through them and find the best person
5 minutes ago · LikeUnlike

Eddie Carroll Ahh I see..
3 minutes ago · LikeUnlike
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Subject: Rahm F-in Emanuel (RahmforMayor) on Twitter
Date: 1/25/2011 5:24:36 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: bconnolly@furthermore.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

twitter.com/RahmforMayor

search.twitter.com/search?q=rahmformayor

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Subject: Supreme Court will hear appeal of ruling knocking Rahm off ballot – Chicago Sun-Times
Date: 1/25/2011 1:33:18 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: bconnolly@furthermore.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

The Supreme Court said it will not accept any new legal briefs or even hear oral arguments on the case. Instead, the court will rely on the briefs already filed at the appellate court level.

www.suntimes.com/3483600-417/court-emanuel-supreme-appeal-appellate.html

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Subject: Supreme Court issues order keeping Emanuel on ballot for now
Date: 1/25/2011 12:22:29 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: bconnolly@furthermore.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Emanuel’s lawyers cite six “fundamental reasons” the lower court decision should be reversed.

The ruling is “squarely inconsistent” with prior high court decisions on residency; the restrictive view of the majority has no precedent; the ruling infringes on the rights of those in Emanuel’s situation to vote; there should only be one legal definition of “resided in” in state and municipal code; the new appellate court residency requirement creates too much uncertainty for candidates going forward; and it strips candidates of the provision that government service does not have a negative impact on residency.

newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2011/01/emanuel-lawyers-file-ballot-appeal-with-supreme-court.html

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Subject: Rahm Emanuel booted off ballot by court – Chicago Sun-Times
Date: 1/24/2011 12:09:35 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: bconnolly@furthermore.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

www.suntimes.com/3469419-419/emanuel-appellate-ballot-court-mayor.html

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

twitter.com/RahmforMayor

Get short, timely messages from Rahm F-in Emanuel.

Twitter is a rich source of instantly updated information. It’s easy to stay updated on an incredibly wide variety of topics. Join today and follow @RahmforMayor.

Get updates via SMS by texting follow RahmforMayor to 40404 in the United States
Codes for other countries

.
RahmforMayor
.Not to take credit or anythin, but every time Obama f-in says somethin & the crowds breaks out in f-in applause; I told him to say it. #sotu
about 12 hours ago via web .Political opponents don’t realize how much f-in money I have. Retards, I sleep on stacks of bills! Bring on the Supreme Court! #hippiepunch
about 14 hours ago via web .Writing Chico an email. Subject Line: Virtual Motherf-in Dead Fish. Message: Hahahahahahahaahahahaha loser! #chicago #rahmborules
about 17 hours ago via web .Back on the ballot. SUCK IT CHICO! Motherf-in hells to the yeah! Time to break out the fresh towels you dirty hippies can’t hold me down!
about 19 hours ago via web .Just got off the phone w/ Obama. He’s adjusting his SOTU to call out dirty f-in hippie activist judges. Executive Motherf-er Order Retards!
about 21 hours ago via web .Day 2 of Rage: Dirty f-in hippie judges got me retarded angry! I now know why that kid tried to shove a f-in shoe up his ass. #p2 #chicago
about 23 hours ago via web .@Tengrain F-in A that’s a helluva idea! I sent them a sperm whale, apparently it was from f-in Japan.
3:26 PM Jan 24th via web in reply to Tengrain
.Onto my second motherf-in bottle of Manischewitz, I’m ragin in my f-in towel & by ragin, I mean flexin my pectorals to Snoop Dogg. #rahmbo
3:16 PM Jan 24th via web .Just downed a motherf-in bottle of Manischewitz. Yup, it has been that kind of day. #activistjudgescansuckit
12:09 PM Jan 24th via web .@Gay_Chicago Ready my previous tweet retard, bit.ly/hkghqZ P.S. We still meeting up at f-in Steamworks this week to discuss “issues”?
11:05 AM Jan 24th via web in reply to Gay_Chicago
.Appellate f-in son of a dirty hippie! I will not be motherf-in denied! Someone get me a f-in sperm whale I gotta send it someone’s way! #p2
10:22 AM Jan 24th via web .Early polling suggests, I’m f-in beatin the livin crap out of these retards. All I do is WIN WIN WIN NO MATTER F-IN WHAT! #chicago #p2
7:20 AM Jan 21st via web .@CoryBooker Apparently you’re some kinda top dog mayor. Big f-in deal. Wait till they get a f-in load of me, hippie. #rahmborules
8:26 AM Jan 20th via web in reply to CoryBooker
.I’ve inventing a new Chicago f-in event. Whack-A-Hippie. We’ll punch hippies & raise money to move them to f-in Portland! #chicago #newideas
8:25 AM Jan 20th via web .Gery Chico is f-in jealous that I can f-in buy his house 20 times over & still have f-in money left over to buy the f-in election! #chicago
9:40 AM Jan 19th via web .Yes, Bill Clinton is in f-in town. Yes, we’re meeting up at f-in Steamworks later. Yes, you’re all f-in invited. Bring your best towels. #p2
9:01 AM Jan 18th via web .Bear Down Chicago F-in Bears! Cutler ran over the Seahawks like I do my political f-in opponents. #chicago #listeningtour
9:15 AM Jan 17th via web .Bear F-in Down! If the Bears don’t beat the Seahawks today I’ll punch even MORE dirty f-in hippies. Better pray for a win Bucktown! #chicago
7:42 AM Jan 16th via web .I like tacos. How’s that for f-in minority outreach? #chicago #listeningtour
8:18 AM Jan 15th via web .#FF @RahmforMayor you f-in retards!
3:15 PM Jan 14th via web
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Subject: Re: Fwd: We made it
Date: 1/27/2011 7:04:56 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: tomrbennett@yahoo.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com

Rahm Emanuel is our next mayor.

That’s what The White House wants.

The fix is in.

The “real” polling thru-out the city is showing enormous lead for Chico in 19, 18, 23, 12, 13, 14, 22, 25th and 42nd Wards as well as white ethic wards in Sauganash, Edgebrook, Edison Park, Jefferson Park, Norwood Park, Portage Park and Old Irving.

Rahm will be first mayor in City to win race without plurality of popular vote.

Back in the USSR!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
_________________________________
Ron May here. Tom, it is good that you know the lay of the land in City politics ward by ward, but can you explain in plain English what you meant by this comment? “Rahm will be first mayor in City to win race without plurality of popular vote.”
_________________________________
What Jeff Garbaciak does

Subject: Re: Jeff, aside from having a hot girlfriend, WTF do you do? 7-11, Wh. Hen, gas st.?
Date: 1/25/2011 5:40:01 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: jeff.garbaciak@yahoo.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com
CC: ronaldmay@aol.com, melanie_adcock@msn.com

Hello Ron,

Hope the day is treating you well.

I did view your January 10th report. Thank you for speaking highly of Tim, DePaul, and complementing Nallely. News about the Coleman Center direction ($2M project direction) was also interesting.

As for me….an interesting question. Currently I am spending time in “no man’s land” while inbetween careers. LOL! I was in a dying area of IT and Business Operations, plus my mind was no longer challenged, so several years ago I decided to obtain my MBA. I was mentally ready and knew what I wanted from the post-graduate education experience. By working full-time and taking courses part-time I will complete this milestone in March 2011. The experience has been enjoyed and as I near the end I can absolutely say this was the right activity for me. However, in the bigger picture, I probably could have picked a better time to attempt a career and industry transition.

My full-time paying gig ended in March 2010. Before the gig ended and since I have participated in getting a medical software opportunity off the ground (on going effort), exploring a garment textile business, and customer strategy for a metals firm. These recent experiences, along with exposure to new areas via the MBA program, have sparked an interest in turnaround consulting, valuation, and/or private equity due diligence for the next career move. Right now I am contemplating the best way to bridge the academic and real world knowledge gap for the areas I am interested in.

I you have 20 mins to talk I can fill in a few blanks and your perspective of regarding some options I may not be aware of would be appreciated. Let me know your availability.

Appreciate you keeping the above information between us.

Thank you,

Jeff

Jeff Garbaciak

MBA; Finance and Marketing Concentrations

Anticipated March 2011

DePaul University – Kellstadt

Cell: 847-687-7309

LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jeff-garbaciak/1/702/46a

Email: jeff.garbaciak@yahoo.com

“I am a man of simple tastes, easily satisfied with the best.”

- Winston Churchill
——————————————————————————–
From: “RONALDMAY@aol.com”
To: jeff.garbaciak@yahoo.com
Cc: ronaldmay@aol.com; melanie_adcock@msn.com
Sent: Sun, January 23, 2011 4:34:13 PM
Subject: Jeff, aside from having a hot girlfriend, WTF do you do? 7-11, Wh. Hen, gas st.?
____________________________________
A variety of notes between Ron May and Josh Metnick, from Doug Stukel to Josh Metnick, notes from Randy Shipley and an answer from May to Kathryn Born’s good question: What is important about the Affluence.org story — all from this weekend
_______________________
Subject: Re: Sit down: Stukel, Profita, Geras?, Shipley?, Metnick?,.Th, 1:30pm, The Bagel.
Date: 1/31/2011 7:28:58 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: dstukel@aol.com
To: josh@chicago.com, RONALDMAY@aol.com
CC: michael.profita@gmail.com, dbeazley@kinsalecapitalpartners.com, rshipley@billionairexchange.com, bob@vcbob.com, mgoldsmith@shefskylaw.com, blake.macleod@gmail.com

Josh,

You claim you never received any financial information on a timely matter from the company. I would like to jog your memory.

On September 3, 2010 at 2:29 PM you received from Mike Profita the following:

Eight months ended August 30, 2010 Income Statement.
Eight months ended August 30, 2010 Balance Sheet.

Consolidated Balance Sheet for December 31, 2008, 2009 and eight months ending August 30, 2010.

Consolidated results of operations for twelve months ended December 31, 2008, 2009 and eight months ended August 30, 2010.

You also received a schedule of shares outstanding as of September 1, 2010 with names and addresses of all Affluence shareholders.

You had this information for a month in a half prior to you coming on board with Affluence. Then you forwarded this to Blake Macleod on October 26, 2010 at 4:42 PM UNDER NDA.

Doug

—–Original Message—–
From: Josh Metnick
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com
Cc: michael.profita@gmail.com; dstukel@aol.com; dbeazley@kinsalecapitalpartners.com; rshipley@billionairexchange.com; bob@vcbob.com; mmharris@Tribune.com; mgoldsmith@shefskylaw.com; len_bland@conceptequity.com; david@mentormastermind.com; melanie_adcock@msn.com; ‘blake macleod’
Sent: Sat, Jan 29, 2011 6:39 pm
Subject: RE: Sit down: Stukel, Profita, Geras?, Shipley?, Metnick?,.Th, 1:30pm, The Bagel.

Ron,

I thought we had a good discussion over the phone. I have no intention of sitting down to discuss this in a group pow-wow, particularly with individuals I chose to disengage with for a reason.

I resigned last week after I felt various financial disclosures I was asking for were not coming forth on time. Other individuals or investing entities may feel differently, they may feel there was adequate disclosure. There is no sarcasm there but I am not in that category.

This company has around a three year history from what I can surmise. I was involved with them for ten weeks, in which I recruited best CTO the company has had as of yet – Blake Macleod, who is additionally copied here. I resigned around the tenth week after being formally involved.

Randy Shipley called me and said that he and I were being cast as “disgruntled consultants.” Randy has his own and past issues with the company, and Randy is the best source for those issues.

The company is a few years old. I was engaged with them for about ten weeks and left because I did not feel that there was adequate disclosure of financial information. I did communicate with Scott Mitchell at some point, and he, along with Randy Shipley, were the most forthcoming with information.

I do believe in their core idea – that is why I got involved and excited from the beginning. As far as the financial structure of Affluence-you, Ron, probably have a better idea of that as I do at this point.

Regards,

Josh

From: RONALDMAY@aol.com [mailto:RONALDMAY@aol.com]
Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2011 4:55 PM
To: josh@chicago.com
Cc: michael.profita@gmail.com; dstukel@aol.com; dbeazley@kinsalecapitalpartners.com; rshipley@billionairexchange.com; bob@vcbob.com; mmharris@Tribune.com; mgoldsmith@shefskylaw.com; len_bland@conceptequity.com; david@mentormastermind.com; melanie_adcock@msn.com; ronaldmay@aol.com
Subject: Sit down: Stukel, Profita, Geras?, Shipley?, Metnick?,.Th, 1:30pm, The Bagel.
________________________________
Subject: Re: Sit down: Stukel, Profita, Geras?, Shipley?, Metnick?,.Th, 1:30pm, The Ba…
Date: 1/31/2011 1:20:56 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: RONALDMAY@aol.com
To: josh@chicago.com
CC: rshipley@billionairexchange.com, michael.profita@gmail.com, dstukel@aol.com, dbeazley@kinsalecapitalpartners.com, bob@vcbob.com, mmharris@Tribune.com, mgoldsmith@shefskylaw.com, len_bland@conceptequity.com, david@mentormastermind.com, melanie_adcock@msn.com

January 31, 2011

Josh,

You are right. My overly dramatic methods have worked well for years as a way to shake some information loose. But I need to be more mindful of the fact that everyone does not know to not take me literally.

And in the sentence that you object to, I should have written “Josh indicated” or “Josh confirmed” since you were responding to a question instead of “Josh said.”

The word that irked you was, I believe, “complicit” since it connotes some sort of nefarious activity. That is technically not the denotation.

But what I am learning is that people don’t read things word for word and they don’t analyze what is written as a lawyer would.

Rather, they get an impression and there is very much of a Gestalt en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestalt_psychology aspect to the way people read things. My brother even said to me that I had mentioned his name in the same paragraph as I also had the word “jail.”

I did not say he was in jail or going to jail, but people don’t process information that way. They look very much at the association of words in general.

This is turning into an eye opener for me. It does make the job of writing much harder.

I studied the work of Ludwig Wittgenstein in college and in particular his book “Philosophical Investigations” which deals heavily with the issue of words as part of a family.

And in psychology there is a whole field of language theory as well.

Josh, on a broader level we all have our strengths and weaknesses. What makes me good at getting information from people also makes me oblivious many times to my social surroundings. My dad used to say that I lacked social and emotional intelligence. I don’t anticipate people’s reactions very well. And it is also true on a social level, involving groups of people. What kind of reporter would I be if I were naturally more in tune with other people’s feelings and if I were more empathetic?

Not a very good one, I can say.

Doug Stukel is a nice guy. Easy to talk to, easy I am sure to get along with. But I won’t let that interfere with my doing my job.

Your point is well taken though.

Now I need to get Bob Geras to understand that in no way was I even trying to link his wife Dawn with the “P” word that also came up in the report having to do with Inuvo and its predecessors.

For Bob, it is a similar issue, not the specific words per se, but the context or the overall impression they leave. When it comes to words, it appears that there really is guilt by association. Hey, that was not a bad line.

I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around town.

Ron
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Subject: RE: Sit down: Stukel, Profita, Geras?, Shipley?, Metnick?,.Th, 1:30pm, The Ba…
Date: 1/30/2011 9:49:28 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: josh@chicago.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com
CC: rshipley@billionairexchange.com, michael.profita@gmail.com, dstukel@aol.com, dbeazley@kinsalecapitalpartners.com, bob@vcbob.com, mmharris@Tribune.com, mgoldsmith@shefskylaw.com, len_bland@conceptequity.com, david@mentormastermind.com, melanie_adcock@msn.com

Ron,

There is a larger point here. You raised a question re: Should Josh have done more due diligence on this firm prior to joining? At first, I got defensive.

Then I thought about that – you may be right here. It is a good question. In my excitement about the product, I may have joined too quickly.

The question I have for you is really – this journalistic system whereby you knowingly cast out lies as bait, in order that people may be so shocked that they respond by telling you the “truth”-is that an ethical system of reporting?

I do not think so. I do not think the ends justify your means, oftentimes.

Your publication, as much as I would like to think otherwise, does reach and affect thousands of people with each issue and I believe you need to handle what you publish with more care.

In effect – you need to do more due diligence in your investigative reporting, before you start making the claims you often do.

Generally speaking, with the exception of that one sentence I take issue with below, I was surprised with the accuracy of how you reported our conversation.

Kind Regards,

Josh

From: RONALDMAY@aol.com [mailto:RONALDMAY@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 6:03 PM
To: josh@chicago.com
Cc: rshipley@billionairexchange.com; RONALDMAY@aol.com; michael.profita@gmail.com; dstukel@aol.com; dbeazley@kinsalecapitalpartners.com; bob@vcbob.com; mmharris@Tribune.com; mgoldsmith@shefskylaw.com; len_bland@conceptequity.com; david@mentormastermind.com; melanie_adcock@msn.com
Subject: Re: Sit down: Stukel, Profita, Geras?, Shipley?, Metnick?,.Th, 1:30pm, The Ba…

January 30, 2011

Josh,

Your note to me is just plain bunk. I honestly do the best I can to get the facts straight.

I did ask you who was dragging his feet and you said that both of them were. Is that correct? Are you changing your version of the story? You are certainly free to do so.

The sentence you seem to object to is “Both Stukel and Profita were complicit in the foot dragging, Josh said. ”

Josh, there were no quote marks in the article. That means it is not a direct quote. It is a paraphrase and that is common practice as I have always understood it in reporting. Would it have been better for me to write “Josh indicated” or ” Josh confirmed” since you were responding to a direct question from me? By writing that you said it without the quote marks, that means in my mind that you did express that sentiment.

Or is it the word “complicit” that bothers you? Would you have preferred that I wrote that “both Stukel and Profita were involved in dragging their feet, Josh indicated”?

I did ask you who was involved in the slow response you were getting and you did indicate that it was both Doug and Mike. If I gave the impression that the words were the words out of your mouth precisely, I apologize.

The meaning is the same nonetheless.

No, I was not taping the conversation. In fact, I was surprised by your candor.

I did report that you made it clear that you were not accusing anyone of wrong-doing. You said that, right?

I did report that you were unhappy with the pace of disclosure and the difficulty of getting the information you needed for doing your due diligence. That is an accurate portrayal of what you said, correct?

I did report that you felt that the information you did get was not satisfactory to you in terms of the capital structure and the financials. Is that correct?

You majored in finance if I recall so you know how to read a balance sheet, etc.

Josh, you can dress it up however you want, but you are the one who resigned, not I.

You are the one who Doug Stukel said was not doing the work, not working ten hours a week and not delivering what you lead them to believe you would deliver, again according to Stukel.

You are the one who was used by them and was quite frankly duped, not I.

You are the one whose reputation was used to give legitimacy and credibility, not I.

You are the one who is satisfied with just quitting and not reporting your findings to other investors and prospective investors or to any legal authorities.

Josh, you are the one who brought in David Beazley as I understand it.

You did a lot for them, it appears, and all they have done for you is cause grief. Didn’t you even give them Blake?

Josh, this is a simple story. You served your purpose for them, and got duped as have a lot of folks and now you’re embarrassed by it.

Do you think Bob Geras is out bragging about how he invested in a firm that had porn sites, even if they did make money and even if he did get out of it? Of course not. He has egg on his face over this one. It would fly in Los Angeles or Vegas, but not good old fashioned Chicago. Of course, Heffner started here.:-)

Josh, you have known me a long time. When officers in a firm make representations that are intentionally false, there is a word for that and it starts with an F and ends with a D with an RAU in the middle.

I absolutely plead guilty to shaking the trees to get information and to get people to talk, but Josh it works and at the end of the day, I am all about getting the facts.

You wrote: “You called me up and the first thing you told me was “You know Stukel is going to jail?” You lied to me. You made that up to shock me, to scare me.”

Josh, this reminds me of the lawsuit against me and Doreen Schweitzer. She quoted the plaintiff as saying “He might end up in the bottom of the river.”

Josh, do you take that to mean that he might literally end up dead?

Do you take my comment about Doug to mean literally that he is going to jail? Or could it mean just that he is in hot water or on thin ice to use two other metaphors?

They clearly stated and you were, my friend, a part of the presentation in December to the FFF, that they have 57,000 members. Everyone recalls that and yes, I did tape that.

If Randy Shipley is right, the real figure is quite different from what they said.

This morning he confirmed it in a note that will be printed.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

That includes the two screen shots attached which show their total current registrants (applicants for members) as 37066 as of last week of which 10717 show up as members. This is from an advanced search on their site that any registrant (applicant) or member can perform. This also is public information.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Josh, if Randy is right, then the presentation was at the very least a misrepresentation and could have possibly been fraud. I believe that making it fraud depends on the intent and the sale of stock or equity.

But Josh, when these numbers were presented you were with the firm and your reputation was being used by the firm.

Josh, maybe you have to do more than just resign to make things right.

Think about that.

And Josh, just what do you know about my gonads?

Ron
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Subject: RE: Sit down: Stukel, Profita, Geras?, Shipley?, Metnick?,.Th, 1:30pm, The Bagel.
Date: 1/30/2011 3:12:45 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: josh@chicago.com
To: rshipley@billionairexchange.com, RONALDMAY@aol.com
CC: michael.profita@gmail.com, dstukel@aol.com, dbeazley@kinsalecapitalpartners.com, bob@vcbob.com, mmharris@Tribune.com, mgoldsmith@shefskylaw.com, len_bland@conceptequity.com, david@mentormastermind.com, melanie_adcock@msn.com

Ron,

I cautioned you on the potential dangers of rushing to conclusions and the implications of libel for yourself.

You think you are a tough journalist. You have my permission to publish this, but I do not think you have the gonads to do so.

Your journalism and its ramifications on peoples’ lives are between you and God. You called me up and the first thing you told me was “You know Stukel is going to jail?” You lied to me. You made that up to shock me, to scare me.

Again – and I did not like the disclosure I was getting, and that is why I chose to disengage. It is no more complex or simple than that. I never said this: “Both Stukel and Profita were complicit in the foot dragging, Josh said. ” You used to tell me you tape all of your conversations – please, let me know exactly where I said that. I would love to hear that tape. I did not say that, Ron.

You are alleging Doug and Mike of breaking the Eighth Commandment: “Thou Shall Not Steal,” all the while you yourself are breaking the Ninth Commandment: “Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.” You will eventually reconcile with this one way or the other.

Regards,

Josh

——————————————————————————–
From: RONALDMAY@aol.com [mailto:RONALDMAY@aol.com]
Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2011 4:55 PM
To: josh@chicago.com
Cc: michael.profita@gmail.com; dstukel@aol.com; dbeazley@kinsalecapitalpartners.com; rshipley@billionairexchange.com; bob@vcbob.com; mmharris@Tribune.com; mgoldsmith@shefskylaw.com; len_bland@conceptequity.com; david@mentormastermind.com; melanie_adcock@msn.com; ronaldmay@aol.com
Subject: Sit down: Stukel, Profita, Geras?, Shipley?, Metnick?,.Th, 1:30pm, The Bagel.
_______________________________________
Subject: RE: Sit down: Stukel, Profita, Geras?, Shipley?, Metnick?,.Th, 1:30pm, The Bagel.
Date: 1/30/2011 2:55:50 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: rshipley@billionairexchange.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com, josh@chicago.com
CC: michael.profita@gmail.com, dstukel@aol.com, dbeazley@kinsalecapitalpartners.com, bob@vcbob.com, mmharris@Tribune.com, mgoldsmith@shefskylaw.com, len_bland@conceptequity.com, david@mentormastermind.com, melanie_adcock@msn.com

Ron –

FYI -

Public records for Doug Stukel on his stock for companies including CGSY, SDGS, and NDYN would show Doug as a consistent inside buyer, not a seller. I believe his personal stock strategy is buy and hold, and that his personal holdings in these companies did not net him with any trading or sale profits. He has never dumped shares from these companies that I know of, and this would be backed by any public records search.

——————————————————————————–

From: RONALDMAY@aol.com [mailto:RONALDMAY@aol.com]
Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2011 4:55 PM
To: josh@chicago.com
Cc: michael.profita@gmail.com; dstukel@aol.com; dbeazley@kinsalecapitalpartners.com; rshipley@billionairexchange.com; bob@vcbob.com; mmharris@Tribune.com; mgoldsmith@shefskylaw.com; len_bland@conceptequity.com; david@mentormastermind.com; melanie_adcock@msn.com; ronaldmay@aol.com
Subject: Sit down: Stukel, Profita, Geras?, Shipley?, Metnick?,.Th, 1:30pm, The Bagel.
_____________________________________
Subject: RE: Sit down: Stukel, Profita, Geras?, Shipley?, Metnick?,.Th, 1:30pm, The Bagel.
Date: 1/30/2011 9:46:18 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: rshipley@billionairexchange.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com, josh@chicago.com
CC: michael.profita@gmail.com, dstukel@aol.com

Ron, I read your newsletter and it seems you have done an accurate representation of our discussion last week with minor exceptions. The $400K I mentioned is total debt above and beyond the debt detailed in the balance sheet filed 4-12-2010 which is attached. This number would be inclusive of possible new debt investors, money owed to consultants, money owed to outside vendors and other. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact amounts without the full disclosure Josh was also seeking. As well, I would not consider anything other than my estimate of debt owed to me and others I personally know passed to you as “inside” information, it comes directly from the web and Affluence.org site itself, so is public information. That includes the two screen shots attached which show their total current registrants (applicants for members) as 37066 as of last week of which 10717 show up as members. This is from an advanced search on their site that any registrant (applicant) or member can perform. This also is public information.

As well, the comment about Josh should do his diligence before he put in ten weeks of work is off base in this type of environment. He, like I, entered into the work without the ability to get full disclosure. Until you have had a chance to lift the hood and dig in and work you go in with a lot of blind trust. This is common in start-ups, and this is a complex engine to look at. It is the same reason that corporations send in large teams consisting of multiple disciplines to spend hours doing due discipline before an acquisition is completed. I spent much longer getting my diligence complete, as I worked months before the balance sheet filing and another month trying to help dig it out as a favor to another person that was involved. Josh should be complimented on the speed with which he completed a proper diligence period. If anyone should be admonished for the time it took to do their diligence, it would be me. It is difficult at best to do diligence without full, plain and true disclosure.

Last but not least, any claims that I, or anyone else, is “stealing” their business are outrageous and totally false.

Again, I am keeping this correspondence to the people with actual involvement in Affluence.
_____________________________________
Subject: Re: I hope this answers your question, at least in part.
Date: 1/30/2011 8:14:37 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: kathryn71@gmail.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com
CC: melanie_adcock@msn.com

Now we’re talking! Ok, this story rocks. Let me start my week and put some energy on this, because this could really be a series of sorts. I knew there was an infrastructure forming around startups.. but this is a new way of looking at one aspect.

On Sun, Jan 30, 2011 at 7:07 PM, wrote:

January 30, 2011

Kathryn,

In answer to your question:

1. We have a plethora of organizations that host business plan presentations, either in front of investors or in preparation for presenting to investors. Some of them include: midVentures, BNC Venture Capital Group, Tech Pitch sponsored by BNC and The Syncubator, Funding Post (a national group that held a meeting here on Sept. 14th), The Monday Morning Meeting (monthly or bi-monthly) now sponsored by the ITA; Funding Feeding Frenzy which took place on December 8th; the UIC business plan competition; the University of Chicago Booth School New Venture Awards competition; and on top of that, various angel groups such as Hyde Park Angels, Heartland Angels, Cornerstone Angels, The Illinois Business Investment Forum all hold regular business plan presentation meetings for their members.

A reasonable guess about how many firms present in a year would be 250. BNC VC Group, 36; Tech Pitch, 36; FFF, 12; New Venture Challenge, 60; etc., etc.

The primary thing that the organizers of the events focus on is the presentation. That includes whether the presenter has slides, a product or service, a management team, a market (what Len Bland who runs the BNC VC Group calls the TAM or Total Addressable Market). Len says that every presentation should answer five basic questions.
+++++++++++++++++
-What is the product or service?
-Why will customers buy it?
·Why is this management team the best one to run the business?
-How does the company make money?
-How will the investor make money?
++++++++++++++++

It appears that a whole cottage industry of sorts has grown up around the idea of coaching firms to present.

That issue is only a small fraction of the problem.

As Len Bland told me, he does not ask to see a balance sheet. We do see financial projections for future revenues from presenting firms but they are under no obligation to disclose debt and other aspects of the capital structure or balance sheet.

That, they say, comes out in the due diligence that is done by prospective investors.

Kathryn, what this story of Affluence demonstrates is that the current standard being used by those controlling the venues for presenters is not adequate.

When there are things like reverse mergers into a public shell, or holding companies, or significant outstanding debt, or co-ownership as in the case of one of the other firms that presented at the Funding Feeding Frenzy, it needs to be addressed in a much more direct way and at least mentioned in the presentation, even if great detail is not covered in the ten minutes allotted.

So, to sum up, the current standard for presenters is inadequate.

2. Outright lies and misrepresentations in any presentation before investors or prospective investors is strictly verboten!

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verboten

There is evidence that some of the claims made in their presentation on December 8, 2010 are apparently not true and that is a real problem because intentionally misrepresenting to investors is fraud.

3. Affluence.org has a natural allure as does any exclusive or elite site.

The minute you say that something is for “rich people” or that it’s about the lifestyles of the rich and famous or that it’s like The Robb Report or the DuPont Registry you get attention from people who are fantasizing about the day that they might be rich too.

I consider elitism to be a negative, but most people like it. Witness the election. Rahm Emanuel is in the elite and he is likely to walk away with the Mayor’s office on the first round with no run-off.

4. There are prominent people in Chicago high tech who are involved with the firm. Some of them were named in the article. I don’t think Josh Metnick is an icon per se, but he did sell his firm AIS at the age of 26 back in 1999 for $20MM and his share of that was 25% or $5MM. Josh went on to run several other firms including Epigraph which got venture funding, ePrairie which became Midwest Business and guitar.com among others. Josh has been on the scene a long time and has had his hands in a lot of things. That is probably why they brought him on board — to lend an air of legitimacy and a “good housekeeping” seal of approval.

Mike Profita is also well known especially among the more senior people in our tech community. Appropos, the firm he served as CFO, went public and Profita was a part of that.

Others such as Bob Geras are in the broader circle of people who are tied to the founder of Affluence.org and AFFU, the pink sheet stock and that is Scott P. Mitchell.

5. And Kathryn, there are some subplots and sub-themes here. They come down along two basic lines.

First, the poor judgement used by some of our tech luminaries, much poorer judgement than moat people in the tech community think. Any time we look under the sheets we see the real problems. Bob Geras and Josh Metnick are guilty of poor judgement in getting involved with a firm whose main product was porn sites. Josh tried to do due diligence about Affluence.org but was stifled in his attempt to do so. You could call it poor judgement to get involved and good judgement to get out at the first sign of trouble. Bill Furlong walked from Affluence. Randy Shipley and other consultants may not have done their homework on the Momentum Capital operation before getting involved. But they know now.

One could argue that poor judgement is not the issue, but rather it is getting caught. By getting caught, people like Geras and Metnick are embarrassed.

Second, there is the issue of conflicting interests and colliding goals. That is manifest most clearly by Len Bland’s BNC Venture Capital Group. Len is trying to wear too many hats and they conflict with each other. Len, along with Norm Fishman, Lee Sussman, Ray Markman, and David Carman are trying to raise something like $30MM as a venture fund. In that goal, Len is vouching for his ability to make intelligent investing decisions. He must have the ability to make good investment decisions to achieve that goal.

But Len is also trying to be a deal broker for which he will collect a fee on any monies raised. They take a percentage of the amount raised, but Len does not have to vouch for the goodness of the deal to any Limited Partners as a VC firm’s General Partners do.

And Len Bland and David Carman are selling coaching services. That is the low hanging fruit. For coaching he gets paid to tell people how to make a presentation. In all of this, there is no due diligence required.

Kathryn, in other words, for Len Bland and all the organizations that live off of event fees, membership dues and fees for services such as brokering deals or coaching rather than living off of the profits made by investing their own money or the money of their limited partners, there is a big problem. In the case of the latter, they must be concerned with whether it is a good firm to invest in (and at what valuation) and in the case of all the former activities, they have to concern themselves with revenues from service fees. Those two sets of objectives can easily conflict with each other.

Bill Weaver of Sachnoff & Weaver, now Reed Smith, who used to do a lot of angel deals, argued that all the conflicts he was regularly accused of could be dealt with by two words: Full Disclosure. That can help but it may not be enough for Len Bland.

Weaver used to negotiate both sides of the angel deal representing both the angels and the entrepreneur; he used to require that the firm getting funded would use his firm for legal services; and he required that he get a board seat. Weaver used to get around the problem of representing both sides, something that was anathema to many of his colleagues in the legal profession such as Craig Bradley, now of K&L Gates, by bringing in another lawyer from another firm on the day the deal was signed to represent the entrepreneur. That provided him with the fig leaf he needed.

That problem is also a sub-theme of the story.

6. Kathryn, it comes down to this:

A start-up with prominent people and a whiff of scandal which could unravel quickly because they are relying on big players like Mercedes for advertising; big plans and yet a lot of hidden chinks in the armor, and most importantly, people who are willing to talk to a reporter and the long knives are out. That last point is key because it moves the plot along and makes it a developing story. People quitting, people getting canned, etc. How can you beat a developing story where the players are willing to trash each other in public?

Does that answer your question?

Ron
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Subject: Re: The May Report: 1/29/2011: I live for days like this: A real pot boiler i…
Date: 1/30/2011 11:07:47 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: kathryn71@gmail.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Hiya Ron, Good morning!

Here’s my question, and this is what I always need when we’re dealing with a wider audience:

Ok, I know that Josh is a player on the scene, a local icon of sorts, but beyond that, why is this story significant?

What’s important about Affluence.com – is it just the bizarre and risky concept, Josh’s involvement, or was it important in other ways?

What’s the significance of this whole situation? Is it a parable about a startup unraveling? An example of how startups can be vaporware/fuzzy accounting and for once, they are exposed?

See what I’m asking? I always like context, so new people walking in can see why this is a story.

On Sun, Jan 30, 2011 at 12:32 AM, wrote:

Of course, Kathryn, and forget about paying me. I’d be honored. Do whatever you want with it and feel free to edit as you wish.

Ron

Chicago Art Magazine
TINC Magazine (tech)
DIY Film
Chicago Performance Trailers (theatre)

Chicago Art Magazine
TINC Magazine (tech)
DIY Film
Chicago Performance Trailers (theatre)
___________________________________
People with address changes

From: “Gina Sandon”
Subject: Please update contact information for Gina Sandon – EMAIL ADDRESS HAS CHANGED
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2011 00:06:28 -0600
To: “The May Report”

Thank you for your e-mail. My email address has changed to: gsandon@us.ibm.com

You do not need to resend your prior message, it has been auto-forwarded.

Thank you,

Gina Sandon

Vice President, Marketing

Initiate, an IBM Company

gsandon@us.ibm.com

Office 312-759-5019

Mobile 312-560-6866
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: slater@yopro.com
Subject: Please update my email address in your contact list
Date: 29 Jan 2011 23:06:11 -0700
To: “The May Report”

Please make a note to update your address for Michael Slater at slater@yopro.com to slater@speednetworking.com.
Thanks You
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: “Vitale, Peter C.”
Subject: Please be advised that Peter Vitale is no longer with Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C.
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2011 00:01:45 -0600
To: The May Report
___________________________________
New Google Offers Joins Daily Deal Trend, Experts Available for Comment

From: “Jessica Prah”
Subject: New Google Offers Joins Daily Deal Trend, Experts Available for Comment
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 13:51:29 -0600
To:

Hi Ronald,

In regards to the recent news about Google developing its own daily-deal site, Google Offers, and adding to the expanding group-buying coupon phenomenon, are you planning to cover this topic?

RECENT STORY: Power Shifts Atop Google

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704881304576094340081291776.html?mod=djemTECH_h

Google Offers will be implementing the similar business model as Groupon, yet this increased competition can result in decreased consumer loyalty (i.e. rather than returning to the same company to save money, consumers can instead search out the best deal available). Chicago-based coupon company, Bare Deal, has a unique business model that encourages consumer loyalty by rewarding repeat customers with an increased number of deals from which to choose with no upfront cost. Bare Deal is currently the ONLY company in this booming industry that offers such a loyalty program, and believes that this program will be a key to its success in markets across the US.

Would you be interested in speaking with Justin Shapiro or Glen Andrianov, co-founders of Bare Deal, to chat about the social-coupon industry and how their concept is differentiating themselves from the competition through free deals, direct mail and customer loyalty? Please let me know if you would like more information or if I can coordinate an interview.

Jessica Prah

Principal

Paramount Public Relations, Inc.

312-953-3257

www.paramountpr.com
_________________________________
DPOE Names New Chicago Area Sales Manager

From: “Claire Burgess”
Subject: DPOE Names New Chicago Area Sales Manager
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 13:48:00 -0500
To: ron@themayreport.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jim Farrell, PR First, (781) 681-6616, jfarrell@prfirst.com

Des Plaines Office Equipment (DPOE) Names Jeremy Casey as Chicago Sales Manager

CHICAGO, ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL, ISSUED January 26, 2011?Des Plaines Office Equipment (DPOE) President Chip Miceli announces that Jeremy Casey of Mokena, IL has been named as the company?s Chicago area Sales Manager.
In this capacity, Casey will oversee the day-to-day sales operations for DPOE within the entire Chicago land territory.
He brings 16 years of industry experience to his post at DPOE, with previous sales and sales management roles at Konica Minolta, Panasonic and Oce? North America.
Casey makes his home in Mokena, with his wife Tonia and their three children; he is a volunteer softball, baseball, football and basketball coach at his children?s schools.
?I?m excited about the opportunity that DPOE has afforded me and I look forward to continually growing the sales operations in Chicago,? said Casey.
?It is with great pleasure that we announce Jeremy as a member of our professional team,? said Miceli. ?His extensive industry background and knowledge, combined with a demonstrated commitment to excellence makes him the perfect choice for this pivotal role within our organization.?
.
About DPOE
Des Plaines Office Equipment (DPOE, www.dpoe.com), is a leader in the field of print management, and document generation equipment and solutions, serving the greater Chicago area since 1955. Today, DPOE operates three locations: its headquarters in Elk Grove Village, and a location in Chicago (211 West Wacker Drive) and Rockford (Loves Park, IL). DPOE is a leading provider of Sharp office equipment, as well as Oki Data. Additionally, DPOE is an authorized dealer for HP, and InfoDynamics. DPOE provides products and services to a diverse client base that includes schools, hospitals, law offices, accounting firms, and financial institutions, among others. The firm is a consistent winner of Sharp Document?s Hyakuman Kai award for sales excellence, and was named a 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Elite Dealer by the national journal Office Dealer. DPOE maintains corporate headquarters at 1020 Bonaventure Drive, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007. The firm is active in a number of area civic organizations, including the Italian American Chamber of Commerce, and the Chicago and Des Plaines Chambers of Commerce. For additional information, please call 847-879-6400 or visit www.dpoe.com.
____________________________________
END OF REPORT

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