STC President responds to accusations about board's negligence

Tue Mar 11 18:39:56 MDT 2008

 Linda, 

I will be happy to forward your response to the two list serves that I participate in. I hope you will read all of the information that has been forwarded to you. I have copied you on my findings. They are substantially more fact based that anything found on Wickipedia. I did see the Wickipedia listing and the listings for Mary Jean Eisenhower. I also have a call into the White House public affairs office to see if the POTUS is actually the "Honorary Chairman" of this organization.

I may even forward the deceptive marketing practices of the Ambassador Group, Inc. to my congressman--who just happens to be the senior republican member of the foreign relations subcommittee on Asia and Africa.

Your answer assures me that you did not have the members best interest at heart. I seriously doubt that you will invest $5200 worth of billable hours into arranging this trip for STC. Ambassador Group relies on well meaning professionals to remain blissfully unaware of the true nature of their business. Like all true con artists, they have you believing that everything you and STC is doing is for your some type of good. In fact, everything that you are doing is to insure that they can promise their shareholders a 16% or greater ROI.

Look at the exorbitant executive compensation for both the non-profit People to People International and Ambassador Group, Inc. All of this information is available on the internet. I could not find one of the charity rating websites that recognizes P2P as a charity or educational foundation. This is the first of many red flags. Thank God that Foundation Net has a search engine for 990 filings. And that the SEC has a search engine for publicly traded corporate reports.

You promoted this boondoggle, yet you are "overcome by the mean spiritedness" of my comments. Too bad the truth hurts. I'm furious that my personal information has been sent to another marketer who will sell it on the open market to the next highest bidder. I don't care what kind of assurances you got from P2P. They lied to get in the door, and their assurances mean nothing. The profit driven nature of the Ambassadors Group, Inc. will trump any assurances you received from P2P.

Go ahead and continue to promote the deception of Ambassadors Group, Inc. Or, do the responsible thing and pull the plug. I think you've probably already learned a lot about "educational travel."

Teresa Trujillo
Book Workshop/Mighty Designs
1501 E. Orangethorpe Avenue
Suite 130
Fullerton, California 92831
Phone (714) 525-0882
Fax (714) 879-7156
Cell (714) 926-8343

-----Original Message-----
From: Oestreich, Linda <linda.oestreich at hp.com>
To: Polley, Janet <Janet.Polley at aecom.com>; tashuff at aol.com <tashuff at aol.com>; kathleen at writefortheuser.com <kathleen at writefortheuser.com>; jimcol at charter.net <jimcol at charter.net>; Mark Clifford <Mark at cliffordsells.com>; Cindy Currie <stcreg1dir at yahoo.com>
Cc: Susan Burton <susan at stc.org>; Tom Gorski <tom.gorski at stc.org>
Sent: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 4:48 pm
Subject: STC President responds to accusations about board's negligence

I am not a member of all the SIG lists you chose to
send your information to, so please forgive me for only sending it to the four
of you who seem to be so sure that STC has made a mistake or has been duped.

I ask you to please check out this site and the
references it holds:? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_to_People_Student_Ambassador_Program

?

The info here notes the mistakes that the group has
made, but shows much more faith in their goodness than any of you have done. ?The
board of directors did look into this group.? And, no, the board will not
be getting free trips based on every 15 people. ?I am having my expenses
paid, but I am working long hours to help set up professional meetings and
ensure that the delegation truly does have value for the members and those who
host us in China.?
If we get more delegates than I can effectively lead, a second (and third,
etc.) delegation leader will be chosen from those who have signed up and their
expenses will be reimbursed to them.

I am overcome by the mean-spirited nature of your
messages. ?The board owes no apologies. ?We have not been taken in by
a scam.? We did research, and have records and first-hand accounts from
others who went on similar trips with People to People. ?All of those we
spoke with were excited and pleased to have been part of the experience.

The board did its due diligence. ?And, those of
you who choose to malign our programs and our efforts to be a positive force
for the profession should be the ones apologizing.? 

Yes, some negative press exists about People to
People. ?Negative press also exists for STC, and any other organization in
a free nation. ?That doesn't mean the group is wanton or out to only make
money. ?Also realize that the folks being invited on this trip are adults
who can make up their own minds. ?If they choose to find the time and
money to be part of something that can promote better understanding and a
possible strengthening of our profession with other cultures, then I applaud
them.

I would hope that you would, too.

?

Linda L. Oestreich

STC President (2007-2008)

day: +1 858-655-3878

eve: +1 619-303-6277

cell: +1 619-518-1186

pres at stc.org

-----Original Message-----

From: Polley, Janet [mailto:Janet.Polley at aecom.com] 

Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 2:27 PM

To: tashuff at aol.com; Stcidlsig-l at mailman.stc.org; stc-ac at lists.stc.org;
stclwrsig-l at mailman.stc.org; pres at stc.org

Subject: RE: [stclwrsig-l] With 12 You Get Egg Roll

?

When we had that dust-up last Fall about dues, I
wondered then where my dues go, and I'm wondering now. I (and the rest of you)
paid $160. That gets me access to this list, the stc website, and a couple of
publications. Technically, it gets me a local chapter membership, but if I want
to go to one of their monthly meetings, I have to pay. There is an annual
conference, but if I want to attend, I have to pay for the conference _and_ my
travel expenses.

?

Now this. I never particularly wanted to go to China before.
My husband has been a few times and has successfully sold me on never wanting
to go. Then Dana threw out that link to that article demonstrating once again
how unbelievably cruel the Chinese can be and cemented it.

?

I agree that we are owed an apology from the board for
not doing their research.

?

janet

?

-----Original Message-----

From: tashuff at aol.com

Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 9:01 AM

?

I work with non-profits clients, and I was an
executive for a travel magazine. These type of "group travel opportunities"
are marketing tools. Linda O states that the trip will not go forward if there
are not 15 participants. Well, with "twelve you get egg roll"--is a
marketing tool as well.

?

It appears that the board did not perform necessary
due diligence before releasing our personal information to a travel marketer
with a convincing twist.

?

So, again it appears that the STC board members may be
receiving a free trip for every group of 12-15 trips purchased by the STC
members.

?

I would like the board to apologize for this
boondoggle. This is another example of why the national STC does not meet my
professional needs.

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