MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES
Over the past 10-days, Priority One Credit Union's President, Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. has exhibited behaviors that could have made a wonderful study in human psychological disorders.
Employees have noticed he appears worried on one day and the next capricious and temperamental and at other times, almost giddy and excessively talkative. Its a virtual emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows.
Though often inflexible and erratic, increases stresses appear to be taking a toll on the undisciplined President, placing the credit union's gossip mill into full throttle.
More than half way through the year and the credit union's financial performance remains stranded in the RED with no indication of when Priority One's misfortunes might change.
MOOD ONE
On Monday, July 20th, the President expressed his dissatisfaction over mounting delinquencies and increased charge-offs and complained that his loan modification program has failed to attract the level of member interest he was so certain would be obtained. He still hasn't learned that he should conduct surveys and studies rather than relying on the concoctions from his wild imagination.
MOOD TWO
By Thursday, July 23rd, the President's mood had changed, again. The catalyst for the change occurred after meeting with CFO, Manny Gaitmaitan. During their discussion, the President ordered the CFO to slightly tweak the credit union's June 2009 financials. He insisted that a slight adjustment in reporting could make the financials much more palatable and would create the impression that business is on the upswing. Though "cooking the books" may not be an uncommon practice, at some point in time, President Wiggington is going to have to prove that actual improvement is occurring.
MOOD THREE
By Friday, July 24th, the President prepared to meet with the Board of Directors. He appeared giddy and traipsed about the South Pasadena branch and even exhibited a rarely seen air of confidence.
MOOD FOUR
Following his meeting with the Board of Directors, the President hastily made his way to his office, closing the door behind him and appearing irked and displeased.
Obviously, the Board wasn't enthused over the credit union's financials, even after these had been altered to lessen their negative impact.
THANK YOU
We'd like to extend our thanks to readers who over the past several weeks, have provided us with emails describing their personal experiences while employed by Priority One Credit Union. The amount of personal accounts sent us, attests that something is sorely amiss at Priority One Credit Union. Lately, he has escalated efforts to trap the people who he believes are leaking information to this blog. It's nothing less than hypocrisy that the worst violator of policy at Priority One is launching a witch hunt to capture employees he believes are violating policies as much as he is. Here are some of the comments sent to us in recent weeks:
"Charles took Diedra to the desk of the person he thinks is writing this blog. They talked about it while walking through collections, the loan department and the member service department."
"Charles took Diedra to the desk of the person he thinks is writing this blog. They talked about it while walking through collections, the loan department and the member service department."
"Rodger [Smock] told Charles that he knows who is writing the blog."
"Wigg says he knows who is giving you information and he's going to get them all."
"Charles was on his cellular telling someone that he has a camera in his office because he doesn't know whose going to get him."
"Wiggington says he is sick of hearing [the name of the woman he's accused of sexually harassing] and he wants that woman out of his life."
"The president has been talking about an employee who crashed the van and how the employee is costing him money and must have been on drugs."
"Charles was in Patti's office talking loudly about Yuling and saying he doesn't need her negative attitude and is going to get rid of her if she doesn't start doing what he says."
"Charles said Mr. Harris screwed everything up and he has spent years having to correct Harris' mistakes."
"Charles was in Beatrice's office telling her people are out to get him."
Well, it seems the President has no thought of guarding confidentiality. Why someone would choose to divulge confidential information in the presence of staff members who should not be privy to the information is quite frankly, inexplicable.
The President says that he "doesn't know whose going out to get him." Really? Who would want him? Does he have any evidence that might lend credence to his statements or is this just more neurotic babbling from a man who loves fabricating stories?
READER'S FAVORITE
AVP, Rodger Smock, made his way through every department in the South Pasadena branch, proudly announcing that a recent article in the "Daily News" disclosed that readers of the publication voted Priority One the "reader favorite." If true, then why is the credit union experiencing an all-time high in accounting closures, reduced membership, and amassing complaints citing poor member services? The publication never mentions how many readers voted Priority One their favorite, so we'lll take the claim with the tiniest grain of salt.
We've recently discovered that several months ago, President Wiggington authorized that all Directors be provided with an allowance of $30 to cover their gas expense when having to attend monthly meetings. Most of the Directors live in or near the city of Los Angeles. The roundtrip drive from their homes to the South Pasadena branch couldn't cost more than $6. So why are they being paid $30 to travel to and from the branch once day a month? And don't they serve as volunteers?
The President also provides all Directors and Supervisors free Internet access. He is able to do this by remotely connecting them to the credit union's network. They are not employees of the credit union, they are supposed to be volunteer officers, so why are they receiving free Internet access?
In earlier posts, we reported that in recent years, the Board was allowed to attend educational junkets, including traveling to Europe, Hawaii and most recently to Las Vegas. During each excursion, most of the Directors including it's Chair, Diedra Harris-Brooks, opted to skip the classes they were sent to attend and instead went sightseeing all at a cost to the credit union.
PERKS TO A VOLUNTARY BOARD
Gasoline Expense
We've recently discovered that several months ago, President Wiggington authorized that all Directors be provided with an allowance of $30 to cover their gas expense when having to attend monthly meetings. Most of the Directors live in or near the city of Los Angeles. The roundtrip drive from their homes to the South Pasadena branch couldn't cost more than $6. So why are they being paid $30 to travel to and from the branch once day a month? And don't they serve as volunteers?
Free Internet
The President also provides all Directors and Supervisors free Internet access. He is able to do this by remotely connecting them to the credit union's network. They are not employees of the credit union, they are supposed to be volunteer officers, so why are they receiving free Internet access?
Educational Junkets
In earlier posts, we reported that in recent years, the Board was allowed to attend educational junkets, including traveling to Europe, Hawaii and most recently to Las Vegas. During each excursion, most of the Directors including it's Chair, Diedra Harris-Brooks, opted to skip the classes they were sent to attend and instead went sightseeing all at a cost to the credit union.
HOLDING EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTABLE
Merit Increases
The President, angered by our frequent reporting about the freeze he placed on all raises just a few months ago, issued a memorandum on July 21st, containing the following message:
"Performance reviews ending 2008 and their 2008 merit increase consideration must be submitted by Friday, July 31st. These must be reviewed, submitted and completed by this date for any past due 2008 merit consideration. No consideration for 2008 merit increase will be honored after July 31st."
At many companies, it's supervisors and Human Resources who are responsible for insuring performance evaluations are completed by their designated due date. Not so at Priority One where employees are required to evaluate their performance. Once completed, it is submitted to their supervisor for review. However, at Priority One, evaluations are sometimes late by as much as one year, pointing to a problem with both supervisors and the Human Resources Department who is to ensure the evaluations are completed on time.
In the meantime, many employees continue to work outside of their job classifications which is illegal under California Labor law and all employees are currently subject to a wage freeze.
In the meantime, many employees continue to work outside of their job classifications which is illegal under California Labor law and all employees are currently subject to a wage freeze.
THE 911
The President recently disclosed that he is considering hiring consultants to delve out solutions needed to resolve the credit union's increasing inability strategies needed to spur business which has been in decline for more than one year. He says he hopes to focus on key problem areas including finding ways to reverse monthly losses, augment business development and finds ways of improving deteriorating employee morale.
He also wishes to develop a means by which to identify "rebel employees" who he says are causing Priority One's decline. He has placed emphasis on the fact that the tactics used to terminate employees must be legal so to eliminate the potential incidence of lawsuits.
It doesn't take a financial wizard to know that his plan will be costly and will offset the credit union's bottom line. What's more, isn't his plan the antithesis of his statements made during the annual meeting that he was seeking ways to reduce spending, "streamling", and "working smarter." We invite President Wiggington to explain what he meant by "working smarter" because what we are seeing isn't sagely or productive. And is he using the monies saved from the company-wide wage freeze to hire consultants?
He also wishes to develop a means by which to identify "rebel employees" who he says are causing Priority One's decline. He has placed emphasis on the fact that the tactics used to terminate employees must be legal so to eliminate the potential incidence of lawsuits.
It doesn't take a financial wizard to know that his plan will be costly and will offset the credit union's bottom line. What's more, isn't his plan the antithesis of his statements made during the annual meeting that he was seeking ways to reduce spending, "streamling", and "working smarter." We invite President Wiggington to explain what he meant by "working smarter" because what we are seeing isn't sagely or productive. And is he using the monies saved from the company-wide wage freeze to hire consultants?
SPENDING MONEY THEY DON'T HAVE
COO, Beatrice Walker. has recently disclosed that she is planning to install the credit union's first Call Center which she is describing as an "one-stop Call Center." The new center will answering incoming calls formerly diverted to all branches, providing account information, transferring funds between accounts and opening new loan applications. However, isn't the ambitious and potentially costly plan inconsistent with President Wiggington's May 2009 declarations that he is seeking ways to reduce spending?
The COO has said she may want to install the center in the South Pasadena branch, in the space located behind the Teller line. What we find peculiar is that in 2008, the President purchased the credit union's current phone system at a cost of $600,000, insisting the system would circumvent having to create a Call Center. Evidently, like much of what the President attempts, the telephone system he selected without the assistance of his executive staff, has failed. Is this again an example of how Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. is "working smarter"? And are the President and COO using money that might usually be spent on wage increases, to build a Call Center?
The COO has said she may want to install the center in the South Pasadena branch, in the space located behind the Teller line. What we find peculiar is that in 2008, the President purchased the credit union's current phone system at a cost of $600,000, insisting the system would circumvent having to create a Call Center. Evidently, like much of what the President attempts, the telephone system he selected without the assistance of his executive staff, has failed. Is this again an example of how Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. is "working smarter"? And are the President and COO using money that might usually be spent on wage increases, to build a Call Center?
FRUGALITY
To save money, the credit union is also reducing budges once used in the development of new business, on marketing and needed to participate in community and city chamber events. Since 2007, the quality of credit union publications including brochures promoting products and services and the annual report have cheapened in appearance. Nowadays, the quality of paper and ink has been reduced suggesting President Wiggington doesn't understand the difference between being cost-effective and looking cheap.
The credit union recently responded to concerns which asked what happened to this year's election. On July 28, 2009, President Wiggington issued the following notice:
Ballots have been mailed for the election of two (2) members to the Supervisory Committee. These ballots must be postmarked by midnight, September 15, 2009. The election results will be in the October newsletter.This info is being provided in the event a member inquires about receiving a ballot.
THE ELECTORAL PROCESS
The credit union recently responded to concerns which asked what happened to this year's election. On July 28, 2009, President Wiggington issued the following notice:
Ballots have been mailed for the election of two (2) members to the Supervisory Committee. These ballots must be postmarked by midnight, September 15, 2009. The election results will be in the October newsletter.This info is being provided in the event a member inquires about receiving a ballot.
Several days after the deadline for submitting nominations had passed, Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. once again violated state law when he accepted a nomination from a member. The member had been coaxed by Director, Bobby Thomas, over a period of almost 2 months, to submit his nomination but the member missed the deadline. Despite being ineligible to submit his nomination, the Board Chair and President made an exception. But why violate state law?
As we've mentioned in previous posts, Board Chair, Diedra Harris-Brooks, is a woman who likes the Board's and Supervisory Committee's current dynamic. The Directors and Supervisors are completely subservient to her every whim and never disagree with any of her decisions. Last year, the President revealed that he and the Board Chair had decided it was imperative that none of the Directors or Supervisors leave. To ensure current Directors and Supervisors remained unchanged, they first orchestrated the mailing of state-mandated notices announcing the election, to only those members who have a checking account and excluding the larger sector of members who only have a savings account. There plan may have worked had we not expose it on this blog.
When Mr. Davidson submitted his nomination, Director, Bobby Thomas volunteered to find a member who nominate themselves and thus reduce the chances of Mr. Davidson being elected. And though Mr. Thomas' nominee submitted his nomination after the deadline, Mrs. Harris-Brooks and the other Directors started a campaign promoting the nominee's name. So why did the Board Chair and President want to derail Mr. Davidson's chances to win a seat on the Supervisory Committee?
Two years ago, it was Dave Davidson who received an anonymous letter mailed to his home which exposed then AVP, Liz Campos, of having overdrawn her account on 24 separate NSF incidents to her Priority One checking account. An investigation which included an audit of Mrs. Campos' account revealed she had been kiting- a federal offense. She had used checking accounts from three different institutions to issue checks in amounts exceeding her account balances. The termination of Mrs. Campos, who the President described as his "friend", incensed the vindictive CEO, who publicly declared, "I'm going to get Dave Davidson!" Apparently, the President was unconcerned by the violation of federal law perpetrated by Mrs. Campos but incensed by the fact his hand-picked AVP was exposed. Doesn't that say a lot about Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. abhorrent character?
The tyrannical and unscrupulous Mrs. Harris-Brooks succeeded in retaining the almost all Black Board and the entire Black Supervisory Committee. Only time will tell what effects the scurrilous tactics employed by the President and Board Chair will have upon the credit union. For the two notorious officers, the credit union's reputation and integrity mean absolutely nothing when all their only objective is gratifying their insatiable wants.
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31 comments:
The man is nothing but a porch monkey.
You haven't written much if anything about Bea Walker. Why? Bea was hired to streamline P1. She has experience in HR, employee benefits, hiring,and firing. The supervisory committee wants her to help put P1 back on track but if they want that they need to get Wigg out.
Bea used to work for Pasadena FCU as a VP and was responsible for finances including lending, investments, and product development. Obviously she has more experience in all the areas Wigg has no experience in or at least in areas where he stinks.
She also used to work for Honda Federal CU where she was a branch and call center manager.
She also worked as a CEO at AIRCO FCU located at 6265 San Fernando Rd in Glendale and as a COO at Universal City Studios CU located at 90 Universal City Plaza, Bldg 1320 in Universal City, CA and a CEO at Honda Federal CU located at 1919 Torrance Bl in Torrance, CA.
Beatrice Walker was a witness back in 2007, in a case against an employee at Honda FCU. In January 2008, the NCUA issued a decision regarding the case between Kennae Rekeem Jeffries and Honda Federal Credit Union in Torrance, California. During the hearing, Beatrice (“Bea”) Walker testified on behalf of Honda FCU.
The case involved an employee who without authorization, obtained to VISA cards, one for his grandfather and one for his grandmother and later he increased the limits to $25,000, again without permission, for the cards. He also kited when he began to deposit payments to the VISA accounts to cover the minimum balances. He first said he got permission from his supervisor to get cards for his grandparents. The credit union allowed employees to apply and obtain VISA cards for family members but his grandparents did not qualify for the cards plus he was a temp employee.
In the NCUA docket, #07-0501-V, the decision by the NCUA was “supported by the sworn declarations of…Beatrice Walker, manager of the credit union branch” where the employee was employed. “Walker in her sworn declaration attests that she not give Respondent (the employee) permission or approval to open an account for any one who was not a credit union member, nor assist him by filing in an applicant’s employee identification number or mailing account application forms to anyone on his behalf. Walker further attests that she understands records indicate that she approved a request to increase the credit limit on one of the Respondent’s grandparent’s accounts…..”
Under III. Findings of Fact, the NCUA decided that “Respondent initially obtained supervisory approval to raise the credit limits on the two VISA cards, and then unilaterally increased the limits on each VISA card to $25,000the maximum allowed.”
What I find odd is that the temp employee managed to obtain approval to get the cards. Who gave that approval. The transcript doesn't say. And why is Beatrice no longer at Honda? You can read the entire transcript at http://www.ncua.gov/news/press_release/2008/PDF/07-1001finaldecisionandordersJeffries.pdf.
Look at how many jobs this woman has had since 2007. Again p1 has made another bad hiring.
That is a lot of jobs! You forgot to include that she used to work at Electricore as a finance mgr and that she started working at Priority on 6/01 but quit her job at Electricore just one week earlier. What happened to the usual 2 week notice?
I also looked up the docket on the web and it is dated January 2008. So from 1/08 to 6/09, she worked at Honda and at Electricore. Like anonymous said, that's a lot of jobs. I wonder if she's had more?
I don't understand how she jumped from COO to CEO Finance mgr back to COO. Seems strange. The docket also says the NCUA concluded the employee received supevisor approval to raise limit on one of the VISA cards. Does that mean Beatrice approved the increase? Is that why she's not at Honda?
My Spider Senses saids this lady is corrupt and that is the reason her employment history is not stable. It is amazing how she floats from one credit union to another obtaining senior management positions...positions that would give her the means and opportunity to do financial damage.
My opinion is she stays long enough at a job to do substantial embezzlement and leaves before she can get caught or the auditors get suspicious.
It appears that will will fit right in with the scandalous behavior of Mr. Wiggington and his not so bright croonies.
Dose any one remember twilight zone where everything was crazy? Well welcome to P1 where Wiggington is going crazy, with cameras tap the phone looking over his shoulders
Charles is a pig he has not stopped touching himself and has the worse table manners and his clothes are nasty this is our great leader!!!
Has anyone really looked closely at the financials, Wiggington bragged about the capital being at 10 % now I see that it has drop to about 6% and the delinquent loans are high.
Has any one check on the figures that P1 is posting is he aging the delinquent loans properly or is he cheating at that also.
It seems with the lost of income and the posting of negative income P1 can not afford to give any one a raise, the first thing that will go when a company is losing money is the staff. So look for lay offs and of course if you do not get along with the king and queens at P1 you will be the first to go.
Your right, the cap has dropped and the delinquencies are growing. He does age the figures so that delinquencies don't seem as high on the month when they occur.
I agree, you probably are going to see people losing their jobs, first the ones he knows can't stand him and later, the others. What P1 needs is a new pres.
And is this woman even bondable? If she gave permission to an employee to take our visa cards or if she approved increases, then she is also responsible for the loss. I just read the docket. The loss was over $61,000 and I can't believe she wasn't fired or that she lost her bonding. This is really suspcious.
How did the COO come to the credit union? Did she answer an ad or did she know someone on the board or supervisor committee or did she know Wiggington?
I agree, how could a supervisor or manager who gave permission for a transaction that resulted in a $61,000.00 loss keep her job and I am pretty sure based on NCUA insurance rules that she could or should have lost her bonding. So did P1 do a background check on her?
I could not find the docket. Help!!!
LOL...please define porch monkey....LOLolololol
Here is the link to the docket. Just copy and paste and it should open it up (at least it worked for me).
http://www.ncua.gov/Resources/AdministrativeOrders/2008/finaldecisionandordersJeffries.pdf
Here we go again (it didn't print completely).
http://www.ncua.gov/Resources/AdministrativeOrders/2008/finaldecisionandordersJeffries.pdf
I forgot to add another link I just found. This is Honda FCU's 1999 annual report. Beatrice Walker's name appears on the report under Managment Team.
I would love to see her resume. The docket says the NCUA issued a decision on Jan 08 but when did she work at Honda? Honda's annual report shows her name in a 1999 report. But I also found this on on http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-97651083.html.
Los Angeles Business Journal, 12/02/02, Copywright 2002
"Pasadena Schools Federal Credit Union has hired Beatrice Walker.."
Pasadena Schools Federal Credit Union has hired Beatrice Walker as executive vice president. She will responsible for analyzing finances and investments as well as directing lending and new product development. Walker was branch/call center manager at Honda Federal Credit Union.
Someone wrote she worked for Electricore and for Universal Studios CU. When did she work at each of these places?
Ballots are now arriving at your homes lets put someone in who will stand up and fight
For what is right. Only pick Dave Davidson’s name and no one else.
The reason Charles and Direda do not want him is because he can not be controlled.
And David Davidson is actually intelligent and honest 2 things that make Charles and Diedra cringe.
VOTE FOR DAVID DAVIDSON!!!!!!
The board, Wigg, Smock and Beatrice Walker have been in a HIGH SECURITY meeting all day long and they will be doing it again tomorrow (8/6/09) They have the doors leading to Wiggs office and Beatrice's office locked with a sign. It is so obvious they are afraid someone is going to hear what they are discussing. Yesterday, Wigg said they were going to strategize. Don't you need brains to strategize? Diedra was walking around the branch with the usual stupid toothy smile making her look like a shrunken head while the board followed her about (as they should). I guess when you're up to no good, you have to keep it secret. If you want to know what happened in the meeting, just wait because Wigg will spill it all out in a day or two.
Diedra is an idiot. She doesn't obey the law and does things that hurt other people because she's too stupid to know better. So come on guys, have pity on that pathetic moron.
Lets do our own strategize VOTE FOR DAVIDSON.
Why the closed doors today? if they were doing what was right for p1 then they wouldnt have to keep everything secret.
that,s right only put down David Davidsons name that way no one else will get votes.
Let's get rid of the good old boys club
Members wake up! Geez. The guy that is ruining P1 and the board who protects him are the same group of crooks that are trying to improve business. That's just not possible!
Charles and Direda are always up to no good, beware of them. They want to control everything at P1 allowing someone to run for the sup board at the last minute what snakes, as you can see by the figures P1 is going down and fast.
Tell everyone you can to vote for Davidson and him only is good advice Charles and Direda are beyond upset by this blog and if we get behind an Honest person and put someone on the board who is honest then we can push out the others. Remember one at a time and then we can get our credit union back.
A vote for David Davidson is a vote for Priority One.
This year we get Dave Davison in, next year WILLIAM HARRIS!
Bring back the good old days and get Mr. Harris on the Board and kick the she queen out.
If the deadline for the 1st election was in February and elections were held in March, why is it that the deadline for the second election was in May but we didn't get ballots until the last couple of days of July? Were they dragging their feet so they could plot the election. If managmt hasn't done anything wrong why do they look like they have?
Do you think they can check and find out who the employees voted for?
no they can not find out who you voted for.
Ballots are counted by a 3rd party so they cannot see how each person votes. But nominations to run for office are sent to a PO Box but that address is the South Pasadena branch and when the nominations arrive, they are handed to Wiggington. That is completely unacceptable!
really?
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