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SHOWN TO THE RIGHT, ARE THE CONTENTS OF THE 11/27/12 LETTER SIGNED BY PRIORITY ONE CREDIT UNION PRESIDENT, CHARLES R. WIGGINGTON, SR. IN COMPLIANCE TO THE TERMS OF SETTLEMENT AGREED TO BY THE CREDIT UNION AND A MEMBER WHO SUED THE CREDIT UNION, ALLEGING THEIR WILLFUL VIOLATION OF THE PRIVACY ACT.

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Sunday, August 1, 2010

Don’t Look Down, Part 2

VERTIGO

"There's been rumors that people are 
going to lose their jobs now that I'm 
President. Let me tell you, no one will ever 
lose their job while I'm President. You can take 
my word on that." 

Charles R. Wiggington, Sr., President/CEO, January 4, 2007


We don't think we'd be exaggerating if we described Priority One Credit Union President, Charles R. Wiggington, Sr.'s lies and exaggerations as anything other than dizzying. 

Since being appointed President on January 1, 2007, the President has concocted tall tales 
most often intended to rationalize his failures, dupe employees, cover-up his despicable behaviors and used to embellish talent and abilities he doesn't possess. His stories are woven around his favorite subjects- his above-average intellect, his sexual prowess, his keen comprehension of banking financials, his collection of old, used BMW's, and his $1 million estate nestled quietly in a down trodden section of Echo Park, California. 

Last year, the President introduced his long-time acquaintance, Beatrice Walker, to the Board of Directors who hired her to serve as the credit union's first COO. Though Ms. Walker's greatest accomplishment thus far has been implementing brutal cut-backs on spending, she like the President, has made certain that the reductions in spending to not affect executive salaries or benefits. What's more, as she reduces spending, she's entered into a literal spending spree using credit union monies to fund what are becoming a series of poorly performing enterprises.

This past February, Ms. Walker proclaimed Priority One generated real profit during the month of January. This was the first time profit had been gotten in almost one-year. What's more, the profit was earned during what traditionally is, one of the slowest months of the year. However, at the end of March it was revealed that Ms. Walker and the President transferred monies from one of the credit union's general ledgers and reported these as profit. The so-called profit was nothing more than a highly unethical and not-so-clever act of manipulating financial reporting. 

What the President and Ms. Walker have created is a card of cards whose collapsed is quickly approaching, in the not-too-distant future. 


THIS POST

This post resumes our reporting about COO, Beatrice Walker, who was hired on June 1, 2009, to reduce spending and introduce new streams of income needed to offset losses incurred by President Wiggington's deficient business decisions. Since her arrival, she has single-handedly succeeded in absorbing a great portion of President Wiggington's business decision authority. Considering the failure and lukewarm performance of the products and services she's introduced. it seems that stripping a part of the President's power is probably her only key accomplishment. Congratulations, Ms. Walker.


TRICKS ARE FOR KIDS

During the past week, Priority One mailed a form letter to members reminding them that they could can call the credit union to enroll in Courtesy Pay- the credit union's overdraft protection program. The letter contains numerous grammatical errors and omissions of information, reminding us of the carelessness which characterizes so many of President's and COO's enterprises. At the bottom of the letter, the credit union proudly displayed the following message:

"Voted BEST Credit Union - Los Angeles News" 

We'd learned that the message was published in an effort to present the credit union in a positive light. We contacted the Daily News' offices and were told that the message is found in a 2008 edition of their newspaper. We also discovered that the statement only alluded to the Valencia branch and not the main office in South Pasadena, or the Los Angeles, Burbank and Van Nuys. branches. This effort to pull another fast one. We've learned that the ruse was concocted by COO, Beatrice Walker, and AVP, Rodger Smock. Evidently, the two have no problem with dispensing misleading, deceptive and inaccurate information. Realistically, Priority One leadership of Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. is not the "BEST" at anything. 

Another visit to the credit union's "Career" page revealed that Priority One continues to insist they are a "progressive $175 million" credit union. There statement is shown, below:

"Priority One Credit Union, A progressive $175 M credit union, is an equal opportunity employer. We offer competitive salary and benefits packages within a friendly team-oriented environment. We provide career growth opportunities for those that demonstrate the potential and have accepted the challenge of responsibility."

Yes, Priority One is a $175 million credit union in the same way it's the "BEST" credit union in the world. 

Like the manipulation of financial reporting during the month of January, the President, the COO, and AVP, Rodger Smock, thought they could pull a reference from the Daily News that was written only about the Valencia branch back in 2008, and parade it about to deceitfully try and convince members and employees that the entire organization had been rated as the "Best" credit union on earth. If these three could expend as much energy in creating strategies that actually work, Priority One might actually be experiencing a reversal of fortune. 

On a side note. The COO was so vexed by our last post that she couldn't contain her anger and while standing in the Credit Resolutions Department and in the presence of collection and call center representatives, complained to her confidants, Yvonne Boutte and Joseph Garcia, that if necessary, "I will fire every employee" that is leaking confidential information" on to the blog. Again, she said this while standing in the Credit Resolutions Department and in the presence of collection and call center representatives.


CUTTING BACK
Through 
VICTIMIZATION
  
The latest casualty to suffer the wrath of the President and COO is the South Pasadena Receptionist who the President swore was leaking information to this blog. His belief is of course wrong, if not delusional. The reception sat at a lone desk, located at the entrance of the branch in which is referred to as the "reception area." She had no physical access to confidential information. Despite the logistical issues with the President's accusations, he insisted and knew for a fact, that she was the source of information that was finding its way to this blog. 

The receptionist now joins several other employees that both the President and COO, Beatrice Walker, believed were leaking information to this blog. These include the credit union's ONLY Marketing Specialist, the IT Supervisor, an AVP, and a senior accountant, the Teller Supervisor of the Los Angeles branch. 

The President and COO are slaves to their own undisciplined imaginations, never relying on evidence of the things they hold to be but instead, choosing to cleave to whatever concoctions they dream up. 


And Priority One has a policy governing confidentiality, neither the President or COO can seem to bridle their tongues. Ms. Walker is openly expressing her frustration over this blog and in response is targeting scapegoats who are blamed for leaks they never committed. What's more, we believe that her persecution and victimization of employees is just a ploy to draw attention away from her amassing strategical failures which have done nothing to curtail the credit union's vast monthly losses.  

Not so coincidentally, the people laid-off during the month of July are the same people she and the President previously labeled, "the blogger", "bloggers" and "confederates of the bloggers." 



LIKE SALT ON A SLUG

At 3 p.m. on Monday, July 12, 2010, Beatrice Walker, saunters across the Loan Department, her deep-set eyes framed by sagging, uneven eyelids and trying to discreety hide the fact she is watching every employee in the department. She suddenly stops and momentarily glances over at the receptionist who is pre-occupied, busily answering the excessively heavy phone lines. 

Wearing a plain, heavily worn black polyester dress and a necklace of faux pearls, she fails to notice she is being observed by several employees of the Loan and Teller Departments. 
Some employees would later comment that her worn dress was actually an improvement on the clothes she usually wore to work. 

Many employees would later state that Ms. Walker's effort to improve her attire was a reaction to the comments posted by readers on this blog. She has often been the brunt of jokes and criticisms for her often shoddy wardrobe and poorly applied make-up. 

After standing for several seconds at the reception desk, Ms. Walker turns, a crooked smile sweeping over her face and walks back to her office. As she exits the Loan Department, a Loan Processor exclaims, "She looks like the Cheshire cat.:"

Later, the same day, at 5 p.m., Human Resources clerk, Esmeralda Sandoval, calls the receptionist and asks that she go to the office of Senior Vice President, Rodger Smock. A few minutes later, she is met by Miss Sandoval at the door leading into Mr. Smock's office. As she enters, Mr. Smocks asks that she seat. She is then informed by the aged Senior Vice President that she is being laid-off after only three-years of employment because the credit union is being forced to reduce spending due to declining business. While speaking, Mr. Smock's face flushes bright red and his voice quivers, his eyes darting back and forth uncomfortably. He also discloses that the lay-off has been ordered by COO, Beatrice Walker, and CFO, Saeid Raad. 

The credit union terminated a receptionist who was paid about $14.00 per hour but chose to retain President Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. who is paid in excess of $150,000 per year and has been the number one contributor to Priority One's decline including a loss of more than $12 million in net assets since January 1, 2007. Wouldn't terminating the President have a far more beneficial fiscal impact upon the credit union than terminating a receptionist?


MORE REDUCTIONS

The credit union has sent out a notice to employees, announcing they are immediately stopping all contributions paid by Priority One 401K plans. The contributions matched those contributions paid by employees into their personal 401K plans. So what happened to the credit union's declaration contained in its mission statement, asserting, they possess the ability to "help members and employees win with money"?


PART-TIME STAFF

The greatest flaw with Beatrice Walker's plots is not her motivations but the fact that the real reasons behind her actions eventually become public. 

For the past year, Ms. Walker has ordered a reduction of hours for many formerly, full-time employees and with the reduction of hours, cessation of their benefits. According to the sly Ms. Walker, this is one means to reduce spending. We think another more effective means might be to refrain from giving into her indulgences but that's a subject for another post. 

However, Ms. Walker is again violating state law. She has reduced hours for some employees and eliminated their benefits but she is requiring that they work 8 hours per day, 5 days per week. Isn't that full-time employment? By stripping away benefits, the credit union is substantially reducing the amount of their overhead, albeit it completely illegal. And again, the reductions being introduced by Ms. Walker are coming at a high cost to employees. So, is Priority One truly a financial fitness center? 




SKEWERING 
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

In our previous post, we described Beatrice Walker's efforts to reduce and eventually, eliminate the Business Development team. 

The efforts to eliminate the team was actually begun by Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. who in his mind, believes the team is unnecessary. With consideration to his continual failure to introduce strategies that produce real profit, we'd have to conclude the President Wiggington knows nothing about marketing, or product development. .

We previously described how Ms. Walker converted the entire team from exempt status to non-exempt status. With the help of AVP, Rodger Smock, they've issued a notice informing the team that the credit union will no longer pay over-time. Since our last publication, the COO and AVP have issued another notice, this time advising the business development team that if they work in excess of 40 hours per week, the excess hours will be added to their accrual of personal time off ("PTO"). The directive is illegal under state law. 

Not to be out done, Ms. Walker has increased her stranglehold on the business development team and two weeks ago, reduced the hours they're required to work each week, from 40 to 20. According to AVP, Rodger Smock, the reason hours were reduced to 20 hours per week is to avoid laying off any team members. Mr. Smock is being both preposterous and inane. 

With the reduction of hours, the credit union has announced each team member's medical benefits will be cut-off. 

Is this another example of how Priority One fulfills its promise as a financial fitness center and proves it can help employees, "win with money"?

Ms. Walker like the President is another overpaid and talentless hack whose expensive spending habits have failed to create anything tangible that suggests growth and development. Like the President, Ms. Walker talks about what she will accomplish and yet, we're kept waiting for the moment anything she does reaps real profit. 

Thus far she's terminated numerous employees, some who she concluded were unnecessary to the credit union and others who she imagined were "out-to--get her." She's bludgeoned the amount of working hours for the business development team and stripped them of their benefits and openly disparaged their abilities, yet she is a failure as a strategist. What's more, she orchestrated the hiring of her friend, Saeid Raad at a salary of more than $100,000 per year and she's hired her other friend, Randy McBride. She's also spent more than $100,000 remodeling the South Pasadena and Burbank branches and another $70,000 plus building what is proving to be a failed call center. Her decisions are not only saturated with contradictions, she is failing to realize any of her promises that she could bring in new streams of income. 

Even some members of the management team are fearing their future at the credit union. Months ago she described her plans to drive AVP, Rodger Smock, into retirement, describing him as "useless" and "overpaid." She also expressed a desire to remove Training and Education Manager, Robert West, who she has said is "unnecessary." Recently, Human Resources "clerk" and credit union decoy, Esmeralda Sandoval, stated, "Maybe I'm next." Considering that Ms. Walker has criticized Ms. Sandoval's weight and speech and the fact that she no college degree or formal education in anything related to Human Resources, maybe it's time she were sent on her way to greener pastures. 

Despite her overt failures, Beatrice Walker is tenacious and recently ordered new cubicles to be installed in the Call Center, Credit Resolutions and Member Services departments. Rarely, do we get an opportunity to watch the rampant and irresponsible abuse of spending like that taking place at Priority One Credit Union. 


SANDPAPER

As reported here, previously, this past January 2010, Ms. Walker and the President transferred money from one of the credit union's general ledgers and reported the transferred funds as profit. The amount fraudulently credited as profit was $230,238,99. 

Contrary to what Ms. Walker insisted, there was no profit because there was little business in what is traditionally one of the slowest months of the year. After January, here is the amount of monthly net income reported by credit union for the months of February 2010 through June 2010:


Net Income

February 2010
$71,510.68

March 2010
$8254.66

April 2010
-85,602.44

May 2010
$18,454.00

June 201
-$590,099

The credit union's return into the negative was caused in part by their potion of the assessment payable to the NCUA. Of the -$590,099, $192,709 was the amount paid to the NCUA. Irrelevant of the amount paid, they would sustained losses in the amount of 
-$397,390.00Additionally, net capital declined to 6.6%. Wasn't net capital at 10% on January 1, 2007, the date Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. began serving as President? Are these factors an example of how Priority One serves as a Financial Fitness Center?

Furthermore, during May's 2010 annual meeting, Board Chair Diedra Harris-Brooks could not desist her long, drawn out flattery of Beatrice Walker and her allegedly wonderful achievements which Mrs. Harris-Brooks said had made Priority One a "better and stronger" credit union and confidently concluding, "We believe we finally have the right management team in place." 


RACISM VS MISUNDERSTANDING

In September 2006, the Board of Directors under it's Chair, Diedra Harris-Brooks decided Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. would be the most qualified candidate to serve as successor to retiring President, William E. Harris. At the time, Directors O. Glen Saffold, Thomas Gathers and Janice Irving all said they selected Mr. Wiggington because what the credit union needed most was a "Black President." As the years have proven, skin color is never a substitute for competency. 

Though we are all guilty of telling jokes about people and cultures, one can't deny that this type of humor disparages its subjects. 

In business it is often a violation of policy to use defamatory epitaphs while at work. This constitutes hate speech and only serves to segregate, stereotype and mock people and it is counter-productive to the development of employee morale.

Recently, Beatrice Walker provided wonderful insight into her character, her sensibilities and most of all, her racist perspective. On May 5, 2015, the credit union allowed its employees to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. For years, the credit union allows employees to celebrate holidays as a means by which to foster cohesiveness. 

While employees were treated to food in the employee patio and lounge room, Ms. Walker turned to her confidant, Yvonne Boutte, and complained that she couldn't comprehend the significance of Cinco de Mayo and referred to all Mexican employees of the credit union as "members of the Mexican Mafia." 

We fully understand that she doesn't comprehend the significance of Cinco de Mayo, though she could have Googled it on her computer. However, her statement about employees of Mexican descent or Mexican, is racist and wholly inappropriate. At a time, when the polarizing Ms. Walker should be striving to create cohesiveness between employees and management, she has chosen to express feelings born out of her personal ignorance and frustration. Her comment was both derogatory and inflammatory. 

Realistically, it is highly improbable that member of the Mexican Mafia would be working for the low wages for a credit union that offers no career development or future. Ms. Walker, irrelevant of her MBA from the University La Verne, is highly ignorant, lacking all comprehension of the effects her venomous verbiage has upon the work environment. Her offensive statement aside, Ms. Walker has proven she is more than a little stupid. 

On July 12th, the following comment was posted by a person some believe was Ms. Walker:


Anonymous said...

Last time I checked Mark was Marketing Director I checked Mark was Marketing Director -- but what has he done for the credit union lately. I hope is ass is fired next week when he returns...take his fake degree and go build a car in Mexico.




NEUROSIS

At approximately 5 p.m. on July 21, 2010, the Marketing Specialist was asked by Esmeralda Sandoval to accompany her into AVP, Rodger Smock's office. Once inside, Ms. Sandoval informed the Marketing Specialist that he was being laid-off because of a need to reduce spending. It had also been determined that the credit union doesn't require a marketing department. Really? 

Mr. Smock who usually presides over all terminations and lay-offs was not present, probably have contracted a bout of the "cowardlies." The Marketing Specialist, unlike Rodger Smock, actually possesses a degree in marketing studies. 

Historically, President Wiggington has always shown his disdain for marketing. In 2008, he berated, abused and finally laid-off the long time Marketing Director, whose executed promotional designs had made the credit union the recipient of numerous awards. 

However, the ouster of the Marketing Specialist was plotted by AVP, Rodger Smock. In 2009, when Mr. Smock's authority over marketing was reassigned to the Marketing Specialist, the aged and bitter Mr. Smock began harassing the specialist. On one occasion, he called the specialist to his office and berated him. Despite being more than 70 years old and the specialist being 24 years old, Mr. Smock stopped speaking to his replacement. 

Though we've not often alluded to Mr. Smock's subversive tactics, he has often been a divisive and even destructive influence in the credit union, hiding behind a disingenuous smile.  Mr. Smock who has over the past 2 years volunteered the names of people he believes are the blogger, informed the neurotic Ms. Walker that the Marketing Specialist was leaking information to this blog, even though the specialist had no access to confidential information. 

Over the past 8 weeks, Ms. Walker has often visited his computer, perusing files in search of anything that might prove he reads the blog while at work. While he worked, he often would see her reflection on his monitor as she tried to be inconspicuous and spied upon what he was doing.

Finally and with the help of Rodger Smock, Ms. Walker ordered the specialist's termination. If Ms. Walker is correct and the specialist is "the leak", then that should bring an utter end to this blog. 




MORE DISCRIMINATION

Ms. Walker isn't the only officer at the credit union whose made racist comments. In 2007, President Wiggington entered into a vicious campaign to ruin the reputation of a highly accomplished business development representative. With the help of his AVP, Sylvia Perez; AVP, Liz Campos; and Burbank Branch Manager, Linda Nisely, the President subject the business development representative to a campaign of continuous harassment, disparaging her work, her character, and her abilities. At the time and in reference to the business development representative, the President told several employees and at least one officer that  "She's a Jew, they don't like Blacks." How Mel Gibson of the Black President. 


 CONTROL FREAK

Despite her amassing failures and racist demeanor, Ms. Walker has resumed her efforts paving her way towards her future presidency over Priority One Credit Union.

On July 26, 2010, Ms. Walker issued a memorandum informing employees that she was altering the current corporate structure and that as part of that change, AVP, Rodger Smock, will no longer oversee Human Resources but will instead be assisting the President with "special projects". She omitted inclusion of the President's name.  She also announced that she will be overseeing Human Resources, the Training Department and marketing. 

With the increasing amount of complaints lodged against Ms. Walker, it seems more than a little inappropriate and even a conflict of interest that she now oversee Human Resources. She's proven quite incapable of being objective or honest and has perpetrated the dynamic of lies which mar the entire executive sector. We don't believe she'll ever objectively investigate complaints though like the President and Board Chair, we do believe she'll crush all evidence proving violations of policies and laws. 

Her growing array of failed products and her refusal to perform studies needed to gauge their potential success in the credit union's marketplaces make her the worst possible candidate to oversee marketing. What's more, she has proven she lacks the ability to train anyone much less oversee staff development. 

The only prudent aspect to her latest plan/plot is that she stripped the useless and dishonest, Rodger Smock, of his authority over Human Resources, though she is hardly a viable alternative to the incompetent Mr. Smock. 

Ms. Walker also informed employees that Saeid Raad, her friend and CFO, will oversee internal audits, Credit Resolutions, Compliance, and Real Estate Lending. We have one question. What does Mr. Raad know about Compliance?

The change clearly shows that Ms. Walker's confidant, Yvonne Boutte, will now be supervised by Mr. Raad. So is the changed impelled by the fact that under Mrs. Boutte, delinquencies have increased?

We've also learned that Joseph Garcia has been stripped of his authority over the Real Estate Department because he just couldn't comprehend the procedures and principles governing mortgage loan funding. That hardly comes as a surprise since prior to be named Loan Manager of the Real Estate Loan Department, he had absolutely no experience in anything related to real estate. Despite his complete lack of experience, in January 2007, Ms. Walker found it prudent and even beneficial, to appoint Mr. Garcia Manager of the Real Estate Loan Department. 

On a side note, he remains the Supervisor of the Call Center and under his management, member complaints have increased substantially. He is also remains the Consumer Loan Manager and consumer loan production continues in decline. He also remain the Interim Branch Manager of the Burbank office and production at that location remains in decline. 

The COO's decision to place Mr. Raad above audits, the Account Department, and the Compliance Department, may be a conflict of interest under state law.  As usual, Ms. Walker's decisions are taking the credit union on a downward roller coaster ride into oblivion. 





HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE A......

In February, Ms. Walker disclosed plans to possibly close the Valencia, Redlands and Burbank branches sometime over the next 2 years. The Valencia branch was actually targeted for closure to take place this past April, but Ms. Walker relented when she tried to enter into a "friendship" with that office's very attractive Branch Manager. 

However, as with much of what Ms. Walker touches, the friendship she craved, fell apart and to her great consternation.

Since their falling out, Ms. Walker has placed the Valencia branch back on the chopping block. Apparently, Ms. Walker is as sensitive and volatile as is President Wiggington.  

Economically, closing the Valencia, Redlands and Burbank branches would result in huge monthly savings to the credit union who pays to lease each location. Doesn't it seem strange that while William E. Harris was President that the credit union was able to afford the leases on each location? 

Ms. Walker also recently contacted the administrator of Providence St. Joseph Medical Center and suggested creating a space within the hospital where the credit union can open a branch and close its Burbank office. According to Ms. Walker, a location within the medical enter will meet the needs of many members who are also employed by Providence St. Joseph. Of course, this would also exclude the larger sector of members who are not employees of Providence St. Joseph.  

Recently, Ms. Walker accompanied AVP, Sylvia Perez to the medical center to speak to administrators and later, to a location in the Santa Clarita Valley where to relocate the Valencia branch. 


"If it's not in writing, it doesn't count." 
Beatrice Walker, June 3, 2010


This wonderful bit of sagely advice was provided by Ms. Walker during one of her many management meetings. Ms. Walker adamantly believes verbal statements have no binding power. Her ignorance knows no bounds.  

According to Ms. Walker verbal assurance and promises "don't count". Clearly, her integrity is unimportant to the incompetent COO. Ms. Walker probably believes that "ignorance is bliss" when in fact, "ignorance is just ignorance." 

The changes she implemented to the business development team were all verbalized. She refused to document that employee hours were were being reduced from 40 to 20 hours per week. She refused to document that each team member was being stripped of their medical benefits. She also refused to document her directive that employees won't be paid for any overtime worked and will instead receive personal time hours. 

Ms. Walker may believe her own lies but the fact is, she and AVP, Rodger Smock, verbalized the changes to every member of the team and irrelevant of whether or not the changes were documented, the fact is, they are subject to state laws. Ms. Walker is carelessly placing Priority One in a legally precarious position. 




MAY'S/JUNE'S FINANCIALS  
President Wiggington recently revealed he is in search of "mergers" because in his words, "we need more money." Does he know that mergers cost money to execute? 

The proof of the President's methodologies and of the success of Ms. Walker's products and services are attested by by the financials. 


Loans

May
$104,867,690

June 
$105,073,938


Less Loan Allowance
Losses

May
-$2,212.300

June
-$2,600,000

Total Assets

May
$168, 812,152
June
$163,531,383

The actual amount of assets reported by the credit union for the month of June is $153,531,383. The amount of $10 million ("notes payable") which is the unpaid balance remaining on the $20 million loan borrowed in mid-2008 by the President. The actual amount of net assets is $143,531,383. What is clear is that Priority One is not a $175 million credit union as referenced on it's website. 

Accounts Payables

May
$10,000,000

June
$10,000,000

Shares

May
$146,956,671

June
$142,102,119

This past July, the President disclosed the credit union is borrowing from its reserves though he failed to provide a reason why.  

The President and COO's brutal cut-backs in spending, the introduction of new products and services, and the bludgeoning of business development have done nothing to reverse the many problems caused by the President and exacerbated by Ms. Walker.

The President is inept and useless but the COO is proving that she has no comprehension of financial development despite have earned an MBA while at the University of La Verne. 

The credit union's Accounting Department was recently ordered by CFO, Saeid Raad, to withhold processing mileage reimbursements and if possible, only process these every 4 weeks. According to Ms. Walker, Mr. Raad is scrutinizing all reimbursement requests. We suggest he hurry up. 

In spite of declining financials, Ms. Walker has chosen to increasings spending on superfluous enterprises and poorly planned products and services. There is another factor we've not addressed but why have annual legal expenses increased by 5 to 6 times more than was spent when William E. Harris served as President? 

A READER'S COMMENT


Anonymous said...

As a Postal Service employee and P1 member, I am saddened to learn that conditions have deteriorated to such a degree. I don't think I've seen it this bad in the Postal Service, and that's saying a lot.

I have taken out several loans in the past with Priority One. Thanks to great people like Hector and your staff, I have always been amazed at how quickly and smoothly the loan process could be. Hector made things happen.

It is obvious that these days are past. With such a toxic environment and unwise management decisions, it is clear that P1's stability is a big question mark. I will therefore be closing my account.

My best to the good people at P1 and I hope that management doesn't ruin too many more lives. 

July 17, 2010 7:27 PM


Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. and Board Chair, Diedra Harris-Brooks, are the cause to Priority One Credit Union's rapid decline. The both have acted unethically and each has perpetrated egregious acts designed to cover-up violations of policies and state and federal laws and used to slander and terminate employees they believe are a threat to their tyrannical hold over the credit union.

Ms. Walker was hired to serve as the President and Board's personal "hatchet woman" but her plots have hardly been discreet and her brutal hacking has worsened the credit union's financial standing. Substituting dignity with malice; self-respect with scandal; and ethical conduct with manipulation, they have single-handedly and intentionally, propelled the credit union into an almost certain future.

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274 comments:

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Grateful for John said...

Congrats John on another 200 + comments. You are a HERO to the P1 staff and members.

Anonymous said...

There are more readers on this blog than new member accounts be opened each month by P1. Maybe you should show Wigg and Bea how to get new business because right now they just ain't cutting it.

Anonymous said...

Sylvia and Bea are most likey piss off at George for not comming to work thats why know one knew what happen to his mom.

Anonymous said...

Bea's neurotic. She and Saeid ordered monthly reports not be given to membes even though state law requires reports be posted in a visible place and given to members who ask for them. She's a regular old scofflaw, ain't she?

She also ordered mgrs to report any employee and ex-employee who says anything bad about the cu. She's over the edge and falling.

Anonymous said...

P1 should have a theme song, like the Looney Tune song. They can play that while telling you they are your financial fitness center. Btw, if you want to know what Mr West does now, he makes employees take tests. So he's actually not a training manager or education manager, he just hands out tests. What does that pay? I might want to apply for his job.

Anonymous said...

What about Bea and Wigg's secret meetings outside South Pas because they don't want anyone to know what they're doing or saying. If you ain't doing wrong, then no need to hide.

Anonymous said...

Did you hear, that Christina Canon left Redlands? Didn't she have cancer? Did they lay her off before the branch closes on 10/15?

Anonymous said...

The cu supposed made money according to their report but they're still in the negative and aren't they scheduled to pay another installment on the assessment to the NCUA. Its also funny that Bea said that she didn't want to close Redlands but had to. Had to? She's been talking about closing Redlands since 2009. The woman lies like a rug. And Rodger, who is always hiding in his office or going to lunch with Wigglenothing, is sure the cu isn't going to make it. I wonder what he knows?

Anonymous said...

Mr. Smock may be the type of hr mgr you would never want to hire at any company and he backstabs employees and breaks the cu's policy by having a same-sex affair in the company, but he is sensitive, if only about things that affect his life. He knows something besides Wigg stinks at P1and you don't need a crystal ball or a lying coo to know they're taking on water.

Anonymous said...

They're more than taking on water. Have you seen Walker's FB page?

Anonymous said...

Now Redlands, tomorrow South Pas. Thanks, Bea. You're the greatest.

Anonymous said...

Bea, instead of firing one employee at a time and making the ones that stay, miserable, why don't you just shut down all the branches? You would FINALLY show everyone that you know how to cut costs and you would stop torturing the staff. Its not fair you want everyone as miserable as you are and look.

My Eyes Burn said...

Anonymous said...
They're more than taking on water. Have you seen Walker's FB page?


No thank you, it's hard enough looking at her everyday. YUK!

Anonymous said...

I don't know what's worse- all those products and services Bea brought in that haven't done a damn thing to make business better, her gossipy big mouth, her terminations, or her face. That is one oogly woman. By the way, notice how she and Yvonne are out in the open again?

Anonymous said...

Wouldn't they save more money by just closing down South Pasadena? Do they still need Wigg? Do you really need a decorator? And how about a collections/director, that doesn't do either? And Smock? He never really was good at hr and what qualifies him to do special projects?

Anonymous said...

Wigg doesn't have any special projects for Rodger. If he did, they would not have cut Rodger's days. Bea didn't want Rodger in hr and because she's running the show
she knocked him down a few notches but she can't get rid of him just right now. That memo that Rodger is going to work on special projects for Wigg is bullshit. Wigg doesn't work anymore (as if he ever did) and he doesn't have 1 single project to give Smock. All Wigg does now is sit in his office, take long lunches, sit in Saeid's office, or visit Gema or whoever else he thinks want to hear about his stupid family life.

Esmeralda was supposedly trained to replace Rodger but she doestn't really know the job because she was trained by the worst- Rodger Smock and now works Bea, who knows squat about shinola.

Anonymous said...

The credit union is still advertising financial planning. Their web site says

"Through a partnership with CUSO Financial Services, L.P. (CFS), Geoffrey Palenik, CFS Investment Representative, is here to provide members with knowledgeable insight and guidance which includes retirement planning, brokerage services, mutual funds, estate planning and insurance products"

What, don't they have time to update their web page?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
What, don't they have time to update their web page?


Tell Bea the website needs to be decorated, that should do it.

Anonymous said...

She'll ruin the web site too if she decorates it.

Anonymous said...

Her goal must be to make everything look like her face.

NOOOOOOO! said...

Anonymous said...
Her goal must be to make everything look like her face.


NOOOOOOO, PLEASE NOOOOOOOO.

Anonymous said...

There is something wrong with any company that hires so many rotten mgrs. You have a coo who lies and backstabs (and is more than a little racist) and Yvonne who is a liar, backstabber and sucks at her job. You have Wigg who lies, breaks every rules would backstab his own mammy and you have Rodger who would do anything to keep his "part-time" job.

Anonymous said...

I saw their report for July. They made some money and business supposed got better though they're still over $300,000 in the negative. I think Chef Raad did more cooking because even though they didn't make profit again, they improved too much when I've seen the report of dq's and that's high.

Anonymous said...

Everything Bea does is a lot more complicated then whats on this blog. She brought in Saeid and Randy and none of speak to non-management employees unless they feel they have to. They make it obvious that they think the staff is below them.

Yvonne tells whatever lies she has to make sure she controls people.

Bea is vicious and the only word you can use is evil. I don't know what happened in her personal life but it couldn't be good. She is suspecious of staff and she has eve tried to go after x-employees going as far as slandering them, ordering Esmeralda to give bad references (which hopefully they'll eventually be sued for),
and reporting some x-employees to the company attorneys.

And she will always do things behind your back and say someone did it, even blaming Charles.

Anonymous said...

If Bea is ving bad references and slandering employees then the employees should know. Does anyone know who this has happened to?

Anonymous said...

In California, employees and ex-employees have a lot of rights. But if you suspect your employer or in the case of this blog, P1, has given negative references or lied about you, then you can hire a company to verify references. The company will send inquiries to the former employer and after the company responds, they will provide you with a detailed report showing what the ex-employer said.

If P1 is providing bad references you can use the report to possibly sue them. www.references-etc.com says that an ex-employee can fight a former employer in two ways. One is to sue for defamation and the second for discriminatory retaliation though you have to meet certain specifics. An ex-employee can sue for:

Untruthful things said by the ex-employer to any company calling to verify employment;

And also if the company you applied to might have hired you if your ex-employer had not said untruthful things about you; and

If you lost potential income because of what they said.

You can find more info at http://www.references-etc.com/check_job_references_2.html

Anonymous said...

June 1, 2009 was a bad day when Bea Walker walked in P1. I have never seen a woman professional act this way. Thanks Wiggs and board for bring this FOOUGLY BITCH here.

Anonymous said...

Bea is a MESS! A few months ago she couldn't stand Sylvia and Sylvia even complained that Bea didn't like her. Now their buddies. In fact, last week Sylvia took out the Valencia staff for drinks to thank them while she was there. Bea shows up and pays the entire tab.

Bea used to talk bad about Esmeralda but now they're close and Esmeralda even lies for Bea.

Bea likes you and then hates you or hates you and then likes you. She's nuts! She's all over the place and if you want to see the results of her roller coaster personality all you have to do is look at the bad morale at P1 and the dropping business. The proof is in the pudding and it isn't bread pudding either.

Anonymous said...

Today they said Bea sent Gema over to Burbank on Wednesday because she didn't think Susanna was coming back to work. Bea has a big mouth and she's an idiot.

Susanna came back on Wednesday so what was all that crap people wrote on this blog about her leaving the company? Stupid. Her reason for being out was between her and cu not between her and the employees. Of course dumbass Walker had to put her 2 cents in and feed the rumor mill and tell people Susanna wasn't coming back and then sending staff around to different offices to cover in case she didn't come back. Bea doesn't even comply to confidentiality policy. Bea is not only hard on the eyes but a total unprofessional. Replace her flat ass with a chimp.

Anonymous said...

Never be surprised by anything that happens at priority one. The president is a proven sexual harrasser and backstabber. Rodger, before Bea took away HR from him, never investigated complaints and he had that affair with Henry. Esmeralda and her cousin Gema work at the same branch even though policy says relatives cannot work at the credit union. So you shouldn't be surprised that Bea backstabs and lies. She wants to ruin lives like she ruined her face.

Anonymous said...

your right she ruins peoples lives,
all the staff members they have let go, yet her friends are there.
Wigg always called Wendy his little buddy, and look what happen to her Dane was a freind of his and look what happen to him, Aaron and him make plans and he got the boot

Anonymous said...

Wigg did call Aaron his buddy and they were always backstabbing employees. Then when they fall out Wigg fires him and now days, Aaron tells people Wigg is the laughing stock of the credit union industry.
He always was the laughing stock.

Same with Bea. She said horrible things about Sylvia and now their connected at the hip. She used to say so many great things about Susanna and then she started saying terrible things about her. Joseph is her boy and he's latin, but she thinks the Mexicans at P1 are from the mexican mafia. She's the most confused hick you'll ever meet.


If you want great friendships, don't work at P1.

Anonymous said...

Bea sounds pathetic. Her circle of friends outside P1 are probably a lot like her, that's if she has any. And she probably talks as bad about people in her personal life as she does about those she works with. They say misery loves company and if she can't find misery she'll make it.

Anonymous said...

Our business is down but that didn't stop Wigg from sending out a message on the intranet that he was gone for the day and will back on Sept 7th. He said if anyone has any problems to contact Bea. Its nice that our hours are cut back and benefits are taken away so this a-hole can leave 5 days. And who would go to backstabbing Bea with any problem? That woman is a witch and a liar.

Grateful said...

A long weekend without Priority One, THANK YOU!

Anonymous said...

You can't ask for more, 3 whole days with no P1 and no Bea Walker. Makes you wish there were 72 hours in a day.

Anonymous said...

Makes you wish there was no Bea Walker or Wigg.

Wishing on a Star said...

I wish that everyday, and throw in Smock, West, Raad and Randy too.

I also wish the credit union could go back to 2005 when we had Mr. Harris, Manny and Maggie there. And Wigg and Smock were minor players and kept in check. AND when Bea was getting fired from some other credit union(s).

Anonymous said...

You never know, some wishes do come true.

With Bea's track record I doubt any cu would ever want to pick her up if the cu goes belly up. Wigg is the laughing stock of the industry and Smock's too old and should retire with his BF (not talking about Wigg either) in Costa Rica or whatever the name of the place is where they vacation every year. If Smock gets a house in Costa Rica maybe he can share with Bea and Yvonne.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous "I wish that everyday, and throw in Smock, West, Raad and Randy too.

I also wish the credit union could go back to 2005 when we had Mr. Harris, Manny and Maggie there. And Wigg and Smock were minor players and kept in check. AND when Bea was getting fired from some other credit union(s)."

Throw in Joseph Garcia. Name one thing any thing, he has done that made business in improve? And ringing a bell don't count.

Up to 2006 the cu was growing then Wigg takes over and its been downhill all the way. That's because Wigg is a big mouth, dumb loser who only knows how to tell you he's better, he just can't prove it. You can throw in knife throwing expert and circus freak, Bea Walker.

Anonymous said...

Wigg and Diedra started the ball rolling and Bea is finishing off the job. Yvonne just along for the ride because she's got nothing to lose and everything to gain. If the cu goes down, no skin off her nose as she can go somewhere else and get a job in collections. Be on the other hand should be subject to the 3 strikes law: AIRCO CU, Universal Studios CU, and now Priority One. If the cu has to merge or close hopefully no one in the US or Europe will hire her again and she can take Yvonne, Wigg, and even that big mouth backstabber, Sylvia Perez with her. Good riddance.

Anonymous said...

Gawd,why do I have to go to work Tuesday? SUCKS!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Its probably not going back to Monday that's so terrible but gong back to a cu where you don't know if you'll have a job, where you don't have benefits, where the future is uncertain and where the people who are ruining it, all make more than $100,000 each.

Labor Day was made a holiday because President Cleveland wanted to make peace with the labor movement unions. Its ironic because Bea Walker has said she likes it when people are afraid which means she doesn't want peace she wants control. Useless Wiggington doesn't do anything and can't, because Bea got a lot of his power. After Wiggington became president in 07 a lot of vendors used to ask "how did that happen?" That's easy to answer, the all Black board wanted a Black ghetto male as president. What P1 didn't need was a white woman who had been fired from Universal Studios CU and who was at AIRCO CU when they lost a lot of money and had to file a claim with CUMIS. But you can thank buck tooth Diedra Harris-Brooks for that too. Is there anything Diedra does where she actually uses her brain?

Anonymous said...

"Its probably not going back to Monday.."

Did you mean Tuesday?

Monday Blues said...

It'll be Monday for us at the credit union, but then again everyday feels like Monday at P1.

Anonymous said...

Where's Wigg? Bea and Esme already slithered in.

Anonymous said...

In October, we should see P1's quarterly performance (July-Aug-Sept). That should be interesting since Bea says their doing great but Yvonne says Saeid is trying to save the cu. It doesn't sound like they're doing good.

Anonymous said...

You should also see Sylvia back, making everyone's life mystery with her nervous energy, nagging, and non-stop stupid comments.

Anonymous said...

Sylvia is out on disability because she had bladder surgery. She's out recuperating (only physically).

Its nice to see that even though Bea has laid-off some employees and fired others by making up stories about them, that she has a job and was able to remodel her home and replace her water pipes and she even got the guys that put in the carpet at South Pas to come to her house with extra carpet, and do some of her rooms. Maybe that's why the carpet she chose for the office doesn't go with anything at South Pas, it probably matches whatever she has at home.

Anonymous said...

Bea's a total, 100%, undeniable, people stomping, energy sucking, money wasting, rule breaking, ugly, lying,backstabbing, gross incompetent BITCH. And that's her good qualities.

(You can also replace Bea's name with Wigg's, Rodger's and Sylvia's)

Anonymous said...

Bea has decided to close the Valencia branch this coming Nov. She's an idiot. She gets over $100,000 a year and the best she can do is lay-off, close branches, and slander employees. Wow, what a great coo. And Saeid is riding high, because he just bought himself a new house. Its so nice to see that employee hours have been cut back, benefits taken away, people fired, and branches closing but these 2 freaks- Bea and Saeid, can live well without any worry about tomorrow. Well, except if you cut too much you eventually lose the cu. So thanks Bea for doing such a great job. No wonder you got kicked out of Universal Studios CU. They unlike P1, were smart.

Anonymous said...

Okay, Bea is shutting down Redlands and Valencia. She has fired a lot of employees, taken away benefits, reduced full-time employees to part-time and still gets over $100,000 in pay plus she remodeled the South Pasadena branch. She also might close down the Burbank branch. That would leave a really small office in Riverside, Van Nuys, South Pasadena and the Santa Clarita postal branch which only postal employees can use and usually that one is only used by employees of that location. Bea is poison.

Anonymous said...

I don't think it is Bea's decision to close branches. C'mon people!!!

Anonymous said...

Where is Suzanna going to go?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Where is Suzanna going to go?


I think thats why Bea is closing the Valencia branch. That BITCH will do ANYTHING to HURT someone.

The Great Pumpkin said...

Anonymous said...
I don't think it is Bea's decision to close branches. C'mon people!!!

I bet your stoopid ass still leaves out cookies for Santa Claus . Or maybe you still believe in the Easter Bunny. BEA IS THE REASON FOR THE BRANCH CLOSURES! BEATRICE WALKER IS A COMPLETE FAILURE!

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous said... I don't think it is Bea's decision to close branches. C'mon people!!!"

No c'mon anonymous! That is ridiculous. She's the C-O-O, so she is the one who has most to do with who gets hacked and what gets cut. Bea's been talking about closing Riverside, Redlands, Santa Clarita, Burbank, and Valencia since 2009! According to you, she has nothing to do with it. Then its just coincidence? Please. She's a hatchet woman. She has a reputation for cutting up and breaking up cu's. She didn't just show up one day at P1 and start doing something she had never done before. She's the one that made the decision, though the idiot (I'm talking about Bea) doesn't think about how taking away branches is going to affect service to members. Members are not going to use shared branching or go to 7-11, they'll close their accounts and you can thank Ms. Walker for that. The woman is poison!

Anonymous said...

They are going to keep Santa Clarita branch open but that location is only accessible to PO workers. Where are the non-postal workers going to go to? You need a postal badge just to get in the gate so that leaves everyone who isn't a postal worker out of that branch.

Anonymous said...

Burbank branch membership is mostly hospital workers. They've really concentrated on St. Joseph's. If they close Burbank then they will lose all the members unless POCU opens a branch in the hospital. That has been a goal for Sylvia, Bea, Nidia and Martha since 2009. The credit union can't afford to lose those members. Besides, it job security for Sylvia to keep it open.

Anonymous said...

They operated on the wrong end of Sylvia. It should have been her brain & mouth. She bad mouths Bea behind her back and then kisses her ass when she sees her.

Anonymous said...

Sure is great that we had our hours cut(yeah, right) so we have more time to post on this blog. Also, laptops are great on our breaks.

Anonymous said...

"Burbank branch membership is mostly hospital workers. They've really concentrated on St. Joseph's."

The plan to open a location at St. Joseph Hospital was a good idea- but only as a satellite location. The branch in Burbank serves an important purpose and gives service to non-hospital workers who are members which includes family members of hospital employees.

Bea wants to open a branch at St. Joseph to replace the Burbank branch. She thinks it will save money which they are spending to lease the current branch at 4000 Magnolia Blvd. She also thinks that if they are in the hospital they will get even more business but remember, the new business she imagines would be limited to St. Joseph and wouldn't include employees who work at Holy Cross or Tarzana hosptial. She's not motivated by wanting to provide better service because the Call Center proves she doesn't have the talent to do that. Its all pure economics and it is whatever makes her look good on paper. She thinks if she clinches a space at St. Jospeh that she will prove what a great coo she is but she can't prove that because she already screwed up Redlands, South Pasadena, Burbank and employee morale. She's what she is, a FAILURE. AIRCO here we go again!

You are so right, the cu can't afford to lose members in Burbank but they're about to lose a lot of members in Riverside and a lot more in Valencia since people in Santa Clarita can't use the Santa Clarita Postal Distribution Center unless they are postal workers.

And you're right again, Sylvia's job may depend a lot on whether Burbank stays open otherwise she's going to have to go to some other cu and grace them with her personality and wonderful business sense (I'm kidding).

I don't agree that Nidia or Martha have any say so in getting space at St. Joseph. They are both excellent employees and Martha is literally loved by employees at the hospital. She is the face of the cu at the hospitals and she is the link that keeps the relationship going between the hospitals and the cu, something that moron, Bea Walker, doesn't appreciate or know because she's too lost and only knows how to destroy branches, morale and employee jobs.

Anonymous said...

You're right, ex-employees now have more time to post about their experiences with Bea and Wigg. Laptops, IPhones, home computers, the worlds the limit.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Sure is great that we had our hours cut(yeah, right) so we have more time to post on this blog. Also, laptops are great on our breaks.


I use my cellphone at work to post.

Anonymous said...

What is amazing is you have a stupid, useless board led by that embecile, Diedra HarrisBrooks who sees everything falling apart but is just sitting on her big ass, doing nothing. The years have shown Wigg is useless and dishonest and 2009 and 2010 prove Beatrice is a lying scum bucket who doesn't know anything about being a COO. So, Ms. Harris-Brooks, what are you waiting for? Idiot! Members start closing your accounts, because there is no way this cu is going to make it while you have HarrisBrooks, Hale, Irving, Gathers, Saffold, Simmons, Wiggington, Smock, or Walker in control. No way, no how.

Anonymous said...

Since they cut my hours, I can't afford a cell phone and if I get sick I'll have to go to USC Med Ctr. Bea why are you surprised when people call you bread puddin face? Thats the nicest thing we can call you, because your the worse.

Anonymous said...

I call my cousin and he posts for me. Beatrice and her stupid policy. She must have thought she was back in WWII Germany.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Saeid, Wigg and Bea will help out those employees who are short of money because of the cut hours and benefits.

Anonymous said...

Sure they will. Bea has had the pipes in her house in Santa Clarita repaired and new carpeting (some of it left over carpeting she ordered for the South Pas branch) put in her home and Saeid just bought a new home. These 2 are not suffering financially. They must be the only 2 people at P1 winning with money.

Yes Please said...

If Bea stays on her usually course then she has less than a year left a P1. From what I have read about Bea she usually changes jobs every two years or so. So everybody keep those fingers crossed that it will be LESS than two years at P1. God help us.

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Anonymous said...


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