Last month’s decision by President Charles R. Wiggington, Sr., to terminate the AVP who had overseen operations of the Los Angeles and Airport branches, caused an unexpected backlash, when several members who are also employees of the United States Postal Service [“USPS”], responded to the termination by closing their credit union accounts. During her approximate forty (40) years of employment, the AVP established relationships with many members who work at the adjoining Los Angeles Postal Distribution Center (“LAPDC”), a factor evidently not considered by the President prior to ordering the AVP’s expulsion. The decision to severe her employment further strained the already tenuous relationship between employees of Priority One and the USPS and added to the dissatisfaction postal employees already feel towards the credit union, many who hold President Wiggington personally responsible for the Priority One’s decline. Whether the decision to terminate is justified or not, the response by the President’s served to remind us that he is incapable of understanding the “big picture” of any situation.
Immediately following announcement of the AVP’s termination, the President ordered her work-issued computer picked up from the Los Angeles branch and brought to South Pasadena to undergo in depth analysis of its hard drive. We learned the President hoped to locate evidence that might implicate the AVP in internal thefts occurring at the Los Angeles branch and/or locate evidence she may have divulged confidential information to unauthorized outside parties. We find the latter rather hypocritical, when one considers that over the past 6 years, it is President Wiggington who has been the single-most violator of confidentiality at the credit union. This past February and again in April, the following comments were posted, regarding the incidents transpiring at the Los Angeles branch:
In January, VP, Yvonne Boutte, felt impelled to share with employees of the South Pasadena branch that she would soon begin an exploratory assessment of the Los Angeles branch. She disclosed that she’d received several complaints from members, alleging employees of the Los Angeles branch were often rude and discourteous. Mrs. Boutte’s plan to begin working at Los Angeles branch occurred sooner than planned, following filing of a complaint that funds were missing from a member’s account.
Not only was she forced to report to the branch earlier than planned, but the President also ordered the Internal Auditor, Dianne Huffman, to conduct an investigation of the branch’s records. At the end of her audit, Ms. Huffman verified that another internal theft had occurred at the branch. Using the documented record of member complaints citing poor member service and the evidence gathered by the Internal Auditor, the President ordered termination of the AVP, citing “unsatisfactory performance.”
In the weeks following the AVP’s termination, the always talkative President verbalized that the AVP had been uncooperative during the investigation and had even refused to be present at the Los Angeles branch during Mrs. Boutte’s investigation. The AVP, allegedly took personal time off (“PTO”) with the intent of returning to work only after the investigation was concluded. We don’t believe this scenario of what may have happened. First, it’s impossible for any AVP to take PTO on their own volition and without prior authorization. Like any other employee, the AVP would have had to obtain approval from either President Wiggington; Executive Vice President, Rodger Smock; or Vice President, Yvonne Boutte, who oversees branch operations for all offices.
Historically, employees of the credit union who are the focus of an investigation, are suspended without pay until the investigation is concluded. For example, in 2008, Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. was suspended for approximately eight weeks with pay, while an investigation was conducted to determine if he sexually harassed a former employee. It is also difficult rectify that the credit union possessed evidence allegedly implicating the AVP in an internal theft or thefts but only terminated her for “unsatisfactory performance”. An internal theft constitutes embezzlement which is a federal offense and obviously far more serious than mere unsatisfactory performance of one’s assigned duties.
Earlier this month, representatives from an outside investigative firm arrived at the main branch to confer with the President and begin an investigation to gather evidence that may directly implicate the former AVP to some of the thefts occurring at the Los Angeles branch. The post-termination investigation may seem peculiar as it would be reasonable to assume that evidence of embezzlement would have been gathered prior to the AVP’s termination. Not so at Priority One, where President Wiggington often places the cart before the horse. Thus far, the credit union has verified that an internal theft or thefts, did occur. Three years ago, auditors from Turner, Warren, Hwang, and Conrad AC conducted a three-week audit at the Los Angeles branch which confirmed approximately $60,000 had been stolen by a former receptionist who at times worked as an FSR and Teller. At the time the audit was conducted, the receptionist had resigned after leaving the credit union on maternity leave. It is only because that incident was made public on this blog that the Board of Directors reported the crime to law enforcement. The former employee was later indicted, tried and found guilty of theft, though the sentence she received was equivalent to a slap on the hand, with only probation being ordered without restitution or jail time.
In our February and March posts, we reported about the sudden closure of the Los Angeles Branch on Friday, February 1st and which remained closed through Monday, February 4th. On Friday, February 1st, the credit union posted a notice on their webpage announcing the branch was closed due to a power failure. We found it peculiar that alleged power failure was consigned to only the space occupied by the Los Angeles branch while the rest of the sprawling Los Angeles Postal Distribution Center (“LAPDC”), located next door to the branch, remained unaffected.
On Monday, February 4th, the credit union posted a new message announcing the Los Angeles branch remained closed due to a power failure, however, by the afternoon, the reason was changed from power failure to system problem. What we also found peculiar is that the credit union failed to resolve the alleged power failure or system problem on Friday, February 1st; Saturday, February 2nd; Sunday, February 3rd; and Monday, February 4th. The story presented by the credit union had become absurd. As time went by, we’ve discovered the closure was not due to either a power failure or system problem, but caused by a hurried and extensive audit of the branch’s records. Evidently, the President Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. opted to lie again and create a contrived story that was ultimately proven to be untrue.
In his current campaign, the President hopes to dredge up evidence proving the former AVP embezzled money from the Los Angeles branch. This, however, is not the first-time the President launches a scavenger hunt following termination of an employee. Here are a some other past incidents, also fueled by the President’s wild imagination and in which he fabricated excuses used to justify the termination of employees:
- In 2007, the President targeted a Jewish female business development representative for termination. Prior to the employee’s termination, he often said “Everyone knows Jews don’t like Blacks.” Actually, we’re certain “everyone” doesn’t know this to be true. With assistance of his former close friend and ally, AVP Sylvia Perez, fictitious violations of credit union policy were documented and used to terminate the employee with approval of Rodger Smock who said absolutely nothing during the exit interview..
- In 2009, President Wiggington casually lounged on a love seat and loudly proclaimed that he “knew” which employees were divulging confidential credit union information to outside parties including this blog. On a Saturday morning, Reggie, a consultant from Sepia Consultants, met the President at the employee entrance of the main branch. Proceeding inside, the consultant spent hours investigating computers assigned to employees targeted by the President as suspects he believed were divulging confidential information. During the investigation, the President declared that the consultant would surely discover evidence proving that the suspect, rebel, confederate, saboteurs, etc. were part of an underground collective seeking to overthrow the credit union. At the conclusion of the investigation, the consultant declared he could not locate a single shred of evidence proving that the any of the targeted employees were guilty of leaking confidential information to this blog. A few weeks later, Reggie again arrived at Mr. Wiggington’s office on a Thursday afternoon, a little before 5 p.m. Sitting across from the President, the two spoke for about 20 minutes. At about 5:20 pm., the President closed the blinds and door to his office. Using electronic surveillance detectors, the consultant conducted a thorough search for hidden microphones and even dismantled the President’s telephone receiver. During the brief investigation, the President continued speaking, declaring adamantly that he knew for a fact, microphones lay hidden inside his office because in his opinion, this was the only possible way information was getting to the blog. When the consultant concluded his investigation, he declared there were no electronic surveillance “bugs” in his office.
- In 2010, the President under the guidance of former COO, Beatrice Walker, hired a forensics investigator who created fraudulent documents which were afterwards used as evidence to order termination of the employee. Prior to the termination, AVP, Joseph Garcia, and then Human Resources “clerk”, Esmeralda Sandoval, who each provided false statements against the employee. After the employee was terminated, the President ordered a post examination of the employee’s computer. The investigation failed to locate anything validating the President’s allegations. The former employee filed a lawsuit which the credit union settled in an effort to avoid an embarrassing court trial. The credit union would later deny knowledge of the fraudulent documentation created by the forensics investigator.
Over the years, the President’s responses to any number of incidents have often amounted to nothing more than a mish mosh of spontaneous reactions born out of an emotional and aberrant personal belief system. Obviously, the President has never found a way of channeling his penned up personal frustrations and fictional beliefs into something more constructive, like resolving the multitude of problems he alone created and which have kept Priority One trapped in a mire of failures.
The President is currently undertaking an aggressive campaign to locate any evidence implicating the former AVP in the theft(s) of member funds though apparently his passion to uphold credit union policies and adhere to state and federal laws conspicuously ignores the fact that in 2008 an investigator provided the Board of Directors evidence proving Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. violated federal law when he sexually harassed a former employee. Clearly, President Wiggington chooses to enforce policies when convenient to his personal agendas and never when he’s the person implicated in wrongdoing. Ultimately, his latest witch hunt smacks of another undisciplined effort by which the President may hope to placate his turbulent and psychologically disturbing imagination.
THIS POST
This post focuses primarily on the truly larger-than-life claims made by President Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. and some of his staff, about themselves. Strewn about the Internet are biographies and resumes, all impressively highlighting the far flung abilities of the President and some of his staff. The documents allege skills, abilities, and accomplishments which are dispelled by the credit union’s own monthly income statements and Financial Performance Reports (“FPR’s”).
The biographies were the product of recommendations made by paid consultants in 2011. The consultants measured the credit union’s performance including evaluating member service levels and gauging the effectiveness of Priority One’s website. Based on their findings, consultants recommended a complete revamping of the credit union’s webpage and rewriting of the President’s and Executive Vice President’s biographies and resumes. The rewriting of the biographies and resumes proved to be another disingenuous ploy to enhance the credit union’s reputation through misrepresentation. We don’t, however, believe the documented inaccuracies were authored by the consultants but rather, by the credit union who provided the information which appears in the biographies. It was also the credit union who would have proofread and approved the final drafts of all biographies composed by consultants. In May 2012, the biographies were immodestly published throughout the Internet though we can’t understand how the credit union’s business was to benefit from the mass publication of these. We also have to ask why the Board of Directors thought it prudent to spend money suffusing the Internet with the exaggerated profiles of the President and some on his staff and how this might benefit Priority One? The biographies also don’t possess any remedial properties that could resolve the credit union’s lagging performance nor do they promote the credit union’s products, services, or name.
We also dissect at great length, the role of the credit union’s Human Resources Department with relation to the credit union’s continued internal and legal problems. A large portion of this month’s post is also dedicated to exposing inaccuracies contained in the online biography of Employee Services (aka Human Resources) Director, Robert West, and that of Human Resources (aka Employee Services) Director, Rodger Smock. Confused? Apparently both officers oversee Human Resources. So how is that possible? It’s not but then again, it is Priority One Credit Union we’re writing about.
To validate our statements, we’ve included excerpts from LinkedIn accounts and other websites, excerpts from the credit union’s 2011 990 IRS filing, and information exacted from arrest records obtained from the city of Los Angeles.
There is no doubt, the crux of Priority One’s expansive problems is the credit union’s executive and managerial staff, all of who have failed to create a single strategy that produces real profit and generates growth or contribute to the betterment of the working environment. Of course, the President’s vast failures and embarrassing behaviors could never have been tolerated had he not been enabled by the credit union’s slacker Board of Directors.
BUT FIRST………….
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that we disapprove of Priority One’s Board Chair, Diedra Harris-Brooks. Her lack of leadership skills, unethical proclivities, and tremendous efforts to cover-up wrongs committed by the President over the years, have provided more than ample evidence of who she is. In 2008 she suppressed evidence gathered by an investigator which proved Charles Rodger Wiggington, Sr. sexually harassed a former employee and in 2010, she disrupted the credit union’s electoral process which ultimately forced Priority One to conduct a second election resulting in the duplication of mailing and printing charges. Intellectually and ethically unqualified to lead the Board, Mrs. Harris-Brooks’ has often conducted herself more like a queen than a Board Chair.
Over the years, we periodically happen upon Mrs. Harris-Brooks name while perusing the Internet. During these occasions, we’ve noticed her peculiar habit of using numerous variations of her name, i.e. maiden vs. married last name. Mrs. Harris-Brooks’ foible is neither illegal or unethical though why a person would do this seems peculiar if not suspicious. Food for thought.
FANTASIES, DELUSIONS, & LIES
VS
AN ARREST RECORD
Since being appointed President in 2007, President Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. has freely and liberally wielded lying about like confetti at a Macy’s Day Parade. His success in perpetrating lies can be credited in part to the credit union’s unethical Human Resources Department and the Board of Directors. The President’s compulsive use of lies is often fueled by emotion and possibly even fear, targeting employees he considered a threat to himself. Here is a summary of SOME of the schemes perpetrated by President Wiggington since January 1, 2007.
SCHEME #1
In 2007, he and AVP, Sylvia Perez, orchestrated the termination of the former Van Nuys Branch Manager who shortly after being hired, discovered that employees of the branch had not been properly trained by Mrs. Perez to carryout banking procedures commensurate with state mandates and credit union policy. Mrs. Perez concocted trumped up accusations which she presented to then Human Resources Director, Rodger Smock, and which the two presented Branch Manager’s exit interview.
SCHEME #2
Also in 2007, when then Van Nuys Assistant Branch Manager, Neelam Verma, approved several loans which went into collections and eventually declared charge-offs. Rather than terminate Mrs. Verma, the President concocted an elaborate plan in which he accused a Real Estate Loan Officer, a Credit Resolutions Representative, and a temporary employee assigned to the Loan Department, of intentionally approving and funding loans they knew were bad. The core problem with the President’s concoction is just didn’t make sense. First, how could a Real Estate Loan Officer who worked out of the main branch in South Pasadena, approve consumer loans whose point of origination as the Van Nuys branch? The President could also never explain how a Credit Resolutions (collections) Representative could allegedly be involved in the perpetration of funding bad loans when the representative had not experience in loan funding procedures or access to XP, the platform used to fund loans. The President could also never explain how a temporary loan processor with low funding limits, could be involved in the alleged plot. When the Loan Officer and Credit Resolutions Representative refuted the accusations, the President quickly abandoned his plot though he later used the temporary employee as a scapegoat and ended his assignment because he had allegedly incurred losses to the credit union. Quietly and all too discreetly, the President ordered the demotion of Mrs. Verma from Assistant Branch Manager to FSR but retained her employment.
SCHEME #3
In 2007-2008, President Wiggington informed the former Card Services Specialist in the presence of the entire Consumer Lending Department, that the then Director of Marketing had written an anonymous letter to a Board Director, which exposed one of his hand-picked AVP’s of kiting. As it turned out, his conclusion was wrong and unevidenced. The President’s hand-picked AVP was found guilty of kiting and terminated at the recommendation of the credit union’s former attorney, William Adler. Despite the illegality of the AVP’s actions, the President formulated a plot which eventually led to the removal of the Marketing Director.
SCHEME #4
In 2007, President Wiggington refused to carryout security protocols and as a result, ballots were mailed out to members in envelopes on whose exterior were printed member account and social security numbers. To escape accountability for failing to adhere to security protocols, the President blamed the then IT Supervisor who was suspended for three days.
SCHEME #5
In 2010, the President, with assistance of Human Resources and current AVP, Joseph Garcia, and then Human Resources “clerk”, Esmeralda Sandoval, fabricated allegations that an employee breached confidentiality and leaked information to this blog. To aid his scheme, the President hired a forensics investigator who visited the main branch in the months of March and April 2010 and gathered statements from Mr. Garcia and Mrs. Sandoval, alleging their eye witness accounts that they knew for a fact, the employee had violated confidentiality even though neither worked closely with the employee. The forensics investigator fabricated documentation implicating the employee in sexual harassment and downloading pornography though months later, the credit union denied that they hired a forensics investigator and denied ever accusing the former employee of sexually harassing coworkers or downloading pornography.
On the other hand, there are other incidents related to the President that are neither fraudulent or contrived. On April 2nd, a comment posted by a reader alleged President Wiggington’s son had been arrested. We conducted a brief investigation and located evidence verifying the arrest of Charles Rodger Wiggington during the very early morning of October 13, 2012. The suspect was booked at the Rampart Police Station in Los Angeles. For those who may not know, the Rampart Police Station provides police enforcement for Angelino Heights, Filipinotown, Korea Town, Lafayette Park, Macarthur Park, Pico-Union, Temple-Beaudry, Virgil Village, Westlake, and Echo Park, the community where President Wiggington resides. We also confirmed that the arrestee was 20 years old on the day of the arrest and born in 1992, thus eliminating the possibility it was President Wiggington who was apprehended by the Sheriff’s Department. At the moment, we are unable to explain why there are two separate arrest records, each containing slightly different information though each identifying the suspect as Charles Roger Wiggington. To be fair, we must remind readers that Charles Roger Wiggington is innocent until proven guilty.
- Message generated on Friday, 3/29/2013 -
We also uncovered the following other information regarding the arrest. Though some of the statistics are similar they are not identical. Discrepancies are highlighted in RED font.
Records also disclose Charles Roger Wiggington was charged [“Charge Statute”] with a violation of the “Healthy and Safety Code”. Under California law, the statute is also referred to as Health and Safety Code 11359 or HS 11359. So what is a Health and Safety Code Charge? It is possession of marijuana intended for sale. There are several circumstances which will be used to determine if the younger Wiggington was allegedly selling marijuana or if the drug was intended for personal use. Some of these include:
The amount of marijuana confiscated on the date of the arrest.
Was the marijuana packed in small containers or baggies which could be construed as inventory for sale versus marijuana for personal use?
Is the location where he was allegedly seen selling marijuana one where transactions commonly occur?
Was marijuana found in his system?
Was he in possession of paraphernalia such as papers used with marijuana. This could determine whether the marijuana was for personal use or sale?
Was he in possession of large amounts of cash, particularly small denominations. If so, these could be presumed to have come from numerous sales of the drug?
Did the police or other witnesses, observe an exchange of money and marijuana occurring just prior to the arrest?
The bail, in the amount of $50,000, also suggests he was not apprehended with a mere joint in his pocket and may have been apprehended with more than one ounce of the drug, explaining why he was charged with possession to sell.
Speculating and also believing the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, Charles Rodger Wiggington may try and raise a defense which tries to lessen any potential penalty. He could, for example, use the defense he did not realize what marijuana is though it would be highly unlikely a court would find this believable. He might also allege he borrowed the clothes he was wearing and did not know marijuana was in one of the pockets. He could allege allege the marijuana is medicinal and used by him under direction of a physician. He could also allege he is a caregiver for a person who has been prescribed marijuana in the amount confiscated on his person at the time of the arrest. Either way, he will have to provide evidence the marijuana was prescribed by a physician.
In the meantime, the irony of the incident doesn’t elude us. The President spent years falsely implicating members of his staff in heinous acts they didn’t commit. His victims were always employees who were an ethical, moral, and intellectual threat to himself, however, over the years, his heinous concoctions were exposed, proven to be untrue, and now serve to define who Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. is as a person and President. We, of course, will be keeping close tabs on this latest development.
One frequent complaint from members is the frequency with which Priority One Credit Union denies loan applications. The fact is, Priority One denies more requests for loans than it actually approves. Of course, this in itself, should not be construed as a negative. The credit union like all other credit unions and banks, has a policy containing a list of eligibility requirements that must be complied to. However, over the past several months, an increasing number of members have reported that after their requests for a loan were denied by the credit union, they were able to obtain loans in the amounts they needed, from other credit unions or banks. This of course brings in question the reasonableness of Priority One’s eligibility requirements which some members describe as too stringent. Could it be that the credit union is reluctant to lend out too much money?
Another complaint concerns counter-offers. At times, members are not approved for the amount they request but are deemed eligible for a lesser amount. One email we received, reports that a member requested a loan in the amount of $8000. He was deemed ineligible for the amount but was approved from the amount of $1200. The member complained that the he allegedly needed $8000 and the amount of $1200 is in his words “absurdly lower.” He also complained he never received a letter from the credit union containing their counter-offer but was instead, forced to call daily over a 10-day period, to request status of his request.
THE SILVER LINING
A few months ago we published an excerpt from the credit union’s 2010 Form 990, Schedule L filing, which contained a list of officer’s names who received loans from the credit union during tax year, 2010. This time we’re providing an excerpt of Priority One’s 2011 Form 990, Schedule L filing, containing the names of officers who obtained loans from the credit union in 2011. In view of the Board’s abhorrent performance over the past 6 years, we find it peculiar and a seeming conflict of interest, that the Board of Directors reviews and approves loan applications submitted by officers of the credit union including Directors of the Board. We can’t but wonder if the credit union’s officers are being held to the same eligibility requirements as are all mother members who are not officers?
ANOTHER BLOATED SELF-PROMOTION
In 2011, hired consultants suggested the online publication of the President’s and Executive Vice President’s (“EVP”) biographies and resumes. Based on what we’ve discovered over the last eight months, the apparent goal of the consultants was to saturate the Internet with biographies asseverating the President and EVP’s alleged achievements, education, and allegedly well-honed abilities. Inarguably, the over-publication constitutes “over-kill.” As shown below, Executive Vice President, Rodger D. Smock’s biography was enhanced, tweaked, and primped in what is an aggressive effort to convey the impression he is a highly effective and accomplished officer. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Mr. Smock’s alleged dedication to building “strong human resources management” is betrayed by four lawsuits filed between 2010 and 2012 by former employees and each alleging egregious acts committed by managers and executives of the credit union. One could understandably conclude that an allegedly strong human resources management sector might have erected and maintained safeguards that may have ensured all employees complied to credit union policies and procedures. Furthermore, had the credit union’s Human Resources Department truly been vigilant, they would have succeeded in diffusing the types of incidents which generate the filing of lawsuits.
Even more peculiar is Mr. Smock’s statement that he continues to oversee Human Resources. The department was allegedly removed from under his authority in mid-2011 and appointed to then Training and Education Manager, Robert West. As we’ve reported in many previous posts, officially Mr. Smock is no longer the Director over Human Resources yet based on our observations, he continuous to oversee the department in a covert capacity.
Mr.Smock’s biography also states he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati with a focus on marketing and psychology. His alleged studies in marketing are not something employees of the credit union were aware of prior to the online publication of his current biography. Additionally, over the years he has only periodically made reference to having earned a degree in psychology. Couple this with the fact that the President’s predecessor was wholly unaware of Mr. Smock’s alleged marketing studies.
In 2007, the Marketing Department was disbanded by President Wiggington and its long time Director, removed. At the time, Mr. Smock became one of several employees who became a part of the credit union’s marketing committee- a lame idea that would prove to be disastrous. The committee soon disbanded leaving only Mr. Smock and AVP, Patricia Loiacano, to oversee the development of promotional materials and publishing of the credit union’s newsletters. By late 2009, Mrs. Loiacano would cease helping Mr. Smock.
Due to his lack of marketing experience Mr. Smock’s responsibility was in marketing was limited to writing copy and selecting graphics for the credit union’s then monthly newsletter, the quarterly newsletter, flyers and posters. This for Mr. Smock’s edification, constitutes advertising versus actual marketing. We’d be interesting in seeing Mr. Smock’s college transcripts as nothing less will suffice.
Priority One Credit Union has never offered personalized financial services to communities “throughout” Southern California. At present, the credit union has only 5 branches. Two are located in Los Angeles, there is the main branch located in South Pasadena, a branch in Van Nuys, and a poorly performing branch in Santa Clarita. The 5 locations hardly support the credit union’s claim that they have a presence throughout Southern California.
Mr. Smock’s statement that he “educates potential customers regarding these services and markets their value to potential beneficiaries” in also untrue. Employees can attest that Mr. Smock does not leave the main branch in South Pasadena to meet with potential members. Clearly, his biography implies he is performing business development tasks, which is a fallacy. At present, external business development efforts are solely conducted by the AVP of Sales and Business Development, Joseph Garcia. Unlike Mr. Smock, Mr. Garcia actually visits the communities served by the credit union, though his performance to date, is lackluster. We extend an invitation to Mr. Smock, to provide anything validating his assertion that he meets with “potential beneficiaries”. Mr. Smock is also not involved in educating members, potential members, or employees, however, if he’d like, he can provide us the dates and the names of SEG’s and post office facilities he’s physically visited over the past two years to inform would-be-members of the benefits of membership to the credit union.
It’s true that members aka member-owners, can participate in the election of the credit union’s Board of Directors and Supervisory Committee, but the actions perpetrated by President Wiggington and Board Chair, Diedra Harris-Brooks, during the past six years, including their tampering with the electoral process in late 2009 and early 2010, testifies that the two have gone to great lengths to ensure the Board’s demographics remain unchanged and loyal to Mrs. Harris-Brooks.
The biography also states that “Rodger D. Smock effectively manages all of the company’s human resources activities”. But how is this possible when it is Robert West, who is the Director of Employee Services aka Human Resources? Are we to believe Priority One has two Human Resource Directors?
The biography also states that Mr. Smock also manages “training and development of staff and oversight of branch operations.” Again, untrue. Training and staff development are administrated by Robert West- at least on paper. Mr. Smock’s biography also states that he has “oversight of branch operations”. This is again, untrue because branch operations for all of Priority One’s five offices is assigned to Vice President, Yvonne Boutte, who was appointed the responsibility on December 28, 2012. Before December 28, 2012, branch operations was overseen by Cindy Garvin and and before her, by former COO, Beatrice Walker.
According to information provided to CorporationWiki.com by Priority One Credit Union, Mr. Smock is the credit union’s Marketing Director. At no time during his employment at Priority One Credit Union has Mr. Smock ever held the title of Marketing Director. In 2009, the credit union hired a full-time Marketing Specialist but he soon succumbed to the jealousy of Mr. Smock, who resented that he had been replaced by a younger, more experienced, better educated employee. On February 2, 2012, the credit union hired Daniel Ballesteros, a friend and associate of former CLO, Cindy Garvin, to serve in the capacity of Marketing Specialist. 
Source: CorporationWiki.com/rodger-smock
So what conclusions can one derive from Mr. Smock’s biography? Aside from the fact it is poorly written and disorganized, it is immersed in untrue statements. So what exactly does the credit union’s overpaid Executive Vice President actually do? No one, except the President, really knows. What the biography clearly reveals is that Rodger Smock is willing to violate ethics and has no qualms publishing inaccuracies about his actual role at the credit union. The published misinformation ultimately serves to attest to Mr. Smock’s character.
We also located the following links, each containing Mr. Smock’s biographies or resumes. The very long list is evidence that consultants thought over-publication of Mr. Smock’s biography would somehow benefit the credit union though their plan has no logical purpose. Also, each of the profiles contained in the following links, were all launched on May 1, 2012.
A DIRECTOR’S
PERSONAL
BUT TARNISHED
TESTAMENT
Director of Employee Services/Employee Development/Human Resources, Robert West is remembered by some, for his disastrous and embarrassing 2010 theatrical display during an all-staff meeting. On the morning of 2010, Robert West stood at a podium and proceeded to chastise the “blogger”, “bloggers”, and any employees who was unhappy with President Wiggington’s methodologies. During his disturbing tirade, he labeled rebel employees “haters” while reading scripture from a Bible. His display proved to be nothing more than pure unadulterated manipulation which misused Biblical scripture in a wild attempt to vilify employees who disagree with the President’s unethical and illegal practices. His ploy backfired, resulting in an almost immediate flurry of comments berating his disgraceful attempt to subjugate employees through guilt. At the time of his humiliating public display, Mr. West was Priority One’s Education and Training Manager. In 2011, Mr. West was promoted by President Wiggington to the position of Director of Employee Services aka Human Resources. As shown below, the LinkedIn summary of his education does not reference Human Resource studies. His current position and title came by way of his personal relationship to President Wiggington and inarguably, a case of politics vs. experience & aptitude.
Mr. West alleges Human Resources Experience. He also alleges that he has facilitated “staff retreat sessions”. Can any current or former employee provide the name and date of a single staff retreat facilitated by Robert West?
Prior to September 2010, Mr. West had never worked in Human Resources. His sudden appointment to Human Resources was born out of President Wiggington’s anxious efforts to recapture power he’d lost when the Board began funneling some of his former authority to former COO, Beatrice Walker. In September 2010, President Wiggington feared Ms. Walker might actually succeed in deposing him. The Board had grown increasingly weary of his chronic failures and his inability to realize anything he promised. Ms. Walker was certainly not shy in her public criticisms of the President or about expressing her aspirations to replace him. She also boldly verbalized her disdain for Executive Vice President, Rodger Smock, who she described as useless, overpaid, and unnecessary and who she periodically insisted should be retired.
She also openly discussed the removal of Robert West, who at the time served as the Training and Education Manager. In her opinion, Mr. West was ineffective and unnecessary to the operation and fell outside of her vision for the credit union. Though Ms. Walker’s performance as a COO proved disastrous, disruptive, and unproductive to the credit union and eventually resulted in her termination, she proved to be an adept tactician when undermining her competitors. By targeting Mr. Smock and Mr. West, Ms. Walker knew she could potentially bring in an end to the President’s small band of supporters.
In September 2010, the President was informed by Executive Vice President, Rodger Smock, that Human Resources “clerk”, Esmeralda Sandoval, received a verbal complaint from the Valencia Branch Manager alleging she was the victim of an actively ensuing campaign launched by Beatrice Walker which impugned and maligned the Branch Manager’s professional and personal reputation. What’s more the complaint included allegations the COO created discord between the Valencia Branch Manager and her staff. For the desperate President, the complaint could not have come at a more opportune time.
So on a Thursday afternoon, the President was driven to the now former Valencia Branch by his confidant, EVP, Rodger Smock. Arriving at the Valencia branch in the late afternoon, the two met privately with the Branch Manager and informed her that the Valencia office had been marked for closure by COO, Beatrice Walker, and CFO, Saeid Raad. She was also informed the branch would permanently close its doors at the end of October 2010. Immediately divulging news of the impending closure, the President asked the Branch Manager to elaborate further about the acts allegedly committed by the COO. During the meeting, the Business Development Representative assigned to the Valencia Branch was also called into the meeting and attested that Mrs. Walker had made numerous disparaging statements about the Branch Manager’s performance and character and even her ethnicity.
The President asked the officers to please document the allegations and provide these to him as soon as possible so that he could conduct an investigation of the incidents. Turning to Mr. Smock, the President also declared he would immediately remove Ms. Walker’s authority over Human Resources. What we find peculiar is that he requested letters documenting the allegations of wrongdoing committed by Ms. Walker so that he could initiate an investigation, yet declared he would immediately remove Ms. Walker’s authority over Human Resources even though he was not yet in possession of the letters. How is that possible? The answer is quite simple. The President didn’t request the letters because he needed these to conduct an investigation or rectify wrongs allegedly committed by Ms. Walker. Rather, the letters would serve as leverage through which hoped he to recoup some of the authority taken by Ms. Walker. The Branch Manager’s allegations as well as those of the Business Development Representative were inconsequential to his ultimate purpose.
Within 3 days and while still awaiting the letters, Executive Vice President, Rodger Smock posted a notice a notice on the credit union’s Intranet announcing Human Resources had been removed from Ms. Walker and reassigned, to Robert West. The decision didn’t make sense only because Mr. West had no experience in human resources or benefits administration. The decision by the President brought an immediate end to Ms. Walker’s hold over Human Resources and over clerk, Esmeralda Sandoval, and ended her ability to access personnel records.
Within a few days, the President received the letters he requested and immediately turned these over to Board Chair, Diedra Harris-Brooks. The Board Chair was displeased with Ms. Walker and concerned about allegations she’d made racist statements. However, her greatest concern was that exposure of Ms. Walker would serve to point to the Board’s immense ineptitude and bring into question again, their decision-making abilities. After all, it was Mrs. Harris-Brooks who interviewed and approved the hiring of Beatrice Walker and it was Mrs. Harris-Brooks who in May 2010, declared that Mrs. Walker and her protégé’, Joseph Garcia, were the “right management team” for the troubled credit union. Dishonest to the end, Mrs. Harris-Brooks ordered that the President distance himself from the Valencia Branch Manager and do all in his power, to ensure the complaint would just go away, not unlike her 2008 suppression of evidence which proved Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. sexually harassed a former employee.
The President who is only subservient to Mrs. Harris-Brooks, immediately distanced himself from the Branch Manager and refused to respond to her emails and voicemails. Instead, the President manipulated Miss Sandoval, who at the time served in the capacity of Human Resources “clerk”, into responding to all of the Branch Manager’s inquiries. He also used Miss Sandoval to offer the Branch Manager a new position following closure of the Valencia branch. The new position was a demotion to Assistant Branch Manager with a 40% reduction in salary. The offer was delivered verbally with nothing provided in writing. The Branch Manager was also told by Miss Sandoval that if she refused to accept the credit union’s offer that she would instead have to accept a severance agreement offering compensation calculated at one week of pay for each year of employment. At the time, the Branch Manager had only been employed by Priority One for a period of three years. The Branch Manager resigned and left just prior to the closure of the Valencia branch.
At the beginning of 2011, control over Human Resources Department was returned to Mr. Smock, however, within a few weeks, the credit union’s attorneys informed the President that the lawsuit filed by the former Burbank Branch Manager had exposed numerous administrative errors committed by Mr. Smock which had ultimately compromised the credit union’s ability to raise an effective defense. Concerned, the credit union conferred with paid consultants who advised immediate changes to the Human Resources Department. The suggested changes would serve to create an impression the department is a responsible sentinel that ensures policies and state and federal laws are adhered to by all employees of the credit union. The credit union proceeded to change the department’s name from Human Resources to Employee Development and later, Employee Services. Authority over the department was again removed from EVP, Rodger Smock and returned to Mr. West who was then named the department’s Director. The department’s new name allegedly served to better express the department’s new philosophy in its role as liaison between employees and the credit union and its ability to facilitate the integration of policies and procedures and ensure the implementation of methodologies that served to create a healthier working environment that focused on staff development. It was a wonderful plan- on paper.
As we first reported in 2011, Mr. Smock continues his role as Director of Human Resources though in a purely unofficial capacity. The reason he continues to oversee the department is because Robert West has no experience or education in human resource matters. We believe it also ensures the continued employment of both Mr. West and Mr. Smock.
Additionally, Mr. West’s biography states he is a published author. We challenge anyone to conduct a Google search for any book ever written by Mr. West. During the years of 2004 through 2005, while languishing in the comfort of his credit union office and while being paid a salary, Mr. West worked on writing a book. Our search located numerous links to other authors also named Robert West, though they were all White. Please note his LinkedIn account omits a link to a page or pages providing information to anything he’s authored. In the end, Mr. West fits perfectly in Mr. Wiggington’s regime.
SUMMARY OF EDUCATION
The acronym ASTD refers to the American Society of Training and Development. The organization provides learning and development opportunities and has more than 120 chapters in the United States and more than 16 international partners. According to their webpage, ASTD provides resources for training and development professionals, educators, and students—research, analysis, benchmarking, online information, books, and other publications and conducts conferences, workshops and online classes. They also offer professional development opportunities for training practitioners from a Job Bank and Career Center to certificate programs and the only credential offered by them is the Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP).
Mr. West’s biography also references Ambassador University which was a unit of the Worldwide Church of God and a privately supported Christian school in the liberal arts tradition. In 1994 the college became Ambassador University and was granted full accredited status as a liberal arts institution by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Ambassador concluded its mission (in other words, they closed) to liberal arts education in August 1997.
Mr. West has also chosen to combine the references to ASTD and USC Institute as a single name despite the fact these are two separate and unrelated entities. USC Institute, actually USC Institute for Creative Technologies, is a research institute of the University of Southern California. The institute advances the state-of-the-art in training and simulation with a focus on virtual humans, graphics, mixed-reality, learning sciences, games, storytelling, and medical virtual reality.
Source: http://bigsight.org/rodger_smock
SO WHO’S TELLING THE TRUTH?
In 2011, the credit union’s Human Resources Department changed its name to Employee Services. According to Mr. West’s LinkedIn account, he is the Director of Employee Services. Among the skills he’s listed in his LinkedIn account, shown below, is that he is a training specialist. We know that prior to mid-2011, he served in the capacity of the credit union’s Training and Education Manager.
RODGER D. SMOCK
If Mr. West is the Director of Employee Services aka Human Resources, then why does Rodger Smock, in the excerpt of his biography shown below and copied from www.bigsight.org, declare he manages “all” of the credit union’s human resources activities? Is it possible, that a credit union with only 5 branches requires two Directors to oversee Employee Services/Human Resources? And if Mr. West is the experienced credit union trainer then how could Mr. Smock assert that he manages training and staff development?
Source: http://bigsight.org/rodger_smock
An excerpt from Mr. Smock’s Linkedin account, also references he is the Senior Vice President over Human Resources. Actually, his title is Executive Vice President. So who is the real Director of Human Resources, Mr. West or Mr. Smock?
The two officers should have conferred with one another before publishing their respective biographies. We extend an invitation to Mr. West and Mr. Smock to please provide an explanation as to how they each simultaneously oversee Human Resources.
On March 26th, a reader of this blog posted the following comment providing additional information regarding an incident involving a Call Center Lead and his horrendous experience with the alleged Human Resources Specialist. The disclosure clearly reveals Mr. West’s immense ineptitude and inappropriate conduct in handling, actually mishandling the situation. We certainly expect a lot more in terms of competency from an officer allegedly possessing more than 25 years of experience. What is quite clear from the statements contained in the comment is that, Mr. West demonstrated complete disdain for the employee's plight and disrespect for credit union policy.
Anonymous said….
One thing not mentioned in this new blog post is a very important detail pertaining to the incidents leading up to the resignation of the call center lead.
1) He [the Call Center Lead] had previously been able to successfully request time off through Esmeralda [Sandoval] for the purpose of taking care of his family.
2) He had requested time off/leave under the Family Medical Leave Act through [Robert] West, via e-mail because Esmeralda was on pregnancy leave at the time he needed to submit his request. So there is a written record of this request.
3) Mr. West admitted to the then lead teller that he would have to research Family Medical Leave because he had no clue how it worked or provisions included in it.
4) West met with Yvonne [Boutte]* about the lead’s request which yet again, violates confidentiality.
5) Instead of getting back to the employee regarding the FMLA request, he was called to a meeting in which Yvonne determined he was no longer suitable to serve as a lead to his frequent [to take] time off.
6) Stunned by the CU’s response to his request which needed their immediate and confidential attention, the employee contacted the department of labor (if I’m not mistaken) to discuss if the actions taken against [him] violated any laws… yes.. yes, it is a violation.
So this is what led up to the current blog post.
Conclusion: The credit union is even more disgusting than what was exposed in this post.
March 26, 2013 AT 12:18 PM
*Yvonne Boutte has been a divisive influence at the credit union. In 2009 and part of 2010, she was part of former COO, Beatrice Walker’s clique. Mrs. Boutte is known for her condescending treatment of employees, know-it-all attitude and need to interfere with the operations of many departments. In 2012, it was her tyrannical disposition which provoked a member to file a lawsuit against the credit union and which was later settled by the credit union. 
If Mr. West were truly a bonafied Human Resources Specialist, it certainly is not evidenced in his bungling of the incident involving the former Lead. Not only was Mr. West not proactive, he also intentionally or ignorantly, violated confidentiality. We don’t understand how the allegedly well-educated and pious officer deemed it prudent or appropriate to confer with Vice President, Yvonne Boutte. The level of incompetency permeating Priority One’s so-called leadership sector is nothing short of astounding.
One a final note regarding Mr. West. On Tuesday, April 2nd, a person posted a comment declaring it was the stress caused by people posting comments on this blog which drove President Wiggington’s son to “get arrested for drugs.” Aside from the gross absurdity of the comment, the writer affirmed the President’s son was arrested for selling drugs. It doesn’t take great investigative skills to determine who the author of the comment might be. As described previously, in 2010 Training and Education Manager, Robert West, stood before attendees, of an all-staff meeting and condemned this blog. During the emotional undisciplined moment, he read from a Bible and labeled anyone who disagreed with the President’s abhorrent practices, “haters”. In the comment, shown below, the writer refers to people who post comments criticizing the President and his son as “haters” and ends his criticism with a Biblical verse. Now who could have written the comment, we wonder?
Attributing the decision by the President’s son to allegedly sell drugs because he was suffering from stress induced by comments posted on this blog, is nothing more than psychological projection and an attempt at juvenile manipulation. It is certainly much easier to allege Charles Rodger Wiggington, Jr. was impelled by stress to sell marijuana then to admit he exercised free-will and chose to commit an act deemed illegal under both state and federal law. As for the statement that the suspect is a decent young man, the opinion is purely subjective and contradicted by the fact he allegedly committed a felony. The President’s son’s innocence may be pending the decision of a federal judge, but there is no debating that Mr. West’s online profile is enhanced, inaccurate, and disingenuous.
CONCLUSION
President Wiggington’s decision to terminate the AVP who had once overseen the Los Angeles and Airport branches appears to have been just another knee jerk reaction to findings presented to him by AVP, Yvonne Boutte, and the Internal Auditor, Diane Huffman. According to the evidence, the AVP allegedly failed to carryout credit union procedures, adhere to policies, properly oversee her staff, resolve member service issues, or ensure security protocols intended to hinder incidences of internal and external theft, were continually maintained. However, the President’s post-termination investigation hints that Charles R. Wiggington, Sr. may have acted prematurely when ordering the termination. Inarguably, the President is searching for additional evidence needed to support the reasons used to seal her ouster or to prove she was involved in thefts occurring at the Los Angeles branch. What is also peculiar is that following 40 years of employment, the AVP’s performance was suddenly deemed unsatisfactory.
And while the President conducts his search for information which will be used to file charges against the former AVP, he and his Executive Vice President and the Director of Employee Services have proliferated the Internet with the mass publication of their enhanced biographies and resumes, documenting competencies and responsibilities none possesses or performs. Countering their hyperbole is the credit union’s reduced asset size which has declined by more than $20 million over a six-year period and the loss of 4 branches since October 2010.
In 2011, the credit union announced the Human Resources Department was undergoing changes that would build stronger bonds with its employees, ensure staff development, and exact efforts that guaranteed remedial measures were implemented to respond to instances when disputes arose between employees and their employer. Along with the enhanced change in focus, authority over the department was transferred from Executive Vice President, Rodger Smock, to Robert West who was named the department’s new Director. However, as we’ve disclosed in past posts, the alleged change was really an effort to create an impression of change. As we’ve shown, Mr. Smock’s LinkedIn account continues to reference that it is he who oversees Human Resources while Mr. West’s Linked account identifies him as the Director over Human Resources. It never occurred to either officer to confer with one another before publishing their respective and exaggerated biographies. So who is the real Director overseeing Priority One’s Human Resources Department? Is it Rodger Smock or Robert West? We invite either officer to provide an answer though we suggest they first confer with one another so there are no further inconsistencies in their stories.
If Rodger Smock oversees Human Resources, then what Department does Robert West oversee?
Over the years, the President continually found protection from the Board of Directors and in particular, the Board’s Chair, who willingly and defiantly protected the wrongs committed by the President, justified his failures and even squashed evidence proving he violated federal law. The President also found a willing accomplice in Executive Vice President, Rodger Smock, who while serving as the official Director of Human Resources, compromised ethics and boldly violated the very policies he was required to uphold, all so he could preserve his position at the credit union while the President set out to realize his plots against employees.
Beginning in January 2010, Robert West, the then Education and Training Manager, donned a religious and legalistic persona, condemning anyone who dared criticize the President’s unethical acts, He also tried manipulating employees through the misuse of Biblical scripture and even referred to the President’s critics as pawns of the devil, forgetting that in 2008 he declared that “the devil lives at Priority One.”
Until early 2012, Employee Services Manager, Esmeralda Sandoval, was another avid critic of the President’s detractors often exclaiming that the blog was saturated with lies and the product of disgruntled employees who wanted to see the credit union fail. If she had been capable of exercising common sense, she may have realized that toppling the credit union would also bring an end to employee livelihoods. In recent years, Miss Sandoval has been a willing tool of the President and Executive Vice President and at times, even ordering employees to her office to undergo interrogation while accusing them of disparaging the credit union.
In the meantime, the President and his lackeys have wasted immense amounts of credit union monies, again, hiring consultants who served to publish their fallacy-ridden biographies across the Worldwide Web. The performance and size of the now smaller, less competitive and lawsuit laden credit union doesn’t attest to alleged well honed competencies, abilities, and education of these paragons of professionalism. Further undermining the President’s wild efforts at self-promotion are the termination of COO, Beatrice Walker, in 2011 and that of CLO, Cindy Garvin on December 28, 2012, leaving the impression that Priority One is a highly disorganized credit union, immersed in internal conflict and headed by a President who doesn’t possess the ability to make a single sound business decision.
Long before being appointed President on January 1, 2007, Charles R. Wiggington., Sr. chose to implement deception as part of his arsenal of business tools needed to ensure his personal agendas were realized. Over the years, he created numerous fallacies which ascribe to himself accomplishments he never achieved and abilities he doesn’t possess. From his declarations that he is a savvy business man and sharp strategist to boasting about his allegedly stately home, sexual escapades, and fleet of expensive BMW’s, his verbalization were intended to aggrandize himself, however, overshadowing even his most wild and unencumbered exaggerations is his very public disdain for all things ethical.
TO BE CONTINUED……
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