A 7-Eleven franchise insider claims Board members of the national 7-Eleven franchisee association (NCASEF) were an integral part of planning last week’s franchise protest in Las Vegas.
NCASEF General Counsel Eric Karp vehemently denies that Board members or Executive Directors endorsed the protest.
UnhappyFranchisee.com asks for his help sorting out conflicting accounts.
General Counsel for The National Coalition of Associations of 7-Eleven Franchisees (NCASEF) called a franchisee insider’s contention that its Board members initiated the protest of the 7-Eleven Experience event in Las Vegas “grossly inaccurate.”
You can read Mr. Karp’s letter here: NCASEF Letter to UnhappyFranchisee.Com
Here is our response, and our request for his help getting to the truth in this matter.
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Eric H. Karp
General Counsel, NCASEF
WITMER, KARP, WARNER & RYAN LLP
Counsellors at Law
22 Batterymarch Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
February 15, 2015
Dear Mr. Karp:
Thanks for your letter of February 14, 2015. At UnhappyFranchisee.Com, our goal is to provide all of those involved with a given issue or dispute the opportunity to express their viewpoints and let our readers make up their own minds. We have an open policy of inviting any person, group or company (including 7-Eleven, Inc. and NCASEF) discussed on the site to provide rebuttals, clarifications, corrections, or other statements for us to publish with the same prominence as the original content. In addition, each of our posts has a comment section at the bottom which affords everyone an immediate chance to set the record straight – regardless of their viewpoint.
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Upon receiving your letter, we immediately incorporated your objections to “Franchisee Insider”s statements alongside the original statements you claim are incorrect:
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7-ELEVEN Franchise Experience Protest Update and Photos [UPDATED]
http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/7-eleven-franchise-experience-protest-update-photos/
We also immediately posted your letter in its entirety, here:
7-ELEVEN: NCASEF Letter re Franchisee Protest in Vegas
http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/7-eleven-ncasef-letter-re-franchisee-protest-vegas/
We then received a 2nd message from the anonymous “Franchisee Insider” that disputes the accuracy of your statements. We have posted that message here:
7-ELEVEN: Did NCASEF Initiate the 7-11 Franchisee Protest in Vegas?
http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/7-eleven-ncasef-franchise-protest/
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Additional Clarification Requested
We would appreciate the NCASEF’s help reconciling the conflicting accounts of its role and/or the role of its individual Board members (if any) in planning the franchisee protest that took place at the 7-Eleven Experience event in Las Vegas last week.
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Regarding Board members’ participation in the January 20, 2015 planning meeting, you stated “the Board was not present.”
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“Franchisee Insider” states that Board Members “Joe Galea, Chairman, Jivtesh Gill, Executive Vice Chairman, Serge Haitayan, Vice Chairman, Ken Patel representing Hashim Syed, Vice Chairman, Jas Dhillion, Vice Chairman, Maninder Walia, Treasurer” participated in the January 20th meeting.
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Question: Does the NCASEF deny that these Board members were present at this meeting?
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Regarding the Executive Officers’ participation in protest plans, you stated “Neither the Executive Officers nor the Board of the National Coalition decided or voted to hold, participate in or endorse any such protest rally.”
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“Franchise Insider” states ““Executive officers present decided after much debate and discussion that Joe DePinto CEO 7-Eleven has failed to solve any of their five issues that they had given to him and all they were receiving ‘was lip service’. Executive Officers decided to hold a protest at the 7-Eleven Experience 2015 at the MGM Grand. All Executive board members were to take part in the protest.”
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Question: Has the NCASEF substantiated that its Executive Officers did not decide to hold a protest 7-Eleven Experience 2015 at the MGM Grand, as “Franchise Insider” contends? What is the basis of that contention?
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Regarding NCASEF Executive Officers allegedly notifying 7-Eleven, Inc. of a possible protest, you stated “Neither the Executive Officers nor the Board of the National Coalition informed Joe DePinto or any other 7-Eleven executive that the National Coalition had voted to hold, participate in or endorse any protest rally.”
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“Franchisee Insider” states that Executive Officers informed a 7-Eleven Senior VP of the protest plans: “The Executive Officers decision to hold a protest was conveyed to 7-Eleven in a conference call. President of the Chicago FOA Ken Patel set up a conference call for 1:30pm on January 20th, 2015 between Jeff Schenck 7-Eleven Senior Vice President of Franchising and the Executive officers… We will hold a protest at 7-Eleven Experience is the message that was given to Jeff Schenck.”
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“Franchisee Insider” also states: “After the call it was decided by 7-Eleven for the National Executive officers to hold a meeting with the CEO of 7-Eleven on Feb-04-2015 in Dallas TX… Present at the Dallas meeting was Joe Galea, Chairman, Jivtesh Gill, Executive Vice Chairman, Serge Haitayan, Vice Chairman, Hashim Syed, Vice Chairman, Jas Dhillon, Vice Chairman, Maninder Walia, Treasurer.
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“During the meeting with the CEO in Dallas on Feb-04-2015 much was discussed and nothing was resolved… The Executive team left Dallas empty handed and their decision to go on with their original plans [to hold the protest].”
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Question: Does the NCASEF deny that 5 top Board members participated in a conference call in which a 7-Eleven Senior VP was informed of their intention to protest at the 7-Eleven Experience? Does the NCASEF deny that 6 top Board members had an unfruitful meeting with Joe DePinto on February 4th, and left there with plans to protest at the 7-Eleven Experience in Las Vegas?
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One last question: Even if it disagrees with the tactics involved, does the NCASEF support the right of its franchisee members to express their views, frustration and opposition to 7-Eleven, Inc. store seizures through public protest?
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Mr. Karp, we are aware of your solid reputation in the franchise experience, and your extensive experience representing franchisee associations. We appreciate your and the NCASEF’s advocacy for the welfare of 7-Eleven franchisees. It’s obviously no small task.
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Thank you for working with us to sort through these conflicting reports and, hopefully, getting to the truth.
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Very truly yours,
ADMIN
UnhappyFranchisee.Com
What do you think about the NCASEF’s contention that it and its Executive Officers did not endorse or participate in protest plans?
Do you think the association should support 7-Eleven franchisees right to protest, even if it does not agree with that tactic?
Share a comment below.
ALSO READ:
7-ELEVEN Franchise Owners Protest 2015 “7-Eleven Experience” [PHOTOS]
7-ELEVEN Franchise Lawsuit Alleges Exploitation of 7-11 Franchise Owners
FRANCHISE DISCUSSIONS by Company
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE 7-ELEVEN FRANCHISE? IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR 7-ELEVEN FRANCHISEES TO PROTEST AT THE CONVENTION? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.
TAGS: NCASEF, National Coalition of Associations of 7-Eleven Franchisees, Eric Karp, 7-Eleven, 7-Eleven franchise protest, 7-Eleven Experience 2015, 7-Eleven franchise discrimination, 7-Eleven litigation, 7-Eleven protests, 7-Eleven franchisee dispute, 7-Eleven franchise opportunity, 7-Eleven franchise complaints, 7-Eleven franchisees, 7-Eleven unhappy franchisee, Joe DePinto, Joseph DePinto,
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National 7-Eleven Franchisee owner Association Executive Board sells out.
The inside deal and the story.
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On February 04-2015 the Executive Board of the National had a meeting with Joe DePinto the CEO of 7-Eleven Inc in Dallas Texas. Before the meeting a few item were decided between 7-Eleven inc and a few members of the Executive board of National owners association.
Jas Dhillon Vice Chairman, had asked for Joe DePinto to forgo mark-ups for him and his friends in Greater Los Angeles Franchisee Owner Association. These mark-ups were given by Asset Protection department of 7-Eleven in the amount of around one and a half million dollars for accounts not properly reported at the store level to 7-Eleven. If CEO would drop the markup's Jas Dhillon would have National drop the idea of the protest at MGM. The CEO agreed to the deal and dropped one and a half million dollars mark-ups for Jas Dhillon and his fellow friends in Greater Los Angeles owners association.
Joe Galea the Chairman of National Franchisee Owners association asked to be made part of the CEO round table and all committees in existence between Franchisees and 7-Eleven Inc. He also wanted the CEO to attend his National Board up coming meeting in Florida on Feb-17-2015. The deal was granted.
Jivtesh Gill Executive Vice Chairman, wanted to be made part of the CEO Round Table and two more 7-Eleven franchisees for himself. The deal was granted.
Serge Haitayan Vice Chairman, wanted to be made part of the CEO Round Table.
Deal was granted.
The above mentioned Executive members after receiving there deals decided to dismantle the protest as they had planned at MGM and give-up any ownership of the protest.
First Jas Dhillon announced to all that his uncle had passed away in India and he will be leaving for India and not attend the MGM event. Second Jas Dhillon conspired to send Kathy York the President of Greater Los Angeles Franchisee Owner Association to 7-Eleven management naming a few franchisees that they are working to hold a protest at the MGM and not National or anyone else. The names she gave to 7-Eleven management were Andy Khan Past President and Chairman of 7-Eleven Political Action Committee, Jaspreet Dhillon President of 7-Eleven Political Action Committee and Navdeep Bassi past President of 7-Eleven Political Action Committee. Kathy York also provided documents which were phony and made up to connect them all to the protest (throwing them under the bus).
On the day of the protest one member of the Executive Board did attend the protest and that was Hashim Syed from Chicago area.
Once the protest was over and Joe DePinto was mad as hell wanted to know why the protest still went on after all the wheeling and dealing. At that time Eric Karp the Attorney of National Franchisee owners association wrote a letter to clear the role of National Owner Association its executive board and it's involvement in the protest.
The National Executive Board has sold their own franchisees for their own self greed and personal gains.
Thanks to UNHAPPY FRANCHISEE which has now become the true forum for the franchisees and the true voice of the franchisees.