CUPPY’S COFFEE: VP Theresa St. Clair’s Resignation Letter
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Also read: Cuppy’s Coffee Overview, CUPPY’S COFFEE, Java Jo’z, Elite Manufacturing, Medina Blogliography, Cuppy’s Coffee, Elite Manufacturing Franchise Complaint on Rip-off Report
Both previous owner Morg Morgan and (less effectively) current owner Dale Nabors seem to be proficient at remaining in the background while their "executives" sign documents, send the uneasy memos, take the difficult phone calls… and incur the wrath of cheated franchisees. As head of the entity that was used to exchange many people’s life savings for broken promises, missed deadlines, unreturned refunds, and bankruptcy, Executive Vice President of Elite Mfg, LLC, Theresa St. Clair has certainly attracted her share of wrath. But was St. Clair part of the problem, as some have suggested, or well-meaning person who was pushed to the forefront of the battle wearing a bright red target?
St. Clair’s defenders have pointed out that her much-maligned email to franchisees (Cuppy’s Coffee / Elite Manufacturing Infuriates Franchisees With Form Email) was sent under her signature without her permission. One "Guest" came to her defense recently by posting this comment, which includes her resignation letter:
Arod……Theresa NEVER promised anyone anything!!! She always referred them back to their agreement. There was a handful of contracts that she added a statement about “if refund was requested… they would get a refund within so many days”. That statement which would have been very few of was included in contract ONLY if Morg Morgan or Ben Doyle told her to put it in there.
If someone did request a refund it ALWAYS went through the legal department which was handled by Danny Jones. Danny Jones ALWAYS tried to bully people into settleing for less refund money than what they paid. Theresa doesn’t have a new vehicle like Amy Hiller and Robine Donlon. She still drives the same vehicle when she first started working for the company. If anyone should be investigated here along with Morg and Ben and Dale, it would be Danny Jones because he’s been with the company sinced Roy Snowden’s Java Jo’z days.
Hell, if the zees want someone to testify on their behalf they should talk with Theresa. She use to be VP of Elite sales until Morg threw her into the Elite Ops division against her will because she told Morg & everyone that she knew nothing about construction but Morg put her in there anyway last December. After being in the Elite Ops for a few months she began to realize that something wasn’t right and voiced her concerns with Morg & Ben who continues to tell her and other employees that everything was ok. Theresa kept seeing that the zees were NOT getting built out as promised nor were they getting their cabinetry or equipment, etc… At that time Dale was a consultant and he also kept telling her it was going to get better & asked her to hang in there.
She hung in there for a few more months & then Dale bought the company. T was so excited about what changes would’could be happening because Dale promised so much, etc… Unfortunately after 3 months of non-action on Dale’s part to get things moving for the zees, she had enough & put in her letter of resignation which I just happen to have a copy of. I believe this show what Theresa’s values are:
August 24, 2008
To: Dale Nabors and Human Resources of Medina Management
From: Theresa St.Clair – Executive Vice President of Elite Mfg, LLC
Re: Letter of Resignation
Dear Dale,
Before you bought the company, we had several talks about the lack of ethical and honest behavior with the previous owner and the direction of the company and what needed to happen in order for it to truly be successful. I felt we saw eye-to-eye.
You bought the company approximately 3 months ago. I believed you could and would turn this company around and be on the up and up with the employees and franchisees. Meaning…start operating this organization ethically, honesty and with integrity. The first month I was impressed with your actions.
Unfortunately, your actions these last few months which include the total absence of any communication from you to your staff in Florida, have made me question your character, your honesty and your integrity. I also no longer feel that you have the franchisees best interest at heart. You have accepted more money from franchisees and you are not delivering their equipment, cabinetry and furniture.
Therefore, please consider this my letter of resignation effective immediately. Let me know when I may pick up my last paycheck for last week or will it be direct deposited?
If Terri or Lori has any work related questions for me I will help them as much as possible.
Regards,
Theresa St.Clair
Executive Vice President
Elite Manufacturing, LLC
WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.
I’m an xemployee and this sounds accurate!
Interesting how these employees are OK with everything while they’re getting their fat commission checks (cut directly from the unsuspecting franchisee’s life savings), but then they get all moral when the dirty money stops flowing their way.
I heard this Theresa St. Clair wasn’t invited to stay on with the core group Mr. Nabors invited to move to AL, so she was already being fired when she resigned due to her high integrity. Then it turns out she’s going to the organization that’s in the process of suing Cuppy’s Coffee.
What’s that saying about honor and thieves?
Victim.. once again, you don’t know s hit!!! She was salary not commission. The franchise sales people got the big fat checks $5k -$10k. And as a matter of fact, Dale did ask her to go to AL about 2 months before he moved the office & she told him NO.
Victim, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A VICTIM BECAUSE YOU HAVE THAT MIND SET. GET OFF YOU BUTT AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. STOP WHINNING!
I am the “real” cd and I did not post that message to “Victim”. I would never type in all caps because it demonstrates the lack of the ability to communicate through words.
Find another name to post under.
I have changed the name of the second “cd” to “cd 2”
Could the “cd” who wants “victim” to stop “WHINNING” please post as cd 2?
Thanks.
T did get bonuses, although not tecnically commission.
Two new Cuppy’s Coffee interviews posted. The Herbers, Mirandas, Suarez & Schneider each entrusted Cuppy’s Coffee/Elite Manufacturing with significant sums of money. Each were promised repayment. Each received a token payment or two before the payments stopped and their calls were no longer taken or returned:
CUPPY’S COFFEE: Interview with Franchisee Mike Herber
CUPPY’S COFFEE: Interview with Franchise Owner Joshua Miranda
CUPPY’S COFFEE: Interview with Franchisee Daniel Suarez & Jaime Schneider
Read their stories. Share a comment. Spread the word.
Anyone who portrays that Theresa St. Clair, self appointed “Executive VP” (she added the ‘Executive’) of Elite Mfg., has one ounce of “integity” or is “honorable” in any business capacity either doesn’t know any REAL facts, is totally ignorant or may be rooming with her. She flat out lied to prospective franchisee’s and very knowingly deceived many out of their money for the sake of her “commissions”. She was one of the first to turn on Robert Morgan, the man who hired her when she had lost everything (all those great CURVES franchises), as soon as she knew he was leaving, and stuck her nose up Dale ‘the Donkey’ (being polite on this one) Nabors Parade to Nowhere, and then, when even Dale obviously saw a wasted salary in a minor league ass kisser, subsequently tried to resign with “integrity” (there’s that word again that she wouldn’t even know how to spell, yet know the meaning of) when she knew she was being FIRED! Although her talents are those of a middle mngmt. “clerk” at best, her coveted title and position of responsibility to those that were investing money in the Cuppy’s family certainly warrants outright fraud & deception and WILL reunite her and the Donkey and possibly others in a Correctional Facility. It just can’t come fast enough. There is substantial evidence that has been submitted “under the radar” that will support the facts above & below and will surface soon enough to the watered-down satisfaction of the unfortunate franchisee’s that “believed” Theresa St. Clair when she told them in plain english about selling her CURVES Franchises (rather she LOST – as in CLOSED) to buy her daughter a CLUSTER of Cuppy’s Franchises because they were such a great money maker! People that were on the fence of going with Cuppy’s or not BELIEVED her and those statements prompted them to invest their money! Not to mention her (Exec. VP) statements directly to the new franchsee’s that their money would be placed into an Escrow Account, etc., etc., etc. THERE WILL BE JUSTICE! She can’t ‘sue’ her way out of this one, her standard mode of operendi! She’s going down & doesn’t even know it yet! Somehow, not surprising! By the way, in case anyone hasn’t realized, the majority of the statements in this blog that “support” Theresa St. Clair…. are WRITTEN BY THERESA ST. CLAIR under different names!!!
Re: Get Real… You must be mistaken. The ONLY person that has/had their nose stuck up Dales’ butt is Amy Hiller. You are also mistaken in regards to TS “Losing” her Curves clubs. It’s a public fact that she was at the time she sold he Curves clubs the “Top franchisee” out of 2,000 nationwide. She then went on to open her own chain that did very well. She had been away from curves a good 4 years before she ever met Morg. So you obvioiusly don’t know what you’re talking about & you have show that you obviously have a beef with TS! But good try dumbass! Any by the way, if you know so much why don’t you do what so many have ask on this site to put up or shut up! Have a glorious day & piss off.
Re: Get Real… You state “She was one of the first to turn on Robert Morgan,” You are wrong again… the first to turn on Morg was Amy Hiller, then Robin Donlan, then the IT guys. “Get Real” sounds like Mrs Morgan or kids…
Get Real states”Although her talents are those of a middle mngmt. “clerk” at best” obviously you don’t know TS. She made millions in fitness & other businesses before ever looking at the coffee industry. Get your info correct or shut the hell up. dumbass.
guest:
You seem to know a lot about Theresa St. Clair.
Could you explain why she is reportedly selling San Gelato franchises when she stated that she is only going to be working on the wholesale side of the business – and not involved with franchising?
Is she really doing the same thing at San Gelato as she did at Cuppy’s/Elite?
Reportedly…. Once again people don’t know what they are talking about. She IS NOT in the franchise business.