A public apology to Charlie Barokas & Mike Baker

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Posted By: Tom Nieves

I would like to apologize to Charlie Barokas and Mike Baker for some recent comments that I made. Much to my surprise, Charlie's information (from Mike Baker) was accurate.

Tom Nieves



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BREAKING NEWS: GAI Founder Says Company Open for Business, Phones Back on Thursday

Nov 13 2007 6:48PM
by Pepper Hastings

Global Authentication Inc., has relocated, is processing orders and is negotiating to have a presence at this weekend's regional collectibles show in Rosemont, Ill., company founder and VP Steve Rocchi told Beckett Media Tuesday night.

Rocchi said that all customer orders "are safe, have been safe, and are in our building as I speak."

Global (GAI) expects to issue a press release in the coming days detailing additional funding from a venture capitalist outside of the hobby. Rocchi says phone service to GAI offices should be restored by Thursday. He did not know when the company's Website would again be operational.

The company received a court-ordered eviction notice last week after negotiations failed with the landlord to settle back payments on the office lease. Rocchi said he had two days to break down the office and vacate, and applauded his employees' loyalty and hard work during the crisis.

In his first interview since GAI's hasty relocation, Rocchi said the experience has left him with hundreds of messages each day on his cell phone and surprised at the reaction from the sports collecting community when GAI disappeared from the radar.

"I expected some reaction when this happened, but I never expected the firestorm of emotion that I saw," on Internet message boards, blogs and Websites, said Rocchi, the former president of PSA before embarking on founding Global Authentication in February 2002.

"Personally, it's been very stressful. But I had a son who was very sick at one time -- he's fine now, thankfully -- but that's stress, having a sick child," Rocchi said. "This is just life. Is it how I wanted it to play out? No. I had a lot to say, but I didn't have any time to communicate it. I didn't want to make a comment until I had some solutions as to where we would be. So here I am talking to you."

Rocchi said that when GAI found out it had two days to move that he personally took charge of inventorying all of the customer submissions. "That was the most important aspect of the move. I took care of that myself so I personally knew everything was in order. The rest of the office, our staff was great, they stuck with it, and I couldn't ask for a more dedicated group," he said, citing that head grader Mike Baker and the rest of the GAI staff before the move still is on the payroll.

Rocchi said he wants to attend the Chicago Sun-Times show this weekend "to show we are here and everything is fine for the future. I would just like for the people who have dealt with us in the past, they know our reputation. You know my reputation. We are honest people, and we will make good on all orders now and in the future."

GAI's new address is now suite 109 at the same street address (232 Avenida Fabricante) in San Clemente. According to the broker for that property, David Bolt of CB Richard Ellis real estate, each suite is "a condo-like structure and each condo is owned by different owners."


Source: http://www.beckett.com/estore/news/?eskin=beckett&a=8958&s=1