From the inbox

Again, if it is not left as a comment, I will not make attributions. My two cents on the bottom.

As a former Chimes/ECG employee, I find it somewhat troubling that you keep referring to the bankruptcy issue as “Chimes Bankruptcy”. First, “Chimes” as a company has failed to exists since Feb 2007. At that time, it was sold to Axium and combined with their subsidiary Ensemble. Second, “Chimes” as a product still existed although it was not being actively marketed. Axium, and thus ECG, was forced into bankruptcy because the IRS came after them and also they failed to make loan payments to Golden Tree Asset Management.
There are claims that the owners of Axium embezzled millions of dollars from both companies. I hope you can understand why referring to this whole mess as “Chimes Bankruptcy” is really not fair. ECG filed for bankruptcy because Axium, it’s owners, filed for bankruptcy.

My two cents:
I agree with all the points made in the e-mail. However, this blog is about the contingent staffing industry and the interface most of us (readers of this blog) have had with Axium is through Chimes/ECG/Ensemble — whichever name you decide to use.

Case in point — there were about 4,000 readers who have landed on this blog (crashing it at times) in the last 10 days using the keywords “Chimes” and “bankruptcy.” Notice that they were not searching for Axium.

I apologize if it seems unfair to refer to this as “Chimes Bankruptcy.” But compared to the predicament that ECG/Chimes staffing suppliers are now facing, some with millions of dollars outstanding and themselves possibly having to close their businesses, the terms we use seems minor, if not irrelevant.  

Also, I don’t believe that I have made any remarks about Chimes as a company and their executives other than to use them as an example of how some (not all) VMS models are flawed, mainly ones where money is being siphoned through. There are merits to the model but my position has been that it is a serious risk that clients and VMS suppliers need to be aware of.

I am not writing the blog to make comments about the supposed greed of certain executives. There are plenty of other blogs that do that. I am here to stimulate conversation.

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January 21, 2008 | Filed Under VMS 

Comments

2 Responses to “From the inbox”

  1. R Zzaj on July 11th, 2008 8:36 pm

    Also as a former CHIMES employee, I don’t think it’s unfair at all to call it a “CHIMES Bankruptcy”… many of those who ran the original organization were (if nothing else) MORALLY bankrupt. No need to name names; they know who they are. I am exceedingly glad to see that their bid was rejected and the whole wretched corporate entity was taken away from them. May (the original corrupt members of) CHIMES rest in piece(s)!

  2. R Zzaj on July 12th, 2008 5:33 pm

    You know, there’s another aspect to this whole “bankruptcy” issue, too. If you look closely as CHIMES New Jersey roots, I’m sure you’d find some folks who have “family” ties. Money laundering might answer some of the questions about $$$, too.

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