THE ACTIVIST LEADERS HAVE AN INTERESTING PAST

THEY WILL DO OR SAY ANYTHING TO FURTHER THEIR CAUSE

A REPORT FROM THE ALABAMA POLITICAL REPORTER

 

 

Dr. Neal Berte, who serves on the board of many of the non-profits who are attacking us (or previously served) appears to be leading this effort against the industry.  He resides in one of the wealthiest communities in the south (Mountain Brook) where there is not a single payday lender and where many of the other activist leaders reside.

Dr. Berte is the former President of Birmingham Southern College in Birmingham, where he served for over 30 years.  That institution was almost forced into bankruptcy after he left.  See this report from AL.com and the quote below from the article:

"This was not just a one-year thing," he said. "Our finance operation was dealing with systems that go back 20 years."

That "20 years" was during Dr. Berte's term.

He then later served on the board of the now defunct Superior Bank in Birmingham that was closed down by the FDIC.  Then later, in 2016 the SEC sued 11 of the former executives and board members of that institution, although Dr. Berte was not named in the suite.  That report is here.

Finally, SEE THIS REPORT about a recent presentation Dr. Berte made to Leadership Birmingham (as a former board member).  This agency has nothing to do with lending.  However, he used the forum to attack and demean the investor of several successful companies.  He did this simply because that investor happens to also be the CEO of a national payday lender.  One of that CEO's incredible success stories includes a recent $550,000,000 transaction of a Birmingham based company that he cofounded four years ago as a completely unrelated business (here). These groups will do and say whatever it takes to further their cause and our demise as noted in the stories above.