ANA Board of Governors Respond To Statements from Former Executive Director

Following is a statement issued Thursday, Oct. 6, by the American Numismatic Association Board of Governors in response to recent statements by former ANA Executive Director Larry Shepherd.

“The former ANA Executive Director and others recently released statements regarding his termination. The Governors of the American Numismatic Association have made every effort to take the high road and not air a private personnel matter. We thought it best to promptly move on.

“The ANA declines to disclose those matters because they involve other personnel or third-parties outside the ANA. The decisions to first suspend then terminate Mr. Shepherd were not ‘political,’ nor made in haste. They were made after a review of the facts and with careful deliberation.

“Mr. Shepherd subsequently hired legal counsel who suggested that the ANA has defamed him. The ANA has not defamed Mr. Shepherd and, in fact, carefully avoided making any statements in an effort to avoid a rancorous, public discussion on personnel matters which are normally best left private.

“Mr. Shepherd's attorney directed the ANA to have no contact with him, and the ANA honored that request. Yet, despite that directive from his attorney, Mr. Shepherd has contacted ANA Board members, as did his new employer, Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. In addition, Berk issued a news release that is disparaging and denigrating to the ANA, based on opinion, not fact.

“The ANA considerately stated that the employment relationship with Mr. Shepherd had ‘ended’ to specifically avoid a public announcement that he was fired. Berk’s release stated Shepherd was fired. The ANA now confirms that Mr. Shepherd's employment was terminated, and in view of all of the factual information reviewed by the Board, correctly so.

“This was not a decision that resulted from new Governors coming on board, but it was reviewed by both the outgoing Board and the newly elected Board in an unprecedented joint session. All 12 Governors concluded that it was appropriate that Mr. Shepherd be placed on leave while the matter was under review. After this review, termination followed.

“Governor and Past President Clifford Mishler has succinctly summed up the ANA's thoughts on this matter:

‘Having participated as a board member in both the hiring and termination of Larry Shepherd as Executive Director of the American Numismatic Association, I want to express my deep disappointment that a relationship that commenced with great optimism has concluded on such a sour note. In both instances the decisions were unanimous. Unfortunately, a commitment which commenced with great promise, transitioned into one of such great disappointment.

‘Ultimately, the Board lost confidence in Mr. Shepherd as the ANA Executive Director.’

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“It is most unfortunate that Mr. Shepherd has resorted to a public discussion that the ANA cannot comment upon, instead of moving forward in a dignified manner. We are deeply saddened by his decision. Rather than dwell on past mistakes, the ANA will move forward and fulfill its educational mission to serve the best interests of the entire numismatic community.”

Greg

 

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If the board really felt so confident with their decision then there would be no need to actually publish a statement such as this which has all the earmarks of a he said/they said story.

 

ANA claims to take the "high road" and then is disappointed that Shepherd and his new Employer choose to make a comment? Last I heard, it's a free country and if a former employee wants to air what he/she feels is the reason he/she was let go, more power to him/her. Maybe they're just upset that he's so quickly employed.
Sometimes I just get really upset when a former employer feels it's neccessary to be offended that the former employee is not continuing to play the game the former employer is dictating. It's not the former employer's job to squelch all talk of someone's employment and their termination, just that the former employer cannot malign the employee. If Shepherd wants to let everyone "know" he was terminated, let him. If he wants to state the facts the way he sees it, let him. ANA should probably not have made another comment if they truly were taking the "high road".

 

I have personally seen 2 academic people who insisted they were innocent of certain charges, and had no need to explain to anyone since they were not criminal charges. They lost their civil cases and jobs and appeals, and to my knowledge have not obtained employment elsewhere. Confidence and belief one is right doesn't cut it with law. It is currently a "he said/they said" situation, but the indications are that the ANA did not violate the dismissed person's lawyers direction.The dismissed person's claim of defamation could be greatly enhanced if he could irritate the ANA board into saying something they shouldn't until the possible court case.

 

Something's been nagging at me. If Larry was such a bad egg, how come the last group of "board of governors" didn't take action against him?

 

As I posted in the other thread....didn't see this one.


I don't really have an opinion, but it seems the more the ANA skirts the issue the more damage it does to the membership. Just an observation. Mr. Shepherd seems to have a ton of support and they are not willing to accept his termination without explanation.

 

How do we know what evidence was had against him? Where did the
"facts" come from? Disgruntled employees or former employees? Those
that didn't like progressive change? Those with an ax to grind? Did a
woman get paid off on some trumped up sexual harassment claim to
cost the ANA money and smear Larry's reputation? Don Willis of PCGS
has suggested that Larry lead a clean slate of nominees to the Board of
Governors, and I agree based on what is coming from the ANA.

 

If you read this part of the press release, you will realize both the current AND former boards were involved:

"This was not a decision that resulted from new Governors coming on board, but it was reviewed by both the outgoing Board and the newly elected Board in an unprecedented joint session. All 12 Governors concluded that it was appropriate that Mr. Shepherd be placed on leave while the matter was under review. After this review, termination followed."

Greg

 

Like Jim alluded to, there is much more going on than just PR. The lawyers are involved, and since I have been in this situation I know how frustrating it can be. I am pretty sure the ANA governors WANT to be able to tell the entire world the whole story, yet are being forbidden since it could hurt the ANA in court.

In situations like this, its fruitless to tilt at windmills and try to rush to any judgment. As an ANA member I am simply waiting to hear the whole story in time before judging anyone's actions. I would advise everyone else to do the same. The truth always comes out eventually, but the lawyers are always in the way initially.

Chris

 

It's disturbing the number of big coin dealers who "support Larry 100%" only hearing his side of the story...and the talk by the president of a major grading service who pitched the possibility of Larry heading a "clean house" of board nominees. This, along with the major dealer who immediately hired Larry and issued a press release trashing the ANA, could come back to haunt these people if and when the true details are released, or leaked.

 

Good point sir, and it may also show people who small and exclusive the little club is amongst major dealers, and how its helpful to have outsiders elected to positions such as ANA directors.

Just my opinion.

 

Has anyone said or alluded to the reason why Mr. Shepherd was fired? I'm sure the ANA are saying they were justified but won't comment now that there's a lawsuit. What has Mr. Shepherd said about his firing, except, It wasn't fair?

Anyone have the scoop?

 

When did this happen? I have not heard about it until today... And do we still not know why he was terminated?

P.S. I knew he was suspened, but this termination thing is new to me.

 

The ANA Board voted 9-0 on September 20th to terminate Larry's contract. A press release was sent out by the ANA on the 28th with additional comments released Thursday afternoon. Both are available on the ANA website.

Greg

 

Not being an ANA member or a confidant of Mr. Shepherd, I don't have a dog in this fight. I just wonder why all the gratutious interest in what should be, and is, a private personnel matter? I understand curiosity but if no explanation is forthcoming, why dwell on it?

 

When one is a member of a government approved, not for profit, educational organization that resides in the public eye, inquiring minds want to know........