As a child in a British boarding school I was forced to watch morality plays, especially at Christmas time, and I’d like to believe they taught me something. Since then I’ve learned a little more about what is right and what is wrong and the nature of truth. More importantly, life has taught me that nothing exists in isolation and that there is reciprocity in all things. And, to that extent, I believe in karma. So when NAHI decided to censure Porter Valley Software, apparently because of my appointment as the NACHI vice-president I was momentarily shaken, because they were not only punishing me as the president of Porter Valley Software but also punishing my business partner Lorne Steiner. Interestingly, Lorne has been a NACHI director and a board member of the American Institute of Inspectors for more than a year. Obviously, and for reasons that I have not yet fully understood, it seems that they wanted to punish me.
I’ve written about this on the bulletin board, and you can read it for yourself at http://www.nachi.org/forum/showthread.php?t=11191 but let me tell you what I’ve learned from this modern morality “play.” NAHI was never open and honest with me, which is why I resigned, but NACHI has always been. They welcomed me as an inspector, and made me feel like a member of their family. As a vendor, Nick Gromicko never tried to “make deals” with me or PVS and only ever asked one thing–and that repeatedly: “What can you do for my inspectors?” I proudly acknowledged publicly, in my book Inspect and Protect, that “he has done more for inspectors than any other individual in the history of the inspection industry.” Interestingly, it was he and he alone who encouraged me to submit my articles in the service of the membership, and although I have numerous friends in other organizations, including some in NAHI that knew about this censure, only NACHI members publicly proclaimed their support for me, which taught me that in this and other businesses it is typically “politics as usual.” Life has taught me this before, and no doubt will do so again, but I take comfort in the support of my friends at NACHI and promise the membership this: As the vice-president of NACHI, I will always be open and honest, and will do what I can to promote the best interests of NACHI and will do my utmost to make the membership proud. As a human being, and as Mark Twain has said, “I can lie, but I won’t.” As an inspector, I will do everything in my power to help other inspectors, and as a vendor I will continue to brag about the InspectVue report-writers, but never as NACHI’s vice-president, and I will never, ever denigrate other vendors.
To Nick, to NACHI, to its stellar board of directors, to the family of members and, yes, even to the NAHI membership, I wish you all joy, health, happiness, and the prosperity you deserve.
. Merry Christmas to all associations.