Aw shucks Jerry. The conspiracy theories were a lot more interesting. Now we have to go back to the JFK thing or the Roswell UFO incident.
Crop circles anyone? While there may not be "foul play" at work here, the shutdown without warning still leads a bit to be desired from a PR standpoint. And to shut down for 2+ months doesn't bode well for maintaining the user base. I suspect the Atlas Forum will never be the same, with folks settling in elsewhere for good.
Dave Maddox was COO (Chief Operating Officer) of all of Atlas, not Atlas O. A COO is usually an experienced businessperson, charged with running the day to day business. Generally a company with no COO who bring on a COO is a company where either the CEO wishes to offload day to day decisionmaking, or where a tighter reign on operations is required. Another possibility is that someone who was suddenly "released" by their employer, with good connections in the industry landed at a friendly place at an appropriately high level. You can make what you want out of what happened, in the overall scheme of things, I'd rather see Atlas making interesting products than invest time in a forum that Trainboard and others do full time. If you think there was anything other than "panic" involved in killing it overnight, you are deceiving yourselves though. And the software upgrade/vacation thing is truly laughable. I think if my service provider told me my websites would be down for 2 months for "software upgrades", I'd be consulting my lawyers, not my end users. Here's to great new products from Atlas, which can be discussed wherever! Lou [ 09. June 2004, 20:25: Message edited by: ljudice ]
Quoted from the Atlas website: For Immediate Release ATLAS NAMES NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPOINTS DICK MADDOX: CEO, PAUL GRAF: COO HILLSIDE, NJ-June 9, 2004-Atlas Model Railroad Co. Inc. and Atlas O, LLC. announced today that at a recent meeting, the Atlas Board of Trustees passed a unanimous resolution creating a new Atlas Board of Directors to help guide and grow the companies in the foreseeable future. The new board consists of Thomas W. Haedrich-Chairman, Diane Schaffan Haedrich, Jarrett Schaffan Haedrich and Jesse Schaffan Haedrich. “The new Board of Directors is happy and proud to continue this great business with the same goal of product excellence as achieved during the first 55 years. We look forward to our role in helping to reach the next 50 plus years as a successful family-run business,” said Haedrich. One of the first resolutions passed by the new board was to name Richard Maddox as Chief Executive Officer and Paul Graf as Chief Operating Officer. Dick Maddox started with Atlas one year ago as Atlas Chief Operating Officer. He has been involved in the hobby industry in a wide variety of companies and positions for the past fifty years. Paul Graf has been with Atlas in a variety of positions for the past 15 years, most recently serving as Vice President, Finance and Administration. “Atlas is indeed fortunate to have an outstanding staff and extraordinary executives like Dick and Paul to lead them. I look forward to working with the fine professionals that comprise the Atlas executive team,” said Haedrich. Since 1984, Tom Haedrich has worked at Atlas and has been CEO since 1989. Diane S. Haedrich is the daughter of Atlas founder Stephan J. Schaffan and has been the Atlas Model President since 1984. Jarrett and Jesse Haedrich are the founder’s grandsons. Jarrett is a 2001 graduate of The University of Vermont School of Business and works in the Atlas marketing department. Jesse is a Penn State University student majoring in plastics engineering technology. Founded in 1949 from the original Atlas Tool Co., Atlas Model Railroad Company, Inc. has its roots in model railroad track and accessory making through invention, innovation and ingenuity. As an extension of a tremendously flourishing HO & N scale product line, Atlas O, LLC. was created in 1997 to provide high quality model railroad O scale products to the 3-rail and 2-rail markets. Today, after more than 50 years, the Atlas companies are leading manufacturers of HO, N and O scale track, locomotives, rolling stock and accessories for the model railroad industry. Atlas’ product line is very extensive and includes solid nickel silver track, such as the world renowned Super-Flex® Track, award-winning locomotives and rolling stock, layouts, accessories, and more. Atlas, headquartered in Hillside, NJ., has maintained a proud tradition as a family-owned business with a reputation for quality and excellence. For additional information, please contact Kate Hannett, Director of Marketing at 908-687-0880, ext. 7122 or kate@atlasrr.com. (end quote) (Copyright)
Drat. I was trying to stay off the boards to enhance my productivity in "my other life." ie, the real one...... But here I am, another Atlas refugee. Or technically, a TrainBoard member coming home, since I actually registered here first, but then got involved with some bad apples who tended to participate there more....... Good discussions here, though.
Well thats a couple of good signs. First Atlas as a comapny seems healthy enough to have a seperate Chairman,CEO and COO. Secondly all the rumors which were fun have been diminished with the possible exception of Atlas buying another player out there. Anyhow congrats to paul for the promotion he deserves it after having to put up with us for years. i wonder if anyone else got a bump like Cory?
I was out of town for 10 days and the Atlas Forum shuts down... Hmmm. I hope to make some contributions in this forum.. Happy to be aboard
Bob Ellis, good to have you at Train Board. Welcome! I remember when Paul Graf was trying to get Atlas to make the stirrups on the airslde covered hopper better (more delicate). It was a big fight with management. Now look at that guy! He's in the big time!!
If Paul reads this: Congratulations!! We hope you'll keep the momentum of great product releases going! (And if he isn't, someone tell him he should!!!)
