My Nonprofit Reviews

The intro of an article from The Journal Record, a business and legal newspaper in Oklahoma. The *full* article is available at JournalRecord.com, or through a general Google search. Well worth the effort: >> Businessman Walter Schumacher was named the 2006 Man of the Year in Clinton, where he is a popular figure. But questions surround Schumacher's not-for-profit cultural exchange program, which has paid his wife a six-figure salary, bankrolled annual trips abroad and donated cash for civic projects that bear Schumacher's name. >> Every year, hundreds of foreign adult students each pay more than $1,000 to participate in the Clinton-based Apex USA student exchange program. They provide their own transportation to reach their destinations, and then work at jobs near minimum wage to help pay for their housing. >> The tax-exempt Apex takes care of placing them in jobs across the country each semester as a cultural learning opportunity. Some of the students even end up in the small hometown of Chief Executive Walter Schumacher. > But that last aspect concerns a U.S. Department of State official, because the head of the nonprofit is also a landlord and business owner in Clinton. If those students have problems with their work or living conditions, they would normally seek help from the sponsor organization. >> Schumacher, who personally visits several countries annually to promote his organization at Apex's expense, said he has managers to deal with such issues, thus distancing himself from potential conflicts of interest. >> Apex contributions to Clinton's public parks in Schumacher's name further compound concerns of commingling personal and nonprofit finances. ...

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