INVESTIGATION: IPA commitment to 100% customer satisfaction, IPA - International Profit Associates implemented strategic changes to insure clients business success, focusing on finding ways to help small & medium size companies make improvements to both their short-term and longer-term profitability & creating a secure future. Buffalo Grove Illinois

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*UPDATE: Rip-off Report Investigation - International Profit Associates recognized by Rip-off Report as a safe business service - IPA pledges to resolve all complaints, 100% commitment to customer service and satisfaction, feel confident and secure when doing business with IPA

I previously filed a report on IPA-IBA. Our company spent $150K-$160K and received only a white binder of generic documents back. Since we are dissatisfied with any production on IPA's behalf, I am considering various methods of resolution. There has been no integration of strategies, and the two consultants had left our offices without a trace. I figure when I get back into the office on Monday, I'll be calling IPA to get some clarification. The one previous time I did call, the individual on the other side of the phone was quite rude, and didn't seem to care about my concerns. Now that I have time to clear this up; I will do my best because $150K is alot of money to spend in a month for nothing in return. I'm curious as to your comments and suggestions, please post them below by using the REBUTAL Box. Thanks.

I have been working with IPA A & I Services since September, 2004.



I am a Harvard MBA (1985) and class fund chairman (2001-2004), having set both funds- raised and participation records for those years.



As a Senior Advisor for IPA's Advisory and Intermediary Services, I am willing to stake my 20-plus year career on the fact that the services provided by IPA A&I are LIGHT YEARS beyond that which a conventional investment bank offers a small business client.



Logic prevails. Unfortunately, at this particular point in time, corporate "criminals" are in a position to get away with "policies" that are a travesty of any integrity-based strategy. Assume for a moment that *you* are managing a private eqiuity fund. Granted, the stock market is unpredictible, but *you* have been given the responsibility to invest, say, $100 million. If you put it in T-Bills, you may allowed to keep you job for maybe a year or so, but, eventually, you will HAVE to identify lending or investment opportunities that might result in a better return that buying publicly traded stock at market prices.



As a 45-year-old female with no children, I made the decision that I would be able to accomplish more in the field for IPA than I could in the Peace Corps.



I view my role as that of a major league scout, trying to find that guy in the middle of nowhere hitting (or pitching) 95 mile-per-hour fastballs.



Fact: There is more capital available than there are deals worthy of being funded.



Fact: A small business owner with an operating history stretching back more than ten years with NO history of defaults is a BETTER bet than virtually any publically traded company's stock.



Fact: Most fund managers are not willing to invest the time (read, the nights spent in Motel Six's in the middle of nowhere), FINDING these entrepreneurs.



THIS IS THE AMERICAN DREAM



I found IPA and persuaded them to hire me becaue I was an investment banker who NEEDED the placement capability that IPA was able to provide.



In a world where Morgan Stanley had been indicted for racketeering (check the records) and Prudential Bache has been the subject of two major books because of gross disregard for appropriate expenditures, I am very sadly disappointed to see the type of articles you are generating about IPA.



Realize. I am giving you my real name and identity: Georgia D. Gavric, Harvard Business School, class of 1985.



I joined IPA Advisory and Intermediary Services because they GENUINELY have PLACEMENT CAPABILITY.



I will happily provide references.



Do you realize that, for a small business owner, who has been refused by all "local" banks and does NOT have access to funds from friends and family, getting a deal book put together by IPA I&A Services may be his ONLY chance to get in front of the smug, ivy-league fund manager who could write a check in an instant that would allow his business dream to come true?



PLEASE UNDERSTAND. What John Burgess has created over the past thirteen years is TRULY the American dream. People like me, and my HBS classmates are give the opportunity to invest in SELECTED companies that present safer risks than either publicly traded stocks or opportunities touted by more traditional intermediaries.



The benefit is incalculable. If I were to give you the names of clients IPA has helped, the stories would rival anything you would read in People Magazine.



I am a real person



I began my career at McKinsey & Company.



I have a degree in Economics (magna c*m laude) from Columbia University and an MBA from Harvard.



John Burgess has created something extraordinary, and I am fortunate to be allowed to be a part of it.



IPA is based on a proposition of integrity literally UNPRECEDENTED in my first-hand experiece of the investment banking industry.



Whether someone who sits down with me, or one of the other top IPA A&I Senior Advisors believes this or not is outside of the control of this website. The truth of the stories of those we have helped realize their dreams is beyond belief.



I am real. Check it out. IPA WILL NOT sanction procrastination or delusion. John Burgess has built a company with $200+ million in revenue THE HARD WAY. He is wllling to share how this was accomplished.



No one forces a company to become a client.



In my opinion, there is no better way I could be using the education I have been fortunate enough to receive, that to work with IPA.



Please do no take away the one chance some small business-owners have to realize their well-earned dreams. There are far better "hatchet" type stories to write about.



Georgia D. Gavric

ggavric8887@yahoo.com

Senior Advisor, IPA Advisory and Intermediary Services. 770-329-9607

Mr. Davis,



It must be nice to live in the ivory tower. The view from the ivory tower is much different then the view at ground level. Let us try to see what really happens at ground level. Suppose there are

around 1500 new SBA's each year. Most don't last more than four weeks.



They recieve $70 per day towards expenses. They will spend at least $150 per day ( hotel,car rental and food, etc. ). They realize they

are losing money and quit. So in a four week period they lost in excess of $2000. Suppose also that during their four weeks they collected six $300 survey fees and wrote two Go's that ran 65 hours each. The total monies collected for IPA would equal $29,550.



Remember the new SBA has lost $1600 and won't get their commissions nor their last expense check because they quit. So, let us do the math. 1500

people each lost $1600 equaling a total lost of $2,400,000 and 1500 New SBA's running 130 hours each totalling $44,305,500 revenue for IPA. In short, IPA recieves about 44 million dollars and the New Senior Business Analysts lose Two and a Half Million Dollars. LET US ANALIZE THIS CAREFULLY. WHOA - WHOA - WAIT A MINUTE - THIS

MEANS THAT THE NEW SBA'S ARE SUBsidizing IPA. THIS DOES NOT LOOK GOOD.



What is your analysis - Gary ? I know it will be worth about $325,000 You are that good. I look forward to our findings meeting.

Do not worry, Gary. My name and the names of plenty of other IPA victims will be revealed when the time is appropriate . . . and it will be in a court of law.



You have no power to fix the wrongs that have been committed and as far as credibility goes, we have all the credibility we need, which is the form of rock solid evidence. Evidence that will be presented to the appropriate people at the appropriate time. Unfortunately for you Mr. Davis, you do not fit into either one of these categories . . . speaking of not being worthy of someone's time.



Mr. Davis you state that we are not able to present real victims to you, let turn the tables a bit. Inasmuch as this web site was established to enable consumers to report complaints and air their views about businesses that they feel are operating unethically or unfairly.



If you plan to continue to defend your employer, then it is up to you to provide evidence to the contrary. Why is it that not one single IPA supporter can provide evidence to the public concerning satisfied customers. We do not want to hear it from the mouths at IPA. Bring forth your horses Mr. Davis. Let them give their real name and let them provide comments in their own words, not yours.



You, yourself, cannot determine who has crediblity and who doesn't. Credibility is established by a group of people, the larger the group becomes, the more credibility the group gains. When the public, as a whole, forms a consensus regarding a situation or event, they will support one side or the other, the side receiving the most support is generally thought to be the side with the most credibility.



So, if you are proposing a contest as to which side has the most credibility, I think that is a wonderful idea! We would love to see this thing go public! Bring on the camera's and the reporters Mr. Davis, we would all love to talk to them. I am sure that many unsung victims of IPA will gladly come forward, seemingly out of the woodwork, if you will. They will come from every corner of every state across the country, just to talk to these reporters about their experience with IPA. What do you say? Go and talk to Mr. Burgess and ask him if he would like to put his company on the news and then have the news ask the nation for a public measure of credibility. I think we all know what Mr. B's answer will be and to be perfectly honest Mr. Davis, I think you know what his answer will be as well.

It sounds to like you are the one with a forked tongue. Show me where I have posted one statement that I would refund any dollars. Where did I say I would get refunds? So dont try to paint me into a corner.



But as a point of conversation. We still have nothing more than supposed clients who were jilted. Get the name, adress, and contact or quit talking. You talk so tough as if you are their defense lawayer. Where are the clients give me one.



If as you say you know a lot about IPA. You know that EVERY time a client has made a claim, thru the BBB or the INC article we have made every attempt to settle those claims. IT IS DOCUMENTED BY INC 500, THE BBB AND EVERY OTHER CLAIMIANT. So quit distorting the facts. Get IPA the contact. But you cant do that, because as I have said all along this is nothing more than a few disgruntled employees.



If you have been following my postings on your other bullentin boards you know this has SERVED my clients. I have nothing to hide.

As a matter of fact unless you produce Legitimate, Credible claims I will not be responding to you in the future. You are not worth my time. You and your memebers have proven your agendas by your postings. I have balanced that with my voice of reason...I WIN..

Nothing to Hide

Gary, Gary, Gary,



You must really try to read beyond the first sentence of these reports. Here is a run down for you. For those who opted not to reveal the amount of their loss, they certainly do state that they indeed did suffer some sort of financial loss.



NAME STATE AMOUNT CONSUMER COMMENTS

Screwed MICHIGAN $2,700.00

MICHELLE CALIF UNDISCLOSED

P&A NC UNDISCLOSED "victim of "High Pitched Sales"

WILLIAM ILLINOIS UNDISCLOSED "...bilk you of every thing."

JULIE CALIF UNDISCLOSED "Everybody that has been ripped off by this company's "

APRIL NY $950.00 "He asked why and reminded me about the fee. Which I paid."

FRED CALIF $19,000.00 (I think that someone would know exactly who was billing them $19,000.00.)

MECHANIC CALIF UNDISCLOSED "some on a credit card, and two post dated checks"

AMY MD UNDISCLOSED "IPA/IBA is a group of con-artists."

J OR J NC UNDISCLOSED "But wait, what about the money already paid that was to be credited "

BARBARA CALIF UNDISCLOSED "Mom and Pop businesses are losing their hard earned money"

PHIL 6 CNTY FD $7,000.00

DEBBIE MICHIGAN $20,000.00

DENNIS WISCONSIN $20,000.00

BLAIR MINNESOTA $6,000.00

LORIN OHIO $10,000.00

ALLAN ILLINOIS $17,000.00

B. GREEN CALIF UNDISCLOSED "Now we have a bill and nothing to show for it."

TRACY ALABAMA $27,000.00



TOTAL $129,650.00



So, when will you be issuing the refunds, Gary?

Mr. Davis,



You state that if clients and employees give their real names that you can resolve their differences with IPA. The clients want to be refunded the money they paid IPA and I did a quick computation of the postings here, the letters written in response to the INC Magazine article, and one other letter written to another internet source, totaling only 10 clients that reported their losses. The total amount paid to IPA by these 10 clients was over $141,000.00. Considering that there are an additional 11 businesses that did not reveal the amount of their loss, we can estimate that it is possible that their combined total would be somewhere in the neighborhood of $140,000.00.



Are you saying, Mr. Davis, that you have the ability to refund $240,000.00 to these clients?



And what about all of the ex-IPA employees who were never paid their commissions? Are you saying that if these employees give their real names you will be able to make arrangements for IPA to finally pay these people what is owed to them?



I doubt it, Mr. Davis. The only reason that IPA wants the names of former employees is so they can file a lawsuit against them. In the last two weeks, Burgess and IPA have filed one bogus lawsuit against one of their former employees for telling the truth about IPA and IPA has threaten to file suits against any other employees that speak out against IPA whose names are discovered. It would also appear that the only reason IPA wants the real names of former clients is to offer them hush money. They will not admit to scamming these people, these offers are not to make amends for their deceitful business practices, the offers come with disclosure agreements forbidding the former clients to ever utter another negative word about IPA, i.e. "hush money".



Is this what you call offering to resolve these peoples problems? Think again, Mr. Davis. Most everyone will agree that, "Fool me once, shame on you, but fool me twice, shame on me." After the kind of financial devastation that IPA has caused to former clients and former employees, what in the world makes you think that anyone would ever trust IPA again.



I read something very interesting on one of the other web sites that is reporting information on IPA and think it would bode helpful to those here.



"Fraud has become accepted as the term to describe how to steal money

without using a weapon."



"Fraud is the abuse of trust."



IPA is one of the biggest abusers of trust that any of us has ever seen besides those in the category of ENRON and Worldcom, etc.



Don't make promises when you don't have the capability to deliver on those promises, Mr. Davis. Oh! Excuse me, I forgot, it is okay for you to do this, you are an employee of IPA.

Cliff, Cliff, Cliff,,,

Get the story right. I went back for the 3rd time and read every complaint on this site. There are a total of 4 people who actually claim to be previous clients of IPA. The other individuals you know, are EX-EMPLOYEES. Truth being known and will be revealed in a law suit pending from IPA it is probally not more than 2-3 employees who have banded together to try to reap a benefit from IPA. But anyway we will let the clients who make their way here decide if these are clients or employees. Now to the 4 who claim to be clients.



1) Debbie Cape Coral: Not a client. Never engaged IPA. Did not like our agressive salespeople. But she did not spend ONE penny on IPA.



2) Pissed and Angry NC: I have serious doubts this is a client...Read it. He says nothing in there, Just Pissed and Angry



3) Fred San Diego: The anlayst does not collect for consulting. Our rates are not 450 per hour no matter how you dice them. So this client (if he is one) truly does need our help. His financials are probally a mess.



4) M Hamstead NC: Very well could be legitamate client. I would like more info, and then I will try to adress the issues they may have had.



5)April Syracuse NY: No job ran just the analysis. Our agreement says and (you know is does) That if the client is not satisfied with the analysis they owe IPA NOTHING! Did she pay the fee?



So as you can see everything here is motivated by 1-3 individuals who previously worked for IPA. Matter of fact if you read deep enough you can find that INFO right on this web site. Cliff you have no CREDIBILTY. Get another spokesperson. I will waste no more time on you. I will only respond to REAL clients needs!

Our clients are not MAD, just individuals who could not make it with IPA.



Few other things:

I have found no less than 50 fortune 500 companies on this site who have complaints. We do not claim to be perfect! As a matter of fact we try to learn from those companies. Microsoft, Pizza Hut, Wal Mart, Sears, Penneys, Citibank, Chase Manhattan, and Coke are not perfect but they have all been listed on this site. Do we do things wrong,yes and we try to learn from them.

For the last time on this site I want to adress John Burgess. If you are going to Quote INC 500...Dont just read the article. Go to the following adress (www.inc.com/magazine2000801/19752.html) and find the rebuttal that John and IPA made. Find the 3-4 clients who were listed as complaintants provided letters saying the more than satisfied any issues they may have had. Read the letters directly for your self. Mr/MRS business person dont take the word of these few former employees,,,read for yourself.



Nothing to hide!



Senior Business Analyst

Cliff, Cliff, Cliff,,,

Get the story right. I went back for the 3rd time and read every complaint on this site. There are a total of 4 people who actually claim to be previous clients of IPA. The other individuals you know, are EX-EMPLOYEES. Truth being known and will be revealed in a law suit pending from IPA it is probally not more than 2-3 employees who have banded together to try to reap a benefit from IPA. But anyway we will let the clients who make their way here decide if these are clients or employees. Now to the 4 who claim to be clients.



1) Debbie Cape Coral: Not a client. Never engaged IPA. Did not like our agressive salespeople. But she did not spend ONE penny on IPA.



2) Pissed and Angry NC: I have serious doubts this is a client...Read it. He says nothing in there, Just Pissed and Angry



3) Fred San Diego: The anlayst does not collect for consulting. Our rates are not 450 per hour no matter how you dice them. So this client (if he is one) truly does need our help. His financials are probally a mess.



4) M Hamstead NC: Very well could be legitamate client. I would like more info, and then I will try to adress the issues they may have had.



5)April Syracuse NY: No job ran just the analysis. Our agreement says and (you know is does) That if the client is not satisfied with the analysis they owe IPA NOTHING! Did she pay the fee?



So as you can see everything here is motivated by 1-3 individuals who previously worked for IPA. Matter of fact if you read deep enough you can find that INFO right on this web site. Cliff you have no CREDIBILTY. Get another spokesperson. I will waste no more time on you. I will only respond to REAL clients needs!

Our clients are not MAD, just individuals who could not make it with IPA.



Few other things:

I have found no less than 50 fortune 500 companies on this site who have complaints. We do not claim to be perfect! As a matter of fact we try to learn from those companies. Microsoft, Pizza Hut, Wal Mart, Sears, Penneys, Citibank, Chase Manhattan, and Coke are not perfect but they have all been listed on this site. Do we do things wrong,yes and we try to learn from them.

For the last time on this site I want to adress John Burgess. If you are going to Quote INC 500...Dont just read the article. Go to the following adress (www.inc.com/magazine2000801/19752.html) and find the rebuttal that John and IPA made. Find the 3-4 clients who were listed as complaintants provided letters saying the more than satisfied any issues they may have had. Read the letters directly for your self. Mr/MRS business person dont take the word of these few former employees,,,read for yourself.



Nothing to hide!



Senior Business Analyst

Cliff, Cliff, Cliff,,,

Get the story right. I went back for the 3rd time and read every complaint on this site. There are a total of 4 people who actually claim to be previous clients of IPA. The other individuals you know, are EX-EMPLOYEES. Truth being known and will be revealed in a law suit pending from IPA it is probally not more than 2-3 employees who have banded together to try to reap a benefit from IPA. But anyway we will let the clients who make their way here decide if these are clients or employees. Now to the 4 who claim to be clients.



1) Debbie Cape Coral: Not a client. Never engaged IPA. Did not like our agressive salespeople. But she did not spend ONE penny on IPA.



2) Pissed and Angry NC: I have serious doubts this is a client...Read it. He says nothing in there, Just Pissed and Angry



3) Fred San Diego: The anlayst does not collect for consulting. Our rates are not 450 per hour no matter how you dice them. So this client (if he is one) truly does need our help. His financials are probally a mess.



4) M Hamstead NC: Very well could be legitamate client. I would like more info, and then I will try to adress the issues they may have had.



5)April Syracuse NY: No job ran just the analysis. Our agreement says and (you know is does) That if the client is not satisfied with the analysis they owe IPA NOTHING! Did she pay the fee?



So as you can see everything here is motivated by 1-3 individuals who previously worked for IPA. Matter of fact if you read deep enough you can find that INFO right on this web site. Cliff you have no CREDIBILTY. Get another spokesperson. I will waste no more time on you. I will only respond to REAL clients needs!

Our clients are not MAD, just individuals who could not make it with IPA.



Few other things:

I have found no less than 50 fortune 500 companies on this site who have complaints. We do not claim to be perfect! As a matter of fact we try to learn from those companies. Microsoft, Pizza Hut, Wal Mart, Sears, Penneys, Citibank, Chase Manhattan, and Coke are not perfect but they have all been listed on this site. Do we do things wrong,yes and we try to learn from them.

For the last time on this site I want to adress John Burgess. If you are going to Quote INC 500...Dont just read the article. Go to the following adress (www.inc.com/magazine2000801/19752.html) and find the rebuttal that John and IPA made. Find the 3-4 clients who were listed as complaintants provided letters saying the more than satisfied any issues they may have had. Read the letters directly for your self. Mr/MRS business person dont take the word of these few former employees,,,read for yourself.



Nothing to hide!



Senior Business Analyst

Cliff, Cliff, Cliff,,,

Get the story right. I went back for the 3rd time and read every complaint on this site. There are a total of 4 people who actually claim to be previous clients of IPA. The other individuals you know, are EX-EMPLOYEES. Truth being known and will be revealed in a law suit pending from IPA it is probally not more than 2-3 employees who have banded together to try to reap a benefit from IPA. But anyway we will let the clients who make their way here decide if these are clients or employees. Now to the 4 who claim to be clients.



1) Debbie Cape Coral: Not a client. Never engaged IPA. Did not like our agressive salespeople. But she did not spend ONE penny on IPA.



2) Pissed and Angry NC: I have serious doubts this is a client...Read it. He says nothing in there, Just Pissed and Angry



3) Fred San Diego: The anlayst does not collect for consulting. Our rates are not 450 per hour no matter how you dice them. So this client (if he is one) truly does need our help. His financials are probally a mess.



4) M Hamstead NC: Very well could be legitamate client. I would like more info, and then I will try to adress the issues they may have had.



5)April Syracuse NY: No job ran just the analysis. Our agreement says and (you know is does) That if the client is not satisfied with the analysis they owe IPA NOTHING! Did she pay the fee?



So as you can see everything here is motivated by 1-3 individuals who previously worked for IPA. Matter of fact if you read deep enough you can find that INFO right on this web site. Cliff you have no CREDIBILTY. Get another spokesperson. I will waste no more time on you. I will only respond to REAL clients needs!

Our clients are not MAD, just individuals who could not make it with IPA.



Few other things:

I have found no less than 50 fortune 500 companies on this site who have complaints. We do not claim to be perfect! As a matter of fact we try to learn from those companies. Microsoft, Pizza Hut, Wal Mart, Sears, Penneys, Citibank, Chase Manhattan, and Coke are not perfect but they have all been listed on this site. Do we do things wrong,yes and we try to learn from them.

For the last time on this site I want to adress John Burgess. If you are going to Quote INC 500...Dont just read the article. Go to the following adress (www.inc.com/magazine2000801/19752.html) and find the rebuttal that John and IPA made. Find the 3-4 clients who were listed as complaintants provided letters saying the more than satisfied any issues they may have had. Read the letters directly for your self. Mr/MRS business person dont take the word of these few former employees,,,read for yourself.



Nothing to hide!



Senior Business Analyst

A follow up to your offer let me address your problems.



I found the following clients reported here.



M - Hampstead, North Carolina

April - Syracuse, New York

Fred - San Diego, California

william - sterling., Illinois

Amy - Manchester, Maryland

Michael - Grant Park, Illinois

Pissed and Angry Consumer - Raleigh, North Carolina

Julie - Antioch, California

Screwed - 48444, Michigan

Michelle - SAN DIEGO, California

Sally - Chicago, Illinois

Barbara - Nevada City, California

BLAIN - OPERATIONS MANAGER - POCOLA, Oklahoma

Joe or Joanne, North Carolina

mechanic - smalltown, California

I am sorry it took me a week to respond to the gentleman who I responded to intially. See I have been on a 2 week vacation in Maui, HI. I guess that is a crime (by the way IPA did not rent me a corporate jet to fly here, matter of fact I paid my enitre bill all on my own). You seem to think because A CEO of 150 MIL plus company rents a private jet for entertainment it is a crime. What did you do on your Bachelor Party play PATTY CAKE! MY GOD is this still AMERICA? By the way the individual passing around claims of Cocaine, Drug. and other non legal things happening in the office. Be careful! You are close to Slander. Now as to calling me one of the CRACK HEADS. The purpose of this Site is to destroy IPA...Well you just messed up there! You cannot destroy my credibilty. My clients know better than that the minute they meet me. SO YOU LOSE THERE!

But lets get back to the real problem.

I have read every complaint on this site. There are only 2 complaints from people claiming to be clients, One who said we are agressive in our sales process. Last time I checked Microsoft was having those problems. Sounds like a good problem to have.



The other one said they were screwed by IPA but gave no specfics. If you were screwed Please reveal your name and let me adress your problems. As to the other people who claim to be people with inside knowledge why dont you reveal your name. I go back to my previous rebuttal. We are a Aggressive, Fast Growing, Motivated company. What business owner out there DOES not want that for their business.



By the way I get paid nothing to type this letter while on vacation in Maui.



Nothing To HIDE



Senoir Business Analyst

CONTROVERSIAL DONOR - $125,200 contribution returned



From Chicago Sun-Times September 5, 2002



CONTROVERSIAL DONOR

John Burgess and his firm, International Profit Associates, in Buffalo Grove like to spread around political money to Republicans and Democrats.



IPA sent $125,200 to Blagojevich. But the campaign told Back Room on Wednesday that it sent the money back on Aug. 6. The donation made IPA one of Blagojevich's biggest career patrons, according to the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.



Burgess did not survive Blagojevich's campaign vetting, said spokesman Doug Scofield. That was after researchers read an account, said Scofield, about Burgess being disbarred in New York and convicted of attempted grand larceny. A June 2000 story in Inc. magazine mentioned his guilty plea to patronizing a prostitute and his personal bankruptcy.



Also, IPA made a $16,200 in-kind donation of a phone bank for A.G. Dem candidate Lisa Madigan and at least $24,000 to state Sen. Chris Lauzen (R-Aurora).



Other pols got Burgess money: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.); Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.). Madigan spokesman Mike Noonan said he was unaware of Burgess' background.