The two bid applications to become the new National Governing Body (NGB) for Team Handball in the United State are now on line at the USOC’s website.
Utah Team Handball Foundation (UTHF): http://www.usolympicteam.com/UTHF_Application.pdf
American Team Handball Association (ATHA): http://www.usolympicteam.com/ATHA_Application0001.pdf
I’ve only done a preliminary review of both bids and will take a closer look in the near future. Of particular note in the UTHF bid is the requirement of the 7 Board of Directors to contribute $50,000 and the personal guarantee of Dieter Esch, the President of the Organizing Team, to front the $350,000 while board membership is organized. According to a simple Google search, Dieter Esch is the owner of the Wilhelmina Modeling Agency
I would like to make a correction to John's post. The ATHA is in no way (no way Jose!!!) associated with Dieter Esch. Mr. Esch and his $350,000, is the person behind the UTAH group. In addition, doing another google search I also came up with a number of articles on Mr. Esch such as this one from the ripoffreport.com which I shall reproduce for your convenience. You may read it straight from the source if you wish… Here is the http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/046/ripoff0046560.htm
"UPDATE: Wilhelmina brings as much negative press as TCT has developed… an investor's nightmare
Lest anyone think that TCT is the only culprits in this media circus, both TCT and Wilhelmina are bringing their own brands of mud. The beauty of all this mud for TCT and Wilhelmina is that this is just part of a plan to muddy the water.
It is ironic that Wilhelmina would have linked up with TCT just before the 'Fashion Rock' convention, after all the bad blood between them in the past. SEAN PATTERSON, Wilhelmina's current vice president and, when Dieter retires in August, the succeeding president, has stated,
'If there was one thing I could change about the industry it would be to institute a more rigid policing of the model conventions that are being held all over the country.
You see, the people who run these hotel conventions charge registration and attendance fees anywhere from $300 to $1,500 to young guys and girls who want to be models.
And what they do is, they invite one agent from this agency and one agent from that agency, and they offer these agents an all-expenses-paid trip to the host city — give them a stipend of $150-$200 for the day. It's a free trip for these agents.
Now the advertisements go up — ads luring aspiring models by saying that there will be in attendance agents from Wilhelmina, Elite, Ford — European agencies too.
So these young people, mostly girls, pay these fees to the conventioneers, who clean up.'
Quite an indictment of the Trans Continental Talent scam, when they now support the company that is about to hold one of their biggest convestions of the year.
However, Wilhelmina is not without its own problems. Dieter Esch, the current president of Wilhelmina and also a high-profile German financier, was convicted for the largest bank fraud in Germany since World War II. Our observation that one almost needs a rap sheet on their resume as a pre-requisite for employment, certainly seems to hold true with not only for TCT but also for Wilhelmina .
Also, in a twist of hypocrisy, Wilhelmina sued of a number of its employees, three of whom were 'bookers' (KATIA, GUBITOSI & GRILLI) that were to begin working for MAJOR MODELS MANAGEMENT INC., while meanwhile they 'stole' Ray Lata from NEXT. I guess that what is 'good for the goose' is not necessarily 'good for the gander.'
Judge for yourselves ladies and gentlemen…
Yes, I obviously wrote ATHA when I should have written UTHF. (The article is now corrected). Additionally, I will try and find more information about Mr Esch as well as contact him for an interview.