Tannenbaum Sternberger Foundation

 Ed Cone sends the following correction:

Sigmund Sternberger did not found Revolution Mill. His father, Herman, and uncle, Emanuel Sternberger, were brought in by the Cones to help fund it and run it as part of the company that became Cone Mills.

The Emanuel Sternberger mansion (his uncle's former home) served as a women's and children's hospital for a couple of decades.

The Sternberger family in Greensboro is represented today by descendants of the two brothers, the Benjamins and the Tannenbaums. Sigmund, who did not have children of his own, is memorialized by the foundation that bears his name and that of his niece.

Begin original post:

The Tannenbaum Sternberger Foundation is older than me by 1 year. Originally formed in 1955 as the Sigmund Sternberger Foundation, it was renamed in 1991 as the Tannenbaum Sternberger Foundation. I've no idea why Sigmund was thrown out.

The charter of the Tannenbaum Sternberger Foundation states that their purpose is to "be operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literary or educational purposes, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals."

I'm happy to say their board of directors is easily available for everyone to see. Why so many local foundations and non profits keep their boards hidden still remains a mystery to me.

According to their IRS Form 990, with the exception of their paid executive director, the board members are unpaid, average working 1 hour per week and receive no benefits. The only thing that concerns me about the Tannenbaum Sternberger Foundation is donations to Action Greensboro for $60,000 and $70,000 in 2011 and $185,000 in 2010. What does $315,000 given to Action Greensboro have to do with "religious, charitable, scientific, literary or educational purposes, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals.?"

And Ed, is it true you've been a board member since 2008 or before? I was under the impression you only recently joined the board but the IRS form 990s indicate otherwise.

Update: Ed e-mails me the following: "I'm terrible at remembering when things happened but it's been a while since I joined the TSF board. I wrote this http://edcone.typepad.com/wordup/2005/10/action_greensbo.html nearly seven years ago but couldn't tell you how long I'd been doing it at that point." I can easily accept that as part of the reason folks like Ed and I blog is to keep records so that we don't have to rely on failing memories. Speaking of memories...

I had heard about the fight by the Tannenbaum family to seize the assets of the late Sigmund Sternberger's foundation but it was only when I stumbled upon it in North Carolina case law that my memory was jogged. Turns out many of the members of the Tannenbaum family were forced from the board. From the case law text:

" Rabbi Joseph Asher; L. Richardson Preyer, a former judge of the Superior Court of this State and a former United States District Judge who resigned to run for Governor; and Bryce R. Holt, a lawyer of great experience and a former United States District Attorney. The lawyers who participated in the proposed settlement, Cooke & Cooke; Norman Block; McLendon, Brim, Brooks, Pierce & Daniels; Jordan, Wright, Henson & Nichols; Smith, Moore, Smith, Schell & Hunter; Stern, Rendleman & Clark -- all counsel of record in the trial court, and many of counsel here -- are among the foremost lawyers in North Carolina for character and professional ability. The record is replete with their careful protection of the interests of their clients, and we are confident that none of them would have participated in a settlement that did not protect the interests of the infant defendants.

In fairness to Sidney J. Stern, Jr., we quote the last paragraph from his brief, which is as follows:

"The result of the contract in the case involved here is substantially to preserve the charitable trust intact against a proposed dangerous caveat which, if successful, would destroy the trust and, even if unsuccessful, might well end in costing the Foundation more than does the fulfillment of the contract. There is nothing in the corporate charter, by-laws, or other governing documents of the corporation which would prevent the fulfillment of the contract if court approval is obtained. We believe that this contract is so manifestly in the best interests of the charitable corporation that the directors not only had the power and authority to enter into the contract, but they would have been derelict in their duty had they not done so. However, because of the extreme importance of this matter to the parties and to the public generally, we feel that the contract should receive the approval of this Court."

We agree with Mr. Stern's statement that because of the extreme importance of this matter to the parties and to the public generally the contract of settlement should receive the approval of this Court.

The Attorney General in his brief raises the question as to his right to intervene in this proceeding to approve a settlement where a charitable trust is the main beneficiary. G.S. 36-35 provides that where an action is pending against a trustee of a charitable trust, the Attorney General must be notified before disposition may be made of the case. It is not necessary for us to determine the question the Attorney General raises here to reach a decision in this case. It seems that the State as parents patrioe, through its Attorney General, has the common law right and power to protect the beneficiaries of charitable trusts and the property to which they are or may be entitled."

I'm not sure how the Tannenbaum family managed to get themselves reseated to the board of the Sigmund Sternberger Foundation but it becomes quite obvious that kicking ol' Sigmund to the curb and replacing him with the Tannenbaum family name at top billing was revenge at worst or at best a sordid attempt to raise the validity of the Tannenbaum family name.

Of course, what's really saddest about this entire messy affair isn't what the Tannenbaum family did to the old man who made it possible for them to live in North Carolina's wealthiest neighborhoods. What's saddest is the fact that they completely forgot the people who worked lifetimes in the northeast Greensboro textile mill Mr Sternberger built from stone mined from a rock quarry on Phillips Avenue and whose remains now rest in a grave yard also on Phillips Avenue. You see, while unknown to most, Revolution Mill on Yanceyville Street was built not by the Cone Brothers but by Sigmund Sternberger. The Cone Brothers bought it later.

And the Tannenbaum family, like all of Greensboro's wealthy, forget the communities who lived and died making them wealthy while investing in downtown monuments to their friends and families. But a few of us old men, we remember. And we blog so we don't forget-- ever.

Greensboro Economic Development Alliance, Federal Tax Returns

Previously I looked into the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance only to discover they are not on record in the state of North Carolina. It's as if they don't exist. But the City of Greensboro says:

"The Economic Development office works with our partner, the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance (GEDA) to promote Greensboro as a place to locate and grow your business. The services of Economic Development also assist to coordinate available properties or redevelopment or development and determine if any City incentives are available."

Is the City of Greensboro working with ghosts?

So I looked up their Federal Tax Returns and found nothing. Best I can tell the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance has never filed a Federal Tax Return. Go ahead, look for yourself and tell me what you've found.

Computer glitch? Maybe, but who knows? But why 4 different names, Action Greensboro, Greensboro Partnership, Greensboro Economic Development Alliance and the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, for the same non profit entity?

Continue to page 37. Downtown Greensboro Incorporated, Federal Tax Returns.

Action Greensboro Inc, Federal Tax Returns

Previously I looked into Action Greensboro but didn't find many answers. Well I took a little break and looked around for more records to search and while I'm unable to unearth any grand conspiracies, the tax returns for Action Greensboro did bring up a few more questions to which I haven't found answers.

The American Judicature Society:

"Founded in 1913, the American Judicature Society is an independent, non-partisan, membership organization working nationally to protect the integrity of the American justice system. AJS’s diverse and broadly based membership --including judges, lawyers and members of the public-- promotes fair and impartial courts through research, publications, education and advocacy for judicial reform. The work of AJS focuses primarily on judicial ethics, judicial selection, access to justice, criminal justice reform, and the jury system."

Not that the American Judicature Society is a bad thing but why did Action Greensboro Inc. donate $75,000 to AJS in 2005. The link is to Acton Greensboro's 2006 Federal Income Tax Return. And where did Action Greensboro get that money? How much money did the City of Greensboro give Action Greensboro that same year? And why is Action Greensboro donating to a non profit located in Des Moines, Iowa? Anyone?

From IRS Form 990, Part IV. Reason for Non-Private Foundation Status:

11a. "An organization that normally receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or from the general public .
Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (Also complete the Support Schedule in Part IV-A )"

And why a 2003 donation of $102,178 to the Inception Micro Angel Fund, LLC? I'm just askin'.

You can view all of Action Greensboro's Federal Tax returns here.

Something tells me I'm going to have to look up the tax returns of the American Judicature Society and a whole bunch more.

By the way, do you think it strange that the Bryan Foundation pays Action Greensboro to pay Grassroots Productions to hire Downtown Greensboro Inc to manage City Center Park and bill the City of Greensboro when DGI (funded by the City of Greensboro) Action Greensboro, The Greensboro Partnership, Greensboro Economic Development Alliance and Greensboro Chamber of Commerce are all one in the same?

Continue to page 36. Greensboro Economic Development Alliance, Federal Tax Returns.

Bill Knight On The Greensboro Chamber Of Commerce

Any investigation of the Greensboro Partnership has to include the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. You see, the Greensboro Partnership, Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, Action Greensboro, Downtown Greensboro Inc., Downtown Greensboro Improvement Corporation, Downtown Greensboro Foundation, Guilford Nonprofit Consortium, Greensboro Economic Development Alliance, and any number of area non profits are, for all intents and purposes, one in the same. Many even share the exact same boards of directors.

From a recent conversation between John Hammer and former Mayor Bill Knight:

"He said he spent a lot of time on economic development and would love to see the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce take a more active role in economic development and with existing businesses like it does in other communities.

He said he was surprised to see how little the chamber knows about some segments of business in Greensboro."

You see, as a non profit, the Chamber Of Commerce has no need to know about private business. The Chamber exists on handouts, taxpayer dollars and donations just like the downtown panhandlers who are forced to get permits before they panhandle. They don't do business, they beg. Since when did we put beggars in charge of business?

So maybe, just maybe the point of my investigation shouldn't be the infractions I've found thus far. Maybe it's simply inept management?

Continue to page 21. Greensboro Beautiful Inc Board Of Directors.

Downtown Greensboro Foundation Board Of Directors

Perhaps you've never heard of the Downtown Greensboro Foundation? They were new to me until I began preparing this report and a friend sent me the links. They're the folks who manage the ice rink in Center City Park, a privately owned, tax exempt park belonging to former Mayor Jim Melvin's Bryan Foundation, managed by Action Greensboro and staffed and maintained with taxpayer dollars by the City of Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department. The Downtown Greensboro Foundation recently got a $4000 grant from The Community Foundation and was founded solely to provide services to Downtown Greensboro Inc.

Are you confused yet? Sorry, I'm learning as I go.

The 2011 Board of Directors of the Downtown Greensboro Foundation can be found here, reports here. It's the exact same board as that of Downtown Greensboro Inc., whose board can be found here. Wonder why that is?

Filings for DGI can be found here. My apologies for not being able to locate this information before posting Downtown Greensboro Incorporated Board of Directors.

Is this how money gets laundered squandered?

Continue tp page 16. Downtown Greensboro Improvement Corporation Board Of Directors.

synerG Board Of Directors

From what I can determine, synerG neither has nor needs a board of directors as it is operated by and for Action Greensboro. Apparently, membership is restricted to 20 select young professionals who, for the most part, reside in Greensboro. According to their website, one of their goals is to promote connectedness. Considering that all the Greensboro organizations I've discussed thus far all seem to be one in the same they probably find meeting that goal to be rather easy. Since their inception in 2001, it appears their only claim to fame is the building of the downtown WIFI system that serves South Elm St. and City Center Park.

Only 1 of synerG's current members is actually from Greensboro. Is this not looking more and more like Greensboro is one big party town with only one party to go to? I know, I know, it's really about grooming young people to be leaders but considering the history of Greensboro I can't help but wonder what we're grooming them for.

Coming soon: the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro and the Guilford Nonprofit Consortium.

Continue to page 10. Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro Board Of Directors.

Action Greensboro Board Of Directors

After yesterday's discovery that internet searches for the boards of directors of Action Greensboro, the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance and the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce all lead to the Greensboro Partnership I thought I'd spend some time trying to find out who runs the 3 non profits that run the non profit Greensboro Partnership. So far I've been unable to locate a board of directors for Action Greensboro.

According to the NC Secretary of State, the registered agent for Action Greensboro is April Harris of 317 South Elm Street, Greensboro, NC. 27401 but no directors are listed so I decided to check Action Greensboro's required filings only to find no new filings listed since 2008. Is the State of North Carolina 4 years behind in listing filings or is Action Greensboro operating illegally?

According to Action Greensboro's original Articles of Incorporation, Action Greensboro is a 501(c)(3) non profit "charitable corporation" whose purpose is charitable and educational purposes and for the purpose of making distributions (giving money) to organizations that qualify as 501(c)(3) non profits.

In 2004 the Action Greensboro Articles of Incorporation were amended to state that Action Greensboro has but 1 member, that being The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. Funny, I thought any interested party could become a member of Action Greensboro. Still, no mention of any board of directors.

A 2008 amendment simply noted that April Harris is the registered agent and executive director.

Are 501(3)(c) non profits required to have boards of directors? Are they required to make their boards public? Does the public have a right to know who controls tax exempt funds? Are laws being broken? And why is the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce listed as the only member of Action Greensboro?

Where is this going? I don't yet know, I'm just digging holes until I strike the mother load.

Continue to page 7. Greensboro Economic Development Alliance Board Of Directors.

Interesting Notes About The Greensboro Partnership

If you attempt to sign-up for e-mail alerts from the Greensboro Partnership you get redirected to the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce newsletter.

Jason Cannon, VP Governmental Affairs controls the Partnership's Twitter feed but has so far been uncommunicative.

The Greensboro Partnership is run by Action Greensboro, the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance and the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. A search for the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce board of directors takes you to the Greensboro Partnership as the #1 search result. A search for the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance board of directors also shows the Greensboro Partnership as the #1 search result. A search for Action Greensboro board of directors returns the same results. Are all 4 of these publicly funded non profit organizations really one in the same?

To be continued as I learn more.

Continue reading page 4. Conflicts Of Interest Cripple Greensboro Economy.