Sterling Management

Last updated
Sterling, Glendale, Calif. Sterling Office.jpg
Sterling, Glendale, Calif.
Emery Wilson Corporation doing business as Sterling [1] [2]
Sterling
Type For-profit
Founded Vacaville, California
(March 1983)
FounderDr.Gregory K. Hughes, DDS
Headquarters Glendale, CA
United States
Key people
Kevin C. Wilson, Chairman, CEO
ServicesBusiness consulting
OwnerKevin C. Wilson
Website Web site
Footnotes /references
Awards: INC 500 award winner 1988, [3] 1989 [4]

Sterling Management [1] is a management consulting firm led by CEO and Chairman Kevin Wilson. A private corporation owned and operated by the Emery Wilson Corporation, it offers business administration seminars and training based on L. Ron Hubbard's teachings [5] to dentists, accountants, veterinarians, optometrists and other medical and private practice professionals. Founded in 1983 in the back office of a dental practice in Vacaville, California, it is currently located in a 20,000-square-foot (1,900 m2) office in Los Angeles, California.

Contents

Services

Sterling provides services under a license from WISE, the World Institute of Scientology Enterprises [1] p. 10, which oversees the use of L. Ron Hubbard's copyrighted materials in applications in the business community at large.

For practice owners and key executives Sterling's services involve formal training delivered at their facilities in Los Angeles, California. Staff training is typically delivered at weekend workshops held by the company throughout the year in major cities around the US. [6]

History

According to a deposition by Emery Wilson's Director of Public Affairs, from 1994 to 2015 the company was affected by the economic climate, reducing its staff complement to 25 from nearly 300. [1] p. 7

Relationship to the Church of Scientology

The company is licensed to train the administration methods of L. Ron Hubbard, but claim that they are not a religious organization. [7] The company's Director of Public Affairs has, however, stated that most of the company's employees are involved in Scientology. [1] p. 25

Criticism

Sterling has been criticized for its "high-pressure sales tactics". [8] [9] According to the LA Times, Sterling offers and teaches the same techniques the Church of Scientology has for years employed including heavy marketing, high productivity and rigid rules of employee conduct. [10]

Wilson's New Religious Movements and Heela's The New Age Movement describe Sterling as an "est-like movement", referring to Werner Erhard's Erhard Seminars Training. [11] [12]

Glover Rowe and his wife Dee stated in 1990 that they were forcibly held against their will by Scientologists after attending two Sterling seminars: they claimed that their tests indicated that without auditing, their business would fail and Dee would abuse their child. [8]

"They put a telephone in front of me and said I should call every member of my family and tell them I was a member of the Church of Scientology. I refused," said Mrs. Rowe. "At that point, they said, 'but you see Dee, you have to.'....... "For seven hours, a man drilled me, tried to brainwash me," said Mrs. Rowe. " l begged him to let me go, he kept saying, 'but you see Dee, you can't.' He tried to get me to confess to crimes. He started getting me to tell him sex stories. He made me list every overt sin I had committed. They insisted I write down everything I had done wrong. I couldn't list anything bad enough to please them." (" 'Management Seminar' Harrowing Experience", by Terry Dean, Cherokee County Herald, December 12, 1990 pp. 1A, 5A) [13]

Sterling disputes this account, saying that the account is "extremely exaggerated and contains complete untruths," saying that after being published in a small weekly newspaper in Cherokee County, "the story was then picked up and forwarded by a number of web sites whose stated and sole intentions are to slam and cause trouble for the Church of Scientology and anything vaguely related to the works of L. Ron Hubbard." [14] Sterling's blog also reproduces the order revoking Rowe's license to practice dentistry and reports on his criminal record. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">L. Ron Hubbard</span> American writer and Scientology founder (1911–1986)

Lafayette Ronald Hubbard was an American author and the founder of Scientology. A prolific writer of pulp science fiction and fantasy novels in his early career, in 1950 he authored Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health and established organizations to promote and practice Dianetics techniques. Hubbard created Scientology in 1952 after losing the rights to his Dianetics book in bankruptcy. He would manage the Church of Scientology until his death in 1986.

Erhard Seminars Training, Inc. was an organization founded by Werner Erhard in 1971 that offered a two-weekend course known officially as "The est Standard Training". The purpose of the training is to help one to recognize that the situations, which seem to be holding them back in life, are working themselves out within the process of life itself. The seminar aimed to "transform one's ability to experience living so that the situations one had been trying to change or had been putting up with clear up just in the process of life itself".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Sue Hubbard</span> Third wife of L. Ron Hubbard (1931–2002)

Mary Sue Hubbard was the third wife of L. Ron Hubbard, from 1952 until his death in 1986. She was a leading figure in Scientology for much of her life. The Hubbards had four children: Diana, Quentin (1954–1976), Suzette, and Arthur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religious Technology Center</span> Scientology holder of trademarks

The Religious Technology Center (RTC) is an American non-profit corporation that was founded in 1982 by the Church of Scientology to control and oversee the use of all of the trademarks, symbols and texts of Scientology and Dianetics. Although RTC controls their use, those works are owned by another corporation, the Church of Spiritual Technology which is doing business as L. Ron Hubbard Library, registered in Los Angeles County, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Miscavige</span> Leader of the Church of Scientology (born 1960)

David Miscavige is the second and current leader of the Church of Scientology. His official title within the organization is Chairman of the Board of the Religious Technology Center (RTC), a corporation that controls the trademarks and copyrights of Dianetics and Scientology. He is also referred to within the Scientology organization as "DM", "C.O.B." or "Captain of the Sea Org".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Applied Scholastics</span> Scientology study techniques organization

Applied Scholastics (APS) is a non-profit corporation founded in 1972 to promote the use of study techniques created by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. Hubbard called his theories on learning and education "study technology". Applied Scholastics runs the "Hollywood Education and Literacy Project" (HELP), the World Literacy Crusade, "Education Alive", and the "Literacy, Education and Abilities Program" (LEAP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Institute of Scientology Enterprises</span> Scientology membership group for business people

World Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE) is a Church of Scientology organization headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It states that it is an "international membership organization whose members use both L. Ron Hubbard management technology and embrace the responsibilities and ethical standards of WISE membership."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suppressive person</span> Antisocial personalities in Scientology

Suppressive person, often abbreviated SP, is a term used in Scientology to describe the "antisocial personalities" who, according to Scientology's founder L. Ron Hubbard, make up about 2.5% of the population. A statement on a Church of Scientology website describes this group as including notorious historic figures such as Adolf Hitler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of Scientology</span> American organization and business

The Church of Scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of Scientology, which is variously defined as a cult, a business, or a new religious movement. The movement has been the subject of a number of controversies, and the Church of Scientology has been described by government inquiries, international parliamentary bodies, scholars, law lords, and numerous superior court judgements as both a dangerous cult and a manipulative profit-making business. In 1979, several executives of the organization were convicted and imprisoned for multiple offenses by a U.S. Federal Court. The Church of Scientology itself was convicted of fraud by a French court in 2009, a decision upheld by the supreme Court of Cassation in 2013. The German government classifies Scientology as an unconstitutional sect. In France, it has been classified as a dangerous cult. In some countries, it has attained legal recognition as a religion.

In the 1950s and 1960s, a HASI was an organization where people would go for Scientology training, auditing, books, tapes, and e-meters. There were HASI organizations across the western world. The use of the word "HASI", pronounced "hah-zee" or "ha-zee", could refer to either a local organization or the international management corporation.

[L. Ron Hubbard] is governing director of Hubbard Association of Scientologists International, the operative company of the HASI, over which he exercises complete and autocratic control.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quentin Hubbard</span> American scientologist

Geoffrey Quentin McCaully Hubbard, was the son of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and his third wife, Mary Sue Hubbard. He died at the age of 22 in an apparent suicide.

The Commodore's Messenger Organization (CMO) is a management unit within the Sea Org, the unincorporated paramilitary wing of the Church of Scientology. CMO oversees the various other Church of Scientology organizations.

The Church of Scientology publicly classifies itself as a religion, but scholars and other observers regard it as a business, because the organization operates more like a for-profit business than a religious institution. Some scholars of sociology working in religious studies consider it a new religious movement. Overall, as stated by Stephen A. Kent, Scientology can be seen as a "multi-faceted transnational corporation that has religion as only one of its many components. Other components include political aspirations, business ventures, cultural productions, pseudo-medical practices, pseudo-psychiatric claims, and, an alternative family structure."

<i>Outrageous Betrayal</i> Book by Steven Pressman

Outrageous Betrayal: The Dark Journey of Werner Erhard from est to Exile is a non-fiction book written by freelance journalist Steven Pressman and first published in 1993 by St. Martin's Press. The book gives an account of Werner Erhard's early life as Jack Rosenberg, his exploration of various forms of self-help techniques, and his foundation of Erhard Seminars Training "est" and later of Werner Erhard and Associates and of the est successor course, "The Forum". Pressman details the rapid financial success Erhard had with these companies, as well as controversies relating to litigation involving former participants in his courses. The work concludes by going over the impact of a March 3, 1991 60 Minutes broadcast on CBS where members of Erhard's family made allegations against him, and Erhard's decision to leave the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hubbard College of Administration International</span> Scientology-owned administrative training organization

Hubbard College of Administration International is a school that teaches the administration methods developed by L. Ron Hubbard for the Church of Scientology. The headquarters for the school is located at 320 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90004. The school began operations in 1990 and its current headquarters were established in 2001. It is a 501(c)(3) public charity, and as a religious organization does not file an annual return, however it states itself to be a "secular educational institution".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military career of L. Ron Hubbard</span> Military career of the sci-fi author and scientologist

The military career of L. Ron Hubbard saw the future founder of Scientology serving in the United States Armed Forces as a member of the Marine Corps Reserve and, between 1941 and 1950, the Navy Reserve. He saw active service between 1941 and 1945, during World War II, as a naval Lieutenant and later as a Lieutenant. After the war he was mustered out of active service and resigned his commission in 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientology Missions International</span> Management for Scientology mission network

Scientology Missions International (SMI) is a Californian 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, which is located in Los Angeles, California. SMI is part of the Church of Scientology network.

A self religion is a religious or self-improvement group which has as one of its primary aims the improvement of the self. The term "self religion" was coined by Paul Heelas and other scholars of religion have adopted/adapted the description. King's College London scholar Peter Bernard Clarke builds on Heelas's concept of self religion to describe the class of "Religions of the True Self".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of Scientology International</span> Corporation operated by the Church of Scientology

The Church of Scientology International (CSI) is a California 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Within the worldwide network of Scientology corporations and entities, CSI is officially referred to as the "mother church" of the Church of Scientology.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Dr. Robert L. Meinders, D.C., Ltd. Supplement to its prior comments on the Emery Wilson Corporation d/b/a Sterling Management Systems’ petition for waiver
  2. ↑ Fictitious Business Name Statement first published in Daily Commerce, Los Angeles on 1/14/94 File No. 94-58012
  3. ↑ INC 500 List, 1988
  4. ↑ INC 500 List, 1989
  5. ↑ Wilson, Kevin. "Message from the Chairman and CEO - Sterling CPASterling CPA". sterling CPA. Emery Wilson Corporation. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "From the Chairman | Sterling US Blog". Archived from the original on 2016-10-19. Retrieved 2016-10-17.
  7. ↑ "Sterling Management and Scientology | Sterling US Blog". Archived from the original on 2016-10-19.
  8. 1 2 Behar, Richard (May 6, 1991). "The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power". Time . p. 5. Archived from the original on February 25, 2007.
  9. ↑ Koppel, Ted (1992-02-14). "Scientology Leader Gave ABC First-Ever Interview". Nightline . ABC News . Retrieved 2008-08-23.
  10. ↑ Sappell, Joel; Welkos, Robert W. (1990-06-27). "Church Seeks Influence in Schools, Business, Science". Los Angeles Times . p. A1:1. Archived from the original on 2009-05-19. Retrieved 2006-11-17.
  11. ↑ Wilson, Bryan R.; Jamie Cresswell (1999). New Religious Movements: challenge and response. Routledge. p. 56. ISBN   0415200490.
  12. ↑ Heelas, Paul (1996). The New Age Movement: the celebration of the self and the sacralization of modernity. Blackwell Publishing. p. 62. ISBN   0631193324.
  13. ↑ Dean, Terry (December 12, 1990). ""Management Seminar" Harrowing Experience". Cherokee County Herald.
  14. 1 2 "Glover Rowe and Sterling Management Systems". Sterling Management Systems Company Blog. Emery Wilson Corp. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.