Company web sites and affiliate web sites:
universitypainters.com
First Financial Management Group Inc
jablonmarketing.com
painterswanted.com
chevychasepainting.com
cusickmarketing.com
University Painters also goes by the name Chevy Chase Painting (this is Tom Torres ambition to run Chevy Chase Painting like University Painters eventually)
The house shown in the photo is Don Cusick's house.
Cusick has a storefront for Chevy Chase Painting on cusickmarketing.com identical to University Painters, hence the plan tor eventually recruit students for that biz.
Josh Jablon's wife Ann Brozek Jablon is the chief of staff for Congressman Richard E. Neal hence the letters in the Client Manual recommending UP from Richard Neal.
University Painters and College Pro Painting MIGHT be run be the same people: I read an article that Josh was College pro manager back in 1986 so he either expanded that system or stole it.
Another company called Tuition Painters has a very similar model to University Painters and is run by a guy named Paul Flick. They recruit at the exact same campuses University Painters does a year after University Painters goes and rips off the kids. Ironically they are also located in Alexandria, VA! Paul Flick looks surprisingly similar to... JOSH JABLON (possibly a relative). They also give bonuses to kids that get a newspaper article about their summer buisness, just like University Painters. I once called Paul and tried questioning him but he hung up on me.
I'm very confident all these companies are related and owned by 1 big company, that right now i can't trace but will continue to attempt to do so.
Both University Painters and Tuition Painters have been banned from recruiting at Duquesne University. According to the Progressive Blog Alliance, the career services office of Duquesne University sent an e-mail to its students and recent graduates warning them of and providing a list of questionable companies, of which University Painters is one.
Marketing Discrepancies
All of the following information is clearly explained, defined, and written within the Confidential Operations Manual; please feel free to reference this as it is included with the Appendix and Client Manual.
Lawn Signs:
Company claims that for every two lawn signs you put up, you would receive
one estimate request. Under this understanding, I purchased fifty lawn signs
at $8 a sign for a total of $500. At first, I placed a total of twenty-five
lawn signs up around my outlet area. According to University Painters Confidential
Operations Manual, “you should have at least 20-30 lawn signs up and visible
at all times.” I did so, however; twelve of the signs were taken down by
town officials and discarded. Every weekend for about eight weeks I would
place an average of twelve signs all throughout my outlet area. My efforts
resulted in a total of ten leads from this, about a 10% success ratio. A
far out cry from the 50% return ratio expressed in Operations Manual.
Direct Mail:
I was told that by sending out direct mail I would have a return rate that
would vary from 0.5% to 3% with proper complimentary marketing. Complimentary
marketing means you are also putting up and passing out lawn signs, pole
signs, and door hangers (which all of this I did). I sent out 4,000 pieces
of direct mail at a cost of $0.40 a piece for a total of $1,600. From this
I received only twelve leads. This comes out to a 0.003% return rate which
is also a far out cry from the lowest estimate of 0.5%.
Pole Signs:
I was told that by putting up corrugated pole signs, I would receive one
lead for every five signs. I placed fifty of these signs up exactly as the
company stated, yet the only calls I got were from zoning people threatening
to fine me if I did not remove them. I did not get a single lead. These
signs were purchased at a cost of $3 each for a total of $150.
Door Hangers:
I was told that by passing out door hangers I could expect a 1% rate of
return. I passed out 800 door hangers and only received one lead. This is
equal to a 0.00125% rate of return. I purchased a total of 2,000 door hangers
at $0.05 each for a total of $100.
Acquiring Painters/Subcontractors:
Although after being consistently told that it would be easy to find painters
to do the work that was sold. I found it nearly impossible to find a painter
that was interested in the system. I followed the system that is outlined
in the Operations Manual to a tee. In fact, I called every single painter
from the yellow pages, the Poughkeepsie Journal Newspaper, the Penny Saver,
searched the University Painters database for local painters, gathered business
cards at paint stores, and even posted ads in the newspaper. However not
a single painter was interested in the system. Only one painter was truly
qualified as per the Company standards. University Painters requires that
the foreman on the job have insurance. When he completed his twelve page
packet of paperwork, I began showing him jobs and telling him how much he
would get. He laughed at the prices and basically said that those are Virginia
prices and no jobs in New York are sold that low. This brings us to the
next point.
Estimating Guide/Pricing System:
The estimating guide and training that was provided to me by the company
was inadequate for my area. Using the estimating standards to a tee, all
my jobs are under bid based upon a New York price standard. According to
many experienced painters the average price of a job in New York is $3,000
while according to University Painters the average price of a job is $1,800.
Basically, the company put me in a position where I was selling jobs at
50% discount for the area. On top of this when estimating, the company told
us to charge $25 per gallon of paint as they assured me that contractors
would purchase the paint for around $20. We are told to use Sherwin Williams
Superpaint on the job. In NY the price of Superpaint is $27 a gallon and
a contractor can purchase it for $23. Once tax is factored into all of this
there is no money left to even cover the cost of materials.
Recent Updates
VIDEO: FOX NEWS video exposing University Painters CEO Josh Jablon
Cusik Marketing threatening a $4224.99 bill against college students
New Shell Corporation Suspect - "First Financial Management Group Inc."
Petro Sues University Painters For Scamming College Student Workers
Seeing Red: students at Johnson & Wales regret ever becoming involved with University Painters
According to the Progressive Blog Alliance, the career services office of Duquesne University sent an e-mail to its students and recent graduates warning them of and providing a list of questionable companies, of which University Painters is one.
Research
Scammer 101: PMG (College Pro Painters)
VIDEO: FOX NEWS video exposing Josh Jablon
Ohio Attorney General sues University Painters
Ohio Attorney General sues painting company for fleecing college students
Ashley Wisecup of Miami University files suit against University Painters
Bowling Green State University Students Darrell Kendall, Adam Hickey
University Painters, JZA Development, Jablon/Torres FCC Citation for Telemarketing