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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

Seed Savers Exchange is held in high regard by those of us who  
understand the need for genetic diversity. I have been following its  
growth for about thirty years. To me, it is an inspiring story. Now  
this unsettling news: Kent Whealy, who co-founded SSE with wife,  
Diane, in 1975, was fired by the Board of Directors.

The connection to the following letter is posted at the top of the SSE  
website. There is also a letter from the Board of Directors and from  
his ex-wife, Diane, the co-founder of SSE:


Seed Savers Exchange Advisors Support Board Actions

Seed Savers Exchange is a world class institution which has led the  
way for planetary
preservation of the genetic diversity of plants.  Its growth has been  
directed by an overarching
vision first formulated by its co-founders, Kent Whealy and Diane Ott  
Whealy, and for more
than twenty years refined and realized through the guidance and  
stewardship of a
distinguished Board of Directors.
Like any great institution, it is greater than the sum of its parts  
and any one individual.
In recent years it has become increasingly clear that Kent Whealy has  
perceived the Exchange
as his personal possession to be directed to serve his own interests.   
The Advisors have had
their own issues with Kent.  The Board has prudently determined that  
his thoughts and actions
had become antagonistic to the vision and responsibilities of the  
Exchange.  After a long
period of counseling Kent, and his failure to follow direction, the  
Board circumspectly with
competent legal advice decided unanimously to terminate his employment  
as Executive
Director.  The duty of the Board to direct the affairs of the Exchange  
in a prudent manner
required it to take this action.
It is with great regret that we, the undersigned Advisors of Seed  
Savers Exchange,
have learned that Kent has begun a campaign to reverse this course of  
prudent action by the
Board.  He has sent to every Listed Member of the Exchange an  
intemperately worded letter
full of misrepresentations of fact.  He has impugned the motivations  
of the Directors and has
harmed the reputation of each of them.  He has attempted to enlist the  
participation of each of
us Advisors in his campaign of destruction and defamation in a  
personal attempt to take
control of this institution.
We Advisors refuse to allow him to do so, and we agree with and  
support the prudent
decisions of the Board of Directors of Seed Savers Exchange.  We  
commend each Director
for acting responsibly in the best interests of the Exchange and in  
the faithful implementation
of its vision and mission.

SIGNED BY THE FOLLOWING ADVISORS

 Suzanne Ashworth
 Will Bonsall
 Dan Bussey
 Keith Crotz
 Glenn Drowns
 Laura Jackson
 Craig LeHoullier
 Laura Merrick
 John Swenson