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  • From: Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>
  • To: Homestead <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Homestead] Seed Savers Exchange firing of Kent Whealy
  • Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:30:57 -0700

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







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