Creating a world technology leader in the Ozarks, not impossible, but very, very hard!

Above is multimillion dollar Beckham Cave near to my home. Remodeled by multimillionaire John Hay. From Denver, a founder of Celestial Seasonings Tea Seasoning. OK I have stayed there! Proving there are many unusual happenings in the Ozarks. It’s not just about Walmart and BassPro!

Not a prerequisite, but great supportive information. Has a quarter of million impressions.

I have included a raw YouTube video to supplement the following article.

For those who prefer the better picture and sound quality — Vimeo version with CC

Spouses can co-own shares of a business, and, in fact, there may be legal and tax benefits for doing so. However, in the typical case of one spouse being involved with the business while the other is not, it usually does not make sense for the spouses to co-own the shares.

Wives ARE protected by (Arkansas) law, an equitable property division state. One caveat in the case of a divorce, if your assets are of high value, unusual; e.g. valuation of business interests and self-owned businesses there’s a whole new complexity.

Case in point , if your wife, with no more than sporadic hourly jobs, has minimal Social Security financial benefits, then all liabilities created and based on the value of CUO should be the responsibility of the stockholders and management of CUO. Never should be an issue for the spouse who never was involved in the business!

I get it that the husband is to provide for the family. The downside of women's equality and empowerment is professional employment. In technology, life is about change, requiring quick decisions, and sometimes moves. Also it’s common, after children enter school, for the spouse to reconsider her (or his) professional objectives. Revenue in any startup, particularly a technology company can be uneven at best!

For example in my early days as a computer service bureau, revenue was small but eventually became consistent, even netting as high as $10K per month. Clients included Dogpatch, Dr’s Vowell and Ledbetter, Claridge, Harrison Furniture, Harrison School, small schools, small municipal water billing and even collection, Cicero Bible Press, Twin Lakes Cable TV, banks, lawyers, other doctors, pharmacist, and survivalists. Some of my startup income was supplemented by my work at my dad’s service station and TV & Appliance businesses. That included using my computer service bureau to handle accounting - accounts receivable and payroll. I did occasionally work at our full service gas station, and assist in sales at our TV and appliance business.

Getting immediate customer feedback, as well as being cross-trained was critical to our software development strategy. Difference maker in our fast global growth!

In the early 80’s, the new lower priced minicomputers impacted my computer service bureau as in-house solutions became affordable. I had to reinvent my company, choosing Cable TV AS MY PRIMARY FOCUS. There was a lot of applications handled by the IBM 34. The end was nearing for the majority of my service bureau revenue!

Transitioning from all your revenue being local to 100% outside your area - nationally and globally, was capital intense! Complicated in Arkansas by usury and S&L foreclosures. More sales based than recurring revenue. Support and maintenance agreements were difficult initially, but eventually became a larger part of revenue. Rapid changes in cable technology created value in maintenance contracts, and getting the latest product releases.

Failing to relocate to a state with more favorable capitalization is considered as one of my key decisions hampered by personal reasons.

Managing key decisions for a technology business has proven to be different than most. Check out moves, and locations for Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Google, and Tesla. Walmart, in retail, was different.

Having a non involved spouse as co-owner of shares can too often sway decisions more to the personal side mitigating the best opportunities for the success of the business. In retrospect there can be a much better CASE made for stockholders; such as key consulting associates, e.g. Paul Case and Sid Shreeve.

Computer Utilities of the Ozarks, Inc., formed in 1973, was still active until the 2000's, even after the buyout by CableData in 1994. Proven by my tax filings.

Sale to CableData was intellectual property, not the corporation!

Note: address, my business began in the back of my dad's TV and Appliance business.

As I previously discussed the 2 key decisions that was made as joint owners of CUO stock, both were made to the favor of personal reasons. Complicated by having a child with special needs. The problem, in our case, in a rural area oral-facial-digital syndrome was mistaken for Down Syndrome. Making a move would have been for her employment betterment.

I will never minimize the time spent by my wife assisting my daughter from birth through high school. Years 1971- 1989. Christy was born with oral- facial- digital syndrome often confused in a rural area with Down Syndrome (minimal employment opportunities). Christy was born in Ashland Kentucky but grew up in Harrison area.

My wife had hourly work at a friend’s decorating business, and at a relative’s flower business. Never working at CUO, but occasionally attending conventions.

Even when she worked at her sister-in-laws’ flower shop she was grossly underpaid at most $10 an hour for her talents. Most thought she was part of the ownership, or was paid much more.

My daughter attended a special school in Ottumwa, Iowa for 4 years (8 hours away)allowing my wife to work professionally, not just, not just sporadic hourly work. It didn’t happen!

Our next reinvention came as a result of the popularity of the PC. How do yo make money replacing $50-100K IBM Series/ 1’s with $5K PC’s?

Not easy, but doable with time and capital!

Might note following: I was offered $400K in June 1994, which I turned down to the consternation of local friends, advisors, and family.

Then 2 months later deal was made for 3 times more, gross of $1.2 million with an opportunity to double over next 5 years. Which I did! In todays dollars North of $4 Million.

In the 1990’s we had the first cable billing and set top box interface solution based on the PC desktop. Interfaces to Motorola & Scientific Atlanta and certifications were key.

Another point made by the controller of DonRey Media, and later by an audit from Time Warner was how solid our system was from meeting accounting standards, and the inability of cable personnel to commit fraudulent activities. Game changer when U.S. based companies were buying international cable systems.

People who had experienced the struggles of CUO, failed to see the major competitive advantage we had. The market leader did.

After we had made several successful international deals, the Taiwan deal was the clincher as far as the urgency by the market leader to pursue a buyout of CUO’s intangible assets.

2000-2005

After leaving Cable data I had several major consulting contracts

ETI, Proxima, iNDemand, and even a VP of Latin America for Mindport.

ETI - Pete Pifer, CEO, once applied for a job at CUO

Proxima based in Montreal. I travelled to Montreal, and accompanied a VP to Argentina on a business development trip.

iNDemand who provided pay-per-view for movies to cable MSO'S. Involved multiple trips to NYC. One fun thing was seeing the David Letterman Late Night Show. I worked with Brian Boyd who is active today as CEO of a top NYC Digital Marketing Strategist firm.

Mindport involved several trips to their headquarters in Carlsbad, California.

2005-2012

UBS Financial Services UBS Financial Services Feb 2005 - Jan 2009 · 4 yrs Feb 2005 - Jan 2009 · 4 yrs Little Rock, Arkansas

Financial Services Financial Services MetLife Jan 2009 - - Jul 2012 · 3 yrs 7 mos Little Rock, Arkansas Area

Due to the impact of 911 on global travel and business I had to reinvent myself again as a financial advisor, doing double duty as a telecommunications analyst for a UBS investment banking group headed by Aryeh Bourkoff. Now Aryeh is CEO of Liontree LLC, a global investment and merchant banking firm focused on the media. He resides in NYC.

Irony was that later I formed a class action lawsuit against a UBS investment banking client Charter. Charter was owned by Microsoft Paul Allen that filed for bankruptcy reorganization in 2009, after the 2007-2008 bank meltdown. Allen’s loss at the time was estimated at $7 Billion. Should have been a lot more! Friends in DC prevented it!

Although class action failed, I got a very favorable financial settlement from UBS. UBS {Aryeh was the top ranked fixed-income analyst in the cable and satellite sector - no conflict there!} continued to pump Charter stock until bankruptcy, while handling its investment banking needs. How could I sue myself and win? settlement amount was never to be disclosed!

I attended a investment banking conference in Denver, at the invite of Aryeh, where Maroon 5 performed. Big bucks!

I declared to my financial service employers that I owned CUO and still did limited but approved cable consulting work outside financial services. Proved a little tricky at times.

I had received this letter in 2008

OK my time as a financial analysts had served to give personal and family insurance protection, until I had reached the age of Medicare.

I had also expected family to make move to Little Rock, after I’d successfully passed the Series 7, 66, and insurance on my first attempt in 2005. Condition for keeping employment with UBS.

Move was resisted by my family, so after spending in excess of a $100K in dual living arrangements in Harrison and Little Rock over a 7 year period, I left the financial services industry, and returned full time to Harrison.

2012- current

I worked as Director of Boone County 911, CUO still existed, consulting work with Spectralliance, including agreement paying $2,500 a month by Solvatio. Solvatio, German company wanting to enter US market, provides leading solutions for automated troubleshooting and malfunction resolutions in technical systems & devices. Originally founded as spin-off of the Department for Artificial Intelligence and Applied Computer Science of Würzburg University more than 20 years ago, Solvatio continues to push the boundaries of AI for automated data-driven knowledge generation and AI orchestrated troubleshooting. Introduced them to Comcast and other telecommunications leaders.

and various positions with a technology companies in Orlando.

Vice President Sales Vice President Sales

CuraSene (a brand of Data Driven Care, LLC)

Business Development Cima Group, Inc

In 2016-17 LCD business development agreement with Witt Global with principals James Lee Witt (former FEMA National Director) and former Governor Jim Guy Tucker. Witt Global was a distributor for Optimal.

Hello Herb,

We were blessed in 2016.? Hope your year was as well.

In 2016 we paid $235,857 to Optimal.? We probably had another $50K in LED purchases in the latter part of the year that we directed towards other vendors due to Optimal’s shipping delays and shipping errors.? Those issues are common in industries and businesses that are growing rapidly.

?Thank you,

?Rod Covington

?Crawford Electric / Crawford PowerSystems

143 Hwy 201 N.

Mountain Home, AR 72653

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The pandemic from late 2019 until recent years again impacted my opportunities much like 911 had.

However one year I negotiated a $45K buyout of my $500K term life policy that had termed out. Only could be kept going with extremely large premiums. Most thought I would get a third of that.

Other ancillary income

From the sell of 3 houses

Lair, Inc, included Lair development built the 1st home, when we returned to the Harrison area. I was a stockholder of Lair, Inc. We owned for approximately 20 years. Downside I was stuck by First Federal paying some, unknown to me, liabilities. It happens!

Second home was on the golf course, in 1995, was after sell to CableData

Third home after major back surgery, pacemaker, and eventually Parkinson’s was in 2012. I might add at the suggestion of a friend we entered into a sleep divorce. Husband and wife sleeping in separate bedrooms. Ours was more than separation, it was no intimacy.

So now we are at the Villas of Chenal in Little Rock, ideal for seniors with disabilities.

Lot of credit to each spouse on getting 1st home built at the lowest cost, decorating, choice of locations in Harrison to maximum appreciation.

In the $200-300K range total.

Another was inheritance from Charles and Dorothy Deaton

Spouse and her best friend befriended the Deatons after their move from Detroit to the Ozarks.

So until Doris died, and Chuck remarried, the Trust remained intact. But it was revocable.

Chuck had invested in high risk securities and took a 50% loss after 2007. I replaced Chuck’s financial advisor, and after 10 years doubled his money with low risk investments. Required much more discipline than Chuck had previously displayed, and still wanted to, even though in his late 70’s.

I felt, later confirmed by investigation, the revocable trust was at high risk because of his new wife and family. His financial improvement was our best case for not changing the trust. Others may say it was the personal attention.

All in all, these revenues were only 10% of the amount created by the company sale.

So over the past year I began doing a docuseries Finding Your Happy Place intertwining my experiences with others who have Parkinson’s and other disabilities. It will have a greater meaning now!

Since there has been considerable public misinformation, unfortunately the source has been tracked to my spouse; I am making an attempt to put facts in front of people.

I realize after researching Harrison on racism, people believe what they want to believe.

I am only attempting to reach the many people who have said they’d known me for many years, but didn’t really, really know me until the past couple of years.

Situations such as Rock Steady Boxing, designed for people with Parkinson’s, where strangers and friends become family, and always make uplifting comments!

I am now an octogenarian, so I expect people to gaslight me, and say I’m unplugged and on meds. No problem, but facts will always be facts. All my information is not hearsay, and can be confirmed through all my business contracts and contacts!

I pass cognitive exercises, with high marks, twice a week, participating in a Zoom Speak Out accredited program, directed by an Arkansas State professor!

I have quarterly cognitive tests at UAMS under the guidance of my neurologists, Dr. Virmini. Again receiving continued high marks.

Finally, happy to remain the villain to everyone, with exception of my daughter!