the empire strikes back

Received Saturday, 8/27 at 1450. Yellow highlighting is mine:

Illinois Patriot Guard - IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM BOD-27 AUG 11

ATTENTION!

IMPORTANT MESSAGE

Illinois Patriot Guard Riders

Some of you may already be aware of the following situation, and/or some of you may have received an email sent from staff@ilpatriotguard.org announcing an Illinois Patriot Guard welcome home mission in Elgin on August 28, 2011. Regardless, as a member of the Illinois Patriot Guard Riders we would like you to be aware of the following.

According to public records, an individual who was a member of our organization (Eric Kuhn, formerly an Assistant Senior Ride Captain and then Ride Captain) filed paperwork with the IL Secretary of State's Office establishing a non-profit organization called Illinois Patriot Guard, Incorporated. He also filed paperwork registering the service mark, Illinois Patriot Guard, and is the registered agent of both. Also according to public records, another former member of our organization (Fred Vukadinovic, formerly a Senior Ride Captain) and his wife (Audrey George) are Board members along with Mr. Kuhn of that organization. In addition to the confusingly similar name that Mr. Kuhn chose for his organization, he and/or his agents have also established a website bearing a domain name that is equally confusing to the public and perhaps even our membership.

Be aware that any emails that you receive from the aforementioned organizational name have not come from us, and rest assured that we have not released your email address or authorized anyone else to do so. Although we cannot say with absolute certainty at this point how your email address may have been acquired by staff@ilpatriotguard.org, we do know that one of the individuals that we believe to be associated with that address had access at one point to our statewide membership email list pursuant to his former position with the Illinois Patriot Guard Riders. The bottom line, regardless of who is responsible if it has occurred, is that we denounce any unauthorized release or use of any email address that you provided to the Illinois Patriot Guard Riders.

Anyone who might have already received an email from staff@ilpatriotguard.org, or who might in the future, and does not want to receive any further emails from that address can contact them or follow any instructions that might be associated with the unwanted email for unsubscribing from their list.

Although we recognize everyone's right to organize, and their right to choose organizations, we also believe that there should be clarity among and between organizational names to avoid public confusion. Accordingly, we are and have been in consultation with our attorney(s) regarding this matter. Although we regret the diversion of time, energy, and other resources that this situation presents, we believe that a response is necessary.

Thank you for your continued support of the Illinois Patriot Guard Riders.

roni