VIN Message Boards Allowed Gilmer Animal Clinic To Lie

Paul Pion and his VIN Messages boards have always been a place to vent, have private discussions amongst their peers, and offer friendly advice and experiences.  When Veterinary Information Network decided to create a damaging article about Vet Finance Group and its management, it opened up issues and circumstances that are way beyond incompetent reporters, Jennifer Fiala and David DeKook to comprehend.  The article falsified and withheld information to spin a non issue into a fireball causing a few frustrated veterinary clinics VIN article to heart.  Paul Pion, and the VIN reporters never once thought about the potential recourse their careless and erroneous article would cause.

Gilmer Animal Clinic and Craig Ball DVM

One very outspoken and very hot headed individual, Craig Ball DVM of Gilmer Animal Clinic in Texas, got caught up in the heat of the moment and believed that he had an out in the contract he had entered into with Vet Finance Group (VFG) for services to be performed on behalf of Craig Ball DVM and Gilmer Animal Clinic.  Dr Craig Ball was delinquent to the point of nearly losing his practice.  He retained Vet Fiance Group to help him save his practice.  Vet Finance Group did just that.  They arranged for an approval on his practice.  Vet Finance Group also negotiated a reduced payoff in accrued interest of over $20,000 with his lender Banco Popular.  The process was moving forward towards completion when an unforeseen problem arose.  The bank had a total lien on all assets including the practice real estate.  Simply put the bank would not release partial collateral, they wanted the real estate loan paid of as well in order to release their first lien positions.

Vet Finance Group agreed to help Dr Ball process this request as well.  The problem was that his real estate equity was marginal to get the loan done.  Vet Finance Group was able to get a 60 day deferred payment with no accumulated interest on behalf of Dr Ball.  So during this process, which was fairly lengthy, VIN comes out with an article that was careless, pointless and slanderous.  Not only was the article filled with misinformation against Vet Finance Group and its management, but without a single regard of the consequences to the veterinary clinics that VIN proudly says they protect, everything backfires.  Dr Craig Ball of Gilmer Animal Clinic goes off on the management of Vet Finance Group without any regard or thought in his comments and threats.  Below is an email between Craig Ball and Vet Finance Group:

Email Correspondence including threats on family by Craig Ball DVM

Dr Ball,

I am responding to two separate issues within this email.  First and most important, is addressing the threats aimed at me and my family.  (see copies provided)

------ SMS Text ------

From: +19037902575

Received: May 9, 2011 7:22 PM

Subject: I see from your lack of a response...

I see from your lack of a response that you wish to be difficult about this. It's a shame you continue to hide behind your phone instead of speaking to me.

------ SMS Text ------

To: 9037902575

Sent: May 10, 2011 10:51 AM

Subject: Sorry amigo not ashamed and not...

Sorry amigo not ashamed and not hiding behind phone wrong guy. I have 2 messages into your phone went right to voice mail

------ SMS Text ------

From: +19037902575

Received: Jun 7, 2011 7:14 PM

Subject: I am still waiting for you to...

I am still waiting for you to return my money. I suggest you do so promptly or you are going to have a big problem.

------ SMS Text ------

From: +19037902575

Received: Jun 7, 2011 9:03 PM

Subject: I know who you are and what you...

I know who you are and what you are. If you do not return my money it is going to get very ugly for you. Do you understand?

------ SMS Text ------

From: +19037902575

Received: Jun 7, 2011 10:37 PM

Subject: I would venture to guess that #44...

I would venture to guess that #44 would be disappointed if he lost his coach

Threatening me and my family I take very, very serious.  It is obvious that you have lost all common sense and are neglecting to address that you were months in arrears and defaulted on your loan(s) with your current bank.   Our firm resolved your delinquency and unfortunately the real estate portion was taking longer than expected but I communicated with your bank, not you as you continued to avoid his calls.  We obtained based on our referral a bank approval and due to your contract with your bank you were not allowed to close the practice loan without closing the real estate loan.  We do not have any problem bringing closure to this consulting arrangement and here is what we are willing to do:

Return Advance payment for practice loan that our bank approved                                                                                                         <$5,143.59>

Retain $1,000 commitment fee for practice loan (Reduced from original amount of $2,500)                                                              $ 1,000.00

Charge $4,500 (balance of $5,500 signed contract  for services on practice loan dated 1/31/11 attached)                                    $ 4,500.00

Return $2,000 for appraisal that was not completed

(You disputed this with CC company and it has been deducted from our account, we will be collecting from appraiser)                <$2,000.00> Paid by cc

We are owed $356.41.  We are willing to waive this amount.  Last week when our bank called you regarding the status of the loan approval, you had no problem throwing me under the bus, but neglected to tell them that you are in complete default and that we helped you defer payments while your loans were being processed with our referring banks.  That seems a  bit one sided and not sure that logic is the correct way to go about it.  With your response of acceptance, we will consider this matter resolved.  If you have any further questions or need to discuss this I am willing to talk.  If you continue to threaten me and or my family, we will respond accordingly to make sure we are safe and protected from your actions.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line, is that Dr Ball reacted to the VIN article and voiced his displeasure, (Which was actually a cover up for his defaulted loan).  No facts, just basically over reacted.  He neglected to tell the true history.  Now the truth is told.  Dr Ball has formal complaints against him, a possible restraining order and more legal troubles with the bank that holds the note on his practice.  Paul Pion DVM and Veterinary Information Network handled things wrong and now he can answer to the veterinary community he claims to protect.  A lot of misinformation and lack there of by VIN and their reporters has really created a very unnecessary situation, but the truth  will now be told.  Jennifer Fiala, Paul Pion and David DeKook need to in the future have the facts and truth in order before hurting the very people they believe they are trying to protect.  This writer believes it was for personal gain for behalf of Paul Pion.  A careless article, a careless group of self serving individuals are at the helm of VIN. VIN caused Vet Finance Group to be extorted by an angry and hostile individual.  Vet Finance Group sent $6,000 to Craig Ball DVM.  He threatened to cause harm and the company responded by sending him money.  He was not owed any money.  In fact he got back more than he ever wrote to the bank or Vet Finance Group as a commitment fee.  VIN has created many of these circumstances with their careless reporting .  It will be interesting to see how Paul Pion and VIM compensate and respond to facts such as these created by their slanderous article.

Was it Exposure or Plain Stupidity on behalf of Veterinary Information Network (VIN)?

Paul Pion’s Veterinary Information Network (VIN) has both a financial and self-imposed fiduciary duty to provide online information regarding veterinary medicine. As its mission statement claims: 

The VIN News Service aims to reflect the voice of veterinarians and others dedicated to medicine and the health of animals. Our purpose is to enhance the veterinary profession and society by providing unbiased, accurate, insightful news reports and analysis that explore topics and viewpoints not commonly covered by other media outlets. 

It is clearly understood that the VIN Message Boards are a place to allow for dues paying veterinarians to vent and sound off about various topics.  In today’s society of tabloid journalism and social media, VIN message boards can protect the vets within their fraternal comfort zone. That intention is all well and good, but when that fraternal environment becomes modified from its original model, then Paul Pion and VIN has breached their fiduciary duty to its paying members. 

A recent article posted by the VIN News Team regarding Vet Finance Group is both biased and inaccurate, a clear contradiction to its mission statement. The VIN News Team concocted a story and the spin they wanted to take to put out a story. The story published complete with misleading and slanderous headline, turned out to be filled with partial information, unnecessary personal attacks, and not very well-thought out. Now, the exposure and consequences to various veterinary hospitals and the legal exposure to VIN becomes the story and possibly that exposure is what Paul Pion was seeking.

So this is what has happened.

When Paul Pion, David Dekok, and Jennifer Fiala decided to attack Vet Finance Group and its manager, they were clearly not interested in providing all of the facts.  They did not want to offer all of the facts, documents and interviews they had obtained detailing and contradicting the information they chose to print.  They printed their version of a story they felt was worth reporting regarding Vet Finance Group.  The information they had would not have made such a good story and it would have exposed veterinary practices across the country and the financial decisions and troubles they had due to economic problems.  They decided that was not a good story.  They focused on partial information and chose the tabloid journalism approach to create a story.

Facts the VIN reporters did not reveal                                                                               

David Dekok, had received prior to contributing to the article, information that proved the content he wrote was inaccurate and incomplete.  Information he obtained clearly refutes what he choose to print.  David Dekok even made the comment stating, “It really doesn’t matter, I have what I need to print my story.”  Likewise Jennifer Fiala received in writing detailed information from a banker at Sunwest Bank that she contacted after the story was published.  All of the information provided by the banker to Jennifer Fiala completely contradicts the information printed against Vet Finance Group and in fact exposes one veterinary clinic Wayne Browning DVM owner at Bayhill Equine, for breach of contract.  Bayhill Equine cancelled the services of Vet Finance Group while the transaction was being reviewed by the bank.  Dr Browning and Bayhill Equine said they were not going to proceed with the loan and for Vet Finance Group to refund their commitment fee.  The fee was refunded in full and thanks to Jennifer Fiala and her after the fact research, it was discovered by Vet Finance Group that Wayne Browning, DVM had indeed closed his loan with Sunwest Bank with the terms and conditions provided by Vet Finance Group after they said they did not want to do the loan.  Bayhill Equine and Dr Browning clearly misrepresented their intentions of working with Vet Finance Group to avoid paying the fees. Under the agreement, Bayhill Equine is liable for these fees and VIN and its news team helped expose this as well as several other practices that have neglected to pay for services performed by Vet Finance Group under their obligations.

What consequences has this action caused? Non-veterinary selected access not only invites for careless and inaccurate information, but the private and protected message board strings become open door for others to access and print out. This selective open door access is an abuse of trust, but on the other hand, Pion and his news team has found a useful way of generating strategized attention directed to the VIN site.  

So, after all that has happened, it all boils down to Veterinary Information Network gaining exposure?

In the short run, Pion’s website will increase exposure and more than likely revenues. However, the information will show that what Paul Pion has done with this article will affect the veterinarians he has been paid to protect. His story became how VIN and Paul Pion wanted to spin things to protect their business. In fact Paul Pion has said before that he will do anything to protect his investment and that a couple of years ago someone almost put him out of business.   Paul Pion seems a bit paranoid.

Did Vet Finance Group do something to hurt Pion and his investment? Many Veterinarians have said that Vet Finance Group actually provided a lot of value added services, as well as successfully completed transactions to the veterinary industry over the past several years. Was Vet Finance Group a solution in all cases?  Certainly not.  But they offered value added resources to provide many creative alternatives and solutions to the veterinary practices.  One very reputable veterinarian in Southern California, George Cuellar, DVM, even supported Vet Finance Group and made the comment that if it wasn’t for Vet Finance Group and its management team helped him and his practice even after he was turned down multiple times.  He commented that he is not sure what position his practice would be in if it wasn't for Vet Finance Group.  Vet Finance Group made a major difference to Dr Cuellar and his practice. Many other practices have similar experiences that Paul Pion and the VIN News Team chose not to write about.  In fact Paul Pion even made an unfavorable reference to Dr Cuellars posting on the VIN message board.

Did Paul Pion and his reporters care about the positive things that Vet Finance Group has done within the veterinary community?  How about the millions of dollars in loans, refinances, debt consolidation, credit repair, merchant card services and friendships created and generated over the past several years? Did Pion and his group understand and care about the process, obstacles, and economic hurdles that had to be addressed with each and every clinic? Vet Finance Group certainly could not be held responsible for the down economy.  Or possibly Paul Pion and VIN believe that maybe they are.  If only Veterinary Information Network, Paul Pion and the VIN News Team could have been a bit more educated and not so quick to pass judgment on information that was not forthright or focused on the veterinary industry, then several clinics and Paul Pion and his team would not be exposed for the truths that will be set outside the VIN Message boards for all to see just as he choose to take the tabloid journalism route for all to see who and what Paul Pion really is about.  Paul Pion and his VIN News Team should have been better educated as to the process, veterinary practice issues and economic hurdles Vet Finance Group had to work within to help the many veterinary clients they had success in closing and potentially saving their practice just like they did in helping Dr Cuellar.

vet finance

Another Reference In Support Of Vet Finance Group

To Whom it may concern:

It has been my pleasure to work with Ron Paterson at Vet Finance Group over the last 2 years. Ron has been a great help in obtaining financing for my projects in a very difficult lending environment. His contacts in the banking industry have extremely useful. I have found Ron to be detail oriented, thorough, honest and fair in all of our transactions.




Dr Jeff Hogans

Harden Ranch Veterinary Hospital. Inc

Things VIN Should Have Told You, But That Would Not Have Made A Good Story

In todays society, we have been programmed to judge without really knowing what we are judging.  The media has created a shoot, ready, aim practice of reporting that the reader has in many cases succombed too.  They, the media,  dont need facts to write an article,  just a spark so they can generate the flame.  In many cases the story is not news worthy. So the writer, in an attempt to make something more entertaining or readable by the audience fabricates pieces to insert into their story.

A recent article by Paul Pion, David DeKoos, and Jennifer Fiala regarding Vet Finance Group on behalf of Veterinary Information Network (VIN) did just that.  They took a story, misrepresented the facts, created a misleading headline, withheld known information from the article that would have contradicted and proven the reported information as incorrect, and sent it out via email and print for their captive audience to see with the sole purpose of defaming and damaging Vet Finance Group and their management.  Not for any other reason.  Now for the purposes of continuing to write about the truth and provide facts not disclosed by Veterinary Information Network.  Provided below is factual information had VIN done their homework would have kept them from writing such a slanderous and useless article to interfere with the value added service offered by Vet Finance Group to the veterinary industry. 

Every bank, commercial finance company, broker, consultant, etc. operates under the same protocol as outlined below:

THE PROCESS

-  Financial Package Obtained from client
-  Financial package profiled, credit reviewed to determine viability of approval, structure, terms 
   conditions etc.
-  A Letter Of Intent/consulting agreement/ is prepared outlining terms and conditions and requesting a
   commitment fee.  In the case of the consulting agreement, where a bank does not pay fees to
   consultant, the full disclosed fees to be earned are spelled about for the services and level of services
   to be provided
-  Once agreement is returned signed and commitment fee sent, package is analyzed for completeness,
   spreadsheets are prepared and a write up is done
-  Package is sent to underwriter for approval (Depending on size of deal usually two or more
    signatures are needed for approval and in some cases depending on the source a committee must
    unanimously approve the transaction) This process can be very long and tedious in todays
    economy.  It is a slow process and if any questions or information is needed, the review process
    usually starts over or the file moves to the bottom of the stack.
-  Once approved client is notified
-  Additional paperwork is prepared
-  At this step, lien and title searches are done, license verification, tax records to see if there are any
   State or Federal tax problems, judgements, outstanding law suits etc..  (This process usually opens
   the door for items not disclosed and generally prolongs the closing process because something
   inevitably pops up)
-  Meet and greet via face to face or telephonic interview with lender
-  Additional Information needed to complete funing checklist i.e: Insurance, copy of Drivers License,
   payoff statements,  etc.
-  Telephonic audit with funding coordinator
-  Loan funds and proceeds disbursed

Provided is a comment on the record from a banker that Vet Finance Group has worked with for several years validating the process and that economic times have changed:

There is good history with VFG and Ron Paterson.  VFG provides an invaluable service that saves me both time and money (by advertising, soliciting doctor business and packaging loans).

I think that every business owner needs to understand that times have changed with the recent collapse of the real estate market, resulting in federal and political involvement in the banking arena.  There are some pretty strict regulatory guidelines that have filtered through to the  commercial lending sector, which have had a direct impact on almost every aspect of the loan approval process (and turnaround time).  I witness the frustration of business owners every day and I can’t imagine what it is like to be a broker out there, attempting to keep promises in a world where the “credit box” is on the NASCAR circuit.  Having said that, I also think that healthcare professionals have a higher level of expectation than what most banks are able to deliver.  It is imperative that a doctor selects a bank that understands the healthcare sector.  I can count the number of banks with an approved Professional Healthcare Loan Policy on one hand.  Brokers are a big part of our business.  The introduction to a bank that understands and lends to the veterinary industry is an invaluable resource to our healthcare professionals.    

Regards,

Evan Barker, SVP Healthcare

It is too bad that Paul Pion and his news team at Veterinary Information Network did not take the time to understand the valuable role the Vet Finance Group had in working with providing a very positive role in successfully offering advisory and consultant services in helping the Vets weave through these tough times.  Many practices benefitted and as we have seen in several testimonials some even went so far as to state that Vet Finance Group saved their business.  So despite the VIN mission statement of fair and unbiased, they have proven to not be fair to the services that actually help the veterinarians that VIN claims to support.

Another Blunder by Veterinary Information Network (VIN)

A recent Veterinary Information Network (VIN) article regarding Vet Finance Group concocted by Paul Pion and his well versed veterinary news team, has drawn a response sent to Jennifer Fiala via email with permission to be posted " On Record" by a bank that has a long standing relationship with Vet Finance Group and its management:

Attention: Jennifer Fiala

On record:

Over the past couple of years, VFG/Ron Patterson has submitted a dozen or so veterinary packages to me, while I ran healthcare departments/divisions for other banking institutions and more recently Sunwest Bank.  Of the packages submitted, I booked a handful of deals and passed on others due to an array of non-qualifying criteria.   The most recent packages and deals submitted by VetFinance Group/Ron Patterson are as follows:    

1.       Harden Valley Ranch – multiple deals funded and the doctor is satisfied with broker and bank services provided.

2.       So. Cal Vet Hospital – as posted to the VIN page, Dr. George Cuellar is satisfied with the broker and bank services provided.  

3.       Christown Animal Hospital – deal funded and the doctor is satisfied with the broker and bank services provided. 

4.       Bayhill Equine – deal funded and doctor is satisfied with the bank services provided (and the broker returned the deposit in full).  

As a standard business practice, I do not accept deals from any brokers or referral sources with a tainted history.  I have had my share of dealing with “bad brokers” over the past 16+ years in healthcare banking/professional practice financing experience.  Having said that, there is good history with VFG and Ron Patterson.  VFG provides an invaluable service that saves me both time and money (by advertising, soliciting doctor business and packaging loans).   While I simply do not know the circumstances related to the recent allegations (and therefore cannot comment), I will add that when you pause to read between the lines of the “Con artist or lending lifeline? VetFinance Group under scrutiny article,” it doesn’t look like Ron was ever convicted of anything.  While I am sympathetic to any business owner/doctor that was allegedly swindled out of money – as in any industry, understanding the role and function of the “middle-man” and; reading and comprehending any agreement before you sign it is… Basic Business 101.  

I think that every business owner needs to understand that times have changed with the recent collapse of the real estate market, resulting in federal and political involvement in the banking arena.  There are some pretty strict regulatory guidelines that have filtered through to the commercial lending sector, which have had a direct impact on almost every aspect of the loan approval process (and turnaround time).  I witness the frustration of business owners every day and I can’t imagine what it is like to be a broker out there, attempting to keep promises in a world where the “credit box” is on the NASCAR circuit.  Having said that, I also think that healthcare professionals have a higher level of expectation than what most banks are able to deliver.  It is imperative that a doctor selects a bank that understands the healthcare sector. 

Have a great long weekend.

Regards,

  

Evan Barker, SVP Healthcare

 Sunwest Bank

This is one of many responses in support of Vet Finance Group.  One particular item of interest, is that in the disclosure of the practices identified above (and there are several more over the years with this particular banker), Bayhill Equine did close on a loan for over $1.3mm with the efforts and per the outline of a consulting agreement signed and accepted in full by Dr Wayne Browning and Vet Finance Group.  Bayhill Equine had requested that their commitment fee be refunded as they were not going to proceed with any loan at that time.  That fee was returned in full by Vet Finance Group.  Thanks to VIN News reporter, Jennifer Fiala and her follow up, we discovered that Bayhill equine and Dr Wayne Browning owe Vet Finance Group upwards of $11,000 as per the clause of the agreement they signed.

It would be interesting to see and quite candidly a bit disturbing to not have any type of follow up by the VIN news team to ask Dr. Wayne Browning why he did not pay the fees owed to Vet Finance Group.  Is the title of the article Con Artist or Lending Lifeline maybe referenced towards a veterinarian?  This information I am sure will set the team back to clean the egg on their face.  We call for VIN to assist in recovering this lost income to Vet Finance Group since their position of being fair and unbiased as per their mission statement would certainly be the right thing to do.