Despite repeated attempts, customers of Progressive Endeavors (aka Websuite) seem unable to get the company to answer e-mails or phone calls. Have they closed the doors?

One wonders. The company came out of nowhere, and it seems to have gone back there just as fast - leaving behind untold numbers of Website and online training customers wondering what's going on.

Realtors Bob and Karen Callan report, "We are a Websuite.com customer, and we need their help - but they do not respond to our phone calls and e-mails."

Who is Progressive Endeavors, and why does it matter if they disappear? Two reasons - they said they were a legitimate company dedicated to serving Realtors, and online marketing companies in general simply don't need any more black eyes.

Progressive Endeavors made it into the news last year when the National Association of Realtors was embroiled in an ugly financial mess with its former technology supplier for the e-PRO certification, Websuite. Websuite founders agreed to provide the online technology platform for the e-PRO certification, but took royalties it was due to pay the NAR to develop generic online training products for other verticals. The company also had a Website design service which many Realtors signed up for, assuming a NAR endorsement that never existed.

Then the worst happened. Websuite declared bankruptcy, e-PRO Realtors were left stranded in the middle of training, over $700,000 remains unaccounted for, and the NAR lost almost half a million in unpaid royalties. Websuite founders also tried to convince the NAR to continue to support the company with a contract through bankruptcy. They introduced a corporate raider Mark Anderson who, posing as an investor, purchased the assets of Websuite for $10 in consideration. Anderson then arranged to have all of Websuite's assets (computers and software, which included the NAR's e-PRO mailing list) transferred from Seattle to Las Vegas. The strong arm he hired to do the moving was the company that called itself Progressive Endeavors.

To distance his company from Websuite, Bob Hayes, president of Progressive Endeavors, vehemently denied any business relationship with Anderson and told Agent News that he had also been cheated out of consideration by Anderson. He went before the bankruptcy court and made a case to take over operation of Websuite, which the court granted. Progressive Endeavors then began operations as Websuite.

The NAR refused to sign a contract with Progressive Endeavors and instead awarded the e-PRO technology contract to Internet Crusade.

Websuite/Progressive Endeavors retained the rights to the original e-PRO training materials, and planned to relaunch its own online certification program.

Progessive Endeavors announced last year that it had entered an agreement with the Washington Association of Realtors (WAR) to produce an online education program similar to the e-PRO.

A spokesperson for the association Steve Klaniecki said, "We have no record of them. Our contract with them was never executed. They were developing distance education for us, and it never become finalized, nor did it reach the Internet."

Klaniecki was uncertain whether Progressive Endeavors is still doing online education, or whether the company is still in business. He says that the association did not have an agreement to promote Websites and does not know if any of its members have Websites with Websuite.

Attempts by Agent News to contact any personnel in support or management at Websuite were unsuccessful. If Progressive Endeavors has indeed disappeared, that is yet another disappointment for Realtors who are wondering whom they can trust online.

Published: March 13, 2002

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.