One last important announcement . . .
61 commentsApril 02nd, 2009 | 08:36 am
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One last important announcement . . .April 02nd, 2009 | 08:36 am 61 Responses to “One last important announcement . . .”Leave a Reply |
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April 2nd, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Great April Fools prank!!
Had me hooked. With all the weirdness in todays business/political environment, it had some degree of believability. I think what got me rethinking it was the naming rights.
Actually, I was starting to worry about you two and the G20 anarchists.
I will get even with Geof.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I guess we are all pretty desperate for "any" good news.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:32 pm
How funny;
Had me fooled…lol
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:32 pm
The good humor is appreciated!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Chris,
That was good….
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Good joke! We all need a good laugh once in a while
I hope the protesters in London don"t beat the crap out of you for it!!
Keep up the good work!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:33 pm
HA HA
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:34 pm
This is even better. Sucked me right in. See, I have been so impressed with you guys this was actually credible.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:34 pm
That's pretty cool. I actually read the first email real quick and thought you had hit a homerun.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:35 pm
I could tell even without the label that it was a prank.
FYI - several CDCs contacted NADCO and even though we told them it was a prank, they were offended. It generated a lot of work for me, but hope you made a least a few people chuckle.
Take care. See you in San Diego.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Thanks for giving me a good laugh – I needed it!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Ha ha Chris…..
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Damn.
I thought that sounded pretty unbelievable but what the hell do I know?
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:37 pm
lol
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Nicely done!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:38 pm
You"re a hoot!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Got me! Nothing sounded that outrageous except the "renaming the program" LOL. See, I am a Chris Hurn believer!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:39 pm
One more time…CONGRATULATIONS! ( on the practical joke)
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:39 pm
That was good!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:39 pm
I believe the first message.
This retracted message is the real April Fool's joke.
MERCANTILE ROCKS!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Holy disclaimer! You got me on that one!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:40 pm
That was hilarious! Nice work buddy.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Enjoyed your joke! Keep it up.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Thanks, Linda. It was only meant in fun.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
I didn"t know how you did it, but I was convinced that if anyone could, it would be you.
Good stick!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Good one
I was ready to move to Florida..
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Congrats on pulling off one of the best practical jokes I ever heard. You had me going to the point that I was scratching my head trying to figure out how Mercantile pullled off such a partnership. I was ready to pick up the phone and call some of my lender contacts and wish them my condolences!
As you state in the retraction, it's important that people take a breather from all the stress in the marketplace and laugh out loud (LOL) once in awhile. Maybe this will wake up the current adminstration and let them know we need to do more to help out small business in this time of economic turmoil.
Whoever wrote your script should moonlight for a Hollywood studio. As you may or may not know Marc Turtletaub who ran the most successful SBA non-bank lender in the country (Money Store-SBA's leading 7a (what's with this name) lender for 16 consecutive years) produced Little Miss Sunshine in 2007 which won multiple awards including Alan Arkin for Best Supporting Actor. He was instrumental in elevating the SBA into one of the most successful private/public partnerships that this country has ever seen. Maybe we should ask Marc to step back into the program and turn the ship around.
While I haven't closed any loans with your firm, I am looking forward to the day that we can close one together.
Thanks for making my April's Fool Day a memorable one.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Good one … We need some of that in our business life, you had me signing up right away.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:44 pm
I am disappointed you didn"t really pull this off. Perhaps some of your “fans” can talk this up?
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:45 pm
I heard this was a April Fools joke… paybacks are hell! You got me…but I should have known better, but I thought maybe Geoff was a big Obama supporter or something! (_E=mc2_) I thought you were going to have (_$_), now I feel like a (_?_) !!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Obviously you have more time on your hands then deals. That is not the case in California and that is no April Fool's Joke.
Enjoy your day!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Janet received this from you and thinks that you want to have some fun. She sent it to me.
Like you, Blue MauMau is having an April Franchise Fool's Day, where our members are spoofing on just about everything.
Do you want to participate in today's soiree and post it under your name?
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Nice job.
You had me.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Very well done- I suspected the same- especially since Lopo Flairs came out Lopo Flares and only was pointing to your PR site- reminds me of one I did in the '80's playing off the common confusion of "the rugs" with "drugs" if you dentalize your th's - had the police keeping d'rugs in the cruiser to get through mud season, and little old ladies trying to beat d'rugs, especially orientals!
all d best
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Hope you attorneys are on standby…………..
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:48 pm
That was a good one. You got me.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Lisa - - Actually quite the opposite is true — we have more dealflow than we've ever had… But a little levity was called for. Perhaps it's time you try us, as we clearly are still lending and most others aren't.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:49 pm
And in the spirit of April Fools' day, I forwarded your Press Release to Treasury. The President and the Secretary would have been elated at your agreeing to join them.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Okay. I"m a little slow today. I passed this on to Don. I hope he runs it on BMM with the rest of the spoofs.
Happy April Fools Day!!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Chris…yuk, yuk, yuk. A good one!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:50 pm
….Good Work!!! You were the only one to get me today!! Happy April Fool's Day… We owe you one!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:51 pm
I was going to recommend naming it the Lake Powell Loan…. o well.
Good One!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Wow, you have a wicked sense of humor (in a good way). - That was a fabulous idea, got me good. I, by the think it is a great idea and should be seriously considered by our federal government.
Good one,
Donna Loader
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:52 pm
it was rather a let down ,but you are good
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:52 pm
You still rock! What guts! I LOVE IT! Ok, now that your schedule isn't as consumed as I thought it might be, let's try getting that phone call on the books so you can help me not look like the fool I have been……come on, you know you want to help… although I can't express in words how disappointed I am that the same idiots will be running the government programs…
We aren't as lame as Cleveland, but we would sure love to get you hooked in with a couple of groups in Indy!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Hehehe, but I do not retract my congratulations!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Nice April Fools joke today!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:54 pm
I like your style.
Happy April Fools Day!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Good one! We all need a laugh during the slow march toward socialization of our lending institutions; automobile industry; and healthcare industry.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:55 pm
That was on hell of an April Fool. I thought after I"d replied yesterday that it might be but then when you posted the press release on the website I got duped back in again! After all Shearer really did become Newcastle Manager!
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:55 pm
But I was under the impression that you guys are not a serious company.Some of my sources have told me that you guys received undisclosed bailout money and have taken lavish vacations with the girls from Sports Illustrated and Hooters.Is there where my tax payer money is going? If so please count me in ,because if you can't beat joining them ain't so bad.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:56 pm
This was the best! You had me completely! I was even lamenting the fact that you guys weren't bringing me to London to document the honor with a video. The only reason you were able to fool me was because you guys are, in fact, pretty impressive. So, I wasn't really too surprised at the "news". When I got the second press release, I had the best belly laugh I've had in a while. Thanks.
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:24 am
Chris: that was really a good joke!
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:25 am
That was funny. I had several of my lenders calling in a panic saying what is the government doing, playing favorites with on lender. All in fun.
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:36 am
You got me! Before I received your last disclaimer, I was preparing to send you a congratulatory e-mail (no doubt joining the several hundred that you had already received) regarding your announcement about the SBA. Well done! However, the fact that you all were able to actually do this and have your clients and customers think it was legitimate simply demonstrates how successful you"ve been in the marketplace and how significant your presence really is and, for that, you really do deserve congratulations. Keep up the good work. In an otherwise gloomy economy, your story is a bit of optimism and encouragement for everyone. Hope all else is going well. Take care and I"ll talk with you soon.
April 6th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
For the record, we think it was funny . . .
April 6th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Maybe General Motors could issue a press release like this maybe causing a few heart attacks about filing for BK. On the face of it, I read it and knew it was B.S. Not funny. Glad I didn't waste much of my time downloading this missive and fishing it out of my SPAM folder.
April 8th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Thanks for the response. I bet you got a lot of flak on the April Fool's Day joke. Must be a fun, relaxed place to work.
One comment - the joke was too believable, considering the status of the economy and speed at which Obama is moving. I figured ya'll would be the next RTC. This is from someone who worked at two CDCs (one of which I set up), set up the first 7a Credit Union Business Lending Department in the State of LA, worked for two banks, one of which was Hibernia and is now Capital One, and a non-bank lender which used NMTCs.
You really got Alberto Queral, JEDCO. I passed it on to my boss with the comment that the fees that were reduced/eliminated had to be made up somewhere!
April 8th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Hi Chris,
unfortunately, the text could not be opened - and I don't think it was a follow-on to your April's Fool prank. Yes, I was incredulous but swallowed hard and said " wow, did Chris pull one off !" It fell in the category of anything's possible without a thought to the date. I am not surprised so many fell for it - you might have made it a bit more outrageous, although the invite to the G20 should have been the giveaway.
Well, good job Chris.
Michael
April 14th, 2009 at 8:01 am
I just read your email rescinding the announcement. Rats! I wanted it to be true.
Does it give you any ideas. SBA still doesn"t know how to run this program. They can"t market it, and they can"t quit trying to micro-manage the lending partners. There is still an SBA contingent that hates the program.
Hopefully, Karen Mills will make some changes, but her power is limited by the system.
Maybe the joke has given you some ideas? As a thirty year follower of Dan, it has given me some.
April 16th, 2009 at 9:06 am
Seems like you"re doing a disproportionate amount of apologizing. $%#/@% them if they can"t take a joke!