Chapter 14 - The foundation board pushes back
I expected loyalty.
Instead the board criticized me.
Correctly.
Board chair Eleanor Price said:
“You allowed informal family authority to bleed into foundation governance.”
I said:
“Yes.”
“You let Valeria use proximity to you as credential.”
“Yes.”
“You never asked why vendors called her family representative.”
“No.”
“You created ambiguity.”
“Yes.”
Arthur looked almost impressed by how little I argued.
Then reforms.
All external titles approved by board.
No personal-hosting agreements tied to foundation contracts without disclosure.
No using family names or likenesses without written consent.
Event liaison access terminated automatically.
Annual conflict-of-interest statements.
Valeria removed from all foundation roles pending investigation.
Not because I ordered.
Board vote.
Unanimous.
Then money.
Forensic review found:
Foundation had paid Valeria exactly according to approved consulting agreements.
No evidence she stole foundation funds.
Important.
Her outside benefits were the problem.
Some sponsors believed they were paying a family representative rather than an independent consultant.
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That became contract law.
Not embezzlement.
