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fellow Starkey graduate 04/15/2012 7:57:00 PM
I couldn't have said it better.
- a fellow Starkey graduate
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Mr. Miller 05/23/2010 8:55:00 PM
"....he thinks only his opinion matters."
Sherri- are you even old enough to be posting in these forums? ha ha! I believe you must be at least of voting age or higher to make comment here. That having been said, your commentary makes you appear to be without much life experience or clearly a victim of our public education system.
For the record, I believe that the comments of EVERY person who feels they have been wronged or defrauded to be the ones that matter - And at this point I have to wonder what possessed you to 'single out only MY commentary'.. from amongst dozens and dozens of other negative observations - all saying pretty much the same thing. Hmmmm.. fascinating.. simply fascinating.
I'm happy that you feel you received value for dollars spent. I'm also thrilled that you happened to slip through the cracks and got what you feel was a worthwhile education. Just please don't disparage other commentary, in overwhelming numbers to the contrary, simply because they did not get the experience they feel They paid for.
(*musing - Interesting.. how out of ALL the other commentary .. mine got singled out and targeted.. amazing!)
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Sherri 09/04/2009 10:51:00 PM
Hi there Susan, I have not seen a new comment in a while. You may have read my positive comment of the school and Mrs. Starkey then attacked by Mr. Miller, he thinks only his opinion matters. I am a satisfied graduate of the school and I was not placed in a position. What I achieved there was by my choice to learn, I spent many hours of my off time to catch up, I did not have the computer skills that many had. When they see you try the staff also takes there extra time to help you and that is what they did for me. In eight weeks I went from ground zero in computer skills to above average when I graduated and in my opinion and education worth the pay. The one on one I got was far greater than if I took a class. What I think people forget this is a school first, they do find positions but as you said that is not a guarantee. People use education for different reasons and mine was and is now to open a knock out nanny service able to compete with the best. I have designed my own web page and putting together what is needed to start a business like this, none of this would be possible if it was not for Starkey International.
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Susan 09/01/2009 5:46:00 AM
I've read all the articles about Mrs. Starkey on Westword. AND all the comments. I've got a feeling that a group of pissed off former Starkey employees and graduates are determined to destroy Mrs. Starkey personally and professionally. Out of 1000 Starkey graduates, this group is relatively small. As a former excecutive of Starkey, Mr. Miller should have known how many happy graduates had rewarding experiences at Starkey and found their jobs. But none was mentioned by Mr. Miller. That makes his comments much less credible. You guys all claimed that Starkey Int'l is a scam. But you even admitted some of the graduates have been placed. Starkey never guaranteed placement after graduation. Did you read the Terms before sending the check? If comments are one-sided, no matter which side, they loss merits. BTW, you all hate Starkey, but you still sign as "Starkey Graduate 07", etc. That means you still take the 8-week training as valuable education. I'm not a Starkey grad. I don't know any of the people envolved in this fiasco. I do want to hear the other side of the story. Any satisfied Starkey graduates, employees or clients? Please write to me: susanandsteve@yahoo.com.
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anon 05/27/2008 7:35:00 PM
Starkey was hired on a consultancy basis at a property where I worked. She and a minion interviewed all of us. The owners concluded that the exercise was a total waste of time and money.
You start to pity people who believe in "formal training" in American private
service. The right balance of life experience, ingenuity, and temper can't be conjured-up in a vocational school. Few if any highly educated individuals will countenance these jobs, on the grounds of inadequate pay and prestige.
So you have Starkeys preying on people too scared, cheap, or lazy to do proper vetting.
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Martin CJ Mongiello 12/08/2007 9:25:00 PM
Dear colleagues and readers,
For those of you whom are reading these postings about the arrest of Ms. Mary Starkey please be reminded that it is not so easy to be investigated and subsequently brought to court, have your trial elavated and then arrested. Her arrest was based on primary documents and testimony from a Medical Doctor as well as other data derived from interviews of students, staff and witnesses.
You can be assured of the facts that numerous articles have been reviewed published from MSN's the SLATE (Starkey article on - "Jeeves Goes to War"), numerous other lawsuits throughout the years involving Ms. Starkey and other primary and secondary documents.
As a Policeman graduating first in my class with the Department of Defense and continuing my studies at Troy State University in Criminal Law - I can assure all that despite TV mini-series and what have you, it is not so easy to be mistakenly arrested. I participated in several high-level investigations of American officials in the US and Europe at the request of government agents and agencies and did clandestine work for them. Many times, at the complete lack of knowledge of the subject. Also, as a practicing Private Detective, I can tell you the ground work leading up to information building and evidence gathering for hand-off to the Police or authorities can be extensive and very credible.
I was born under the sign of Justice, on August 11 as a LEO III sign, so I am the type of person whom lives inside of honesty and truth to the full effect of my life - as much as I possibly can. I LIKE TO SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE AND KNOW-HOW. Not conjecture and ambiguity. It is for these reasons that I have always been highly sought after as an Estate Manager with a US Government Top Secret clearance. I have no problem with two agents crawling through my life history and interviewing dozens and dozens of humans throughout decades of my lifespan to question them on my religious beliefs, criminal and driving records, medical histories and personality testing, work ethic and leadership skills, managerial methods and more. I was working for a long time in Household Management and Estate Management to the Forbes 400 list, the President of the United States, public personalities of fame and Hollywood, heads of state and Royal families when I then was sent to attend the Starkey Institute by the United States Military.
I think I am a good judge of what is right or wrong when it comes to teaching others about household management and estate management.
-I would, for instance, speak with a Bodyguard about security issues - because I have done the work myself.
-I might, on occasion, talk with a Master Gardener about plantings for the next season - as I have walked in his/her shoes.
-I could discuss items about canapes with the Chef as I am a Certified Executive Chef with the American Culinary Federation.
-I might purchase a Phillips HeartStart AED as I have extensive Emergency Medical Team experience and hold multiple certifications from the American Heart Association. And this is one of the few companies whom has not had thousands of AED's worldwide recalled.
-I regularly review budgets utilizing my skills learned and honed from an MBA degree and as a Master Certified Food Executive from the International Food Service Executives Association.
Ms. Mary Starkey is a Publicity and PR - Marketing machine. Don't be deceived by her appearance on ABC as meaning she personally holds any of the required skills, experience or graduation certificates from universities or other federations to actually do the work. Here lies the interesting part - she has never done the work of a household manager or estate manager and yet, we see the dozens of complaints filed against her in the newspaper blog here (over 40 from students and staff and clients) and tremendously - in the aforementioned story released by Westword. On that story, this comment has been mentioned again and again. I always ask that if others are going to point fingers into faces and tell people how to lead their professional lives - that they become a certified graduate of the area they will instruct on.
The funny thing with certification in the world is also, just because you obtain it once - does not mean you professionally retain it. All major certifying bodies mandate recertification every five years or you lose your credentials. Not that Ms. Starkey has any personal credentials at all, earned through coursework and practicum or essential demonstrative skills testing. In the case of earning such, she would subject herself to various trubunals and examination committees from affiliated associations and federations as well as the Department of Education in the United States and seek to retain certifications. Commonly this process involves the granting of a certification for a specific period of time - and then the individual and school most be re-evaluated and will either lose or retain rights.
As a professional member whom travels the world evaluating colleges and universities doing just this - I can tell you, the US Department of Education and all colleagues in education spend a year or longer preparing for such.
Individual humans whom call themselves professionals do such. No human etains a certification forever except in the rare instances of attaining MASTER level. Which is recognized worldwide. My own Master Certification was studied for over ten years.
If there is one thing I would say about very rich people is that most of them have reasons for seeking justice and honesty in hiring candidates that they could trust to be around their children, their checkbooks and their homes around the world. Let us not forget that most rich people also work very hard in America and invent, create or develop an idea, invention or business. RICH PEOPLE BUST THIER ASSES to get to where they are and they have no intention of slowing down to lose it all.
It is with the knowledge of speaking about the rich, their desires, working in the industry for over 26 years, being a teacher and being a graduate of Starkey myself that I would like to comment on the caliber of teachers and educators at Starkey.
When I attended in 2002 I flew in from Brussels, Belgium, the capitol of the European Union. The Headmaster was Mr. Allan Miller and he provided the most worthwile curriculum and teaching any student of this industry could dream of. Having worked at the White House and Camp David as well lived in Japan and Europe doing this job, Mr. Miller TAUGHT ME A FEW THINGS. He was hands down the finest Director of Education one could ever imagine. Mr. Charles Anderson was our Master Sommelier from the British Court of Sommeliers and never was there a more gentlemanly teacher in the world of cigars, beers, wines, cellars, spirits and more - than this distinguished Master. Ms. Gail Hamilton and Ms. Helen Penton were in charge of placement and did wonderful things in gentle nd realistic placements. They followed Ms. Penton's model of personality pairing for ultimate matches that resulted in well remunerated candidates. Students just graduating were put into small roles as household managers and experienced workers graduating were placed in similar roles to that level of excellence they had delivered upon already. First year students were never thrust into waiting months for a position nor were they ever thrust into estates they did not qualify for. The Starkey seal of approval was hands down the best in the industry! And, my friends, everyone knew it.
Mr. David Beckwith was the institutes Executive Chef and he developed and copyrighted his, "flavor profile," methodology of cooking. While I had once been the Executive Chef to the President of the United States - I have to tell you - Chef Beckwith not only was an expert but he cooked delicious meals. His classes and instruction were second to none - right along with anytime, the Drector of Education stepped into the classroom, Mr. Allan Miller.
I returned to service in Europe a thrice times better Estate Manager than I had ever been. However, no thanks to Ms. Starkey - for the few interactions I had with her had always been scary. One quickly learned to keep their mouth shut when she instructed in the classroom for she promoted and endorsed a FEAR-BASED organization.
Students and staff all knew that their input mattered little and would be dismissed, spoken to harshly or run down into the ground. If it took running someone into the ground with abusive behavior and violence - Ms. Starkey was up for the job.
The dicotomy of the world class, excellent school I graduated from versus someone whom chewed with her mouth open sickened me asit has many others. Naturally, it was difficult to look at. Any typical person would say so. The villainous manner of her outbursts and tirades with full, master control megalomania rooted in diatribes overcame many and obviously broke numerous down to tears, intestinal disorders and illness requiring hospitalization. Otherwise, we would now not be looking at testimony from a licensed, Medical Doctor. Apparently some rogues in society would seek to defame an MD as well as student graduates and instuctors. Would these same rogues see American society debased to the very core of fuedelism again? Is it okay to put you hands onto other human beings and physically hurt them? Is it okay to be caustic and curse at the top of your lungs using f&%# and other curse words to your staff? Is it professional to threaten people and belittle them?
Let me tell you once and for all, it is not okay to do so in America and people engaging in these acts will be arrested and imprisoned. If Ms. Starkey is ultimately found liable for criminal acts after her recent arrest - she will be punished.
It is a shame what has become of the school that I proudly graduated from and hold to this day to be a stellar education. Regretably, all of these people I mentioned have long ago left the school and formed up together. It is also a shame that students graduating after these instructors left are so bitterly complaining about the school, the heat, the food, the curriculum and the placement service. What a terrible waste of something that used to be great. What a shame.
I can honestly say that to this day when I see candidates resumes whom have the Starkey School on them up to the time Mr. Allan Miller was the Director, Ms. Penton and Hamilton were there, Mr. Anderson and Chef Beckwith taught - I know they received an excellent, certified education. This, for myself, is roughly up until the end of 2002. I don't know how long they stayed on thereafter (Mr. Miller was there several years all together).
I did allow myself to be placed once to help out a family in California and was screwed by Ms. Starkey, personally. She failed to abide by ethical rules of conduct and business demeanor. Things in a Washington or Jeffersonian ideal I evidently assumed were standard for good business. She likes to make money off of the US Military candidates but has no idea about our ideals, honor, courage or commitment. No idea whatsoever. She then offered me to teach at her academy - no thank you. Please never, ever, never call or write to me again, do not fax me and do not email me and do not have anyone call or communicate with me on earth for as long as I shall live.
Yours truly,
Sir Martin CJ Mongiello, MBA
CEC, MCFE, CHM, CPFM
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someone who got out just in ti 11/29/2007 10:13:00 PM
Hello to everyone who is checking this page occasionally. There is another Starkey Article about her arrest on November 16. Copy and paste this link in your browser to get to it. It's called "She got Served"
http://www.westword.com/2007-11-22/news/she-got-served/1
Don't forget the comments on this one, too. And those of you who are sitting on the sidelines, SAY SOMETHING!!
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Marciano Miego 11/17/2007 6:08:00 AM
I�ve been reading a lot of negative issues regarding Starkey International especially in the facet of training and the associated cost of it. I had just finished another type of training in a culinary institute that is four times the cost charged by Starkey. I had a lot of experienced that I could say negative as well under so many different Instructors. Still I did not pay attention into these. I reasoned out into myself that I am inside the classroom to gain knowledge not to save a lot of emotional feelings and stress. I had survived a total of fifteen months with all the things around me using a positive thinking.
What we can find anywhere inside the training schools is just a dot compared to what we can encounter in the real world. I had been employed in two private homes and before I entered each home I already prepared myself of what I am going to experienced inside. The problem is we have not fathomed of what are we going to have when we took a servant�s job whatever the title and designation is assigned to we might be a; �Household Manager, Butler, Valet, etc.,� it doesn�t make a difference.
In general we are still a servant, the only difference between us the modern servants compared to the old classic servant are; the old servants are chained, are serving their masters, and name any other things that you will never like. While we the modern servants are given a nice title, provided with a nice vehicle free of charge, with gasoline allowance, with mileage paid during travel, issued with a corporate credit card where we can charge everything that we needed in order to serve our employers. A nice accommodation, free foods, free uniforms, a complete health care free of charge, and a wages, salaries, and benefits that we cannot easily find if we will just take a job in the corporate or any other areas in the field as a working class.
I am not blaming the students of their actions and feelings, I am just sharing to them that when it comes to this world we cannot get whatever we wanted to. The employers would not look up to us to a level that we are imagining. At their mentality they are going to get what they are paying for. If we wanted to be successful in this industry aside from getting any training in Household Management or Culinary Arts we should consider also another type of training, which is very important for our survival in this field that is to take a lesson in Psychology, this is very helpful especially for us. If we have an ego then this job is not for us.
There are so many people out there who are fascinated with this job maybe because it is a highly rewarding job in terms of salaries, wages, and benefits. Without considering what are the reasons behind why the billionaires and millionaires are paying that much. We cannot change their mentality but we can control ours, am I right? If Mrs. Starkey is showing an attitude that is not likeable; then she is just showing what are a real world and environment that we have to deal with when we are already employed inside the mansions of these rich and famous individuals. I am not saying here that I agree with her dealing with her students but this is a testing ground if a candidate can survive in their future employment. Whatever you had seen inside her mansion and whatever dealings you had meet or experienced with her believed me it can only be compared to a dot, in the real world it is more than a sentence or a paragraph or a lot of pages. It is just a dot!
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Stephanie Sloan 09/23/2007 2:22:00 AM
Leslie,
The shear mention of "Starkey Graduate" on your resume can hurt you. It has nothing to do with the words that are spoken here. If you are a viable candidate with a true service heart and great standards and work ethics, there are many placement agencies who will find you a job. I will tell you that I dealt with at least two who sneared at the very fact that I was a Starkey graduate however, my resume and experience spoke for itself. If that is your story, Starkey cannot hurt you nor can telling the truth. Noone here is slandering Mrs. Starkey or the institution, I think they "we" are simply telling the truth. Noone enjoys paying a ton of money for anything to find out they've been lied too. Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is no matter what school it is, it is simply a foundation.
Let's use culinary school for an example. If you go into culinary school with zero experience. Should you expect to come out making top dollar as an executive chef? No, because it takes a lot of training and hard work and that is a two year program. Starkey is 8 weeks at best and with no experience in the service industry (realistically) should we expect to come out with what we learned there and make top dollar? If you have worked in the industry already, maybe; if you have not, it's doubtful. The problem has been with the promises made by Starkey to place her students and then not following through on those promises.
In the end, you are correct, these words do not hurt Mrs. Starkey. They only give those of us wronged by her actions a venue to vent. Mrs. Starkey needs real professional help and until she gets it, she will continue to be her own worse enemy.
I wish you the best in finding a job in the industry, because you sound like a true service heart.
Stephanie
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unemployed Starkey Grad 09/21/2007 7:05:00 PM
Leslie--You are correct in saying that this expose can possibly hurt Starkey graduates. The truth is, however, the truth. The fact that MLS has cheated, defrauded and mistreated to the point where so many people are compelled to tell their stories, possibly at their own career peril, should be an eye-opener. My career is important, but my belief in God, karma and "doing the right thing" drives me to put the truth--and helping other people--first. Isn't that a true service heart, rather than one that is only out for its own income protection?
And don't forget--if MLS's placement promises were true, then we would have been somewhat more inclined to put up with her crazy, abusive behavior. The fact that such a small % of grads are actually placed in this field--and generally at far lower salaries than advertised and promised--is a fact that must be publicized. Before a person makes the commitment to quit one's job and pay a small fortune for this training, they need to know that their placement chances are far less than the stated "near 100% placement rate" my classmates and other Starkey grads were sold on.
Any school or job field that is predicated upon lies and subterfuge is destined to be exposed sooner or later. Don't lament the people were defrauded and who told the truth about it. Instead blame MLS because she's the one who's ruined it for everybody.
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Leslie Bogart 09/21/2007 6:13:00 AM
I can't keep reading all this and help from thinking how this is hurting Starkey graduates more than Mrs. Starkey. Mrs. Starkey isn't out there looking for employment. She has a business to run and will do so regardless of anything that is posted here. I am a Starkey graduate, and glad I went there. I learned alot about myself. So what...you had to go to store to learn about caring for fur....Did you ever stop to think about the logistics of transporting all those expensive items to Starkey? You made the choice to attend Starkey...stop whining. I took out a loan to attend Starkey and although i am not making the money I "could or should be making" I am serving people and feel good about what I am doing. Isn't that why you chose to go to Starkey- to nurture your service heart?
And yes, MLS did work on the service side. She started her business by cleaning houses. I am not writing to defend her. I am just wondering about how this article and these posts affect those of us who graduated from Starkey. As we all know, being placed is a very difficult process and now with this mark on the Starkey school it makes prospective principals wonder about the competency of the employee they might be hiring to manage their home and lives. Have you thought about the possibility that you might be "shooting yourself in your foot"? And how these things are potentially hurting everyone except Mrs. Starkey?
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Maks 09/17/2007 5:28:00 PM
HAHAHA! wow... Mr. Miller... my sides still hurt from laughing...
a couple of comments ;)
#32... did you not recognize our dear friend Ms. "Subway".. oops i'm sorry Ms. Metrot :D ... awww... it's so nice when your friends try and support you *blink blink* ... :D
First Lady of Service... wait wait... i think you misunderstood this :D:D you don't have to work in Service to have that... you just have to kcuf it... and we all know she's done that so much she most definitely is... Mrs. Service :D
Bathtub phonecall? lol I know you got better stories than that... out of all the people there (with the exception of each and every VP we had... oops did i say that? ok fine excluding Mrs. Dunham :D and Mr. Thulis.. i hope anyway) we're the few unlucky ones that have seen THINGS... bad... bad... things... I still have a hard time repressing some visions LOL...
ohhh well... i still think my time at starkey was worth it :) Kudos to all who briefly touched their lives with mine :))
Good luck to everyone that's still there!
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Allan Miller 09/12/2007 1:43:00 AM
First off, so that no one has to wonder as they read this � I�ll say it right up front: My name is Allan Miller and I am a Certified Household Manger, well-versed in the Starkey System of Household Management � as well as the �Starkey� System of Management. I am also a former Director of Education and Headmaster for the Starkey Institute.
I would like to address a number of matters here in addition to some of the comments on the story. Not in the interest of �piling on� but simply for the sake of integrity and clarity.
The first thing that I should like to note would be a couple of the comments posted, or questions asking:
��.what is to be gained by all this attack on this woman�, which nearly floored me, before I then had a bit of a chuckle. (and please read that quote very carefully because that is exactly the way it was worded) (In particular, comment #32)
Allow me to explain, Comment #32, why your delusional and uninformed outburst holds no water with me.
Perhaps it�s just the educator in me, but I am compelled to clarify for you that the industry, to which the article referred, is about PRIVATE, and not �privite� service... I won�t even mention the other horrid misspellings in your statement, but they did cause me to wonder about how in tune you really are with the situation. If you are not aware enough to engage a spell-check feature for something this important, then how can anyone trust you to be �aware� enough about Madame Starkey, to make informed commentary regarding her outrageous and embarrassing behaviors at all?)
If you really loved her, #32, you would also know that she prefers to be addressed as Mrs. Starkey, not Ms. Starkey.
Yes, it would be very easy to say to her �I love you� if you had not had the rare privilege of experiencing personal interaction with her on a regular basis; as I am sure the members of the People�s Temple also loved Jim Jones�
right up until the time they drank the Cool-aid.
�Bottoms Up!", number 32!
That having been said, my next question directly to you is �How can you, as a supposedly rationally thinking person, read over 30 personal statements, recounting virtually identical experiences, and incidentally, from people, most of whom have Never met nor spoken to each other, and then still reference them as �Attacks.� ??
While you are toning up your spelling and communication skills, #32, please, please let me encourage you to learn the difference between the words �Attack� and �RESPONSE�.
These are responses, at long last, to a person whose behaviors in the workplace, and throughout my profession are considered by most to be beyond vulgar, bordering on insanity - with enough corroborating commentary to make the previous postings entirely credible. I know because I lived it for three years as an employee, and also as a student in the summer of 1994. Make no mistake: there is something definitely and catastrophically wrong at 1350 Logan Street in Denver, Colorado.
To sum up my response to you #32, If �.. and pay close attention here because this is important:
IF�..you are suggesting that this same woman �..who claims to SET STANDARDS (it�s the title of her book, by the way) in household service... is the same person whom through this type of juvenile, inappropriate, and totally unprofessional behavior� claims that she is attempting to simulate a private home atmosphere by her actions� and that this is �THE STANDARD� with which she�s trying make her students familiar � then God help us all because these two concepts cannot logically exist on the same plane.
To further respond to just one more of the �responders: another voice of additional support that was also of grave concern to me; in particular, the quote by Randy Wren in Westword:
�Keep pushing, dear Mary. You have never lost a friend who counted. May your students keep coming and your client list be anchored in the securest regions of our ever-changing world.
Randy Wren,
Denver �
WHAT???!!!
While I respect your right to say what you will Mr. Wren, I can also say to you that speaking your peace in a public forum also invites responsible and INFORMED comment.
My concern with your words is that they are based on a completely invalid premise � which is that Mary Starkey has ANY friends, whatsoever, because she does not seem to possess the emotional wherewithal, nor even the slightest capacity, inclination or basic consciousness to maintain friendships.
But you couldn�t know that because you have never been on the other side of the mansion doors after they have closed on yet another infamous Starkey Formal Dinner, where ALL of her �Friends�, yes, every last one of them, are trashed to the endth degree, and their legs are symbolically �broken� by her in order to make her feel as though she walks just that much better. It is �sad� on a level that I cannot begin to describe.
�May your students keep coming.�?? That, to me sir, would be tantamount to standing at the slaughterhouse door and smiling at the sheep while waving them in: �Welcome dear sheep�.may you keep coming � that�s right �.step this way please.� Once again, to your credit and well-meaning, you cannot begin to understand because you have not lived it as the rest of us have.
I need for you to know �.that I FORGIVE you for that statement because realize that you have NO idea of what you have spoken, nor how much damage could be done as a result of it. You, sir, have not lost between thirteen and fifteen thousand dollars,,, dashed on the rocks and shoals via the foggy abyss of Madame�s fantasy life.
If you could have seen�.. just a tiny fraction of the acid and anger and terror I saw� with my own eyes, visited upon some of the most beautiful, loving, caring service hearts I have ever known� to have watched them as I did, leave the mansion in wracking sobs and tears, utterly beaten down at the hands of this sad, deluded creature... you would not wish her anything but the complete and professional counseling of which she is in such dire need. If you could have seen what the rest of us have seen you would be repenting in dust and ashes for what you said.
Imagine going in to work or into an learning environment every day knowing that simply by virtue of your very existence that you were just �WRONG�, and that nothing you did (even when done exactly as requested, using the exact same concepts upon which you had been successfully tested in her classes) would EVER be good enough; that you only existed in a permanent state of �Wrong�.. Imagine � The �Survivors� have been there, Mr. Wren.. Have you?
The next fantasy I should like to address would be this notion of �The First Lady of Service.�
I shall NEVER forget the day �Our Lady� floated THAT gem as a trial balloon at one of our now infamous Wednesday morning staff meetings. (Incidentally, one of the VERY rare times I can remember her showing up on time for these useless sessions. And please don�t misunderstand,,, she did have some wonderful, wonderful excuses as to why she could not seem to make it to the �required attendance� get-togethers at the proposed hour; however, to this day they are unbelievably laughable and still earn grade �F� on the Leadership Report Card.
As she would stand there, many times, in her now infamous designer velour sweat suit, hair askew, and at her own confession not having bathed in days, with that deer-in-the-headlights-I-wonder-if-they-can-tell-I-just-woke-up-and-are-they-buying-ANY-of-this-? look on her face, and to watch her stumble over the story she would attempt to fabricate on the spot, as yet another slap in the face to all of the superior professionals in her employ � people who got up every morning and subjected themselves to her tirades because they believed in a �Vision� that she no longer, if ever, had the ability to process� well.. let�s just say it was �quite the show�, and I actually laughed out loud when hearing this talk of the �First Lady� of Anything.
The questions to myself then, as they remain now, were: �IF��this foul-mouthed, vituperative personification of hollow arrogance could possibly be considered The First Lady of ANYthing, let alone Service, then what on EARTH do we call someone the likes and character of Mother Theresa? How completely self-absorbed could one possibly be!?
In order to be considered �First Lady� of anything�would not one need to first be �A Lady�??
But the next, and by far MOST important question is �How can she even begin to consider the title �The First Lady of Service�, when she has never SERVED anyone??.
Imagine, if you will for just a moment, a chief surgeon at a hospital whom has not only �Never performed an operation�, but flat-out Refused to operate on a patient. Imagine a butcher who refused to cut meat. Now please, for the love of logic, explain to me how someone whom has Never served anyone, or anything, other than heaping portions of terror and misery, earn the title of �First Lady of Service�??
You haven�t lived, Mr. Wren � I mean �.you really don�t know how fulfilling life can be until �Madame� has called you on a Sunday morning, after everything else that you�ve endured throughout the work week, having just a few moments of breathing time to collect your thoughts and to reflect on what your existence has become under her employ � and feeling that the lion�s share of your responsibility has become Damage Control before the students rather than the education process for which they paid dearly; as she makes veiled threats about your job security and subtly reminds you how replaceable everyone is� as after a while as she drones on and on, her voice is no longer about words.. but a constant hum in your ear.. a death rattle from an entity that has declared all-out war on rational thought.
But wait... what�s that noise??�.. that sloshing sound?? Oh my god��she�s calling me, her Director of Education, trainer of her Students, including White House and Camp David Presidential personal service staff, on Sunday morning �� FROM THE BATH TUB!! The one day a week she just MIGHT just happen to clean up and I get to be a part of that as well?? And it happened more than once, Mr. Wren�.
Setting Standards? No, thank you.
And yes, like the others I could go on and on and on � but eventually, the question comes up �..from the last few,,, the die-hard supporters:
�Then why didn�t you just leave?� �Why didn�t you quit?�
And the answer is: I did quit� �..we all did ��and in DROVES� I would imagine scores, if not hundreds of us over the years. In the four years alone since I�ve been apart from Starkey International I am aware of no fewer than two complete Entire staff change-overs. (That would be over 100% x 2, to you and me. In anyone�s book, a horrifying statistic)
We wanted to believe. We wanted to make it happen. But we could not � it was beaten out of us and we were simply not allowed. She HAD to keep fixing things UNTIL they were broken.
Amazing still to me is that not ONE of these comments, from any of us, will strike a chord within her that something has gone terribly wrong with her �Vision�. She will instead continue to strive even harder now to engage in behaviors that are proven to be the antithesis of productivity until she self-destructs.
I am not ashamed in ANY way of the program I conducted for the education of Household Managers and Private Service Professionals. Not in the least. I fought hard to ensure that students received value for dollars spent, and I know it was superior � (And here I MUST offer special thanks and great respect to my two leading administrators, Mr. Charles Anderson, a true gentleman, whose credentials and experience in the world of wine and spirits, as well as service education and culinary arts at their highest levels, go without challenge � and my right arm for those years, Chef David Beckwith, a Chef�s Chef and professional�s professional; a beyond-superior educator, still consulting with the Camp David Presidential Retreat, as well as thriving in his own private consulting firm - and whose credentials and experience, would overwhelm even the most seasoned veteran in our industry) � as well, there are dozens and dozens of students who wrote me in their own hand to tell me so.
I hear the stories.. over and over again � still. And I am no longer shocked. I am just sad. For an idea with such great potential, whose leader has become such a laughing stock; one to be pitied because she cannot seem to connect with anything other than anger and that cascading waterfall of aggression, proving once and for all the old adage that: �When the only tool you have is a hammer �every problem becomes a nail�.
I've lived through some pretty rotten deals in my life. I've had some employment scenarios turn for the worst and not work out the way I'd hoped � I think we all have. I've had some employers lie about my honesty, simply because they could - it was much easier than thinking a problem through. I actually had one accusing me of being a drug dealer - HA! But I can say without reservation that my time spent working for Madame Starkey, the thought of which even today, makes my skin crawl in disgust and complete revulsion, was by far the worst employment experience I have ever had, or WILL ever have.
And if tomorrow I were to be diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), final-stage lung cancer and diabetes � all at once, I could Still look toward heaven and humbly say �Thanks be unto God that I no longer work for Mary Starkey."
And like the other good folk in the comment section here, I have no problem signing my name at the top because every word is true.
May hell be hot enough and eternity long enough.
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Stephanie Sloan 08/31/2007 12:31:00 PM
I will say bravo Lisa for telling your story. I was a student when Lisa Robinson was her household manager and she (Ms. Robinson) was a great person whom all the students (7 of us) loved. Are the stories true, absolutely because you cannot explain the high turnovers without having a story to tell. My husband and I met and married at the so-called mansion and that is the only happy story that came out of Starkey for us. The rest was a waste of time. We were still in the Air Force and needed no placement at the time however, given the status of our class (we were called trouble makers) we didn't feel good about any future placement.
Upon retirement we went back to Starkey seeking placement in the industry only to have to deal with three different people in a three month period. We say Mrs. Starkey for the first time since April of 2004 and one of her first comments were "You were not an easy class". In a nutshell, we were still being branded for speaking our minds about the program. We attempted to voice our opinions in a way that would help her make the curriculum stronger and more beneficial for those of us who were already performing the same type duties in the military. She wanted no part of what we had to say and it went downhill from there. I know exactly why Ms. Robinson was fired and it was such a travesty to the class, we felt her loss.
My husband due to his unique skill set landed a job through Starkey with ease. Mrs. Starkey offered me a position as an instructor on her staff but I am smarter than that. I knew about the high turnover and I witnessed the way students were treated. That being said, I never received placement through Starkey. My last conversation with a Starkey employee was declining an interview that she'd attempted to set me up with because I didn't feel that it was a good fit. The person said they would call me back with a plan B. Well the plan B was never receiving a phone call and them taking my profile off of their website without nary a conversation. No we have nothing else for you, nothing. The sad part is I knew the person she hired to replace the person before and he didn't even do me the courtesy of calling me offline. I've long suspected that Mrs. S was monitoring both her employees calls and emails because I would send an email to one person to be answered by Starkey moments later, very strange.
At any rate, I fell in love and met the love of my life and Starkey and yes Mrs. Starkey we were "on our own agenda". However, that agenda is still the best thing that happened for us out of that school. I since contacted two other agencies, one of which I was placed through, and told "Starkey graduates were not looked favorably upon in the industry". I quickly disassociated myself with them and said my experience, integrity, loyalty and desire to excel will speak for itself. On the other hand, we are grateful for my husband's God-ordered job through a Starkey lead.
Mrs. Starkey was always saying very loosely "God bless you". I truly hope that she will come to have a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior. I wish her no harm and will only state that "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you" is a very real principal. The other Biblical principle is the fact that if it's done in the dark it will come to light because God is all knowing and He is watching even when noone else is. I pray that this disclosure will make Mrs. Starkey a better person and that she will now come to realize that it is not always everyone else, look in the mirror.
This lady is a visionary who surrounded herself with a very talented staff only to scare them away with her unprofessional tactics. I wish her the best and I pray that her light will shine brighter because she will get the help she needs to help her overcome her biggest enemy "her".
The after story for me is that through another agency I found employment with a lovely couple a couple whom I would have never found through Starkey; I am truly blessed and I love my job!! Kudos to the agency I worked with because they did their job and ensured it was a perfect match for both me and the client.
Hey Lisa!!! Like Lisa, I too will sign my name because everything I said here is 100% true and while it's not the half of it; my goal is not kick someone when they are down. I am sure some classes and some employees had great experiences however, that is just not my story; did I mention I met and married my husband there? Good luck everyone and God bless Mrs. Starkey. Stephanie Sloan
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Yet Another Starkey Survivor 08/18/2007 3:03:00 PM
Discretion, code of ethics, what a pile of BULL! Mrs. Starkey is physically and emotionally abusing people, not to mention outright lying, and we are supposed to abide by a code of ethics that the leader of the school ignores? I don't think so. And her role as principal? Whatever! She is, in the end, a business woman in the service industry. She is also the self-proclaimed "First lady of Service". Her behavior should be exemplary. If she wants to play principal, she needs to leave the service industry and go sit at home.
I also attended Starkey and can guarantee that the students quoted in this article are not all from the same class. We too were served frozen pizza on our first night. It was a beautiful summer day in Denver; certainly no weather-related issues here.
The admissions office lied to me and to other members of my class. Upon arrival at school, that admissions staff had been replaced. During our 8-week course, that new staff also departed quite suddenly.
Much of our training was spent racing around the mansion, given tasks to mimic our future employment but for which we recieved neither instruction nor supervision, and learned that whatever we did, it would end up being the wrong thing. We expected to be yelled at because that was the norm. The long days and harsh treatment were supposed to show the placement department how we handled stress. However, we rarely saw anyone in placement, and if I were to return to Starkey in search of a new position (not likely!), that entire placement department is long gone. So much for that idea.
In a nutshell, I did get placed by Starkey, but it was a poor match. After leaving that position, I stupidly allowed myself to speak with MLS and she blamed me for the failure. I chose to use my own judgment while on the job and she informed me that was WRONG. So much for being an intelligent, educated, Certified Household Manager, because that is not the kind of person she wants to place. She also threatened me, saying that I needed to take care of her if I ever wanted to work in this industry. It tells you something about a person and how they handle their business that when a placement does not work out, it is considered a failure. Perhaps a more positive phrase might be a poor match, but she insists on using such negative language. What student stands a chance? We received hours of lectures about failed placements and the potential for our own future failure, but few stories of successful placements.
Anyone who treats others this poorly deserves what they get. The universe returns to you what you give out. It is not in my nature to go around blasting people publicly but there comes a time when you need to speak out. I understand that some individuals have had good experiences at Starkey. They seem to be few and far between. I don't know what will become of MLS and her business. Knowing her, she will probably weather the storm and come out fine, kind of like the cockroaches that seem to exist in every environment.
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starkey survivor 08/18/2007 1:26:00 PM
There is no loyalty or confidentiality owed to a dishonest businessperson. If Mrs. Starkey were an honorable person who delivered what students paid for and treated them with respect, this wouldn't be happening. If Starkey Star were truly a friend, she'd do better by encouraging Mrs. Starkey to change her ways, get help and become an honorable person. You're outnumbered because, alas, you are dead wrong.
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Starkey Star 08/18/2007 6:13:00 AM
I am unsure what it is to be gained by all this attack on this women. Personally I think Ms. Starkey is an amazing person and has her heart in the right place. The whole purpose of this program is to teach in a setting of a possible privite home, Ms. Starkey's role is that of a principle as well as being the heart of it. What kind of grade do you think a privite service worker might get by disclosing all this privite and slandering of the head of the home. Mabie you don't like your employer, then leave but remember that you are breaking a code of ethics one of perticular that of loyality, something all students sighn when we attend Starkey. Unlike the corperate world, we work in a person's privite home, we are in the home but not of it and when we leave it ,all things in those walls should be kept their. Though I may be out nunbered here I know how I feel, why I attended Starkey and I belive in what Ms. Starkey stands for. I love you Ms. Starkey and I stand by you during this attack.
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anon 08/17/2007 11:01:00 PM
Prestigious schools often put out unimpressive graduates, just as problem schools may put out highly impressive ones. Any prospective employer with common sense should evaluate the applicant based upon his/her individual worth. I had some Starkey classmates who were so amazing that I wish I could work them. Don't disregard them for problems they didn't cause and couldn't control.
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Michelle D. Funatsu 08/17/2007 9:41:00 PM
I am terribly disappointed at what seems to be the deterioration of the standards at Starkey International Institute for Household Management, as detailed in your article. I am a Starkey graduate, and while my first posting was not a result of placement by the school, I have been in private service since graduation and have always felt that my Starkey training prepared me very well.
When I attended Starkey in 2002, the curriculum and educators (particulerly Mr. Allan Miller) were stellar, the field trips were interesting and pertinent, and the culinary track, as well as the quality of ingredients provided for the preparation of our meals, were all exceptional. Classes took up half of each weekday, and the skills we were taught, both technical and managerial, were an invaluable foundation for us in our new profession. It is sadly apparent that things are no longer the same.
I am distressed to think that if this report is the first exposure potential employers have to Starkey International, they may be seriously disinclined even to interview a Starkey graduate, which does Starkey students, and the industry as a whole, a disservice. What a pity that it is Mrs. Starkey's own behavior which prevents her students from representing the Institute as she would like it to be represented!
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Robin Catton 08/17/2007 7:09:00 PM
This course reminds me of the "course" I did in Australia with an "International Butler Trainer" It cost $6000 Australian dollars; big bucks back in 1990, for three weeks "training". When I wrote a comment about the standard of the course in a newsletter one of the participants gumped up, the "trainer" threatened legal action. Indeed, the drama is the thing he thrived on. It was pathetic. I was just dumb enough to make my observations public and paid a serious price of the trainer not giving any assistance for work placement. Hell, who would want to pay $10,000 for the priveledge of hiring someone. There's a lot of smoke and mirrors in this game.
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noname 08/17/2007 6:31:00 PM
Chris M is correct that we do not want the world to see others that were either employees or students of Starkey to be any thing that Mary Starkey is. During my employement the students were a wonderful group of competent people with good character. This includes the staff as well. Thanks for the reminder Chris M.
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Chris M 08/17/2007 6:09:00 PM
As a former student of Starkey, I must say that this article tells the truth, rather than stretches it. Mary Starkey is exactly as portrayed, a maniac who believes it's her right to screw with your life and career. She believes herself to be the chosen savior of the Personal Service industry and that gives her the right to act, say or do anything that comes into her mind.
I was also promised big things from the school, excellent education and training with job placement afterwards. I got none of it. While I have served as a Personal Bulter/Valet and a Household Manager for extremely wealthy families, these jobs I got myself through an agency in London. Job placement from Starkey was zero. Out of eight people in my class, only one person is working in the field and that is definately not due to lack of trying. as far as I have been able to find out, Starkey is able to place less than 10% of her students (that's not to say a higher percentage isn't working in the field but if you look closely you'll find most students find jobs for themselves, rather than being placed by Starkey).
While the article is right on point, I do feel there are a couple of points that were glossed over and should of had a more promenient place in the article.
First, while she definitely deserves all of the negative comments in the article, the truth is she almost singlehandedly dragged the Service Industry out of the dark ages (slaves, servants, menial workers) and into the modern age (Household Manager). Without her there definitely wouldn't be the salaries listed in the article $50 - 125k). It was a tremendous accomplishment that would of crushed most other people. She has provided many with a viable, well paid career that wasn't available before her.
But the biggest point is that in disparging her and her reputation you disparge everyone involved with her (students and staff) which I believe to be very unfair. The members of my class, for the most part, were very high caliber individuals. A success in their own right before they ever came to the school. Each came with an amazing background and lifestory. To lump them in as ill trained and incompentent is an outright insult.
As bad as that is, I feel an even bigger insult was paid to the Starkey staff. When I went to school Alan Miller was the Headmaster, Chef Beckworth headed Culinary and Mr Anderson taught wine and entertainment. Each one of these people are outstanding individuals who gave us 120% under VERY difficult conditions (working for Mary Starkey). They tried their absolute best to prepare, educate and train us to be successful Household Managers. Gail Hamilton and all of the other who worked in the Placement office tried everything to place us (they even went as far as pulling me to the side and privately talking to me about opportunities I couldn't or wouldn't get through Starkey.) I personally have nothing but good to say about the staff and feel the article did them a great disservice.
Now, if I had it all to do again, would I? Absolutely not. I feel I was flatly lied to and cheated. I received nothing promised by the school and what I have accomplished has been on my own or through the friends I made while attending the school. Would I recommend the school to anyone else? No, as a whole I wouldn't.
The school is definitely needed to advance the profession. It just needs to be a run as aschool and not the person vision of a maniac.
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karen 08/17/2007 7:13:00 AM
It is with great interest that I have read this article and the following comments. It feels like validation. As a graduate of Starkey's Household Management program (2002) I left Denver feeling vaguely dissatisfied with the program and my experiences there. We too were told we were the best candidates they had ever had, the most cohesive group. I felt at the time they were laying it on a bit thick and that there must have been some major issues with previous classes. Allan Miller was our instructor and I knew he was completely frustrated with the program. I think a great deal of the problem was the huge disparity between the students. Developing a curriculum to encompass all the varying needs of the 10 people in my class would be nearly impossible. So perhaps better screening of candidates should be part of any new program. I went into the program with 10 years of hospitality industry experience and was looking for a boost to take my experience up a notch. I did not really find it at Starkey.
As a Canadian without a green card, they did not promise me placement. However, with a Canadian office I felt fairly confident that I would be able to find a job or why did the office exist? When I left Starkey it took 2 years before I got my first placement. Apart from putting us together Starkey had very little to do with my placement. All the promises that they would negotiate salaries, benefits etc. never materialized. I was on my own and consequently did not handle it very well. I have since moved to another position which I found on the Starkey website. Again, apart from putting us together, they did little or nothing for me. I wonder what the placment fee is for. When you add the two placement fees that have been paid for me plus what I paid in tuition (think Canadian dollars) to Starkey, the company doesn't appear to be doing too badly.
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Lisa Robinson 08/17/2007 6:09:00 AM
I loved this article and the postings. It is high time that the public got to see behind the curtain of Starkey International. Prospective students and employers deserve to know the truth about what goes on at the Nightmare on Logan Street. I was a student in 2003 and the Household Manager at Starkey for about 90 days in 2004. Looking back, I was na� about the quality of education and the curriculum. I adored my instructors including the committed Mr. Miller, the colorful Chef Beckwith and the dignified Mr. Anderson. I respected the placement department who I feet sincerely wanted to find a position for me. I gave up a lucrative but no longer satisfying career in real estate sales to attend Starkey because I believed that I would be embarking on an exciting, rewarding career, managing a household for a �high net worth� family and providing the service delivery system they needed to live the lifestyle they had earned.
What is missing in the article is the basic job function of a Household Manager. A Household Manager is hired to develop, implement, and manage an ever evolving service delivery system for a principal and possibly his or her family, taking their history, goals and desires into account, and providing service as they want it provided. Real professionals in the field will tell you that Household Management is so much more than programming tivo, changing the oil in the Bentley, and swinging a feather duster.
When I arrived at Starkey in May 2003, I was told to �trust the process,� which I did. As the students of the now famous (infamous?) January � February 2007 class, I figured that Starkey Certification meant something and that Starkey and Starkey certified graduates were being successfully placed and surely I could trust the school and the mission. I didn't occur to me not to trust the process. I had the time of my life and really enjoyed my fellow students and our curricula until mid-term when I realized that the best students who were taking the course seriously and the worst students who were incompetent, argumentative, and sadly, not trainable would all have the same certification and there were people in my class that I wouldn�t hire under any circumstances. They were very nice people, just not Household Management material. I was always confident that I would be placed since I was one of the top students in my class, my household manager�s book was stellar, I had run my own business, I had run two resorts in Colorado and had the service and hospitality skills, the technology skills, the polish and the people skills to be a successful Household Manager.
I learned a lot at Starkey. Granted, my first week there, a couple of my fellow students had a run in with �Madam� (what we called Mrs. Starkey when we weren�t calling her Mrs. Starkey). However, I was able to stay away from her and do my work and graduate at or near the top of my class. I didn�t have any conflicts with Madam until I ill advisedly accepted the Household Manager position in January, 2004. The receptionist had been fired, the Director of Education had taken a position in the field and so I was thrust into basically performing the funcitons of receptionist, Education Director and Household Manager as an inexperienced, brand new Starkey Certified Household Manager. People tried to warn me against taking the position; however, I thought �how hard can it be to get along with Mrs. Starkey? After all, I can get along with almost everyone.� In a way, it was a challenge I wanted to take on to show people that it was possible to get along with Mrs. Starkey.
To make a long story short, I lasted exactly 90 days. I worked for an average of 12 hours a day. Yes, I kept track. The first six weeks were busy, interesting in many ways (I was part of Starkey! I was seeing behind the curtain!), but the pace was unsustainable. I became physically and emotionally exhausted. No offense to our troops actually serving in harm�s way, but working at the Mansion was like being in a war zone. Mrs. Starkey would fixate on some minor issue and be at it like a dog on a bone. For me, she hated my clothes. I spent $1000 buying several new outfits just so she would SHUT UP. Believe me; my clothes weren�t bad at all. I dressed conservatively in skirts and suits; nothing ever low cut or inappropriate. And the longer I was there, the meaner she got. And cruel, too. I just don�t think she could help it, although that doesn�t excuse her behavior. No one has ever treated me so cruelly, and I�ve had demanding bosses throughout my life. I think I made her mad because I would never argue with her. It was worse than arguing with her. I just refused to engage and that infuriated her. At some point she decided that she didn�t like me (it seemed to start shortly after my first group of students acknowledged me with a standing ovation at their graduation). After that I was a marked woman. Nothing I did was right. So after being screamed at by her when I did something wrong, the next time I would do the opposite. And that was wrong, too. I quickly recognized that the rules were that what I did was always wrong and if what I did was right, then the rules had to change because whatever I did had to be wrong.
Near the end of my career at Starkey, I had a routine blood test. I had a kidney transplant in 1996, so the docs like to monitor my kidney function. Of all the years from 1996 to 2004, my new kidney was functioning pretty well, save a brief problem with too much immune suppressive medication. My results showed an impaired kidney function; 30% less than normal. Given that my kidneys originally failed from stress, this was huge. I decided that I had to resign because my health was much more important than this stupid, thankless job. So I prepared my letter of resignation with two weeks notice and gave it to Mrs. Starkey. Mrs. Starkey thundered, and I�m not kidding, �You should have asked US what works for US about your leaving!� Yo, witch, it�s not about YOU anymore. I�m OUT of this nut house! Long story short, I resigned on a Monday. Two days later, she picked a fight with me and fired me. I thought she was going to physically attack me, which I would have welcomed since I was doing advanced martial arts at the time. Had she attacked me, I would have dropped her like a rock. And I would have enjoyed it.
It did take me a while to get over the scarring experience of working for Mrs. Starkey. I believe I�m over it now, but you can tell, over three years later, I remember it like it was yesterday. It was an intense, profound experience that I will never forget. And yes, my kidney function returned to normal right after I left, thanks for asking.
And, Joel Warner, who wrote the Westword Article, have you seen Mrs. Starkey? Maybe you�re using the word �petite� to mean short. My recollection is that Mrs. Starkey is far from petite. In fact, one of my friends, when he left her employ, said he had lost 225 pounds. Meaning he had lost 225 pounds of dead weight around his neck which answers to the name of Mrs. Starkey.
The sad part of all of this is that so many students give up so much time and money to go to Starkey. The students think that they�ve finally found the thing they can do and love, serve others, make a difference and be paid as a professional. Truly the students I went to Starkey with and the students I knew as I worked at the Mansion are what are called �service hearts.� And their dreams are crushed and stomped on by the unbalanced, evil, nasty and cruel �First Lady of Service.�
As for me, after working for Our Lady of Perpetual Evil, I decided I didn�t want to move, didn�t want to work for anyone, and why was I putting my future in the hands of someone else when I was perfectly capable of starting my own business. So that�s what I did. For me, although I would have loved being a Household Manager, it was not my destiny. It is too bad that such a promising profession is being held back by the likes of Mrs. Starkey.
I am proud to sign my name to this posting as it is all true and all my experience. I attended the school with integrity, served Starkey and the students with integrity, and departed with dignity. Feel free to email me at lisarob@frii.com
Lisa Robinson, graduated June 27, 2003
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A former student 08/17/2007 4:01:00 AM
Congratulations Madame Starkey,
You are getting exactly what you deserve for your filthy, unbridled, arrogant, audacious and disgusting behavior - you hate filled person. Your business practices are unscrupulous. You may escape this plane and earth amongst humans but you shall not escape God and his son, Christ. You will not escape thier wrath - no one will.
afs
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Skip Muller 08/17/2007 3:20:00 AM
Dear KK,
Funny you should use the term "bad priest." Two of the Starkey Institute's senior managers, the Director of Admissions and Household Manager, are religious ministers, one of whom is a youth pastor. Without these loyal, dedicated men who enable Mrs. Starkey to attract new students and clients, this business would not exist. How they explain their involvement in this enterprise to God and their families, only they can tell.
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KK 08/17/2007 1:02:00 AM
I equate Starkey to a bad priest. People trust someone who is in a position of influence and power. There can be tallent and success present and still have the ability to abuse and be disfunctional. Have we learned nothing from the scandals in the church. This is a woman who is cabable of grand public speaking, someone who pretends to see herself as a person of class and style, likens herself to heads of state, silly stuff that is often embarassing to listen to it is so rediculous. After all, she made up a story that a cocktail was named after her. Its just propaganda. In days past she could have probably sold a bridge or two.
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BTX 08/16/2007 3:29:00 PM
I worked at Starkey very briefly, and I remember Allan Miller as a Student. I also remember running into him during his time as an employee for Starkey and then again after he had left. Oh, how I loved saying "I told you so"!
Coincidently I also at one point knew Ms. Kirkpatrick. Ms. Starkey has met her match with that one. (Quite frankly they deserved each other) Though I don't doubt the assault happened, I'm quite sure Ms. Kirkpatrick will get her revenge.
Disgruntled former employee, not so much anymore? Just enjoying this a little too much!
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STX 08/16/2007 3:28:00 PM
I worked at Starkey very briefly, and I remember Allan Miller as a Student. I also remember running into him during his time as an employee for Starkey and then again after he had left. Oh, how I loved saying "I told you so"!
Coincidently I also at one point knew Ms. Kirkpatrick. Ms. Starkey has met her match with that one. (Quite frankly they deserved each other) Though I don't doubt the assault happened, I'm quite sure Ms. Kirkpatrick will get her revenge.
Disgruntled former employee, not so much anymore? Just enjoying this a little too much!
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LP 1 08/16/2007 2:10:00 PM
I am a graduate of Starkey, and was not in the class during which the alleged assault occurred.
I want to thank everyone who contributed to the article, especially Joel Warner.
Our class was also told that we were the best of the best, the "masterpiece", the most qualified and placeable group ever. We also were served frozen pizza on our first night (July). And, although I feel that the experience was valuable in many ways, I must echo the comments of the majority here.
For me, the most troubling experiences were the deceptions. Some were told that the entire class would be placed prior to graduation. One was told he would make 150K or more on his first job. One was told that class ran only from 9 - 5, Monday - Friday, and that was the only time commitment necessary. Some were told that the food was "gourmet". We were all told that we would be treated with respect. We were all told that our primary assignment, our household manager's book, would be graded and returned to us with comments. (Several were returned with no comments). One was told that a chef's coat was not necessary until the second half of the course, but then was informed on day 1 that she needed it that day. Some were told that half of the course was culinary training. Some were told they didn't need computer skills to complete the course. We were all told that placements were thoughtfully, carefully matched unions of skills, styles, and personalities. And, we were all told that our education was the most important aspect of our being there. One member of our class was told that he was one of the most placeable graduates in the history of the school, and then after graduation was told that he was unplaceable.
My interactions with MLS left me feeling weakened and humiliated. My hope is that I am among the last to feel that way.
Thanks for the story--
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sbc 08/15/2007 6:28:00 PM
I worked for "that woman" for 6 months about 13 years ago. Everything you have said is true and then some. Mary Starkey would read our personal mail (before email was common) even if it was an obvious card such as birthday, anniversary etc. The woman was extremely paranoid and explosive. She would ask our opinions and then just get furious when the opinions differed from hers. I saw her scream at the students and demean them in so many ways. In my opinion and the opinion of others that worked with her during that time, she is evil. We all have been taking bets how long before she was brought down by her actions. I was lucky enough to get out of that situation after only 6 months. During that time I saw a very fast turnover of 3 people in one accounting position. Each one left and did not let the mansion door hit them in the ass on the way out. T
hanks Westword for exposing Starkey, it's been long overdue.
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Noname 08/14/2007 7:39:00 PM
I worked there many years ago and this article is by no means stretch of the truth. Finally someone did something. I am sorry Ms. Kirkpatrick was injured. That is totally unacceptable. Congratulations to her classmates for standing up for what is right.
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Mike 08/14/2007 5:29:00 AM
Hey Starkey,
C U Next Time! I think that about says it all.
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KM 08/14/2007 2:25:00 AM
Upon reading this article and the comments ,I think that its obvious that the recent attack against all thinks related to the Starey institute are not the result of a handfull of ex employees and disgrunteled students from the "class a l'Orange ". The problems obviously go deeper than that . As a member of that class i remember being told by a number of senior employees that they had never had such a well qualified class , with so many top candidates already bringing with them so much experience . Could this be why we were the first class to complain as a group and put our foot down regarding the poor education standards ,negative environment, demeaning comments regarding our experience ,culture ,appearance and the false placement information ?.most likely . The incident with Lisa Kirkpatrick was just the straw that broke the camels back .
Shortly after witnessing that event I was told that I would be very difficult/ impossible to place , I thought this odd ,as when going through the admissions process i was told that I was just the type of candidate they were looking for, I had sixteen years experience as a chef on superyachts catering to billionaires and royalty , been a chef /assistant to A,list celebs, traveled all over the world ,I planned on compleating extensive security training after the school ,and had great references etc. I dont regret speaking out,it was a moral decision ,and though I havent been placed in a HM position, I wake up every morning and i can live with myself ! Its easy to say as one of the last comments did , " if you dont like it just leave ".But with little hope of getting refunded and and a lot more than $13000 and two months of my life invested I still had the misguided hope that I might be wrong ,that it will all be OK in the end and i will end up "following my bliss ". All i was hoping for, was what I was led to believe was possible when i signed up , that i would secure a HM position with a principle and i would get my shot at the American dream . If I were in the position of Mrs Starkey I would be proud and honored to be involved in the industry at such a level , To have achieved such pioneering steps to have the profession recognised must be the source of great pride and satisfaction , its a pity however that its obviously not enough for her and she feels the need to insult, degrade and belittle her staff and students to feel good . It must be very exhausting to be stuck in that cycle of selfishness ,self-seeking and unhappiness . Hopefully these past inccdents will be an opportunity for growth for the school and administration .If Mrs Starkey truly loves and is dedicated to improving the industry as she claims ,then perhaps she should take a step back and regroup. The school , if run professionaly and honorably by people who leave their grandiose egos at home has a great deal to offer to those who feel that private service is a vocation .There are enough potental students and principles for there not to be a need to lie and manipulate and penny-pinch in order to make the stats look good and get 15 minutes of fame. Because lets face it , At the core of a true service heart is honesty , humility ,trust, honor, and the desire to be of service to your fellow man . If you arent in posession of these qualities then perhaps you are in the wrong profession . ...KM.
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Erik Smith 08/13/2007 8:50:00 PM
In February 2006, I was looking for a job on Monster.com and came across a help wanted ad for a butler position that sounded too good to be true so I decided to apply for the job. The job offer was being handled by Starkey International.
After I applied for the job, I received this email:
"Thank you for your recent application for our Household Manager / Butler position listed on Monster.com. However, the gentleman we represent has decided to hire a candidate with more private service experience.
If the idea of a career in Household Management is appealing to you, you might want to consider furthering your education. Strictly for your information, I am including a little information on Starkey International. While we are a Placement Agency, we are also one of the few schools in the world teaching professional Household Management."
I shared this with my supervisor at the time who suggested the job probably never existed. I felt that way also and nearly complained to Monster.com because this company seemed to be baiting people with a fabulous job offer and then switching it with a promotion for their school.
Who really needs to spend upwards of $14k just to program a tivo, clean silverware and keep the oil changed in "the principals Bentley and Mercedes"?
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Boy Wonder 08/13/2007 7:35:00 PM
HAH! I agree with Haley and Todd (you guys are hilarious :D)
While there is quite a bit of truth to this article and the claims here in comments :D it does depend a lot on the perspective from which you look at this circus :D
Personally i worked for Starkey for 5 years and there were quite a few things that i enjoyed. Would i ever go back :D or would i recommend anybody go to school or work there? ... hmmm only if they were out of options or wanted to test their limits ;)
kudos to all the (hmmm 70 x 5) other employees that i worked with :D hahahah
feel free to email me if you want to say hi kerovan@hotmail.com
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Anonymous 08/13/2007 5:36:00 PM
I was a student at Starkey International and every word of Joel's article about the treatment of students and the lies we were told is true. I think the students could have dealt with it if we got positions upon completing the program like we were promised before starting the program. I thought Mrs. Starkey was bi-polar until I read the description of Narcissistic Personality Disorder on the Mayo Clinic website(below with description). The bottom line is she is an unbalanced, nasty and violent person.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/narcissistic-personality-disorder/DS00652
"Signs and symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder may include:
Grandiose sense of one's own abilities or achievements
Fantasies about having exceptional power, attractiveness or success
Sense of belonging to an exclusive group of people who truly understand each other
Need for constant praise
Expectations of special treatment
Exploitation of other people
Lack of empathy for other people
Envy of other people or a belief that you are the subject of other people's envy
Haughty or arrogant behaviors
Individuals with narcissistic personality disorder may come across as conceited or snobbish. They often monopolize conversation. They may belittle or look down on people they perceive as inferior. When they don't receive the special treatment to which they feel entitled, they may become very impatient or angry."
Anonymous
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Natasha Madison 08/12/2007 6:02:00 AM
Wow, I'm glad to see such a "passionate" response to the story. I believe that was the overall point in myself and so many others coming forward to speak of their experiences. I am slightly disappointed to see that so many of the comments are geared towards the treatment and accuracy/inaccuracy of the employees experiences at Starkey. Though I can't fathom the heartache and inconvenience working for such a poorly run organization may cause an employee, I do wish the overall "theme" were more student based. The students after all are the ones who made the sacrifice of time and a large amount of money to be mistreated and in my opinion cheated of the opportunity to really learn about the Industry. There were so many opportunities for the Institute to deliver tangible, valuable, useful information. And we were by God willing and ready to receive. I honestly believe that the maniacle rants of a tyrant could have been a distant and potentially laughable memory one day if we had received what it is we all went there in search of, AN EDUCATION. Even the incident with Lisa Kirkpatrick, who I personally escorted to the hospital after the incident with Mrs. Starkey, could have been an unfortunate but private issue between them had we not all routinely been verbally abused. I can see how people with self esteem and confidence issues or general social ineptitude can gain something positive, particularly in regards to interpersonal relationships,by living and learning in this type of environment. Most people acquire those skills in college dorm life or many of lifes other learning experiences. Those are NOT the skills I was looking to learn. As a long term member of the Private Service Industry I came to Mrs. Starkey with a wealth of previous knowledge in search of that extra "something" that would highten my earning potential and general fufillment in the Industry I love so much. Those of us with enough real world experience to be resourceful and enough experience and wit to prove ourselves valuable to an employer will continue to be productive and successful post Starkey. I, like many of my other classmates, found a great position immediately upon my return from the school. Unfortunately however I am certain that I could have found this very same or a comparable position without spending eight long weeks away from my husband, children, dogs, friends, family, home, hobbies, etc. Did I mention I spent $13,272? What concerns me most are the people who put everything into this option because they saw Starkey featured in the major media outlets and trusted the lies they were told when they called and when the arrived. Those classmates of mine whom to you may be nameless, faceless, anonymous comments that I got to know and understand as people trusted "the system", they trusted that they were in the right place to break into this lucrative and untapped market. The people who trusted the lies they were told about being able to use this school to springboard into a new career,or a new financially independent status are the ones this article is meant to represent. They are the ones who really lost much, much more than eight VERY long weeks and $13,272.
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S W 08/12/2007 4:03:00 AM
I am happy to hear that there are some satisfied Starkey graduates and former employees. There are also satisfied former Enron employees, but that doesn't mean that Enron was an honorable enterprise. As a member of the class mentioned in this article, I can personally attest to the poor treatment, unfulfilled promises and unprofessional environment we experienced. There is no excuse for such dishonorable behavior--and I'm not sure who is more frightening, Mrs. Starkey or the support staff who cover up for her and enable her continue doing this to people. How much is your integrity worth?
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Sherri 08/11/2007 7:20:00 PM
Why did I chose to go to the school? Aa a recient graduatite I not only gained an education but I achieved more then I possibly thought I could. Participating in the Ballet of service gave me a huge amount of confidence and I look foreward to working in a home and presenting this idea, it is amazing to watch. This article is so one sided and the education is up to the student to learn. Every place of learning has its positives and challenges and is not perfect. In my opinion Ms. Starkey is not only wise but a applaud her ambition in changing the industry and I support her. Privite service is a differnt field of employment, its not 9-5 Monday-Friday and I think stucents that come to the school from corperate don't understand this. Ms. Starkey is honest and up front from the very beginning, and I respect her for it. Mabie she is loud, but wake up this is reality in the privite service field. Why did I chose this school, because it had something to offer me and I know I can do the work.
SG
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KA 08/10/2007 7:43:00 PM
Regardless of any of the comments on Mrs Starkey whether positive or negative, there are people out there with issues. Some of the students could be on the same level as Mrs. Starkey. This field will encompass the sanest to the insanest and it is a roller coaster ride. I think Mrs. Starkey can find an individual's weakness, and that is a strength on her part. The truth is she has a history, and no one really knows that part. This story only tells us that she is a divored mother of two...
Still noo one deserves to be treated in this manner. If you err, you are not to be pushed out or even escorted out. If you miscalculate something, you are not to be degraded or personally attacked. If Mrs. Starkey blames you for a decision she originally made, you are not to be literally smacked across the face! or if you are even attempting to work in her favor and suggest something to benefit...one shouldn't be hit at all.
I can't say my time there was enjoyable, but I was also never a target of her 'episodes'. I did however witness them often. I can say that it was a conglomeration of personality issues, and individual's issues...not only Mrs. Starkey. I was only there for a brief period, and I did gain some valuable work experience.
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Anon 08/10/2007 6:18:00 PM
I am familiar with the situation at Starky through friends. Much of the story as it relates to the owner is not surprising. However, none of the current assualt allegations have gone through the legal system as of yet and should therefore not be used as a basis for writing off this woman and her business.
Furthermore, this article was poorly written. How can the author think this story should be taken seriously when it ends citing the views of her competitors? It's not like they have ulterior motives for voicing there opinions! Lazy journalism. In fact, everyone has motivations in this story, from the students of the "Clockwork L'Orange" class, to the ex-employees.
I'm not defending her actions, just urging people not to jump to conclusions. In fact, if you do not have a need for a butler or plan to be one -- representing a high percentage of the population -- you could do worse than skip this "story" entirely.
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BD 08/10/2007 4:24:00 AM
I'm a current employee at the Starkey school, and am amazed at the rabid verbal attack on this business and it's owner. If you don't like something just go elsewhere. It would be interesting to know more about those people making the attacks, and how their actions contributed to the atmosphere at the school. But we can't can we, since they have signed as anonymous, and those in the article didn't tell the reporter about their own faults and problems which may have lead to some of them leaving. I'm not saying that this is the most calm place I've ever worked. I've seen the bad and the good of Mrs. Starkey, and sometimes I totally disagree with her actions. Wouldn't it be wonderful if none of us ever made mistakes in life? Or that our actions were never misinterperated by others, or even worse exaggerated in print?
One person makes the statement that the Starkey school went through 70 employees in a year. Do you realize that to go through 70 employees in a year you would have to average nearly 6 people coming in...AND leaving, each and every month for 12 months. Get real. Since I have access to those stats, I also know this is not only an innane statement but a bald face lie. I've been at this business for a little while so I do know some of the facts behind the stories and exaggerations posted here and in the article. Yes, there is a high turnover compared to some businesses, but she also has one employee who has been with the company for over 20 years. She can be a difficult person to work for, but she does not, nor does anyone, deserve the kind of trashing that I've seen here. The couple of students who were complaining didn't tell you that the kitchen had had a major renovation right before they arrived at the mansion, nor did they tell you that it was one of the coldest winters in many years with several major snow storms one right after the other. I had a hard time keeping my own home warm. Could waist deep snow be one of the reasons that pizza was served the first night they arrived? As for it being shoddy, I've never seen it be anything but immaculate. It is a amazing house (a historical landmark actually) to be working in with its staircases and beautiful furnishings. Nothing in life is perfect, nor are the people around us. Mud slinging doesn't help to make it better. BD
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anon 08/10/2007 2:33:00 AM
I have been to the Starkey mansion myself, and it definitely isn't some seedy place off of Colfax. Furthermore it is one of the nicest landmarks in the area, with beautiful landscaping in the front and back of the home.
I also know someone who was there during the alleged assault on Ms. Kirkpatrick, and she definitely wasn't thrown against any wall. I think that it is also safe to point out that all of these circumstances took place in one session. I believe Starkey has four to five sessions a year, and this is the first time something is being posted? Peculiar... I think it's also strange that in the article, the disgruntled students, who again were all in the same class, currently have very nice paying positions in Household Management. I wonder why they could not get those positions before going through the training, if apparently in one of the comments, "it's not rocket science".
Lastly, I have seen Starkey International in several national newspapers, and television shows; there must be something of value taking place in that facility. Just my opinion.
Yes I do agree that Ms. Starkey has a temper, however I feel people confuse her brash behavior, with the passion that she has for this industry.
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admin 08/09/2007 5:12:00 PM
Working at Starkey was by far the coolest job I have ever had. I mean, come on! Having an office in an old mansion downtown, traveling to see some of the richest people in America and visiting their homes, being the right hand for the First Lady of Serivce, getting to know each amazing group of people who would come thru the mansion to go to school there....
We also had a fabulous staff: Janice Bartels a former Starkey Student who became our Director of Placement; her Assistant Donna Brecheisen who took her job very seriously and always gave 120%, Maks Chirich the "boy wonder" who took care of all of our publishing, web management, graphic arts, printing and reproduction, phone system and computer hardware (all for less than you could make being the assistant manager at 7-11); his Dad Viktor who immigrated from Russia to give his sons a better life and worked tirelessly as Starkey's Grounds and Property Manager; Ray Champion and Bill Althoff, two retired military men who were not only fine people, but dynamic instructors; Todd Thorley a force to be reckoned with who single handedly cleaned up our entire mess in accounting and payroll in less than three months; my good friend Dawn Cundiff who had been hired as a Personal Assistant but then was thrust into being the Admissions Director... They were all like family to me and we were a close knit group. Unfortunately, although Mrs. Starkey could attract and hire these wonderful people, she was not able to allow us to do our jobs. All of the people mentioned above (and many more I don't have the space mention) were extremely bright, loyal and competent people, and all but two have since been driven away (including myself) by the extreme level of micromanagement and volitile emotional environment at Starkey.
Once while Mrs. Starkey was away, the Staff got together and we put together a plan for taking Starkey out of the realm of the obsolete and into the future. We proposed that Janice become the Operations Manager, that we update the cirriculum into one week modules that could be taught anywhere. That way, instead of the eight week course you could take only the sections you were weak in. Everyone would take the one week Starkey Systems course (which is a valuable tool I still use every day at my current job), then could take additonal one week courses in Security, Human Resources, Culinary, Housekeeping, etc. as they had the time and money to strengthen their weaknesses.
We would eliminate outdated things like the endless "mirrored ballet of service" practices to serve formal dinners and the "luxury market" mall tours, all things which were helpful when our students were housekeepers looking to up their skill level, but were now borderline insulting as our student population was getting more and more sophisticated (military officers, former corporate business executives) who don't need to be taught "bootcamp" style and don't need to be given classes in personal grooming and how to dress. Mrs. Starkey kept saying she needed a staff who could "take her to the next level" and she HAD it, we were there, willing and able, we were loyal and had her back. In spite of the fact that she read (and in a lot of cases personally answered) all of our e-mails and was prone to emotional outbursts and had a very difficult confrontational personal style, we all knew that she was a valuable member of the team and proposed that she take herself out of the day-to-day management of the school, concentrating on writing new material, doing interviews and going on speaking tours to increase awareness of the profession and it's possibilities.
Unfortunately Mrs. Starkey wasn't able to allow her loyal, competent, amazingly bright staff do any of the above. She is a very insecure and emotional person and Starkey International is her baby. She couldn't let go of even the most insignificant detail of running the place. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING needed her personal seal of approval, and because she was so focused on doing all of our jobs, she eventually drove all of us away. I left only 8 months ago and there are only three familiar faces in her current staff photo. It is very sad that we couldn't have made the Starkey of the Future a reality, we all would have dearly loved to have done so.
Everyone is right about what it was like to work there, Mrs. Starkey was inconsistent, always shouting, always took the most difficult way of dealing with people, the staff turnover was head spinning, as was the constant change of direction, and when you fell out of favor with the First Lady of Service, there was hell to pay. She can be the most charming person in the world and also the most cruel. It broke my heart to have to leave that job, it had so much potential and was such an amazing opportunity. I learned a lot from my 18 months there and will never forget it. Mrs. Starkey loves that company, but she is going to love it to death. I don't think she will ever be able to relegate herself to the role of spokesperson and figurehead and let the amazing, competent people she hires do their jobs.
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Anonymous 08/09/2007 2:57:00 AM
I too worked for Starkey International and in no way are any one of the complaints made in this article by former employees, students or staff members unrealistic. I too was berated and belittled, suffering on numerous occasions the insults and tyranny of Mrs. Starkey. I also witnessed her uncontrollable abuse on other employees, staff and students.
As an admissions coordinator, I was often put into the compromising position of accepting students that were not qualified for placement because they either lacked the basic skills necessary for the open positions (i.e computer skills) or they were completely unfamiliar with the culture of affluence, service and expectation.
Since leaving Starkey, I have been unable to use my experience with Starkey International in any referential manner. Because I witnessed her give degrading information to perspective employers of past employees, she could not be trusted to verify honestly one's work ethic, skill level or contribution to any work effort.
Screaming does not make employees and staff work faster or more efficiently. It simply strips them of their dignity and further underlines their position of servitude in Mrs Starkey's eyes. No one was ever her equal. No one.
Mrs. Starkey is not only guilty of said accusations but also guilty of denying her part in a hostile and frankly, embarrassing work and educational environment. The turn over rate was astounding and apparently, still is. Mrs. Starkey does everything she can to not dole out final paychecks or if she does, she shorts them due to her hubris in any given employee departure.
I have no guilty conscience for addressing Mrs. Starkey's atrocious behavior.
Mrs. Starkey, you deserve every bad review and every bad bit of Karma you have coming to you.
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Acct 08/09/2007 1:14:00 AM
I also used to work for this horrible lady and the rampant turnover is very real. She is evil and mean to all who cross her path. The experience starts the same for most. She is absolutely charming, she gives her speech (see article) about Starkey schools in every city and you get very excited about working for a company that is on the verge of explosive growth. She is sweet, takes you to lunch, very considerate, but it all ends at about one month. After that time the yelling starts. She uses the speaker system on the phones and screams at the top of her lungs at you. "GET DOWN HERE" "WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW?" WHERE IS MY REPORT??!!! COME HERE NOW!! She berates, insults, calls her employees names.
If you leave, you will be insulted whenever your name comes up. She has a history of not paying final paychecks on-time or at all. She has shoved employees out the door, hit employees, thrown objects at employees, and in my case pushed out the front door. It was a horrible working environment and thank God I am out of there.
A couple of other stories: She refused to refund an active-duty soldier's tuition although he was being shipped to Iraq and would not be able to attend class. She screamed at an employee because he broke his leg and would not be able to teach. When employees had planned a going away party for the one employee who dared to give 2-weeks notice (most leave quietly and never return so as not to face her) she scheduled a staff meeting at the same time and told employees they were required to attend. She does scream at any and all on a hourly basis. This would include her accountant, meeting planner, benefits company, lawyers. I mean, full out continuous 20 minutes of high pitched shrieking and screaming. One employee had a nervous breakdown while I was there.
The address is 1350 Logan and I bet if you walk by some time, you can hear the screams from the sidewalk or may just witness another now x-employee being pushed out the front door.
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anon 08/08/2007 11:08:00 PM
i used to work for this institute and at any one given time there were 17 employees. In about year's time she went through 70 employees. Mrs. Starkey was known for her daily ranting and yellings at her staff not to mention that she hit a few of them.
