Conflict of Interest?

One of the leading video software companies requested that I help coordinate their introduction of a new product to our market. That help was to take the form of suggesting several local videographers association meetings where they would do an in-depth presentation. The association would get reimbursed (by the software company) for certain expenses, and one meeting attendee would win the new software bundle, valued at more than $1500.00. It was a classic win-win-win situation. But things are never so simple.

After discussing the meeting proposal with the president of one particular association, he readily agreed. Later on, however, he took it to the association board for their approval. That’s where it got complicated.

Sitting on the board was at least one person who receives direct compensation from an organization that considers us (The 4EVER Group) to be competition. There’s also one other person who has received compensation from that other organization. Allowed to sit in on the meeting, but not a board member, was another person who receives direct compensation from that organization.

And the association’s president expressed surprise when our proposal was voted down.

In my first job after college, we had ethics training. We were taught about both impropriety and the appearance of impropriety. It’s hard for me to see how the situation here represents anything but a conflict of interest.