It is with profound sadness that I inform our customers that The Ampersand Group, Inc. will cease operations in its current form as of the posting of this message.
My considerable personal problems have left me without the ability to fully service the needs of this company and its loyal patrons. I have struggled with this decision and it is not one I have taken lightly—my heart is broken from it.
I am working to close the office that we have maintained here in Delray Beach, Florida for the last 20 years and that process will be completed soon.
The remaining inventory and website are being turned over to Mr. David Doyle, my long-time collaborator and friend. He seemed the proper choice, having contributed so much to the creation of our publications. Mr. Doyle is not taking over the company, only the administration of its inventory. This transition is ongoing and will take some time to complete and perfect.
I know that many of you remain concerned about the disposition of your subscriptions. All customer records are being maintained. I will be working on a solution for this problem in the coming weeks and months and will be in touch through social media and email. Many exciting projects are still in development and there is a good chance that one or more will come to fruition in the near future. Regretfully, neither Mr. Doyle nor I can enter into correspondence on this matter for now.
Once the dust settles from our closure, I will have more focus and can concentrate on this dilemma with greater effort. I also have to focus on my new livelihood. Having a roof over my head must be a priority for now.
I created this company and all of its products out of nothing. None of it existed before I conceived it. I made it all happen—both the good and the bad. I am and will remain responsible for everything that happened as a result of this venture. The buck well and truly stops at my feet.
I was thrilled to have made a living in an industry that I loved. I was also fortunate to meet and associate with a widely diverse group of human beings. I traveled the world and got to know many unique and terrific people, some of whom became life-long friends. Fate smiled on me in this regard.
On rare occasions, greed and ambition soured what I thought were sound relationships—a surprising thing in so small a community. I value those interactions nonetheless and wish those individuals no ill will.
With warmest and most sincere regards,
Patrick A. Stansell