What is Unity Services Association™?
Unity's Services Association™
(hereafter also called USA™) is Unity's first Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) or incorporated association that was
scheduled for activation in 1996. Having an LLC; or an incorporated association, would authenticate Dr. C. W. Joyner's position
as Chief Executive Officer of Unity International, Inc., (hereafter also called UII or Unity). USA was and still can
be Unity's Consumer Services Division. {Click here to read the March 2, 1996 minutes relative to USA}
The Standing Committee must also remember
and cannot forget, Unity is a privately owned corporation headquartered in Orangeburg, South Carolina that is governed by
the shareholders or owners. It is incumbent upon the owners, the board, general partners, field coordinators, stafff, employees,
associates and/or affiliates to remember Unity is the only corporation in America that evolved from the Million Man
March that was held in Washington, D.C., on October 16, 1995. {Click here to read the March 27, 1996 minutes relative to CBS, Inc.'s agreement}
In keeping with the Million
March of 1995, USA™ was developed to create programs for the Black community that would allow more African
Americans to purchase goods and/or services at wholesale, rather than, at discount or retail. USA™ mirrors Unity's
Phase I Acquisition Program. The difference is this: Phase I is concerned with businesses that are also
opened to the general public and offer goods and/or services to owners at cost and/or the general public at retail; whereas,
USA™ is strictly for members of the Black community and/or Unity's owners, general partners, affiliates, associates
and interested party/ies. However, pursuant to federal law, USA™ will not discriminate if others want to join. {Click here to read the April 9, 1996 minutes relative to the CBS, Inc., contract}
USA™ was also developed to create
programs, find vendors and/or concepts and/or services that could help strengthen African American families, churches, organizations,
businesses and communities. Unlike, Unity's other LLC's and Unity, USA is a membership only organization that can and will
accomplish the afore stated objectives if approved and reinstated by the Standing Committee. Naturally, this would necessitate
having a CEO.
What Products & Services
Would USA™ Offer?
As a USA member, an individual would
receive a "Portfolio of Services" that will allow an individual to purchase a wide variety of goods and/or
services from national vendors that specialize in volume purchasing. This will allow USA™ members to purchase items
that are not avaiable in a Unity owned LLC or provided in a Phase I Business Acquistion
that specializes in at cost purchases, rather than, at retail, discount or wholesale. The Standing Committee must realize
it will take time for Unity to acquire and build its own business networks and distribution systems. Therefore, during the
interim, USA™ can fill the void by offering wholesale purchasing. Even though wholesale is not as beneficial as purchasing
at cost, it is still better than retail or discount.
In 1996, to become a member of USA™
only required $60.00 a year. Since the goods and services were not being provided by Unity or a Unity owned LLC, at the time
the developer of the program - George Sistrunk - felt $60.00 a year or $5.00 a month was adequate. Based on assessments,
he still feels $60.00 a year is adequate. However, this is a decision for the Standing Committee.
With the exception of expanded use
of Internet based services, the 2015 analysis of America's product and/or service distribution model has not changed that
much from 1996. Manufacturers still sell to wholesalers, who in turn sell to retailers and the retailers sell the goods and/or
services to the end user - the comsumer. Therefore, all along the way there are "middlemen" who must add to the cost whenever
they handle the merchandise.
How Can USA™ Help Keep
Product Cost Low in a Non Unity Operation?
When the Standing Committee or the
Baord adds handler's cost to the cost of maintaining store fronts, advertising, salaries and wages, maintenance, taxes, insurance
and security and other miscellaneous cost, this increases the original cost of the merchandize by as much as 70%. The consumer;
and in particular, the Black community, pays all this added cost when he/she purchases an item. All the cost of getting products
and services to the consumer are paid by the consumer. Even though Black people are only 13.5% of the population, over 90%
of the money that comes into the Black community is spent on consumer based items and services. This huge expenditure on consumer
goods and services purchased at retail, has been detrimental to the Black community - financially speaking. {Click here to review how Black America spends billions annually} {Click here to read Target Market's report on Black America's spending habits}
USA™ offers an alternative that
would help the Black community save some of this money that is virtually wasted; even if USA did not change anyones spending
habits. Because of Unity's growth potential; and by working with, buying goods from and using services in USA™'s "Portfolio
of Services", everyone in the Unity family can save money in the short term and even more in the long term by buying
at wholesale until our business operations are established. Therefore, the Standing Committee should seriously consider reinstating
USA as a viable and worthwhile addition to Unity's list of LLCs. {CLick here to review and study Unity owned LLCs.}
