Premiere Models Inc. (Mike Rednour, Rick Gatti, Debbie Whitley) Louisville, KY
March 22, 2005
[Last Updated: March 22, 2005 ]
Addresses
Premiere Models, Inc.
5111 Commerce Crossing Dr. , Ste. 1
LOUISVILLE, KY
Premiere Models, Inc.
9202 Matlida Ct.
LOUISVILLE, KY 40229
News
http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=3111156&nav=0RZFXmYB
Local Families Want Money Back From Local Modeling Agency
Mar 22, 2005, 2:36 PM
(LOUISVILLE) -- When girls all over Kentuckiana heard a casting call for models, many answered. Families invested money, and time, but say they came up empty-handed.
They asked Troubleshooter Charla Young, to find out why.
"As long as I can remember, ever since I was a little girl, 2,3,4,5,6, I've always wanted to do modeling," said Nina Neal. Last year, she thought her dream was closer to reality.
"He told me he was like I think you can do it I think you have the walk, the look and everything, I want you as part of my team. I was like great. I really want to do this," Nina says that conversation was with the owner of Premier[e] Models, Mike Rednour.
Neal says she and other families we spoke to sign a contract. It said for a little more than two thousand dollars--they would get a photo shoot, personal website, email account, toll free number and full-color business cards.
"I didn't get my photo shoot. I didn't get any kind of representation I had paid for," said Nina. "It came out of my mom's pocket, so, that's why I'm really upset. I really could use the money for school," Nina said.
Nina tried calling and e-mailing Rednour, and his assistant, Brittany, but says she got no response.
Rednour called us back. "Premier[e] Models is now dissolved. We hired a marketing director out of Ohio. She came in with the intent to learn our secrets and leave. She did that and took all our business. We tried to make it work, but the company went under," Rednour told WAVE-3.
Rednour says the company has no money, but he has provided partial refunds for some of the girls, he says out of his own pocket. He's currently considering refunds for Nina Neal and a few others. We'll keep you posted on the progress.
Ownership/Leadership
Premiere Models Inc. is owned and operated by Mike Rednour. He is named in corporate documents as the President of Premiere Models Inc.
Website
Unknown
Comments
You should never pay an agency for photography. Anything besides commissions-only agencies typically leads to trouble. The practice of Premiere Models to charge models $2,000 for advertising is outrageous and typical of photo mill scams. It is price-gouging in the extreme. The services Premiere Models agreed to perform according to their contract--photo shoot, personal website, email account, toll free number and full-color business cards--can cost as little as $200, not $2,000!!
Money Back
Consumers in the news report said they want their money back. Mike Rednour places all the blame on a woman. He claims the company was dissolved. However, he is still personally liable, because there was no bankruptcy. Even if his allegations about a female director are correct, he is the owner of Premiere Models, and he is responsible, and he is also liable.
Rednour's allegation that an unnamed marketing director "took all our business" was totally unsubstantiated and not credible. It sounds as if he is trying to evade action by consumers to get their money back. Even if the woman stole his business, what did he do about it? Nothing?
Consumers have a right to make their claim in small claims court against Mike Rednour. Rednour's claims about his stolen business are something if true he has to deal with on his own--it's a separate issue--not the models' problem.
Just because Premiere Models is no longer in business or not operating at its earlier location does not mean consumers cannot get their money back. The money was evidently paid to Premiere Models, and Mike Rednour is the owner of Premiere Models, so the money went to his bank. He has to return it.
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