A colleague heard the news from some Charleston, S.C., locals and passed along the word: The body of Tom Sponseller, the restaurant-industry leader who’s been missing for 11 days, had been found in a garage.
More details have emerged since that midday flash. Authorities say Sponseller died of what is almost certainly a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. He was discovered in a room within the garage where local workers would sometimes steal a smoke. The details suggest the Citadel graduate locked himself inside. The garage itself had been searched three times since Sponseller’s Feb. 18 disappearance, but the key to his location wasn’t available until today.
The police also revealed they’d found a note today in the deceased’s Columbia office that mentioned a federal investigation into the disappearance of a six-figure sum from coffers of the organization Sponseller headed, the South Carolina Hospitality Association. No details were disclosed, but you have to wonder how the authorities could have missed such a key clue in the last place where Sponseller was known to be alive.
Many of us from the parent company of Restaurant Business have been in Charleston for the last few days for a foodservice conference. The mystery of what happened to Sponseller has been a frequent topic of conversation. No one speculated that it could end this way. But, as several remarked, you just never know what secrets a person might be harboring.
All I know is that I interviewed Sponseller a few months ago for a freelanced story that ran on the National Restaurant Association’s website. He’d taken a group of Hospitality Association members to Atlanta to learn how restaurateurs there were reducing their contributions to landfills.
He surprised me by voicing a contrarian view of an industry initiative that has been widely praised by the business. Because he was a lobbyist, having spent 22 years leading the South Carolina group, I expected him to be politically correct, even if he had a dissenting view of something related to the industry. Instead, he said point-blank that he disagreed with a tack the trade was taking.
The developments suggest that unflattering details about Sponseller are likely to emerge soon. But anyone who met him is almost certainly wishing right now that the situation, no matter how bad, had ended much, much differently.
Showing posts with label South Carolina Hospitality Association. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South Carolina Hospitality Association. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
New twists in the Sponseller mystery
Law & Order boasted that its plotlines were “ripped from the headlines.” Hearing the new developments in the disappearance of South Carolina restaurant leader Tom Sponseller, you’d think the show’s scripts had been mined for some of the twists and turns.
As was reported here last week, Sponseller, the CEO of the South Carolina Hospitality Association, had vanished a week ago after putting in some weekend hours at the trade group’s offices in Columbia. No evidence of foul play was reported. But Sponseller’s car was in its usual parking space, and his wallet wasn’t found. The local police seemed baffled.
Now reports have emerged of Association funds having disappeared, too—to the tune of $100,000 to $900,000. The authorities haven’t alleged that Sponseller was involved in any embezzlement or theft. Rather, they’ve identified the group’s accounting director, Rachel Duncan, as a “person of interest.”
Duncan has not gone missing. But nor has she been arrested. Through a lawyer, she said that Sponseller was a good friend and that she was deeply upset by his disappearance.
Meanwhile, a federal investigation into the disappearance of the funds is continuing.
The Association has hired forensic auditors to investigate the money situation simultaneously.
As those probes continue, local police are continuing to ask the public to report anything they might know about Sponseller’s absence or whereabouts before he disappeared.
Stay tuned.
As was reported here last week, Sponseller, the CEO of the South Carolina Hospitality Association, had vanished a week ago after putting in some weekend hours at the trade group’s offices in Columbia. No evidence of foul play was reported. But Sponseller’s car was in its usual parking space, and his wallet wasn’t found. The local police seemed baffled.
Now reports have emerged of Association funds having disappeared, too—to the tune of $100,000 to $900,000. The authorities haven’t alleged that Sponseller was involved in any embezzlement or theft. Rather, they’ve identified the group’s accounting director, Rachel Duncan, as a “person of interest.”
Duncan has not gone missing. But nor has she been arrested. Through a lawyer, she said that Sponseller was a good friend and that she was deeply upset by his disappearance.
Meanwhile, a federal investigation into the disappearance of the funds is continuing.
The Association has hired forensic auditors to investigate the money situation simultaneously.
As those probes continue, local police are continuing to ask the public to report anything they might know about Sponseller’s absence or whereabouts before he disappeared.
Stay tuned.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
S.C. senate shows its feelings for Sponseller
Our society has a strange custom of showing affection and respect for people when they’re not able to bask in it. Today, for instance, members of the South Carolina senate paid tribute to Tom Sponseller, the missing chief of the South Carolina Hospitality Association, with a few minutes of silent remembrance, the politically correct way of saying “prayer.”
This is a state senate, honoring a man who’d prodded, pressed and pleaded with members of that august body for 22 years. A cynic might say it’s like a mongoose inviting a snake for a spot of tea. It speaks to the respect that Sponseller commanded, even from those who cast in the process as his sometime adversaries.
The industry’s respect for Sponseller has been in strong evidence since word of his disappearance this weekend came to light on Monday morning. He’s been lauded as someone who could maintain a southern charm as he worked diligently as an industry advocate.
Ironically, he was slated to fulfill his education and advocacy roles again this week, at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Travel.
Today brought few additional details about the situation. His wallet and cell phone have not been found. Authorities told local media they’re trying to retrace Sponseller’s steps by looking at credit card transactions and security cameras, but they’ve yet to reveal what if anything they’ve learned.
I join the rest of the foodservice industry in hoping for his safe return to his family.
This is a state senate, honoring a man who’d prodded, pressed and pleaded with members of that august body for 22 years. A cynic might say it’s like a mongoose inviting a snake for a spot of tea. It speaks to the respect that Sponseller commanded, even from those who cast in the process as his sometime adversaries.
The industry’s respect for Sponseller has been in strong evidence since word of his disappearance this weekend came to light on Monday morning. He’s been lauded as someone who could maintain a southern charm as he worked diligently as an industry advocate.
Ironically, he was slated to fulfill his education and advocacy roles again this week, at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Travel.
Today brought few additional details about the situation. His wallet and cell phone have not been found. Authorities told local media they’re trying to retrace Sponseller’s steps by looking at credit card transactions and security cameras, but they’ve yet to reveal what if anything they’ve learned.
I join the rest of the foodservice industry in hoping for his safe return to his family.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Help find Tom Sponseller
In a terrifying development that could still have a happy ending, a restaurant leader from the Southeast has disappeared, leaving nothing but mysteries in his wake.
Tom Sponseller, president of the South Carolina Hospitality Association, vanished on Saturday after putting in some time at the trade association’s Columbia headquarters. When the 61-year-old failed to answer cell-phone calls, his family suspected something was amiss and alerted authorities.
The police found Sponseller’s car at the office, but they’ve yet to reveal any other clues they might have found.
Sponseller’s family has set up a Facebook page to share information. Authorities have set up a toll-free number, 1-888-Crime-SC, for any information about the long-time lobbyist and industry veteran.
Sponseller is 6 ft. 1 in. tall, and weighs about 160 lbs. His thin hair is grey and white.
He joined South Carolina’s main restaurant trade group 22 years ago, after working for Canteen Corp., the contract management giant.
Tom Sponseller, president of the South Carolina Hospitality Association, vanished on Saturday after putting in some time at the trade association’s Columbia headquarters. When the 61-year-old failed to answer cell-phone calls, his family suspected something was amiss and alerted authorities.
The police found Sponseller’s car at the office, but they’ve yet to reveal any other clues they might have found.
Sponseller’s family has set up a Facebook page to share information. Authorities have set up a toll-free number, 1-888-Crime-SC, for any information about the long-time lobbyist and industry veteran.
Sponseller is 6 ft. 1 in. tall, and weighs about 160 lbs. His thin hair is grey and white.
He joined South Carolina’s main restaurant trade group 22 years ago, after working for Canteen Corp., the contract management giant.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
