A MESSAGE FROM LELANDS' C.O.O.

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Posted By: Ron Rolleri

I was prompted to write this message after reading the recent string posted on this forum under the heading, “Anybody do well at the Lelands Auction?” While I had the pleasure of meeting many of you at the National this past July, I realize that most of you don’t know who I am. This is a good opportunity to change that. It also gives me a chance to address some of the comments recently posted on this site.

After practicing law on Wall Street for the past twelve years, I accepted Josh Evans’ and Mike Heffner’s offer to join Lelands as its Chief Operating Officer. While there were a number of things that attracted me to Lelands, one of the biggest factors was the desire of Josh and Mike to bring this company to the next level, and the realization on their part that they couldn’t do it alone. I could tell that these guys really wanted this company to be a cut above the rest. In the four months that I’ve been here, we’ve made some big changes, and more will be coming.

There are two issues I’d like to address, based on what I’ve read on this forum. First, there seems to be some confusion regarding Lelands’ monthly Sports Collectors’ Auction. This auction, which was formerly called the “Fredo” Auction, is an opportunity to pick up some great deals at terrific prices. Indeed, many of you have commented on how fantastic the prices are. The best way for you to see what I’m talking about is to check out our web site, www.lelands.com. There, you can see the lots that were available in past auctions, as well as prices realized.

The Sports’ Collectors Auction typically closes on the first Wednesday of every month, and opens two weeks prior to that date. It’s an internet-only auction, with photographs and descriptions of all lots on our web site. In addition, notwithstanding its name, the auction typically includes a number of great Americana items.

Up until now, we’ve primarily advertised the Sports Collectors’ Auction by e-mail. We typically send at least three e-mails to everyone on our mailing list during the course of each auction. Based on your feedback, we are now going to expand our advertising of this auction with, among other things, direct mail campaigns and ads in various trade magazines.

Apparently, some of you have not been receiving our e-mails. If you wish to be on our mailing list for future auctions, just e-mail your request to cherylgoldstein@lelands.com. Be sure to include your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address, and we will make sure you are included in all future mailings. Keep in mind that you must also register to bid in our auctions, if you have not already done so. You can register through our web site, www.lelands.com.

This leads me to the second issue – customer service. I was not happy to read several postings from people who claim to have received poor service from Lelands’ staff. Quite simply, poor service is something that our customers should never experience.

We’ve met with our customer service staff, and our employees know that we expect them to be the best in the business. Our customers expect and deserve it. To that end, I personally spend a great deal of time every day with our staff. I observe their interactions with customers, and I speak with them on individual situations. I believe that our staff is professional, courteous and helpful. However, what I believe does not matter. If your experience is different, I want to know.

There’s a lot going on here at Lelands, but I’ve taken up enough space on this forum for now. We are proud of this Company’s history and what it has accomplished over the past twenty years, but we want to be better. Feel free to contact me directly with any questions or concerns. I can be reached at (516) 409-9700, ext. 301, or ronrolleri@lelands.com.

Thank you for this opportunity to speak with you.

Ron Rolleri