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TouchPro Europe and TouchPro Institute have no legal, institutional,
or programmatic relationship. They are completely separate organizations.
This is the story about how these two businesses found it necessary
to part ways and it is a cautionary tale.
This tale is told from David Palmer's point of view. If you would
like to hear the TouchPro Europe side, you will have to contact
them directly.
The root of the split came about over the control of the "TouchPro"
brand name. The term "TouchPro" was coined by David in
March of 1995 and duly registered it as a trademark in North America.
In May, 1996, Rob'n Cappel, a transplanted Louisiana native, contacted
David from the Netherlands and inquired about the possibility of
becoming a TouchPro Trainer. They hit it off on the phone and Rob'n
decided to come to San Francisco and attend a TouchPro Seminar.
She spoke with David and understood that becoming a Trainer would
be a long process. David suggested the first step to be setting
up a seminar in Rotterdam, which Rob'n and her Dutch husband, Jan
Mathijssen, did in November of that year.
Before David arrived in Europe to teach that first seminar, Rob'n
submitted a trademark application for "TouchPro" in her
name for protection in the Benelux countries (Belgium, Netherlands,
Luxembourg) .
David agreed to work with Rob'n and Jan but only subject to a
verbal agreement that the TouchPro name would be returned to his
control or, in a later compromise proposal, to the control of a
nonprofit international body controlled by all of the TouchPro affiliate
organizations that would regulate the use of the name internationally.
Unfortunately, that verbal agreement was never put into writing
despite repeated attempts over the course of some five years to
come to do so. Then, Rob'n began issuing her own signed credentials
to new and former practitioners under the TouchPro Europe name and,
since August 2002, refused to pay TouchPro Institute royalties due.
David protested, but too much time had elapsed to file an opposition
to their trademark registration. David has also been trying ever
since to halt Rob'n from using his copywrited curriculum materials
(videos, audio tapes, and written handouts) and to pay royalty fees
for those materials previously used.
The end result is that TouchPro Institute and TouchPro Europe have,
sadly, split. David sincerely regrets this outcome, for he has lost
two good friends, but has learned a larger lesson about the importance
of putting agreements in writing at the beginning of a relationship.
If you were, at any time, certified by TouchPro Europe as a chair
massage practitioner and would like to become affiliated with David
Palmer and TouchPro Institute instead, please contact
us and we will send you an application form.
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