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| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Personal development, Large Group Awareness Training |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Founder | Keith Raniere Nancy Salzman  |
| Headquarters | Albany, New York, USA |
| Key people | Keith Raniere (Founder) Nancy Salzman (President) |
| Products | Seminars |
| Website | http://www.nxivm.com |
NXIVM, pronounced "nexium", also known as Executive Success Programs, is a large group awareness training organization founded by Keith Raniere. Its current president is Nancy Salzman. Raniere, Salzman, & over 300 coaches teach seminars on Rational Inquiry, a proprietary formula developed by Raniere for "analyzing and optimizing how the mind handles data". NXIVM is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Albany, New York.
Raniere is referred to as "Vanguard" by his followers in the group, and Salzman is called "Prefect". Students, called "Espians", are expected to bow to Vanguard and Prefect, and wear colored sashes to show their level in the group.
Some of NXIVM's detractors have labeled it a cult , and the group is monitored by the Rick A. Ross Institute. In 2003, NXIVM unsuccessfully sued the Ross Institute alleging copyright infringement for publishing excerpts of content from its manual in three critical articles commissioned by Ross and posted on his website. The manual was obtained by Ross from former member Stephanie Franco, a co-defendant in the trial, who had signed a non-disclosure agreement not to divulge information from the manual to others. The case has been cited in a number of case law books as an example of a case in which fair use is affirmed despite the copyrighted material having been obtained in violation of a non-disclosure agreement.
In 2005, Former NXIVM legal consultant Joseph O'Hara, was quoted in print calling the company an "extremely dangerous group", and started a "Stop Nxivm/ESP Now Legal Defense Fund".
NXIVM's current members include Clare and Sara Bronfman, Seagram distillery heiresses, who were to sponsor a visit by the Dalai Lama in April 2009 to Albany, New York through Raniere's World Ethical Foundations Consortium. However, this event was canceled by representatives for the Dalai Lama because of the possibility of negative press due to the involvement of NXIVM. After some consideration, representatives of the Ethical Humanitarian Foundation and the Dalai Lama were able to host the Dalai Lama on May 6, 2009, at the Palace Theater in Albany, NY for his public talk titled "Compassionate Ethics in Difficult Times."
References
- Yusko, Dennis (2003-09-28). "New vision for mind in eye of the beholder". Albany Times Union.
- Hardin, Chet (2006-08-10). "Stress in the Family". Metroland.
- Freedman, Michael (2003-10-13). "Cult of Personality". Forbes.
- Ross, Rick. "NXIVM, formerly known as Executive Success Programs (ESP)". www.rickross.com. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
- Yusko, Dennis (2005-11-03). "Ex-aide calls Nxivm 'extremely dangerous'". Albany Times Union.
- DeMare, Carol (2009-01-16). "Dalai Lama coming to Albany". Albany Times Union.
- Ross, Rick (2009-03-13). "Cult News from Rick Ross » Update: Schools won't host Dalai Lama, with "cult-like" group". www.cultnews.com. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
- Ettkin, Brian (2009-04-06). "Dalai Lama cancels his visit to Albany". Albany Times Union.
- Grondahl, Paul (2009-05-07). "Dalai Lama offers message of wisdom, optimism". Albany Times Union.
External links
- NXIVM Official site
- Executive Success Programs Official site
- NXIVM, formerly known as Executive Success Programs (ESP) The Rick Ross Institute's compilation of news articles about NXIVM and ESP
- The NXIVM Files The three critical articles pertaining to the NXIVM v. Ross Institute lawsuit