Man’s actions not responsibility of family
WE ARE proud business owners and grateful to have had the opportunity to create and operate The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs and bigbyte.cc Data Center in Albuquerque. As women in business, we have had to overcome a few obstacles. The one we would like to address here is the perception that women are not capable of being independent business owners. Recent headlines have put that obstacle into focus.
Our father, William Whittington, now faces sentencing for filing a false tax return. He has admitted his guilt and will face the consequences.
Unfortunately, the current case against our father and a case against him when we were just children have cast a shadow on us and our businesses. After investigating us for five years, federal prosecutors filed no charges against us personally or our businesses. That was the correct result. Even though we have not even been accused of any crime, we still find ourselves struggling to clear our names and correct the record.
It is wrong to suggest that we are guilty because of our association with our father. We have maintained a familial, loving relationship with our father. That is not a crime.
It is also wrong to suggest that, as women, we are unable to survive in the business world without our father, who does not own The Springs Resort or bigbyte.cc. We reject this sexist view.
Here are the facts. We have been operating businesses since the early ’90s, adding what is now known as The Springs Resort to our portfolio in 2004. The resort alone employs more than 100 local residents. Bigbyte.cc Corp was founded in 1999 to serve as a neutral colocation site for the burgeoning technology sector in New Mexico and has grown to a fully hardened continuity campus in Downtown Albuquerque.
We are active in our communities, and we support a long list of charities through monetary and in-kind donations. We believe in our staff, our companies and our communities. We are proud of what we have built as both women and Whittingtons.
We would like to thank the communities that have supported us throughout this ordeal, especially our staff. Thank you for the opportunity to set the record straight.
NERISSA AND KEELY WHITTINGTON
Owners, The Springs Resort and Spa at Pagosa Springs and bigbyte.cc Data Center in Albuquerque