Last Friday's With Frank Episode Regarding Konica Minolta New Dealer Agreement Is Disturbing!

by ray stasieczko May 05, 2025

Before you read I am adding a correction! Bob Goldberg mentioned in the comments of this article that he was not paid by Konica Minolta to spend weeks working on the new Konica Minolta Dealer Agreement! My reply was, The fact that he mentioned working with KM Lawyers for weeks! Being paid or pro bono is irrelevant to my thoughts.

Recently, Konica Minolta held a press conference for the copy-and-paste media regarding the Konica Minolta New Dealer Contract. In attendance from Konica Minolta were Sam Errigo president of Konica Minolta U.S. And Laura Blackmer President of dealer sales U.S.

Once I read the press release summation, as reported in ENX Magazine, I immediately went to the studio and did an End Of The Day With Ray Episode highlighting my concerns within the write-up.

Yesterday, on Friday’s With Frank - Mr. Cannata had Bob Goldberg as his guest to discuss the Konica Minolta new dealer contract! This story regarding Bob Goldberg and the new Konica Minolta Contract is getting more concerning as the days go on. Here’s my thinking starting with that article I read in ENX Magazine about a week ago.

My concern was that in the ENX Magazine article, Konica Minolta, dealer sales president, Laura Blackmer mentioned that the BTA retired lawyer Bob Goldberg gave the contract his Blessing. I thought, "WTF, is Bob Goldberg doing reviewing OEM contracts?" I thought he retired.

My concern was whether Konica Minolta hired Bob Goldberg to review their new dealer contact and then forgot to tell people that they hired him to work with the Konica Minolta lawyers for weeks. As Bob Goldberg explained to Frank Cannata in the Friday’s episode.

In the article, Konica Minolta, President of Dealer sales, Laura Blackmer said Bob Goldberg gave the contract his Blessing. Here's the actual excerpt from the article.

"I need distribution. I need dealers to be engaged, but I also needed to give us an out," she said, noting retired BTA counsel Bob Goldberg had given the new program his legal Blessing.

Ladies and Gentlemen, It is outrageous that the current BTA Lawyer was not mentioned as giving the new contract HIS Blessing.

It's outrageous because the BTA Lawyer is supposed to look out for the dealers' interests. How in the hell is that possible when the retired BTA lawyer who is being paid by the OEM, in this case, Konica Minolta, is the father of the current BTA Lawyer?

Am I the only one who believes this situation to be an incredible conflict of interest?

I don't see how Bob Goldberg, working for OEMs, can benefit dealers' interests. Bob Goldberg is not the BTA Lawyer he retired and if OEMs engage Bob Goldberg that engagement should not be presented as an engagement through the benefits of BTA dealer members - I believe the Konica Minolta executive was too vague in her description of the retired BTA Lawyer's blessing.

Let's go back in time. When Bob Goldberg appointed his son as his replacement, I loudly voiced my concerns, and some in the industry were devastated that I would question anything Bob Goldberg did. Maybe those who were upset back then now understand my concerns.

Bob Goldberg is an iconic figure in the industry and his past as a BTA Lawyer helping dealers is not his present position. So, I don't believe any OEM should ever say, going forward that, Bob Goldberg gives his blessing unless they follow up with the fact that they paid Bob Goldberg to review what he just blessed.

Let me be absolutely clear, I do not believe that Bob Goldberg's son did anything wrong here. However, Bob Goldberg's son, is the current BTA lawyer, and must decide on his role.

Personally I am hopeful that Greg Goldberg will share gratitude for his father's help and then tell his father it's time to move on and make it perfectly clear that the BTA has one lawyer dedicated to the dealer's interest and that lawyer is Greg Goldberg!

Because, I struggle to see how Bob Goldberg and his son can be on opposite sides of OEM dealer contracts.

I am a fan of the BTA, and believe that the BTA is a great resource for dealers and those organizations who work with dealers.

As matter of fact- I am looking forward to attending the BTA national meeting coming up June 17-19th in sunny Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico. It's going to be an amazing event and I can't wait to see all my industry friends. BTW if you have not arranged to go to the meeting yet here's the link to register and I look forward to seeing you in June.

https://members.bta.org/calendar/Details/2025-bta-national-conference-1325361?sourceTypeId=Hub

In Closing:

I ask you all to consider this: If I had not screamed about this Konica Minolta contract over the last couple weeks, do you believe that Bob Goldberg would have been on Fridays with Frank?

By the way, in that episode I thought Bob Goldberg's trip down memory lane was a form of gaslighting the real issues I brought up regarding the Konica Minolta contract. Here's a link to my End Of The Day With Ray Episode discussing the concerns I saw in this contract.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2I1dCAtvZI&t=245s

So, I think Konica Minolta attempted to benefit by both Frank Cannata and Bob Goldberg selling the merits of a new dealer contract to all the Konica Minolta Dealers.

I also think this - No Konica Minolta Dealer should sign that contract without seeking counsel who has the dealer's best interest in mind. I am hopeful that the BTA Council Greg Goldberg will make it clear that the BTA, is a place where dealer's can trust to seek council for what's in their best interest.

Ray Stasieczko, Host of, The End Of The Day With Ray! The print industry’s largest and most watched YouTube vlog!