Rick Schwartz Resigns from ICA
Schwartz states Internet Commerce Association headed in wrong direction.
Rick Schwartz, co-founder and Board Member of Internet Commerce Association (ICA), and the face behind TRAFFIC conferences, has resigned from ICA.
In a scathing post on his blog, Schwartz wrote:
While the ICA has done some good things, it has missed too many opportunities to be more relevant. Too many opportunities to look out for domainers and the best interests of the industry IMHO. Too many opportunities to take a strong positions on what is notable to domainers. Not to mention the lack of communication to the industry. I can no longer in good conscience advise domainers to support the ICA.
It is sad to say but the ICA only supports domainer concerns when it dove tails with ppc and registrar agendas. In other words, domainers are the last to be considered and I think it sucks.
Personally, I think the ICA is doing great things for the domain industry. Keep in mind that it has to consider the goals of all constituents in the industry, not just domain parkers. That stated, his criticism regarding lack of communication is fair and I know that ICA is working to address this.
The downside of Schwartz leaving ICA is that he’s been a vocal supporter. He has made TRAFFIC a staging ground for the organization and helped drive donations to it. On the plus side, there are a number of people who (wrongly) thought that ICA was just there to further Schwartz’s interests. I can tell you this couldn’t be further from the truth. His resignation is proof of that. But if these people needed proof, they now have it.
In politics, sometimes being brash and ruffling feathers doesn’t work. Schwartz will tell you he’s no politician.
ICA was the brainchild of former iREIT CEO Bob Martin, which later dropped out of organization when it was sued for cybersquatting.
