ACN Inc.

:"For other uses of ACN, see ACN (disambiguation)."

Infobox_Company
company_name = ACN
company_
company_type = Private
foundation = Incorporated 1992
location_city = Concord, North Carolina
location_country = USA
slogan = one world, one vision
key_people = Greg Provenzano, President/Co-Founder
Robert Stevanovski, Chairman/Co-Founder
Tony Cupisz, Vice President/Co-Founder
Mike Cupisz, Vice President/Co-Foundercite web|accessdate=2007-07-08
url=http://www.hoovers.com/acn/--ID__128499--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml
title=ACN, Inc. information and related industry information from Hoover's
author=Krippel, Julie
publisher=Hoover's] cite web|accessdate=2007-09-20
url=http://www.directsellingnews.com/article_app.php?articleid=15
title= Company Spotlight: ACN
author=Seale, Barbara
work=Direct Selling News]
industry = Telecommunications
products = See complete products listing
net_income =
title=
num_employees = 1,000+ (2006)
subsid =
homepage = [http://www.acninc.com/ www.acninc.com]
footnotes =

ACN, is the largest direct seller of telecommunications services in the world. The company offers highly competitive services to consumers and small businesses in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. ACN began operations in the United States in January 1993, Europe in 1999, Asia-Pacific in 2004 and is now operating in 19 countries. [Hampshire, K. (December 2005) "Tapping the Network," "Smart Business Detroit"] Due to its tremendous success by spending zero costs on advertising through 'word of mouth' marketing, the company is now officially being endorsed by Multi Billionaire Mr. Donald J. Trump.

Product / Services

ACN’s product portfolio includes Digital Phone Service with Video Phone, operating on the company's own state-of-the-art network, as well as Local and Long Distance services, Internet services, Wireless and Satellite TV to consumers and small businesses in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Company structure

ACN uses the proven, direct selling business model to provide value and choice to consumers while also providing Independent Representatives with an opportunity to form their own businesses. Bypassing traditional marketing methods, ACN’s Independent Representatives use relationshipmarketing to inform their family and friends of money-saving alternatives available on services they are already using. Because traditionalmarketing methods are not used, representatives are able to pass savings directly to their customers.

With the company's World Headquarters in Concord, North Carolina, ACN employs over 1000 employees located in various offices around the world which include: Irvine, California; Montreal, Canada; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Åmål, Sweden; Wroclaw, Poland and Sydney, Australia.

ACN is a member of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) in many countries and serves on the DSA Board in the United States. The DSA is the national trade association of the leading firms that manufacture and distribute goods and services sold directly to consumers. Every member company pledges to abide by the Association’s Code of Ethics as a condition of admission and continuing membership. ACN also belongs to the Better Business Bureau (BBB). BBB Accreditation is an honor – and not every company is eligible. All BBB accredited businesses have agreed to live up to the BBB Principles for Trust. The Principles for Trust are a comprehensive set of policies, procedures and best practices focused on how businesses should treat the public – fairly and honestly in all circumstances.

History

In 1992, Robert Stevanovski, Greg Provenzano, and twin brothers Tony and Mike Cupisz, founded what was then called American Communications Network, Inc.

ACN opened for business in January, 1993 with twenty initial independent representatives. In its first year it achieved revenues of $2 million dollars. ACN's initial business was as a marketing arm for a long-distance reseller called LCI Communications. This relationship lasted for five years until LCI was acquired by Qwest Communications.cite web|accessdate=2007-09-20
url=http://www.directsellingnews.com/article_app.php?articleid=15
title= Company Spotlight: ACN
author=Seale, Barbara]

ACN was listed in Inc. Magazine in 1998 as No. 22 in its annual list of the 500 fastest growing private companies in America,cite web|accessdate=2007-09-20
url=http://www.inc.com/inc5000/2007/company-profile.html?id=1998022
title=The Inc 500
author=Inc. Magazine] with an annual revenue of $98.1 million.

The multi-national company now exceeds over $1/2 Billion annually in revenue.

Formerly ACN, through the subsidiaries ACN Energy and ACN Utility Services, operated as a gas and electricity retailer. ACN's energy assets were acquired by Commerce Energy Group in 2006. cite web|accessdate=2007-07-06
url=http://sec.edgar-online.com/2005/02/10/0000892569-05-000039/Section3.asp
title=Item 2.01. Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets, Form:8-K
author=Commerce Energy Group Inc
date=filing date February 10, 2005]

Charity giving

Through the years ACN have generously donated millions of dollars to organizations that support such important causes as child welfare, curbing domestic violence, substance abuse rehabilitation and more.A few of the worthwhile causes they have supported include:

*Ronald McDonald House Charities, Worldwide
*Atlanta Urban Ministry, Atlanta, Georgia
*Children’s International Summer Village, Gothenburg, Sweden
*American Heart Association, Anaheim, California
*Peace Brigades International, Gothenburg, Sweden
*Lighthouse Youth Services, Cincinnati, Ohio
*Long Beach Fire Department, Long Beach, California
*Lifelong Learning Coalition, Detroit, Michigan
*Self Help for the Elderly, San Jose, California
*Richey Center, Baltimore, Maryland
*Heifer International, Little Rock, Arkansas
*Variety, The Children’s Charity, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
*The Red Cross – Hurricane Katrina Relief

Court cases

On 15 November 2004, Australian Communications Network Pty Ltd (the Australian branch of ACN inc.) was investigated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for alleged breaches of the Trade Practices Act 1974 in regard to provisions in the act relating to pyramid schemes.cite web |url=http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/712090
title=Full Federal court upholds ACN's appeal against pyramid selling decision
publisher=Australian Competition and Consumer Commission] On 23 March 2005, ACN was found by Justice Selway to have participated in, promoted and induced or attempted to induce persons to take part in a pyramid selling scheme. A federal court appeal later reversed the earlier decision made by Justice Selway. The ruling indicated that the alleged "recruitment payments" did not fall under the definitions of the law. ACN Pacific Pty. Ltd. won the case and the ACCC was ordered to pay court costs.

See also

*Multi-level marketing
*Direct marketing

References

External links

*cite web|accessdate=2007-05-08
url=http://www.hoovers.com/acn/--ID__128499--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml
title=ACN Inc. information from Hoover's
publisher=Hoover's Inc.

*cite web|accessdate=2007-05-08
url=http://www.acninc.com/
title=ACN Inc. website