History Lesson, part 2

Erik Andrew Klepps (b. June 13, 1957, Clyde, Ohio)

Erik Andrew Klepps is an American businessman, most notable for his recent ventures into private security services. Born the Johann and Catherine Klepps, the first of their three children, is currently the sole heir to the fortune amassed by his father's large multinational, KGCO. His own company, BearClaw, formed in 2001 in anticipation in a boon in the security markets following the events of September, 11, 2001. BearClaw has come under much scrutiny of late because of several incidents, both domestically and internationally.

Klepps was born to Catherine and Johann Klepps in 1957 in Clyde, Ohio. His father had just settled his corporations base of operations in the small city. Raised alongside his two younger siblings, Klepps often kept to himself, preferring books and strategy games to sports or outdoorsmanship. He was often intolerant of his siblings, striking out in intense fits of rage. His mother recalled, in an interview for Redbook from 1972, that there were times she would find Erik beating Johann Alfred, or pushing Dorothy into a small linen closet. She would confront him, and he would begin sobbing. She noted that although they never quite sorted out the problem, there were fewer incidents as he got older. As he grew, Klepps became more interested in sports including soccer and wrestling. He also joined the local Boy Scouts troop, eventually raising to the rank of Eagle Scout. The Klepps family was raised in the Lutheran tradition, and young Erik took to the ideas at a very young age, focusing intently on the minister's lessons and the readings.

Throughout high school, Klepps maintained strong grades, and excelled in athletics, particularly his passion, wrestling. He participated in the Model United Nations club, as well as the Debate team and Texaco Challenge team. Although he was well liked by those in his circle, he would occasionally fly into fits of rage during group meetings or team practices, suddenly becoming violent. After graduation, Klepps decided to enroll at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, IN. As a student he double-majored in Business Administration and Political Science. He also participated as a student athlete on the wrestling team, holding a NCAA Divison II record for consecutive wins in his weight class, and several other records in the Mid-Continent Conference that still stand today. Klepps graduated in 1978 and immediately enrolled in Princeton University, focusing his master's degree on Political Science. His master's thesis was titled "Modeling and Analyzing Private Military Effectiveness in the Modern Nation-State". It was advised by Dr. George Tucker.

Following his graduation, Klepps returned to Clyde, Ohio to work along side his father at KGCO. Under his supervisory role, KGCO. began focusing a great deal of it's capitol on munitions technology research, as well as on funding prominent "think-tanks" in the greater Washington, DC area. His father allowed him some degree of autonomy, only stopping funding on a few of the research projects, considering them to be out of the realm of what he thought tasteful.

Klepps was very hands on with the research projects, maintaining a strong control of the direction of the research, and often times, accompanying the researchers in their field tests. In May of 1979, Klepps followed one of his research teams, consisting of five members, into the remote mountain villages of Nicaragua. The researchers were intending to research a new chemical compound that was meant to strip trees of their folliage in a manner that would not be harmful to their surroundings, or the people around the chemical. During one of the experiments, Klepps and his research team were captured by the locally popular Sandinistas. Klepps was one of only three men who were kept alive by the group. Held hostage for 2 months, Klepps and the other two researchers were eventually freed after negotiations bargained through KGCO lawyers who promised munitions and an undisclosed sum of moneys. Returning from this ordeal, Klepps now featured a very prominent facial scar. After a short stay at a psychiatric facility, Klepps returned to KGCO, although in a more limited role.

While on a ski trip to Aspen, CO, Klepps met a local woman, Linda Whitney, whom after a short courtship, he married. The ceremony took place in June 18, 1980 at an Aspen Lutheran chapel, and was followed by a very boisterous and celebratory reception. The following May brought the birth of Erik and Linda Klepps' only child, John Erik Klepps (b. May 29, 1981, Clyde, Ohio).

Through the 1980s and 1990s, Klepps profile was raised through a series of business moves and newly acquired political prominence. Playing on the Sandinista incident in 1979, Klepps was essential to the reelection of Ronald Regan in 1984, and was in turn awarded a position as an assistant in his Cabinet. Following this run, many believed that Klepps was the first choice for George HW Bush's vice president. It is rumored that he lost out on the slot to Dan Quayle after a series of exposes about KGCO's endeavors into military and scientific experiments. Klepps himself has never run for public office, however, he has been given several influential positions in various administrations and government posts.

Following the events of September 11, 2001, Klepps, with seed money from his holdings in KGCO., founded BearClaw, a private military company. BearClaw initially acted as a security firm for various government outposts in what are considered "hot zones", or areas that needed further support for military installations. Throughout the following years, BearClaw has been awarded multiple billion dollar contracts for services aiding the National Guard in times of national emergencies (i.e. hurracaines, earthquakes, riots, etc.). It was during one of these incidents, in August of 2004 following an earthquake in the San Francisco metro area where BearClaw has seen most of it's criticism stem from. Brought into various districts of San Francisco, BearClaw was being overseen by Generals in the National Guard who directed BearClaw supervisors and contractors to maintain a level of security while aid workers were searching for survivors, to stem any rioting, and to use only riot control munitions.

Erik Klepps, acting as de facto general of BearClaw ignored these orders, and dispatched his men to the affected areas, allowing them to use live ammunition, and to shoot on sight if they felt threatened. One of his groups came upon a long line of people waiting by a Red Cross water truck. According to accounts, there was some amount of discourse between the people in line and the contractors. A contractor, C. Coffer, fired upon the crowd, later insisting that he felt that the crowd was beginning to act in a "disorderly and violent fashion", and that, "some of them started throwing bottles and rocks." Coffer opened fire, setting off the others in his group to do the same, in the process killing 30 people, including aid workers and children.

Following the incident, KGCO. distanced itself from BearClaw, demanding the investment moneys back and paid in full. Erik Klepps was called to a Congressional hearing about the incident, and during the process, several other incidents that preceded the "San Francisco Massacre" came into the open. These other situations took place on foreign soil, including Rwanda, Chechnya and Burma. The hearing reached a fever pitch when Klepps took part in a shouting match with Congressman Bernie Sanders (I, VT). The findings of the hearing did not place BearClaw or Klepps in danger of criminal prosecution, due in large part to scarce physical evidence and several people who were brought into testify either invoking their 5th ammendment right, or changing their testimony. However, as a result of the incident, the US federal government has opted out of any further contracts with BearClaw, and they are still open to civil litigation.

Klepps currently lives in New Mexico, on a piece of land fifty miles outside of Taos where BearClaw still maintains a base of operations. As reported by contractors who have defected from BearClaw, the company still conducts research and limited training on the base. He is absent from the lives of his son and wife, who still reside in Clyde, OH at the "New Valhalla" compound built by his father. He still holds a board position at KGCO. and regularly attends quarterly board meetings.

History Lesson, part 1

Johann Klepps (b. August 5, 1907, Pittsburgh, PA)

Johann F Klepps is an American industrialist, business man and major figure in American politics. He founded Klepps Bros. with his brother in 1929. Klepps Bros., through an assortment of mergers and acquisitions, has become the preeminent KGCO. Klepps is known for having built one of the most powerful and influential corporations in US history, and, later in his life, as one of the most powerful players in the US political world. Although accurate numbers on his holdings and assets are currently unknown, Klepps is regarded as the third wealthiest man in America. He is regarded by free-market economists as a hero, and derided by others, including the noted Paul Krugman, as a pariah. Klepps was born to Ada and Gerhardt Klepps, recent immigrants from the Bavarian region of Germany. His father was a mill worker, and his mother a house cleaner for the steel barons in Pittsburgh. Early in his life, Johann worked along side his mother, cleaning and polishing trinkets that were too small for his mothers hand. His family were practicing Lutherans, and attended service every Sunday, as well as focused on nightly prayer prior to the evening's dinner. Ada and Gerhardt also had one more child, Alfred, however, little is known about him, aside from his role in founding Klepps Bros. with Johann in 1929.

Throughout his schooling, Johann demonstrated not only a fiercely competitive nature, but also ingenuity not usually seen in children. He was known to buy and sell items from other students, including candy, chewing gum and small toys, generally at a price that was higher than the market value. However, his ability at salesmanship was visible, always able to cajole more for less from his classmates. These practices and styles would be repeated throughout his adult life.

Johann worked at various positions in the local mills after graduating from high school. Eventually he reached the foreman role, which awarded him with a company owned house and a very comfortable salary. When his parents died in a block long house fire in 1928, he and his brother received a modest sum from their estates which was soon turned into Klepps Bros. Klepps Bros worked largely as a holding company, profiting, in large part, to the Stock Market Crash. Klepps Bros bought more and more local stocks while they were worth pennies on the dollar. Eventually Klepps Bros had the most shares of nearly all of the local mills and refining companies. Compounding this success, the Klepps brothers kept nearly monastic lifestyles, only owning two suits each, and rarely treating themselves to any of the comfort items that they certainly could have afforded.

Klepps had a keen eye for other industries and stocks. Klepps Bros. continued buying shares and interests in companies, varying from munitions factories to private laboratory and research companies. In 1934, Alfred died, leaving the Klepps Bros. fortune to his brother. Through this time, the company continued it's unprecedented growth and success. In the build up to World War II, his munitions, food stuffs and various mills were working 24 hour days, supplying both the British and Russian causes. Although it has never been proven, there are some that are convinced that Klepps also supplied various products to the Nazi government. Despite suspicions about this interaction, a Congressional hearing was not able to bring about any substantial evidence. Furthermore, he avoided the draft upon America's entry into the war, largely due the need for the US to utilize his factories and materials for the effort.

By 1954, Klepps had changed the name of the company to KleppsCo. Around that time, KleppsCo began shopping around for small media outlets, including radio, newspapers and the newest available, television. KleppsCo. set up two corporate offices, one in Clyde, Ohio, where he settled, and another in New York City, which was largely maintained for meetings. In 1956, Klepps married for the first and only time. His bride, Catherine Walker, was a distant cousin of the prominent American Walker family. The marriage bore three children; Erik Andrew (b. 1957), Johann Alfred (b. 1960-d. 1981) and Dorothy Walker (b. 1962-d. 1986). Johann Alfred died in 1981, from complications due to a prescription drug overdose. Dorothy Walker died in 1986 while visiting friends at a summer home off of Martha's Vineyard. While various stories have circulated as to the manner of her death, the autopsy has proven inconclusive to this date.

KleppsCo. experienced continued success and also began a marketing, direct sales and consulting branch, as well as the factory and holdings branches of the company. While the company name did not change, in 1968, the KleppsCo. logo changed, featuring only the letters KC, circled by stars. In 1974, his wife died due to ovarian cancer. He never remarried. In that same year, Klepps began funding various political and non-profit groups, including early forms of what would be known as the "Religious Right" in the 1980s. In doing this, Klepps believed that he was helping to fund the future of the country that he loved. He supported and campaigned for various candidates, both locally and nationally. As a business owner, he was fairly controversial, because of his efforts to break up unions, and maintain union free workplaces. He was believed to base many of his anti-communist ideas on his strong distaste for workers unions, and he often said that they lead to weakness and laze in the working community. After a particularly nasty confrontation with UAW organizers, Klepps decided to liquidate all of his holdings that had any connection to the auto industry.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, KleppsCo. diversified their interests, beginning to focus largely on energy concerns and, furthering their investments in media, putting a great deal of capitol into the then unheard of "cable televison". These new energy and cable holdings are what the company is most well known for. There were also new investments in genetics, nanotechnology and computer science. This fancy for new science,led Klepps to briefly change the company name to KleppGen in 1984. By 1992, the company was known by the name that is still used, KGGO.

Through the various fluxes and variations of the economic landscape, KGCO has never gone public, nor has it truly hit a dry patch. They are well regarded by nearly all of the financial consulting and analyzing firms, noting their ability to remain strong despite of the economy, and for KGCO's forward thinking and free market sensibilities.

Johann Klepp currently resides in the "New Valhalla" estate in Clyde, OH. Even at his advanced age Klepp still maintains a strong grip on his company, attending all board meetings and communicating daily with his subordinates. His son Erik has been in the news recently after a series of Congressional hearings concerning his security firm, BearClaw. Erik also maintains a board position at KGCO.

Please let me explain myself.

My name is John Erik Klapps. My story is very familiar even though you might not know me. Our story is the same. We don't know each other. I don't think we know each other. We might. I doubt our families travel in the same circles. I am writing this as a warning. I am writing this as an apology. I am writing this because no one is reading this. This is the sound of the keyboard without eyes seeing the output. This is the condolence card that no one will read. But you should. My family is very good at making money. They are very good at making money when others die. I hope this begins to make more sense as it goes along. I hope that what I've been told about is wrong, but I don't think it is. My grandfather started this. My father continued this. I had to. I didn't choose this. We closed the factory your family worked in. We shipped your jobs to small, bony, dexterous fingers in the far east. We built what you sit on. We knit what you wear. We made what you kill with. We built what gets you to your minimum wage job. We gave your mother cancer. We made the medicine that only prolonged her pained existence. We caused your infertility. We built and staffed your local maximum security prison. We bought patents and killed advancements. We stopped your movement. We killed your heroes. We are active entropy. We are the horrible noise in your brain that will not go away. The maddening headache that none of our beautifully packaged blood thinners will help with. We set this in motion. We let it get to this point. We are bigger than you think. We have done everything that you think we have. Everything. And we're sorry. At least I am. I hope that this makes sense. I hope that you can understand. I hope that souls are not based on genetics. Live from Clyde, Ohio.

Live from Clyde, Ohio

This is us. This is us now. This is the mess we've made. This is what we've done. This is what we haven't done. This is what not listening got us. This is what not thinking got us. This is me. This is my family. This is you and yours. This is here. This is how it started. This is how it will end. This is us. This is us now. Live from Clyde, Ohio.