Usually I have not addressed business or ethical questions in this column, leaving them to others more knowledgeable than I in these areas. However, over the past year, a couple of people in the industry I have known and had a lot of respect for have been caught doing downright illegal activities, convicted, fined and jailed. Personally, this makes me sad, angry and upset. There is the feeling of being betrayed by people I thought — up until these events — were models for the industry and part of what is good about independent family businesses.
Beyond my personal feelings being
