Mary Louise Starkey

Press Release
June 1, 2009

Mrs. Mary Louise Starkey, Founder and CEO of Starkey International and author of groundbreaking texts such as The Original Guide to Private Service Management and featured in the Wall Street Journal’s best seller, Richistan has released a statement regarding the status of her 2007 assault allegations brought by a former student at the Starkey International School for Household Management. “Under advisement of my attorney, I’m very relieved to finally be able to speak to these charges,” Mrs. Starkey commented.

Mrs. Starkey’s legal saga was first reported in Denver’s local tabloid Westword. The sensationalized story, designed to destroy Mrs. Starkey’s long standing credibility in the Private Service industry, was instigated by the accuser whose story was finally found not to be credible in part due to her long addiction to narcotics; she further had not disclosed these serious health conditions upon application to the School. Mrs. Starkey continued, “These two plus years have been very difficult. I always knew that Starkey worked diligently to identify those not appropriate for the selective career path of Private Service. However, I never dreamed my holding a standard of integrity and excellence for service would ultimately be used to assail the industry. Further, Starkey International has been completely exonerated by the State Board of Education governing Private Schools and the complaints dismissed for lack of substance. Finally, in October 2009, the Denver District Court Judge closed and sealed all court records regarding the charges with apologies.

I have learned a great deal about myself, I have discovered true friends, found dedicated employees, and many loyal Graduates who not only share in our unique goals and standards of expertise, but are surpassing them in their individual service careers; and for this I am very proud and most grateful. I have emerged from this ordeal stronger, wiser, a much better leader, and even more committed than ever to my mission of creating and supporting service as a profession.”

Mrs. Starkey’s Institute is world renowned for training top professionals for placement as Estate and Household Managers, Personal Assistants and Private Chef’s in legacy wealth and other high net worth client’s homes. The Starkey Household Management System and Software is the first of its kind, positioning Service as an Expertise and taking domestic service out of servitude and into a well paid profession. Known as the “First Lady of Service”, Mrs. Starkey has been training and placing private service professionals worldwide since 1981. “In spite of what occurred with this student, I remain committed to our Graduates and our Clients. Again, I am grateful that this is behind me now and focusing on the present, and our very bright future. The Private Service industry is exploding and I am proud to be on the cutting edge of educating professionals to be successful in these specialized positions of running high-tech, high-touch estates for discerning clients who expect the best of the best. Our curriculum and software is second to none, and we are standing strong.”