Editing Werner Erhard (section)

==Career==

===''Parents'' Magazine Cultural Institute===
From the early mid-1950s until 1960, Rosenberg worked in various automobile dealerships, with a stint managing a medium-duty industrial equipment firm.<ref name="Bartley" />{{rp|42}} In 1961, Erhard began selling correspondence courses in the Midwest. He then moved to [[Spokane, Washington]],<ref name="Bartley" />{{rp|85}} where he worked at [[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'s [[Great Books of the Western World|"Great Books"]] program as an area training manager. In January 1962, he began working at ''Parents'' Magazine Cultural Institute, a division of [[W. R. Grace & Co.]]<ref name="Bartley" />{{rp|112}}<ref>''The Graphic Designer's Guide to Clients'', by Ellen M. Shapiro</ref> In the summer of 1962, he became territorial manager for California, Nevada, and Arizona, and moved to San Francisco, and in the spring of 1963 moved to Los Angeles.<ref name="Bartley" />{{rp|82–106}} In January 1964, ''Parents'' transferred him to Arlington, Virginia as the southeast division manager, but after a dispute with the company's president, he returned to his previous position as west coast division manager in San Francisco.<ref name="Bartley" />{{rp|53}}{{rp|117–138}} Over the next few years, Erhard brought on as ''Parents'' staff many people who later became important in est, including Elaine Cronin, Gonneke Spits, and Laurel Scheaf.

===Influences===
<!-- This section title is linked to in the Erhard Seminars Training article. If you remove or rename it, please update the Erhard Seminars Training article accordingly.-->

Erhard acknowledges many influences on his development, including a variety of experiences.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Moreno |first=Jonathan D. |title=Impromptu Man: J.L. Moreno and the Origins of Psychodrama, Encounter Culture, and the Social Network |date=October 14, 2014 |publisher=Bellevue Literary Press |isbn=978-1934137840 |quote=“Erhard had gone through a variety of experiences and acknowledges a wide range of influences on the way to his transformation, including many self-enrichment texts, hypnosis, Zen Buddhism, physics, the psychology of Maslow and Rogers, Dianetics, Mind Dynamics, and more.”}}</ref> He did not have much formal education and was [[Autodidacticism|self-educated]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bennis |first=Warren |title=Still Surprised: A Memoir of a Life in Leadership |date=August 16, 2010 |publisher=Jossey-Bass |isbn=978-0470432389 |quote=“He didn’t have much formal higher education, but the man I came to know in San Francisco was an impressive autodidact.”}}</ref> He became interested in physics in high school<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bartley |first=William Warren |title=Werner Erhard: The Transformation of a Man, the Founding of est |date=December 12, 1988 |publisher=Clarkson Potter |isbn= 978-0517535028 |quote=“Werner returned to Norristown High to complete his senior year… Except for his English and physics classes, however, he was no longer much interested in school.  His attention was elsewhere.”}}</ref> and later developed friendships with Nobel Laureates [[Richard Feynman]] and [[Murray Gell-Mann]], from whom he gained knowledge of theoretical physics.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bennis |first=Warren |title=Still Surprised: A Memoir of a Life in Leadership |date=August 16, 2010 |publisher=Jossey-Bass |isbn=978-0470432389 |quote=“He was especially knowledgeable about theoretical physics, largely as a result of his friendship with such distinguished thinkers as Nobel laureates Richard Feynman and Murray Gell-Mann.”}}</ref> Erhard also credits being tutored by philosophers [[Michel Foucault]], [[Humberto Maturana]], [[Karl Popper]], and [[Hilary Putnam]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=David L. |title=The Predicament: How Did It Happen? How Bad Is It? The Case For Radical Change Now! |date=January 1, 2013 |publisher=The Predicament: How Did It Happen? How Bad Is It? The Case For Radical Change Now! Sic Itur Ad Astra Publishers |isbn=978-0988872806 |quote="Werner also credits tutoring by Richard Feynman, Michel Foucault, Humberto Maturana, Sir Karl Popper, and Hilary Putnam."}}</ref>

During his time in St. Louis in the 1960s, Erhard read two books that had a marked effect on him: [[Napoleon Hill]]'s ''[[Think and Grow Rich]]'' (1937) and [[Maxwell Maltz]]'s ''[[Psycho-Cybernetics]]'' (1960).<ref name="Bartley" />{{rp|122}} When a member of his staff at ''Parents Magazine'' introduced him to the ideas of [[Abraham Maslow]] and [[Carl Rogers]], both key figures in the [[Human Potential Movement]], he became more interested in personal fulfillment than sales success.<ref name="Lewis2001" />

After moving to Sausalito, he attended seminars by [[Alan Watts]], a Western interpreter of [[Zen Buddhism]], who introduced him to the distinction between mind and self;<ref name="Lewis2001" /> Erhard subsequently became close friends with Watts.<ref name="Bartley" />{{rp|117–138}} Erhard also studied in Japan with Zen rōshi [[Yamada Mumon]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rawlinson|first1=Andrew|title=The Book of Enlightened Masters: Western Teachers in Eastern Traditions|date=December 31, 1998|publisher=Open Court|isbn=978-0812693102|page=[https://archive.org/details/bookofenlightene00rawl/page/261 261]|url=https://archive.org/details/bookofenlightene00rawl|url-access=registration}}</ref> In Bartley's biography, ''[[Werner Erhard (book)|Werner Erhard: The Transformation of a Man, the Founding of est]]'' (1978), Bartley quotes Erhard as acknowledging [[Zen]] as an essential contribution that "created the space for" est.<ref name="Bartley" />{{rp|146,147}}

Erhard attended the [[Dale Carnegie|Dale Carnegie Course]] in 1967.<ref name="Lewis2001" /> He was sufficiently impressed by it to make his staff attend the course, and began to think about developing a course of his own.<ref name="Lewis2001" /> Over the following years, he investigated a wide range of movements, including [[Encounter group|Encounter]], [[Transactional Analysis]], Enlightenment Intensive, [[Subud]] and [[Scientology]].<ref name="Lewis2001">{{cite book|editor=[[James R. Lewis (scholar)|James R. Lewis]]|author=Kay Holzinger|title=Odd gods: new religions & the cult controversy|chapter=Erhard Seminars Training (est) and The Forum|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6Y7XAAAAMAAJ|access-date=November 18, 2010|date=February 1, 2001|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=978-1-57392-842-7}}</ref>

In 1970, Erhard became involved in [[Mind Dynamics]] and began teaching his own version of Mind Dynamics classes in San Francisco and Los Angeles.<ref name="Bartley" />{{rp|136–137}} The directors of Mind Dynamics eventually invited him into their partnership, but Erhard rejected the offer, saying he would rather develop his own seminar program—est, the first program of which he conducted in October 1971.<ref name="Bartley" />{{rp|178}} John Hanley, who later founded [[Lifespring]], was also involved at this time. In their 1992 book ''Perspectives on the New Age'', [[James R. Lewis (scholar)|James R. Lewis]] and [[J. Gordon Melton]] write that Mind Dynamics, est, and LifeSpring have "striking" similarities, as all used "authoritarian trainers who enforce numerous rules," require applause from participants, and deemphasize reason in favor of emotion. The authors also describe graduates recruiting heavily on behalf of the companies, thereby eliminating marketing expenses.<ref name=melton>{{cite book| last1 = Melton| first1 = J. Gordon| author-link = J. Gordon Melton| last2 = Lewis| first2 = James R.| author-link2 = James R. Lewis (scholar)| title = Perspectives on the New Age| publisher = SUNY Press| year = 1992| pages = 129–132| isbn = 0-7914-1213-X| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=U1werz4a1BIC&pg=PA129| access-date = August 5, 2021| archive-date = September 29, 2023| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230929150415/https://books.google.com/books?id=U1werz4a1BIC&pg=PA129| url-status = live}}</ref>

In the early 1980s, shortly before the est training was phased out, Erhard was introduced to the work of philosopher [[Martin Heidegger]]. He consulted with the Heideggerian scholars [[Hubert Dreyfus]] and Michael E. Zimmerman, who noted commonalities between est training and elements of Heidegger's thought.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Hyde |first1=Bruce |title=Speaking Being: Werner Erhard, Martin Heidegger, and a New Possibility of Being Human |last2=Kopp |first2=Drew |date=August 6, 2019 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-1119549901 |quote=“During the transition to The Forum…[Erhard] was introduced to the work of the twentieth-century German philosopher Martin Heidegger. Erhard was taken with the way Heidegger’s thinking reverberated with his own, and he consulted with several Heideggerian scholars on the subject.  Two of them – Hubert Dreyfus and Michael E. Zimmerman of Tulane – provided formal assessments of the est Training’s effectiveness and noted its consistencies with elements of Heidegger’s thought.”}}</ref>

===est (1971–1984)===
{{main|Erhard Seminars Training}}
Starting in 1971, est, short for Erhard Seminars Training and Latin for "it is", offered in-depth personal and professional development workshops, the initial program of which was called "The est Training".<ref name="book-of-est">{{cite book|last1=Rhinehart|first1=Luke|title=The Book of est|date=1976|publisher=Holt, Rinehart and Winston}}</ref> The est Training's purpose was to transform the way one sees and makes sense of life so that the situations one had been trying to change or tolerating clear up in the process of living itself.<ref name="Steven M. Tipton 1982, page 176" /> The point was to leave participants free to be, while increasing their effectiveness and the quality of their lives.<ref name="The est Standard Training">{{cite journal|last1=Erhard|first1=Werner|last2=Gloscia|first2=Victor|title=The ''est'' Standard Training|url=https://archive.org/details/TheEstStandardTraining|journal=Biosciences Communications|date=1977|volume=3|pages=104–122}}</ref> The est Training was experiential and transformational in nature.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The est Experience|last=Kettle|first=James|publisher=Kensington Publishing Corporation|year=1976|isbn=978-0890831687|location=New York|pages=51, 52}}</ref>

The workshops were offered until 1984, when the est training was replaced by the Forum. As of 1984, 700,000 people had completed the est training.<ref name="believermag"/> American ethicist, philosopher, and historian [[Jonathan D. Moreno]] has described the est training as "the most important cultural event after the human potential movement itself seemed exhausted"<ref name="J.D. Moreno">{{cite book | last1 = Moreno | first1 = Jonathan D. | author-link1 = Jonathan D. Moreno | chapter =  | title = Impromptu Man: J.L. Moreno and the Origins of Psychodrama, Encounter Culture, and the Social Network | date = September 22, 2014 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=59-hDwAAQBAJ | edition = 1 | location = New York | publisher = Bellevue Literary Press | publication-date = 2014 | page =  | isbn = 9781934137857 | access-date = 7 March 2021 | quote =  | archive-date = September 29, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230929174832/https://books.google.com/books?id=59-hDwAAQBAJ | url-status = live }}</ref> and a form of "Socratic interrogation". Erhard challenged participants to be themselves and live in the present<ref name="Hargrove">{{Cite book|title=est: Making Life Work|last=Hargrove|first=Robert|publisher=Dell Books|year=1976|isbn=978-0440195566|location=New York|pages=127}}</ref> instead of playing a role imposed on them<ref name="J.D. Moreno" /> by their past, and to move beyond their current points of view into a perspective from which they could observe their own positionality.<ref name="J.D. Moreno" /> The author Robert Hargrove said "you're going to notice that things do begin to clear up, just in the process of life itself".<ref name="Hargrove" />

The first est course was held in San Francisco, California, in October 1971.<ref name=sf>{{cite news|title=hotel to hospital – farewell to S.F. era|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|date=Oct 31, 2009}}</ref> By the mid-1970s Erhard had trained 10 others to lead est courses.<ref name="Lewis2001" />{{rp|385}} Between 1972 and 1974 est centers opened in Los Angeles, Aspen, Honolulu, and New York City.<ref name="Lewis2001" />{{rp|385}}

===Werner Erhard Foundation (1973–1991)===
In the early 1970s, the est Foundation became the Werner Erhard Foundation,<ref name=foundation>{{cite web |url=http://wernererhardfoundation.org/ |title=Werner Erhard Foundation |publisher=Werner Erhard Foundation |access-date=November 13, 2011 |archive-date=March 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325231717/http://wernererhardfoundation.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref> with the aim of "providing financial and organizational support to individuals and groups engaged in charitable and educational pursuits—research, communication, education, and scholarly endeavors in the fields of individual and social transformation and human well-being." The Foundation supported projects launched by people committed to altering what is possible for humanity, such as The Hunger Project, The Mastery Foundation, The Holiday Project, and the Youth at Risk Program, programs that continue to be active. It also organized presentations by scholars and humanitarians such as the Dalai Lama and [[Buckminster Fuller]]<ref name=foundation /> and hosted an annual conference in theoretical physics, a science in which Erhard was especially interested.<ref name="susskind191">{{cite book|last=Susskind|first=Leonard|title=The Black Hole War: My Battle with Stephen Hawking to Make the World Safe for Quantum Mechanics|url=https://archive.org/details/blackholewarmyba00suss_585|url-access=limited|year=2009|publisher=Back Bay Books|isbn= 978-0-316-01641-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/blackholewarmyba00suss_585/page/n197 191]}}</ref> The annual conference was designed to give physicists an opportunity to work with their colleagues on what they were developing before they published, and was attended by such physicists as [[Richard Feynman]], [[Stephen Hawking]],<ref name="susskind191"/> and [[Leonard Susskind]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Physics Conferences |url=https://wernererhardfoundation.org/physics.html |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=wernererhardfoundation.org |archive-date=November 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241130104002/https://wernererhardfoundation.org/physics.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===The Hunger Project===
{{main|The Hunger Project}}

In 1977, with the support of John Denver, Dana Meadows, and former Oberlin College president Robert W. Fuller, among others, Erhard founded [[The Hunger Project]],<ref name=":3">Ben Amor, ''The Urban Shepherd: Chasing The American Dream''. Dog Ear Publishing, 2017. ISBN 978-1457545344. Quote: “The founders included Werner Erhard (the founder of EST), John Denver, Bob Fuller, Dana Meadows, and Roy Prosterman.”</ref> a nonprofit NGO that holds consultative status with UNESCO.<ref name=":4">Edward H. Lawson and Mary Lou Bertucci (eds.), ''Encyclopedia of Human Rights''. Taylor & Francis, 1996. Quote: “Hunger Project has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council.”</ref> The project's origin can be seen in Erhard’s 1977 source document ''The End of Starvation: Creating an Idea Whose Time Has Come''.<ref>Werner Erhard, ''The End of Starvation: Creating an Idea Whose Time Has Come'', 1977. Archived at Wayback Machine: [https://web.archive.org/web/20190327024732/http://www.wernererhard.net/thpsource.html]</ref>

The Hunger Project was established as an international charitable organization with the aim of generating worldwide commitment to end hunger and starvation within 20 years.<ref name=":6">Lynne Twist, ''Living a Committed Life: Finding Freedom and Fulfillment in a Purpose Larger Than Yourself''. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2022. Quote: "In collaboration with Bucky, singer John Denver, Robert Fuller, president of Oberlin College, and others, he realized that what was missing was not solutions for hunger, but rather the commitment to end it. This new project would generate the worldwide commitment to make the end of hunger 'an idea whose time has come.'"</ref> It emphasized the power of individuals to generate broad social change.<ref>Marilyn Ferguson, ''The Aquarian Conspiracy''. Jeremy P. Tarcher, 1980. Quote: “The power of individuals to generate broad social change is the basis for the Hunger Project, an international charitable organization launched by est founder Werner Erhard in 1977.”</ref> Some critics described it as largely symbolic or as promoting Erhard's ideas rather than providing direct relief.<ref>''Mother Jones'', “Let Them Eat est,” December 1978.</ref>

By 1979, about 750,000 people in dozens of countries had pledged their personal commitment to help end world hunger.<ref>Marilyn Ferguson, ''The Aquarian Conspiracy''. Jeremy P. Tarcher, 1980. Quote: “In less than two years, seven hundred fifty thousand individuals in dozens of countries have pledged their personal commitment to help end world hunger.”</ref> By 1984, estimates placed participation at around 2.8 million people,<ref>Ben Amor, ''The Urban Shepherd: Chasing The American Dream''. Dog Ear Publishing, 2017. Quote: “By 1984, 2.8 million people had joined the crusade against hunger.”</ref> and in 1985 ''The New York Times'' reported that the four-millionth person had signed the pledge declaring that the end of hunger "is an idea whose time has come".<ref name=":5">Robin Toner, “Hunger Project Aiming at Global Commitment,” ''The New York Times'', October 6, 1985. Quote: “Last month, a woman in Mexico became the four millionth person to sign a pledge declaring that the end of hunger ‘is an idea whose time has come.’”</ref>

===Werner Erhard and Associates (1981–1991) and "The Forum"===
{{further|Werner Erhard and Associates}}
In the 1980s, Erhard created a new program called the [[Werner Erhard and Associates|Forum]], which began in January 1985. Also during that period he developed and presented a series of seminars, broadcast via satellite, that included interviews with contemporary thinkers in science, economics, sports, and the arts on topics such as creativity, performance, and money.

In October 1987, Erhard hosted a televised broadcast with sports coaches [[John Wooden]], [[Red Auerbach]], [[Timothy Gallwey|Tim Gallwey]] and [[George E. Allen|George Allen]] to discuss principles of coaching across all disciplines. They sought to identify distinctions found in coaching regardless of the subject being coached. [[Jim Selman]] moderated the discussion and, in 1989, documented the outcome in the article "Coaching and the Art of Management."<ref>Sourcebook of Coaching History, Vikki G Brock PhD., 2012</ref>

=== Subsequent work ===
During the 1990s, Erhard lectured and led programs in various locations, including Russia, Japan, and Ireland. He had a three-year contract to give courses to Soviet managers that would allow Soviet officials to study his teaching methods.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Greenberger |first=Robert |date=December 3, 1986 |title=East meets Est: The Soviets discover Werner Erhard |journal=The Wall Street Journal |quote=Mr. Erhard gave a five-day course to about 60 Soviet managers in the workers' state, his first seminar under a three-year contract that also will allow Soviet officials to study his teaching methods in the U.S. |via=}}</ref> He consulted for both businesses and government agencies in Russia.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Haldeman |first=Peter |date=November 28, 2015 |title=The Return of Werner Erhard, Father of Self-Help |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/fashion/the-return-of-werner-erhard-father-of-self-help.html |work=The New York Times |quote=Mr. Erhard consulted for businesses and government agencies like the Russian adult-education program the Znaniye Society and a nonprofit organization supporting clergy in Ireland. |archive-date=June 7, 2023 |access-date=April 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607001506/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/fashion/the-return-of-werner-erhard-father-of-self-help.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Kellaway |first=Lucy |date=April 22, 2021 |title=Lunch With The FT: Werner Erhard |url=https://www.ft.com/content/feb214a8-8f88-11e1-98b1-00144feab49a |quote=Erhard tells me that paramilitaries in Northern Ireland had a bit of trouble too, but when they did get it they disarmed as a result. He also worked with members of the first Russian parliament in 1993. |archive-date=September 26, 2024 |access-date=September 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926131644/https://www.ft.com/content/feb214a8-8f88-11e1-98b1-00144feab49a |url-status=live }}</ref> In the early 1990s he conducted seminars in Japan for professionals coping with their financial crisis.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Haldeman |first=Peter |date=November 28, 2015 |title=The Return of Werner Erhard, Father of Self-Help |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/fashion/the-return-of-werner-erhard-father-of-self-help.html |quote=he conducted seminars for professionals coping with Japan’s financial crisis of the early 1990s. |archive-date=June 7, 2023 |access-date=April 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607001506/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/fashion/the-return-of-werner-erhard-father-of-self-help.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1999, Erhard and Peter Block worked with a nonprofit organization for clergy and grassroots leaders to come up with new ways to deal with the peace process in Ireland.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Locke |first=Bill |date=January 31, 2018 |title=A Conversation with Peter Block |url=https://www.kolbetimes.com/peter-block/ |work=Kolbe Times |quote=In 1999, he and Werner Erhard developed The Ireland Initiative, working with clergy and grassroots leaders to develop new thinking and new conversations. |archive-date=September 30, 2023 |access-date=April 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230930142545/https://www.kolbetimes.com/peter-block/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Erhard and Michael C. Jensen, Professor of Business Administration emeritus, led seminars and training sessions at Harvard.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Leeson |first=Robert |title=Hayek, A Collaborative Biography |date=May 14, 2013 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |isbn=978-0230301122 |quote=Erhard organized and led Harvard seminars and training sessions in association with Michael Jensen, Professor of Business Administration Emeritus at Harvard Business School}}</ref> They also explored the relationship between integrity and performance in a paper published at Harvard Business School.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kerr |first=James |title=Legacy |date=December 17, 2013 |publisher=Constable & Robinson |isbn=978-1472103536 |quote=In a paper published at Harvard Business School, Michael C. Jensen, Werner Erhard, and Steve Zaffron explore the relationship between integrity and performance.}}</ref>

Erhard and Jensen developed and led a course on leadership<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Haldeman |first=Peter |date=November 28, 2015 |title=The Return of Werner Erhard, Father of Self-Help |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/fashion/the-return-of-werner-erhard-father-of-self-help.html |work=The New York Times |quote=Dr. Jensen developed an experiential course on integrity in leadership at the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester. The class was offered there for five years, with Mr. Erhard signing on as an instructor during its third year. It has since been taught at several universities around the world as well as at the United States Air Force Academy. |archive-date=June 7, 2023 |access-date=April 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607001506/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/fashion/the-return-of-werner-erhard-father-of-self-help.html |url-status=live }}</ref> that took an experience-based, rather than knowledge-based, approach to leadership. Students were asked to master integrity and authenticity, among other principles, so that they could leave the class as leaders rather than merely learning about leadership.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Haldeman |first=Peter |date=November 28, 2015 |title=The Return of Werner Erhard, Father of Self-Help |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/fashion/the-return-of-werner-erhard-father-of-self-help.html |work=The New York Times |quote=Briefly, the course, which owes ideological debts to the Forum and to the German philosopher Martin Heidegger, takes an experience-based, rather than knowledge-based, approach to its subject. Students master principles like integrity and authenticity in order to leave the class acting as leaders instead of merely knowing about leadership. |archive-date=June 7, 2023 |access-date=April 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607001506/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/fashion/the-return-of-werner-erhard-father-of-self-help.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The course has been taught at several universities worldwide as well as at the [[United States Air Force Academy]].<ref name=":2" />

=== Landmark Education ===
{{main|Landmark Worldwide}}

In 1991, the group that later formed [[Landmark Education]] purchased Erhard's intellectual property. In 1998, ''Time'' magazine published an article<ref name="timearticle">{{cite magazine| url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,138763,00.html| title=The Best Of Est?| magazine=TIME| date=June 24, 2001| first=Charlotte| last=Faltermayer| access-date=October 13, 2020| archive-date=October 19, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019210524/http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,138763,00.html| url-status=live}}</ref> about Landmark Education and its historical connection to Erhard. The article stated: "In 1991, before he left the U.S., Erhard sold the 'technology' behind his seminars to his employees, who formed a new company called the Landmark Education Corp., with Erhard's brother Harry Rosenberg at the helm." According to Landmark Education, its programs have as their basis ideas originally developed by Erhard, but Erhard has no financial interest, ownership, or management role in Landmark Education.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.landmarkeducation.com/display_content.jsp?top=26&mid=658 |title=Landmark Education, media Q&A |publisher=Landmarkeducation.com |access-date=November 13, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927213154/http://www.landmarkeducation.com/display_content.jsp?top=26&mid=658 |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In ''Stephanie Ney v. Landmark Education Corporation'' (1994), a court ruled that Landmark Education Corporation did not have successor-liability to Werner Erhard & Associates, the corporation whose assets it purchased.<ref>Appendix A. Text of Court Ruling in Ney Case – Source: LEXIS-NEXIS – STEPHANIE NEY, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. LANDMARK EDUCATION CORPORATION; RON ZELLER, Defendants-Appellees, and WERNER ERHARD; WERNER ERHARD AND ASSOCIATES; PETER SIAS, Defendants. – No. 92-1979 – UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT – 1994 U.S. App. LEXIS 2373</ref><ref name="pressman-dark"/>{{rp|262}}

According to [[Steven Pressman]]'s 1993 book ''[[Outrageous Betrayal]]'', Landmark Education agreed to pay Erhard a long-term licensing fee for the material used in [[Werner Erhard and Associates|the Forum]] and other courses: "Erhard stood to earn up to $15 million over the next 18 years."<ref name="pressman-dark"/>{{rp|253–255}} But Arthur Schreiber's declaration of May 3, 2005 states: "Landmark Education has never paid Erhard under the license agreements (he assigned his rights to others)."<ref>Declaration filed May 5, 2005 at the US District Court of New Jersey, civil action 04-3022 (JCL), pp 3 and 4</ref>{{primary source inline|date=August 2021}}

In 2001, ''New York Magazine'' reported that Landmark Education CEO Harry Rosenberg said that the company had bought Erhard's license outright and his rights to the business in Japan and Mexico.<ref name="paymoney">[https://nymag.com/nymetro/news/culture/features/4932/ Pay Money, Be Happy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521161035/http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/culture/features/4932/ |date=May 21, 2011 }}, ''New York Magazine'', [[Vanessa Grigoriadis]], July 9, 2001.</ref> From time to time, Erhard acts as a consultant to Landmark Education.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.landmarkeducation.com/OVERVW/cntrvrsy/default.htm |title=Landmark Education website |date=February 10, 2002 |access-date=November 13, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020210075416/http://www.landmarkeducation.com/OVERVW/cntrvrsy/default.htm |archive-date=February 10, 2002 }}</ref>