Life as a Mexican Federale

By Michael Douglas Carlin

There is a party over at the club. The who’s who of the power structure in Juarez is hanging out tonight. The bouncer at the door is dressed in civilian clothes but he is here protecting the interests of the Mexican Government and he has been assigned to his task by his chain of command in the Military. His job tonight is to make sure that none of the competing interests can get their guns inside. A survey of the room would be misleading because there are plenty of guns inside. Loaded revolvers, assault rifles, and machine guns lying around amidst the cocaine, marijuana, and booze that keeps the party roaring.

Lobo is a Federales who is frequently trusted with tremendous responsibility. Today he and the new guy, Gaspar, transported a shipment of millions of dollars that they deposited on a plane bound for Mexico City. Gaspar was full of questions. Lobo explained that the cold hard cash had been collected from the various merchants involved in illegal activities that can only exist under the protection of the Mexican Government. That protection comes with a price and every single official, including Lobo has received their taste of this money before they packed the suitcases that are now on their way to Mexico City. Gaspar was wide eyed when he got an envelope with ten one-hundred dollar bills.

Lobo asks Gaspar to wait in the car. He walks into the club and the bouncer acknowledges that Lobo is recognized and not subject to search. He has earned respect from his time as a Federales as well as his previous assignment in the Mexican State Police. Lobo comes with a reputation as a man who can be trusted to carry out orders and get things done. Juan “La Tortuga” has been here for a while, hanging out with Angel Robels Gonzales who is known as a crazy, stone cold, killer. 

“Ready for a road trip? Calderoni wants us to execute some warrants.”
“Andale Pues”

The four men are all in the car. The ride south is slightly tense because executing warrants can be tricky. The process is a gamble at best. It might be smooth sailing or it might be an outright gun battle.

Gaspar breaks the silence, “La Tortuga, what should we know about these warrants?”

“You should be ready for anything.”

“Who are we going after?”

Angel looks over, “Gaspar, you ask too many questions. Lobo is down for whatever. La Tortuga has his shell. He pulls his head in. He doesn’t hear anything. He moves slowly but deliberately.”

Juan chimes in, “what kind of a name is Gaspar anyway? We have to come up with a name for you on this trip.”

“Carnal, turn up here past that house, to the left.”

“Down that dirt road?” Gaspar can’t help himself, “who are we gunna find out here in the middle of nowhere?”

“Again with the questions," as Angel shoots a glance.

Juan breaks the tension, “naugh, the warrants are for another time, we are gunna meet some people out here.”

They pull up to a group standing out in the middle of nowhere. Two vans, a fuel truck, a pick-up truck with a generator in tow all have stickers on their windshields that have an Bengal tiger insignia. The generator is on idle when the four climb out of the vehicle armed to the teeth with AK-47’s and back up pistols holstered. The generator is cranked up and lights are switched on. The dirt becomes a landing strip. The lights are on for only a few minutes before a plane touches down. Hundreds of kilos of cocaine are unloaded into the vans, the fuel truck refuels the plane and within a few minutes the lights are once again lit and the plane is back up in the air. This is a well-oiled machine because all of this happened in fifteen minutes, tops.

Gaspar asks, “where are we taking this?”

While Angel shakes his head he turns with a single fluid movement and shoots a few rounds from his AK that hit Gaspar, “I figured out your name… Metiche!” Everyone there hears this and watches Gaspar as he struggles to breathe but no one says a word and no one offers to help him.

The lights have been collected and everybody is loaded into their vehicles. The fuel truck and the pickup turn south but the vans turn north toward Juarez with their Federales escort. There will be no one stopping this shipment at any of the checkpoints. Gaspar is left behind in the field. The bullets didn’t kill him, curiosity did. His death will not be investigated. What would be the point? Everyone there who was an eyewitness to this murder will never speak directly about it. They were not really there, they didn't see a thing, and they don't remember anything. If they ever mention this it will only be to confirm what everybody in Mexico already knows; this is what happens to people who ask too many questions - especially the wrong questions.

Michael Douglas Carlin is a filmmaker, author, and journalist. American Federale is available on iTunes, Amazon, and GooglePlay. Rise a Knight is available on Amazon. Peaceful Protests and A Prescription For Peace is available on iTunes.

© 2000 – 2014 Michael Douglas Carlin. All rights reserved.

Powerful Countermeasures

(This article appeared in the Jan 8th, 2013 edition of the Century City News)

By Michael Douglas Carlin

We are living in a climate of extreme manipulation. There are additives placed in our food to make it more addictive. Chemicals are put in our water. And marketing is flying at us to manipulate us at an unprecedented rate. Add to that the normal manipulation on the job or inside our family. When emotions take over logic and reason disappear. Take the emotion out of any situation and better decisions get made. Kenny Lindner gives us real tools to make better decisions from that little piece of candy to big career moves and decisions that will affect our families for many generations.

What would happen in our world if everyone took responsibility for every aspect of his or her lives? We all know how profound the world could instantly be impacted. This is a groundbreaking book based upon decades of empirical experience of managing some of the most talented performers and steering their careers. Back Mr. Lindner’s experience with behavioral science and you get a potent prescription we all need to change our lives and perhaps the world. It is just that simple! We are affected by all the consequences of the decisions we make big or small. Why not take responsibility for those decisions too? Reframing our decisions to understand those consequences is a great step toward taking responsibility.

Century City is filled with consultants and we all know the first rule of consulting is to sow seeds of doubt and then make yourself indispensible. Consultants are all taught to constantly sell their “expert” status and then reinforce how important they are. But the truth is that those who really are experts don’t need to sell that hard. They make careers. They map out strategies and are worth their pound of flesh. One of those who has achieved “guru” status is now sharing with us his secrets for success. He has guided the careers of some of the most notable celebrities and he now gives us insight into how he has achieved superstar status in the most competitive of businesses… that of agenting.

In the world of broadcast television he has eclipsed many of the larger agencies that have so much more going for them on paper. In spite of all of their structural synergies they bring into the realm of broadcast television, Lindner seems to land many of the big fish as an independent and relatively small agency. Why? Because the advice he gives truly is sage advice. In his book, “Your Killer Emotions” he maps out much of the advice he has given for all of us pedestrians, that are not represented by him. In the companion book, “Crunch Time,” he taught us the eight foolproof steps to achieve our goals. This book, “Your Killer Emotions,” is the only voice I have found that frames the conversation in a way that we can all improve our lives by boiling down our choices to really comprehend the ramifications of even the smallest of decisions upon our life.

What may seem like no big deal can turn into quite a big deal after years of having made even the simplest of choices. Consider the choice of eating fast food for every meal. “Supersize Me” was just about such a choice. You all remember the documentary film that opened our eyes to having three meals a day of fast food. The results were not pretty. So that tiny piece of candy we get from the bowl at the bank may not seem that harmful but when we make visits a number of times a day and numerous days throughout the week we are silently killing ourselves with something that seems so innocent. How about exposure to Radio Frequency? Or lawn chemicals? Or food additives? Or hormones? Or genetically modified foods? Or how about a toxic boss? A career choice? A marriage?

Ken Lindner teaches us how to use our negative emotions to reframe our decisions into positive choices as we attempt to understand the true consequences of what we are deciding to do every day of our lives. Ken teaches us what he has been teaching his clients for years… not to be manipulated into doing something harmful. A client may have a contract dispute and that may turn ugly in order to manipulate behavior. By the studio making a continuation difficult they can avoid paying money they are contractually bound to pay. Ken frames the true choice by taking all of the emotion out of the decision and framing it with logic and reason. When we look at the true facts and consequences the decision often becomes clear.

I recently watched a very good friend and literary agent go through brain cancer. Seeing his struggles for the past three years and having recently said my “goodbyes” just prior to him passing away I have come to understand that brain cancer is something I never want to experience personally. By using Ken Lindner’s model I am able to reframe my choices of not wanting to suffer and to have those around me suffer and fix some of what is wrong with my life today… for a brighter tomorrow. From this “negative experience” of not wanting to die a slow and miserable death I have commenced an exercise program and I have chosen much healthier salads over my normal fare of junk food.

I have become an advocate of Ken Lindner’s self help books because of the profound changes they have made to my own life. My son met Ken briefly during the release of “Crunch Time.” A conversation between Ken and my son led to an action plan and goals as he agreed to read the book. He applied the 8 steps to achieve his Degree and ROTC training leading to lasting changes in his life. My son achieved “Cadet of the Year” in 2011 for the State of California and is currently in Jet Fighter Pilot School for the United States Air Force and he credits much of his success to getting on the right track from having read “Crunch Time” as well as his guidance from Kenny.

“Your Killer Emotions” is in a category all by itself and I highly recommend the book to anyone who wants to get more out of his or her time on the planet.

You can join Ken Lindner at Barnes and Noble for his book signing on January 17th at 7:00pm. Barnes and Noble, The Grove at Farmers Market, 189 The Grove Drive, Suite K30, Los Angeles, CA 90036

What Hangs On Your Wall Says So Much More About You Than You Know…

(This article originally appeared in the September 9th, 2009 edition of the Century City News)

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words. What Are Your Pictures Saying About You?

By Michael Douglas Carlin

Bank of America in Century City has had numerous complaints about the art displayed in the back of the bank. Customers complain to Anthony, the branch manager, about the Bank taking TARP money while at the same time displaying art worth millions of dollars.

Too pricy of art might send the wrong message to your customers. Cheap art might also send the wrong message. The fine line that says community might be at your doorstep today. How about art that speaks to your clients and employees about the human condition? How about art that documents what is happening to animals on our planet? How about art that documents the changes that are happening to our MOTHER EARTH?

I grew up in a lighting and grip house in Burbank. My father was a lighting director and I spent many days working with photographers. I have worked with hundreds and I have grown to know the good ones from the bad just by being present at the photographing event. The bad ones often get occasionally lucky with a random shot that gets acclaim. The good ones don’t take pictures…they make pictures. I was never able to put this into words until I heard Colin Finlay tell me this over lunch one day. Taking pictures has the connotation of being a spectator at the event. Making pictures brings the photographer into the fabric of the event as a participant.

I knew there was something different about Colin Finlay and his work when I saw his photos. I have seen literally millions of photos in my lifetime and I recognized that a high percentage of his photos were exceptional if not brilliant. I only came to understand him as a photographer when I actually was present at one photographing event. I arranged for Colin to visit “Star Echo Station” in Culver City. I was introduced to “Star” by Stephen Nemeth at his birthday party a couple of years ago and grew to love the place. This is where animals that have been illegally brought into the country are confiscated and sent.

Star has the ability to care for wild animals and they provide a sanctuary that school children can visit to learn about the plight of endangered species as well as what we all can do to help heal our environment. I phoned ahead and talked to someone there and suggested that we visit to take some photos. I was informed about the rules and the documents that would need to be signed for us to visit. I suggested to them that they look up Colin on the internet. I got the feeling that being able to take photographs there was a common request and that there had been procedures established to minimize the number that actually followed through.

When we arrived they knew who Colin was and all of the procedure went out the window. They were grateful he had showed up to see what they were doing. The conversation was very genuine. Two great institutions were meeting for the first time. They abandoned all protocol and opened the cages of wild animals and allowed us to enter for a photographic experience I will always remember. I personally witnessed Colin transform into a quiet almost silent communicator of animals. The respect that he gave them from the moment he met them seemed to tell them that he was there to help others understand them. He seemed to ask them for their photo and they responded by giving Colin a performance. Each animal was different. I felt like I could almost understand what each animal was saying but I knew that Colin understood. In that moment I came to understand the emotion that each animal feels. I was always taught that human beings were the only life forms that can feel emotion. On that day this myth was forever shattered in my mind. I felt the enormous intelligence of the birds. I felt the longing of the cats for the days when they roamed free. I felt the sorrow that all animals feel at being pushed off of the face of the Earth.

I had heard Colin say that every time he made a photograph he left a little of himself behind and that every time he also took a little of his subject with him. I came to understand just what that meant, that day at Star Echo Station. I came to understand just how Colin got such incredible photographs of the Polar Bears, Grizzlies, Elephants and all other animals that he established this trance like connection with. Keep in mind that in the wild he often gets 15 feet or less away from some of the most dangerous animals. He told me about being less than 12 feet away from a family of Grizzlies. At any moment it could have gone wrong and he could have been killed.

Colin is no stranger to danger. He has documented, through his photos, both sides of the conflict in the Holy land. Colin has also travelled to Darfur, Rwanda, Northern Ireland and many other places documenting conflict. He has faced numerous situations that seemed hopeless with bullets flying but so far has managed to return with some incredible photographs. Colin has seen man’s inhumanity to man first hand. Colin has witnessed outright genocide. His book “Testify” brought awareness of the conflict in the Sudan where the Janjaweed are being hired by the Sudanese Government to drive the Fur, Zaghawa, and Masalit from their homes and lands, killing the men and brutally raping the women.

I met Colin at Bill Pruitt’s “Men’s Night”. This is a group of Westside men that meet to talk about the issues of the day. That particular night I was with my very good friend Sir Edward and he was sharing the floor with Colin Finlay. Colin spoke first and showed photographs of places Ed had been. Colin captured the images in such a way that evoked a memory response in Ed where he could actually remember the smell he had experienced when he was there. I watched as these men talked about these places…literally dozens of them where they visited hours apart. They talked about details that only someone who had been there would know. The conversation broke down into weeping and an embrace for two warriors who had approached the same issues and places from a different perspective and had drawn the same conclusions. To this day the two men are still very close and will forever share the bond of the inhumanity they witnessed. A part of both of these men was left behind at each place they visited and a part of that place will forever remain with them. Ed brought relief into these dangerous places and Colin photographed them but both men came to understand that we as human beings can’t allow this type of criminal activity to continue and both men are champions of ending it forever.
What you have on your walls says a lot about you…I suggest that you allow a part of Colin Finlay and the places he has documented to speak to your employees and clients that you join with all of us in ending the tragedies that have been allowed to go unchecked – until now.

The Century City News is hosting a VIP reception for Mr. Finlay on September 23, 2009 at 6 PM to be held at Cal National Bank on the corner of Avenue of the Stars and Santa Monica Blvd. (1800 AOS). The event is sponsored by The Century City News and Cal National Bank additional sponsorship opportunities are available. I am personally inviting every reader of the Century City News to attend the event. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet one of the world’s most active eco-warriors. Meet someone who has actually travelled to the four corners of the world to see with his own eyes what is happening to our planet and hear his message of hope that we can turn it all around before we reach the tipping point. Reach out to your friends from around the city and invite them out to hear first hand accounts of ecological disasters and recovery opportunities.
For more information on Mr. Finlay I refer you to his website at www.colinfinlay.com

The Century City Chamber of Commerce has ratified the induction of the non-profit “Arts & Cultural Affairs Council.”

(This article originally appeared in the June 2nd, 2009 edition of the Century City News)

By Heather Ryland

Hello Century City! I’d like to introduce you to the newest member of our glorious community.

The Century City Chamber of Commerce has ratified the induction of the non-profit “Arts & Cultural Affairs Council.”

The new CCCC Arts & Cultural Affairs Council has plans for a grand kick-off event this fall that will include a rare exhibit of beautiful photographs from the renowned celebrity photographer, Frank Worth. The event includes large candid photos of Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and Sammy Davis Jr. to name a few favorites.

The event will be open to the public, with more information coming, as it becomes available, but currently it is planned that each attendee will be given a lithograph print of the photograph of their choice, among other surprises.

The concept for the ACAC began as an insightful glimmer in the eye of our very own publisher, Michael Carlin, who had a distinct idea of the positive impact that an Arts & Cultural Affairs Council would have on Century City. His enthusiasm spilled over into many conversations around town, which included Xiliary Twil, but it wasn’t until Carlin discussed his idea with Jean Tardy-Vallernaud of Gainsborough Capital that the idea began to build into a reality.

Mr. Tardy-Vallernaud quickly saw the value in the project and discussed it in detail with Carlin until they believed that the concept was evolved enough to bring in other members and begin implementing a plan.

Once the backbone of the council was established, including such members as Susan Bursk; President & CEO of the Century City Chamber of Commerce, Susan Coddington; Founder of CDG Interior design, Stuart Denenberg; Owner of Denenberg Fine Art, Lynn Eastman; Sr. Private Banker, Wells Fargo Bank, Myself; Heather Ryland; Managing Editor of CCN, Scott Schaefer; Senior curator of Paintings at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Christine Steiner; Attorney and Professor of Arts and IP Law, Xiliary Twil; Former Gallery Curator and Art Maven, Leslie Wright; VP trust & Estates, Bonhams & Butterfields, and Boryana Zeitz; Trusts & Estates Attorney, Kattan Muchin significant ideas began to pour in and the ball began to roll uphill.

The council’s mission states plainly its grand aspiration; “The mission of the Arts & Cultural Affairs Council is to enhance quality of life and provide leadership in Century City and its surrounding communities through the promotion and support of a broad range of artistic activities and initiatives. As a development arm of the Century City Chamber of Commerce, the Council will serve as a catalyst for and a major contributor to the economic and cultural vitality of this community and all its adults and children.”

With this purpose, the council started on its path to implement a process of networking together the resources available to the community. One of the projects the council has set out to create is a directory that will enable artistic and cultural groups to connect with each other and the public in a concise and effective way, creating a bridge with a solid foundation between community members and artistic organizations wishing to inspire and educate them.

All members of the surrounding communities are encouraged to become a part of this directory to promote themselves, their organizations, or to learn more about upcoming events that will be happening within Century City. If you would like to sign up for more information, send a request to ccn.editor@gmail.com. The registry of current artisans along with their profiles and events will soon be listed on the ACAC website and once the information has been accumulated for six months, the Art Registry of Century City will be will be made available at various locations.

To pinpoint the focus even more, the council has an Arts and Cultural survey that is also available to the community with details at ccn.editor@gmail.com, as well.

The council is excited to offer the survey as a unique opportunity to delve into the heart of the community by asking individuals what is needed and desired artistically to improve the quality of life for our citizens. “The purpose of this assessment is to reveal the needs, wants, challenges and personal vision of the Century City community. “

“The timeliness of this assessment is key. It will help our community take a critical step towards arts and cultural development in the future, in a manner that will positively impact the artists, residents of the community and visitors to Century City and the neighboring communities, like nothing we have seen in the past. “

The bullet points below are just an example of the anticipated benefits the Art & Cultural survey will produce for the Century City community:
• Reveal the skill sets already present to better aid individual artists, cultural groups and the community to coordinate their efforts.
• Provide insight into the challenges associated with developing a strong economic base related to the arts.

• Create an opportunity for the professional development of artists and cultural groups.

• Encourage arts groups to take stock of their strengths and challenges, and share best practices with neighboring communities.

• Help determine the direction for arts and cultural planning.

Los Angeles has always been a diverse cultural and artistic playground and with Century City being a main artery, it leaves no reason for it not to become the artistic hub of the greater Los Angeles area. What is being called for is a revitalization of the creative use of the city with such projects as painting classes for children, adult art workshops, public sculpture, first Friday openings, film and concert venues, summer night dances and most importantly it inquires of the community itself to become a part of its own positive change.

6 Easy Steps to a Great Presentation

(This article originally appeared in the Feb 8th, 2013 edition of the Century City News)

by David Ackert

We’re advisors. We have advice to share. But if no one knows that, our intellectual capital sits in our heads collecting cobwebs.

Typically we demonstrate our expertise during a “free consultation” where we pitch our capabilities in an effort to dazzle a prospective client. But this kind of forum doesn’t provide much leverage. Presentations, on the other hand, are a great way for us to share our message with a large number of people, brand ourselves as experts, and generate new business prospects.

The introverts among us often shrink away from this strategy. Perhaps you feel that you don’t have the polish or the stage presence or the courage to stand in front of a group and put on a show. Fear not. Your next great presentation can be as simple as a free consultation in a group setting. Here are 6 easy steps that will unleash your wallflower power:

1. Introduce yourself
2. Pose a problem or challenge to the room that falls inside your area of expertise
3. Ask the audience to take a minute to write about a similar situation they’ve seen or experienced
4. Tell them to turn to the person next to them and share details about this problem
5. Call on one or two of your audience members to share what they just discussed with the person next to them
6. Finally, give your perspective on the problem

In just a few minutes, you’ve shown the audience what it’s like to work with you, while also branding yourself as an authority on a relevant topic. Now that they’ve seen you in action, they’re much more likely to come up to you after the meeting with a request for your help (with the problem they just identified in your presentation). The best part is, they did most of the work. All you had to do was do what you do best: advise.

Investing Your Wealth With Transparency & Simplicity

(This article originally appeared in the January 8th, 2013 edition of the Century City News)

By Michael Douglas Carlin
When it comes to wealth planning strategies in and around Century City you don’t have to look too far to find many competing voices. But what do you do with a pile of money today? It seems very complicated. Preservation of capital has become a risky business in today’s climate. Do you invest in real estate? Spanish bonds? The stock market? Europe? China? Or stuff your money in your mattress? What was once so easy has become confusing. Developing a strategy to mitigate risk and earn a return on a portfolio of investments seems to be the common desire among the wealthy. How to achieve this?

Beverly Hills Wealth Management, Founded in early 2010, has answers to the tough questions today’s investors ask. Looking at BHWM as a startup can be misleading. The company was formed by Mag Black-Scott former Vice-Chairman of Morgan Stanley. I recently got a chance to sit with her for a few moments. Mag and the BHWM Investment Management team get it! They understand what is happening on the global landscape and the need for investors to employ a global strategy in their financial plan. Mag and her company facilitates and enhances this on every level. The three years for Mag has been a whirlwind of activity as she has navigated the complexity of investing to boil it down for her clients to make it simple and understandable. BHWM now has five locations including their flagship office on Beverly Drive just south of Wilshire. Now there are San Diego, Roseville, CA, Phoenix, and Jacksonville-Florida offices. Soon there may be New York, Chicago, and San Francisco offices.

None of these offices handles any cash. They partner with global, trusted custodians who transparently look after their client’s wealth with their global reach. The relationship between wealth management advisors and clients is a sacred trust. This trust is the cornerstone upon which BHWM is built. Simplicity comes from transparency and honoring this sacred trust. Though their approach is sophisticated nothing ever needs to be too complicated to understand. But all of that comes from the wealth of experience learned over decades in the financial services industry by each of their hand-picked investment advisors and the management of the company that includes Mag. Currently they are handling the investments of private investors, institutional investors, small and medium sized businesses, and public agency funds and all of their services are geared toward facilitating the largest of clients as well as the smaller investor with a growing portfolio of a few million dollars and everything in between. “Behind the construction of client portfolios is a clear and concise approach which speaks to the underlying philosophy and process…In line with client objectives, we create diversified, less volatile portfolios that offer the potential for higher returns with lower risk over time. Thoughtful Portfolio design, risk management and planning are of the utmost importance in optimizing the best outcomes for our clients.” ….says Mary Kusnic, BHWM Wealth Advisor

The company is about to unveil a new proprietary software application called Maestro. This will provide an entire array of products to investment managers that will level the playing field by providing them with all of the advantages of larger institutions. One of the features is that they can provide instant access to an entire range of products and services under a password single set of credentails. This application should be unveiled in the first quarter of 2013. Says Chief Information Officer, John Stuart, “Educating clients on the importance of business process, security, and governance at their wealth management relationship is not something that has been important in the past. Professionals with the ‘Maestro Federated Advisor’ designation will be offering an enterprise level of infrastructure , security and access to clients that demand an independent advisory relationship.”

Mag was previously officed in the Sun America Center from 2004 – 2008. Mary Kusnic is a longtime Century City resident and stakeholder that gives back to our community. I have included both of these amazing women’s bios here.

Mary Kusnic
Wealth Management Advisor
Mary Kusnic has over twenty years experience working with mid-market, emerging and growth-oriented companies, including private and public financing. She provided administrative and portfolio management services for Registered Investment Advisors, Business Managers, Non-profit Organizations, High Net Worth Individuals and Families, Family Offices and Corporate Clients.

As a consultant to Institutional and High Net Worth Clients and Families, her work includes retirement and estate planning, wealth and liquidity management, philanthropic and tax-advantaged strategies; and asset management for tax exempt asset pools including Foundations, Corporate and Private entities, Public Pension and Taft Hartley organizations.

Mary holds the 7, 22, 63 and 65 licenses and is a CFP candidate. Prior to joining Beverly Hills Wealth Management, LLC, Mary was a Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in Beverly Hills, CA. and Merrill Lynch’s Private Client Group in Century City, CA.

Margaret (Mag) Black-Scott is the founder of Beverly Hills Wealth Management LLC, a Registered Investment Advisory firm. Formerly she was a Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Morgan Stanley & Co. Mag has over 35 years of financial services industry experience.

Mag was born and educated in England receiving a diploma in Business Administration from Rotherham Technical College, England. She earned her MBA at Jacksonville University, FL. and completed post-graduate work at Wharton, University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard Business School.

She was adjunct Professor at Jacksonville University, teaching both credit and non-credit courses. She has given financial and estate planning seminars all over the country, and is a past recipient of the coveted “EVE” Award as Jacksonville’s Business Woman of the Year.

She presented a daily television program on financial affairs in Los Angeles, California for 2 years. In Jacksonville, she was Business Editor of Channel 7 (PBS) and made regular guest appearances with WJXT TV Channel 4, a CBS affiliate at that time.

BHWM History
Beverly Hills Wealth Management (BHWM) was formed by Mag Black-Scott, former Fortune 50 Vice Chairman, to meet the needs of High Net Worth clients, Trusts, and Institutions across an open environment with experienced advisors, offering advice that is appropriate, understandable, transparent and beneficial to clients. Each of our employees has an extensive history in the financial services business, and an impeccable professional and personal record.

Our Culture
“Ours is a culture of shared values, attitudes, and practices with the goal of helping clients achieve their stated objectives. We have a culture of mutual respect, of our colleagues, our clients and the source of their wealth plus the trust they place in us to manage that wealth to their own benefit. We strive to serve client needs well and promptly and to exceed their expectations – in short to conduct first class business in a first class way.”….Mag Black-Scott...

BHWM Private Trust
Beverly Hills Wealth Management (BHWM) Private Trust (CA domiciled) provides trust solutions for clients whose financial, family, or business needs require the services of a professional fiduciary through its association with National Advisors Trust Company, the largest federally chartered trust company created by registered investment advisors for the benefit of their clients. Beverly Hills Wealth Management, LLC is a shareholder of National Advisors Trust and intimately involved with their operations and Trust expertise, a true Trust partnership between Client, Trust Administration, investment management. BHWM Private Trust works with estate planning professionals on a local level to provide the consistent Trust services required by our multi-generational clients.
By working together, BHWM Private Trust, National Advisors Trust and the estate planning professional are able to build a strong foundation for the client by providing a solid trustee and investment management solution while helping clients protect their wealth and remain confident about the future of their estates. BHWM and BHWM Private Trust affords the opportunity for bi-furcation of the duties and responsibilities – trust administration & investment advisory.

Beverly Hills Wealth Management “Trust | Simplicity | Experience”

Keith Chagall Plays Century City

(This article originally appeared in the Jan 15th, 2013 edition of the Century City News)
by Michael Douglas Carlin



I met Keith a number of years back at what I consider to be the magical summer of my time spent in Century City. There was an entire group that hung out on the patio at the Century Plaza Hotel where he would play during happy hour. He truly made our time there happy and this led to a friendship as I have followed him throughout the number of gigs where I have enjoyed his music.
My aunt is a Keith Chagall groupie. I got into her car the other day and on the CD Player was Keith’s new album, “She’s Incredible.” My aunt was singing along with Keith and she knew all of the lyrics to his
music. It brought a smile to my face that I was able to introduce music to her that is making her happy.

Now Keith plays at Westfield Century City on Fridays and Saturdays from 12 – 2pm. I like to end my week listening to his music and relaxing in the food court and grazing on all of the new food options available inside the mall. It is a great way to reward myself for every action packed week.

Keith also plays other luxury high-end venues such as the Fairmont, Huntley Penthouse, etc. where is tropical lifestyle music sound appeal have prospered all of his clients.



American Federale

(This article originally appeared in the Jan 8th, 2013 edition of the Century City News)
By Melody Johnson

The typical L.A. Story. Michael Carlin is sitting with a friend at a sushi bar and in walks Oliver Stone. It sounds like the set up to a joke but it is in reality a true story. Stone told Carlin to follow the story. And that advice brought us American Federale.

Twelve years ago this story began on a street corner in El Paso, Texas. A Suburban arrives and equipment is stowed in the back. A blindfold is placed over Carlin’s eyes and the adventure is afoot. The interview proved worth the risk as former Federale, Lobo, told his story that included torture, extortion, bribes, and over 22 gun battles during his time in the Chihuahua State Police as well as the Mexican Federal Police.

Lobo gives us insights into his many exploits and shows us a glimpse into the culture of corruption that exists in Mexico today. He tells us about working to protect Drug Lords and take them down when they fall out of favor. He was complicit only because going against the grain would have cost him his life. What began as a youth’s quest for excitement and a life of rubbing elbows with the rich and powerful transitioned into Lobo being tortured to within a breath of losing his life. How he escaped death is still unexplained and qualifies as a miracle. His life was often spared during his ten years by mere chance. He tells us that all of his friends from that era are now dead and they all died very violent deaths. Many of them with their entire families… “Capone Style.”

Carlin also takes us into Border Mexico as he risks his life to capture images that bring this story to life. His many trips into Juarez and Ojinaga bring us behind the scenes where we see Military, Federal Police, State Police and Municipal Police that are known to be on both sides of the law. The blurry lines we see in this documentary teach us that Anarchy truly isn’t the answer. We learn from the film that the blurring of lines that is happening in America today may lead us to bad places and we have the ability to make choices today to lead us to more defined lines and a more orderly and peaceful society.

What I learned from my interview with Carlin is that corruption touched his family during America’s own lawless period in the 20’s when his great grandfather worked for Al Capone. “My grandfather used to pick me up and put me on the counter when he would make me pancakes and tell me stories about his childhood. When he was young his father received a telephone call and went off to work for Capone and was never heard from again.” Carlin’s grandfather drowned his sorrows in alcohol and that dysfunction touched every generation of his family down to and including him.

The ramification of the violence in Mexico has led to a hundred thousand widows and orphans and the impact will never be fully comprehended. Fixing corruption may take many generations at a cost of billions of dollars. Is the quick money from the drug trade really worth the immediate gratification? The audience can draw their own conclusions.

This film is not for the weak willed or squeamish. It is a hard-edged film that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Anyone wondering about Border Mexico, Immigration, Drug Policy, or lawlessness must add this film to his or her watch list. The film is set to be released in early 2013 and will be entered into the Cannes Film Festival.

The film is available on Amazon, iTunes, and GooglePlay.

The Cartel Continues

by Michael Douglas Carlin

The movie "American Federale" is about the only American ever to serve as a Mexican Federale. He tells us about corruption that exists across the border. If we learn one thing from him it is that the corruption is systemic. It is embedded in the culture of border Mexico. Apprehending the cartel boss may be a victory for law abiding citizens but the cartel will continue.

Forbes magazine listed the net worth of El Chapo Guzman at one billion. That seems a little light in that Acosta expanded the Cartel to new heights. In 2003 the estimated annual drug trade was 321 billion dollars. On February 22nd El Chapo Guzman was arrested; his cartel stretched across 50 countries. His drugs are responsible for 40% of all illegal drugs distributed around the world. His operation was able to outspend the government on training and equipment and for 13 years he lived in a network of safe houses many of which were designed with escape tunnels to flee from threats.

To put this in persepctive in April 1987, when druglord Pablo Acosta was killed he had a net worth of 25 billion dollars. That wealth allowed him to buy politicians, police, and military to protect his vast network of criminal enterprise. The film "American Federale" is available on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play and it illustrates the scope of this corruption. Lobo worked for the Federal Government in Mexico and he spent half of his time collecting cash that was filtered up to the high officials with each person in the chain taking his or her pinch before sending it up the ladder. When orders came down to take down Pablo Acosta it was for good reason.

When Lobo was tracking Pablo Acosta they would receive information and by the time they passed it up the chain Acosta had been tipped off and was a few steps ahead. In order to execute him they needed to maintain a circle of secrecy. One day a tip came in and they coordinated with the FBI to make a daring dawn raid on his compound. They circumvented normal channels and kept the information close to the vest.

Guzman's aprehension was done in a similar fashion. Doubtful that many of the rank and file Mexican Marines even knew the identity of their target. The Army wasn't informed and neither were local officials for fear they would leak information to Guzman and he would simply slip away. Guzman was known for coming into a restaurant and collecting all cellular telephones. He would dine and pick up the tabs of every patron of the restaurant. I would bet that the Mexican Marines cell phones were all collected prior to the raid. The sincerest form of compliment is emulation. 

American Drug Enforcement Agents, U.S. Marshalls, and Mexican Federales joined forces to track Guzman. They observed the Mexican Marines make the bust without a gun battle. The cat and mouse game that happened with Pablo Acosta and continued with Guzman is now over. The difference that isn't being discussed is that Guzman is alive.

In "American Federale" Lobo tells us that the Mexican Government emphasized that Acosta was to be killed. Nobody wanted him talking about the innerworkings of the cartel. Guzman can provide Mexican and American authorities with insights into who, where, when, and how the cartel operates. 

We have all grown tired of the body count along the border. There is a true desire to end the corruption and this may be the first step. But we all know that power does not give up easily and if we are going to see a new era in the war on drugs be prepared for a long fight.

"American Federale" teaches us that corruption is at every level of society in Mexico. Uprooting it may take a few generations. We all need to be prepared to replace the income ordinary people can earn by participating in the drug trade with real opportunities to put food on the table, a roof over their heads, and a quality of life. Stopping Government officials from looting and fleeing the country will go a long way to keeping avenues of opportunity open in Mexico.

Many are citing this as the end of the war on drugs. I see this as a new beginning... a hopeful beginning...

Michael Carlin has worked in film production, journalism, and publishing for over 30 years.

Carlin recently directed the documentary feature film, “American Federale.” This film tells the story of the only American ever to serve as a Mexican Federale – the man who killed drug lord Pablo Acosta. Follow Michael Douglas Carlin on Twitter @MichaelDCarlin

Michael Douglas Carlin is a filmmaker, author, and journalist. American Federale is available on iTunes, Amazon, and GooglePlay. Rise a Knight is available on Amazon. Peaceful Protests and A Prescription For Peace is available on iTunes.

© 2000 – 2014 Michael Douglas Carlin. All rights reserved.