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Entrata Family Values

David Bateman, chairman and former CEO of Entrata, recently sent out a...

John Saltas Jan 5, 2022 4:00 AM

I’ve served as the CEO of a Utah corporation—Copperfield Publishing Inc.—since 1991. And for more than 20 of those years, Copperfield—besides publishing newspapers and magazines, plus throwing the best parties in Utah—has developed all sorts of tech tools that have helped newspapers from coast to coast.

We’re just not tech enough to register on the Utah tech-ometer. Copperfield doesn’t have the Latter-day cachet of all those high-flying tech companies that have filled the former dead space at the intersection of Salt Lake and Utah counties. Nor myself, obviously.

And man, oh man, am I happy for that. I’ve looked through my emails over a dozen times since noon on Jan. 4 (when this column was written) after FOX 13’s Ben Winslow reported that David Bateman, chairman and former CEO of Entrata, recently sent out a missive to Utah’s worthy tech, business and political leaders. Bateman’s email—unlike other Utah Republican’s generic and dangerous broadsides against all things scientific regarding COVID-19—cuts right to the crux of why this country is in such a divided, old-glorified mess. To wit, Bateman said what others thus far are wont to say, blaming “the Jews” as being fully behind—top-to-bottom—the COVID pandemic. What a sweet, blessed fellow.

Bateman stated that “the Jews” are to blame for a “sadistic effort underway to euthanize the American people.” That Utah provides safe haven for racist bluster is nothing new. And there’s no point in claiming that Bateman sent his email to a bevy of unsuspecting ears. He may be a nitwit, but he didn’t become a mogul by failing to understand his audience.

You be the bookie: What are the odds that no one on his email list disagrees with him? After all, “from one to many” is a proven tech adage. So, I’m safe-betting and believe that in addition to those who denounced Bateman, many of his email buddies are of his ilk.

Entrata is a property management software company based in Lehi. Its name sounds like an unappetizing soup, but more unappealing is the man at the helm, Bateman himself. He wrote, “I believe the Jews are behind this. For 300 years, the Jews have been trying to infiltrate the Catholic Church and place a Jew covertly at the top. It happened in 2013 with Pope Francis. I believe the pandemic and systematic extermination of billions of people will lead to an effort to consolidate all the countries in the world under a single flag with totalitarian rule. I know, it sounds bonkers. No one is reporting on it, but the Hasidic Jews in the U.S. instituted a law for their people that they are not to be vaccinated for any reason.

“I pray that I’m wrong on this. Utah has got to stop the vaccination drive. Warn your employees. Warn your friends. Prepare. Stay safe.”

Say what? Maybe Entrata is an entrail soup after all, because that’s a lot of garbage to lay on an entire culture of people. Nor is he backtracking. When contacted, he sent Winslow an email of confirmation, saying, “Yes. I sent it. I have nothing but love for the Jewish people. Some of my closest friends are Jews. My heart breaks for the 2,500 years they’ve been mistreated by nearly every country on earth. But I do believe Scottish Rite Freemasons are behind the pandemic (overwhelmingly Jewish). And I fear billions of people around the globe right now are being exterminated.”

Look, Mr. Bateman, it would have been much easier on all of us if you had simply said right up front that you have nothing but love for “the Jews” and that some are your closest friends. We get it. But equally bad to all of that is that not only do you get to play the racist card, you do so without offering even a glimmer of a solution. Isn’t that kind of odd for one of the wealthiest shining stars of Silicon Slopes—Utah’s very own “we can solve anything” monster—to not even lend a single piece of advice other than to run and hide from the meanies trying to save your weaselly life?

Bateman will suffer no harm—he has friends in high places. Any Republican officeholder in Utah is beholden to him, thankful that he bailed out the Utah Republican Party in 2019 when it was basically bankrupt. So, be sure to read between the lines if politicians begin to distance themselves from him. At the time of this writing, Gov. Spencer Cox—a recipient of the email and the GOP head honcho in Utah—is wearing his rural Utah blind eye that lets Confederate flags fly and bigotry thrive.

But who knows, the governor may tweet something if pressure builds. But without that, expect him to blow it off as the ramblings of a private citizen. Meanwhile, it need be noted that not only is Bateman a nitwit, his values are nonexistent. Doubt that? Then why does the Entrata website list among its company values, to “Act with others in mind. Always speak well of others. Give trust and be trustworthy. Be approachable and coachable. Be professional, cordial and personal.” It appears that jumping on “the Jews” is acceptable at Entrata so long as such cultural ransacking remains professional, cordial and personal. Bateman isn’t hiding anything.

He’s the “Real Deal.” Also, from the “values” page of his website: “We are what we say we are, and we do what we say we’ll do. Act with courage, honesty, and integrity. Establish realistic expectations, take responsibility and deliver on commitments. Work hard, achieve results and maintain work/life balance.”

Parse it how you want. Bateman is the antithesis of these so-called Entrata values, Utah family values or the Entrata Way. It’s the same word salad every time—always the same, passing the blame. It’s the Utah Way.

Send comments to john@cityweekly.net.

Editor's note: After this column was posted on City Weekly's website, a response from Entrata's CEO, Adam Edmunds, was sent our way via a public relations firm. It reads as follows:

"Earlier today, Dave Bateman, one of our founders, made several highly offensive statements in an email to recipients outside the company. The opinions expressed by Dave were his alone, and do not reflect the views or values of Entrata, the executive team, board of directors, or investors. To be absolutely clear, we at Entrata firmly condemn antisemitism in any and all forms.

For those who have seen and been offended or disturbed by the content of Dave’s email, we understand and share your disappointment. At Entrata, we respect and support all religions, genders, sexual orientations, races, and beliefs. Diversity and inclusivity are critical to the success and future of Entrata.

Entrata’s board of directors today asked Dave Bateman to resign from the company’s board of directors, including his position as chairman. Dave agreed and is no longer a member of the Entrata board, effective immediately."