Jim McCotter

James Douglas McCotter (born April 27, 1945) is an American entrepreneur, the former CEO of Maverick Jets and controversial founder of the "Blitz Movement" which became the Great Commission Association of Churches. He was also a member of the Council for National Policy as well having been a holder of national and international media interests.

Childhood Born on April 27, 1945, James Douglas McCotter spent his childhood in Texas and Colorado. He was raised by an originally Methodist family, which later joined the conservative evangelical Plymouth Brethren Church. McCotter graduated from high school in Colorado Springs.

Religious Pursuits In 1965, a 20-year-old McCotter left his home in Colorado Springs, Colorado and moved to Greeley, Colorado in an attempt to recreate the "New Testament Church", a church model he believed no existing Christian denomination was emulating fully. After arriving in Greeley, McCotter began sharing his faith primarily at the University of Northern Colorado campus, which he also began attending. According to McCotter, by the end of the first year 12 people had joined him, after 1966 there were thirty, and the following years it "doubled and tripled." Eventually a handful of men moved out to other cities in Colorado, as well as Las Cruces, New Mexico, to start other "works" as they were then called. The size of these "works" were most likely small, as McCotter has stated that, "Most people wouldn't have called them churches. Most people never knew we were churches." Though McCotter was not ordained by the Plymouth Brethren, he claimed the authority of an apostle. "The Blitz" was named after the Blitzkrieg military offensive of World War II. The movement would eventually become known as Great Commission International, and then later Great Commission Association of Churches.

ISU child development professor Sedahlia Crase was quoted as saying, "What he advocates on this tape is just poor child-rearing practice in every sense of what we know now. Besides that, it's illegal to injure a child and bruising is injuring them. I’m upset that he goes around preaching these kinds of things." McCotter responded to Crase's comments with, "She might have taken what I said out of context, but I would stand by the idea that the Bible very strongly advocates spanking children. Of course, they also need to be loved and played with." According to former member and researcher Larry Pile, quoted in a 1988 newspaper article, "[In GCI] You’re practically engaged by the time you have what you normally consider a date. I do know of cases where couples were actually broken up by the leadership."

Resignation

In late 1986, McCotter announced his resignation from GCI, stating a desire to utilize his entrepreneurial abilities in an attempt to influence secular media for Christ as his reason. with the exception of the 2003 Faithwalkers conference. In an interview with New Zealand's North and South, McCotter denied involvement with Great Commission, saying, "I personally grew up as a Protestant and have tried to contribute most of my life to Christian or charitable organizations. However, I am not remotely involved in any way, in any "Church Movement" as you suggest, although I do go to church." Enroth's 1994 follow-up book, Recovering From Churches That Abuse, further mentioned McCotter when researcher Paul R. Martin noted that:

Also in the book, Great Commission International (GCI) was criticized for not denouncing McCotter's teachings and negative influence on the movement,

Sun Newspaper Group In 1989, McCotter formed the Sun Newspaper Group and associated Sun Newspapers, which at their peak circulated 235,000 copies a week. After 15 months, McCotter unexpectedly fired the 96 employees and closed the newspaper. The Sun's content was described by Bill Bradford, formerly the Sun's managing editor, as "a very conservative viewpoint." Following this, McCotter purchased an $800,000 luxury home with "spectacular ocean views" in Christchurch, New Zealand. The Citizen lasted about two years, before shutting down in July 2002. At least eight former employees sought legal advice over employment disputes with McCotter, and at least five of these cases were settled out of court. Sports editor Ken Nicholson publicly criticized McCotter's business practices following the closure of The Citizen, saying, "My first impression was that he was a slimy, greasy American and my impression since is that for all his supposed religious beliefs he has absolutely no caring for people at all. All it would seem McCotter is interested in is money and more money." McCotter was also criticized for damaging "the regional television product quite severely", having been accused of driving the three previous news programmes out of business prior to the closure of The Citizen. McCotter, an American, was also criticized as a "foreign investor" for not caring "about the interests of the locals."

Political interests McCotter also described himself through New Zealand Media Group as a "longtime member of the Council for National Policy", an umbrella organization and networking group for conservative activists. He expanded Maverick Air Inc. under the name Maverick Jets and relocated it from Colorado to Melbourne, Florida. On May 8, 2003 Maverick Jets laid off a significant portion of its staff suddenly and without warning.

SmartJet Having produced very few Leaders, Maverick continued development of a next-generation VLJ, the SmartJet.

In 2011, Lorenzo Amaya became the CEO of Maverick.

Big Horn Mountain Resorts McCotter purchased Powder Pass Ski Area, Meadowlark Lake Resort and Deerhave Lodge between 1998 and 1999, joining the properties under the operating name Big Horn Mountain Resorts. Andrew Purrier was a minority investor in the joint venture. A dispute broke out on December 23, 1999. McCotter insisted that the resort bar remain open despite Purrier's allegation of the moral toll it was taking on residents and workers. Subsequently, Purrier quit the business.

On April 9, 2007 McCotter was cited by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality for violating health, safety, environmental and sanitation conditions of his Forest Service permit because of raw sewage that had polluted Ten Sleep Creek. Bighorn National Forest Supervisor Bill Bass shut down Deerhaven and Meadowlark Lake Resorts because of the spillage. Frozen lines at both locations were suspected of causing the leaks. On May 15, 2007, Bass reported that McCotter, who had been restricted from touching the sewer systems during the closure, had submitted a plan to fix the problem, which was subject to approval by the U.S. Forest Service and the Wyoming DEQ. On July 19, 2008, the U.S. Forest Service permanently barring Jim McCotter from operating his businesses in the National Forest following a series of investigations and closures for alleged health and safety violations, pending a 45-day appeal period. On October 8, 2008, a pending sale of Big Horn Mountain Resorts was reported.

On June 30, 2009, the Washakie County Sheriff's department issued public notice of a Sheriff's sales of the entire Big Horn Mountain Resorts complex to satisfy unpaid creditors. The sale occurred on July 16, 2009 with the three properties making up the Big Horn Mountain Resorts selling for $410,000 to Wayne and Holli Jones, owners of another local lodge. A misdemeanor warrant for ignoring court orders to appear for allegation of failing to pay past employees was issued to McCotter by the Bighorn County attorney's office. Prior to the sale, the Washakie County Sheriff's Department set the minimum bid at $263,000 that included sale costs and outstanding liens filed against McCotter.