PSA and GAI - maybe this question's been posted before

diamantedude

Hey, this may have been posted before, but I want to know why the founders of PSA left that company to form GAI. Was it because PSA standards were slipping or because they were getting more strict? Or was there another reason?

theBobs

Perform a search for GAI or the founder names and you will see TONS of history (alot of opinion, rumor, etc thrown in...).

GAI's website...

gcalex

My understanding is that David Hall is the founder and he did not leave. Rather, Mike Baker, head of grading, and Steve Rocchi, a vice president, left. I presume they believed there was a market opportunity they could capitalize on, and perhaps after many years of being employees, they wanted to be in charge of their own company.

Wabittwax

I've heard some really really bad and dishonest things about Steve Rocchi from some authorized PSA dealers. I don't know what all is true though. I met him once at the Cleveland National and he seemed like a really nice guy who fixed my problem. Who knows.

qmayer

I've heard (and I stress that I've only heard this and don't have any proof) that Baker and Rocchi left because PSA was becoming too "corporate" and straying away from the values of the common collector.

Justin

BOTN

There is conflicting information about Baker and Rocchi's departure, which in my opinion is not relevant to the more important aspect of how they are contributing to the hobby now.

GAI has been very aggressive in offering a wide variety of value added services. I do not want to be accused of spamming but I was one of the people who were certain that they would not succeed. I have eaten my words and am very impressed with their product and even more so of their determination to become widely accepted.

For those that do not know, it was Hall's idea (grading) but Rocchi and Baker made it a reality.


Greg