Four of the seven division heads of Anime Expo have handed in resignations following continued disputes with the Board of Directors of the Society of Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA). SPJA is the non-profit parent organization that oversees Anime Expo. Disputes center around actions and statements of the new CEO of SPJA, Michael Lattanzio, who formerly lead the development of an international Universal Studios theme park in Osaka.
Many disputes between Anime Expo leadership and the SPJA Board of Directors were first revealed in an October 19th letter calling for a Vote of No Confidence of many members of the Board of Directors, and the CEO. The letter addressed issues including Lattanzio's termination of a marketing contract that SPJA held with BAM! Marketing, who had provided marketing services for Anime Expo for several years. The letter alleged "the recent actions of the Board of Directors have created a chain of events that is putting SPJA/AX into financial distress as well as putting us on a path of possible involuntary dissolution."
Many of these disputes were covered in a recent article from Anime News Network. The article also highlighted staff member's concern over Lattanzio spending over $8,000 for two business class seats to Japan for himself and a new marketing manager he hired.
The article notes that several members of Anime Expo concom are preparing to audit the Board of Directors, and vote to remove all but one of them.