After months of saying there was nothing they could do to legally distance themselves from co-founder Edward Kramer, The Board of Directors and Shareholders of Dragon Con / ACE, Inc., producer of Dragon*Con, have agreed to merge the company into Dragon Con, Inc. (Dragon Con) in a cash-out merger.Led by Pat Henry, David Cody and Robert Dennis, ownership of Dragon Con includes five of the six founding owners of Dragon Con / ACE (the old Dragon Con). The effective date of the merger is July 8, 2013.Edward Kramer, who has not had any role in managing or organizing the convention since 2000, was offered cash for his shares in the old company. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.Kramer is currently in a Georgia jail on charges of child molestation. Kramer, who claims health problems, has avoided trial in Georgia and Connecticut for years and has used his interest in the convention as a way of generating revenue to help pay for his legal fees. Many comics fans and professionals had refused to do business with Dragon*Con as long as Kramer was involved.”Obviously @DragonCon kicking Kramer to the curb was long overdue, but the most important thing is that it’s finally done,” tweeted comic writer Ron Marz, one of the most vocal opponents of the previous organization.”This decision only affects the ownership of the old Dragon Con,” said Pat Henry, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dragon Con. “Our members and others who attend Dragon*Con 2013 will experience the same fantastic convention they have come to expect from us.”Dragon Con will continue the agreements with each of the host and overflow hotels associated with the convention as well as all of the guests and performers scheduled to appear at this year’s event, either “as is” or with amendments recognizing Dragon Con as owner.
