DENVER—Intrepid Potash Inc. said Wednesday it is looking into a private investigator’s claim of a discrepancy in the biography of its chief operating officer.
The Denver-based company’s Web site said Wednesday that its president and COO, Patrick L. Avery, holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from the University of Colorado. It also said Avery holds a master’s degree in engineering from Loyola, without specifying the school’s full name or location, and a master’s degree in business administration from Pepperdine University.
Records at the CU-Boulder Office of the Registrar show Avery attended the school from the fall of 1970 through the spring of 1975 and studied biology and general studies. But the office has no record of any degree earned by Avery, according to an administrative assistant, Deborah Johnson.
Intrepid Potash spokesman William Kent said Wednesday the company was reviewing the discrepancy.
Avery did not return a phone message seeking comment, and Kent said Avery would not be available for comment.
The discrepancy was uncovered by the Fraud Discovery Institute Inc., based in San Diego. Its chief, Barry Minkow, co-founded the watchdog group after serving a sentence for fraud at his former carpet-cleaning company, ZZZZ Best Co.
Minkow said he has put options on Intrepid Potash’s stock, meaning he could benefit from a drop in the company’s stock price.
Shares of Intrepid Potash closed at $22, down $1.52, Wednesday.
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