'Spirit of Generosity' Inspires Texas Business Owner to Drop Trade Secret Lawsuit

DALLAS, May 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A moving "spirit of generosity" has inspired a North Texas business owner to voluntarily dismiss a hard-fought trade secret lawsuit against former employees accused of stealing company secrets and forming a competing business as the trial date approached.

Businessman John Rogers, founder of Richardson-based oilfield and industrial pump pulsation control equipment manufacturer Performance Pulsation Control, described a moving moment during a faith-based Journey of Generosity (JoG) retreat earlier this month. He said he was called upon by God through a series of challenges to practice generosity in matters of importance in his life. The lawsuit, in particular, was approaching and was deeply important to him personally and professionally.

"I received a clear message from God to be generous in the lawsuit, followed by a second message to me to forgive and leave the former employees in God's hands," Mr. Rogers wrote in a letter to U.S. District Court Judge Amos Mazzant. "God was challenging me."

"I realize that I'm giving up a lot," Mr. Rogers said. "But I'm doing what God asked me to do."

A key question from JoG was, "Are you willing to accept or give up anything God asks you to do?" Over the next two days, Mr. Rogers had conversations with a mentor with the C12 Christian business leadership peer group, as well as his wife, and his General Manager.

"Nothing said by them or asked of me changed my feelings, and thoughts about what God had told me to do. And about what he had asked me to give up in obedience to him," he wrote.

On Thursday, May 9, Mr. Rogers sent the unprecedented letter to Judge Mazzant, marked Exhibit A in an agreed motion to dismiss. The entire letter can be found here. Later that day, Judge Mazzant signed an agreed order dismissing the case with prejudice, meaning that no claims in the lawsuit can be refiled at a later date.

The case is Performance Pulsation Control v Sigma Drilling Technologies et al., filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Case No.: 4:17-cv-00450-ALM.

The lawsuit was filed in 2017 against former PPC employees alleging that they took proprietary trade secrets and formed a competing business, Sigma Drilling Technologies. PPC prevailed in response to important motions in which Sigma sought unsuccessfully to have the lawsuit dismissed, and the stage was set for a jury trial in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on May 20. Performance Pulsation Control, Inc. was represented by John Palter and Nathanial Martinez of the Dallas-based law firm of Palter Sims Martinez PLLC.

"My decision is not an admission that PPC has done anything wrong in pursuing this lawsuit, or that the former employees and their company would prevail," Mr. Rogers explained in his letter to the judge. "Rather, I am confident that we will prevail at trial and that the former employees will be held fully accountable by a jury of our peers."

Performance Pulsation Control is an industry-leading designer and manufacturer of pulsation dampeners for pumps used in oil, gas and mining operations that protect components from damage and improve their efficiency, reliability and safety.

To speak with Mr. Rogers about this lawsuit, contact:
Robert Tharp
214-559-4630
[email protected]

SOURCE Palter Sims Martinez PLLC