Actually, it took Phelps only 9 years to launch Telefund, his private company, after coming to MASSPIRG in 1979.  He couldn't have done it sooner because it took the FUND, the non-profit technical assistance project launched in 1983, that long to create, develop and then perfect both its canvassing and telephone technology and its pool of experienced staff.  He had to wait to appropriate the PIRG/FUND clients, technology, and staff until there was viable technology, staff and clients to appropriate.

So, contrary to reports in the comment section to this series on canvassing, it didn't take decades at all for Phelps to seize the opportunity to profit personally from the PIRG. His idea of starting a private company had been planned since the inception of the FUND and the FUND was launched only 3.5 years after he was hired by MASSPIRG.    

He explicitly justified starting a private company to the senior staff, all of whom were at least 10 years younger and hadn't been "involved in the 60's", as a way to create a pool of hard money that could be used to influence electoral politics.

Almost all, if not all the senior staff involved in the original set-up have either been drummed out or have left in disgust once it became clear what was really happening.  In addition to increasing his cult like grip on the organization, Phelps was getting mega-rich. Not just well off, but mega-rich. There is nothing wrong with getting mega-rich per say, but off the back of the PIRGs? To do so required and continues to require a cult-like culture where it becomes appropriate internally to fire, harrass and vilify anyone who raises these issues as a problems.    
Not cool.
Howard Dean, are you listening?  
This situation is NOT cool.