According to Mr. Akst, ''There was always a quality about Barry that suggested he held an MBA from the Dada School of Business.'' When Mr. Minkow wanted to take his company public, an auditor for Ernst & Whinney insisted on seeing a ZZZZ Best restoration job. Mr. Minkow had skirted this kind of request before by claiming that the sites were confidential. This time, however, he dispatched Mr. Padgett to rent a building and fix it up to look like a ZZZZ Best work site. It was a convincing show, and the auditor gave ZZZZ Best a clean bill of health.