January 1, 2009:

Dear Ms. Haines:

Firstly, may I wish you a successful HH400 year.

I have to add that it appears that you and your colleagues have their work cut out. Organizing and executing the HH400 celebrations is a major task and I’m afraid, time is getting away from us.

I am focusing primarily on the nautical event of the boat show and cruise in which an as yet undermined number of traditional Dutch shallow-raft ships are planned to participate in New York Harbor and a cruise on the Hudson River.

I have a number of concerns about the event but I’ll raise with you only the activity that is within your competency as principal of AH Global Communications, that is, Communication! In my opinion, gained after only a few contacts that I have had with HH400, all is not going well. While I realize that all is not totally under you control, you may like to know about it because failure might tarnish HH400 and all that are associated with its management.

Allow me to introduce the obvious. HH400 was established in 2004 and you joined as Executive Director in 2006. SPTS, the organizer for the transportation of the boats and execution of the event, was contracted in late 2008. That, I think, was much too late. Potential participants must now decide whether to take part and commit US$40,000 - $50,000 of their own financial resources and risk their boats and they must do so within a few months. I believe that they deserve the best of communications. Some example of what I regard as communication failures are described below:

1. Very early on I sent a message to Gerard Jongerius. It was weeks later, after my repeat request for a reply that I received a curt reply. That was a communication failure;

2. On 15 December, 2008 I mailed to your office a letter about fundraising. Because I sent it as registered mail I know that it was delivered. However, today, January 1, 2009 I have not received even an holding reply. That appears to be a communications failure;

3. On December 23, 2008 SPTS issued a “Nieuwsbrief” to potential participants. I think that it served a useful purpose not so much for what it did say (participants will have the total cost from their own resources) but more so because, to me at least, the plans leave participants with quite some unanswered question; and

4. HH400’s primary communications vehicle to boaters and the general public, the www.henryhudson400.org website was still grossly inadequate and less than transparent. Also there are significant voids and discrepancies between the English and Dutch versions.

It appears to me that directors may not have al the resources that are needed. There’s only limited time left. Yet, this particular event, being the only on-the-water activity with real links to Dutch and early-American and might be watched by millions, is too important to fail.

I’ll be writing separately to the Chairman and the other Directors about some concerns in other areas. I do hope that it spurs the Board on to make a special effort.

Yours sincerely,

Anthony Van Vugt
Metro Washington DC, USA

(Your office hat the relevant contact information)
 

Mr. Van Vugt

Thank you for your letter; I have very few answers because I have not been involved in this boating event, but I will definitely now look into the problems you raise.  For sure I can tell you I never received your registered mail on December 15^th.  My office is closed today, but first thing Monday morning I will do a search of the mail rooms throughout the building to see if I can uncover the source of the problem.  I always answer communications promptly and would certainly never have ignored a registered letter which such a specific message.

Our website is now being updated......  problem for us, as you may have guessed, has been that we have been understaffed because we have been underfunded. I have worked, as you say, since 2006 very hard to make this celebration a success and I still have reason to believe we will accomplish many if not all of our goals. However none of that accounts for the inadequate responses you have received to your very real concerns.  Let me talk to my colleagues to find you some answers.  This email address above is my direct personal email. Please feel free to use it.

The address, just to be sure you had it correct, is 120 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011.

And to you too, a successful  New Year.

Best, Angela Haines
 

January 2, 2009:

Dear Ms. Haines,

Thank you for your informative answer. I’m glad that we are on the same wavelength....

If you would like additional information before you speak with your colleagues have a look at our website. For specific questions feel free to ask me directly.

Anthony Van Vugt
Metro Washington DC, USA