Dear Keith…….

I am in the air on my way to China for a business trip to Shanghai and Taipei, back on the 28th, and I felt compelled to take some time to write you a brief note in appreciation of RA’s work at our home. We all know that Carol and I love the process of building a home whether it be the planning on the front end or the final details. For us it really is fun and a way for us to express our creativity. To be sure, Jill and her fine firm was a very valuable aid to our thinking and design process, but we love to be immersed in the details of it all.

When we started to discuss your doing the construction of our re-do of South Lane, I was not very happy with the outcome of the process. Not totally sure why but I was not comfy. Facts are facts and I’m sure you had a sense of it. So when we started to consider an entirely new home project, RA was on my list but I needed to be convinced that you could tackle the project and still leave me standing financially. Over the course of our many discussions, the bidding process, etc., I became a believer that we could come to a satisfactory agreement on terms and process. A few more meetings and we were there with a document I could live with and a process that seemed appropriate.

So in August 2001 we were off and running and the rest, as they say, is history. To say that we were and are satisfied with RA’s performance would be a ridiculous understatement. There has been no part of the outcome that we are not pleased with. And I mean that very sincerely. The workmanship has met our every expectation and we had very high expectations in this regard. The follow – up after the move has been very responsive and we lose no sleep at night worrying whether you will stand behind your work should something come up.

I could go on but I will not because I don’t need to. If you ever questioned how I felt about your performance, it hopefully disappeared when I sent you the final dough before we left on vacation with the job still on-going. But that financial expression does not come close to the very personal feeling I have for you and your firm. I do believe that we are measured in life by those around us and your RA Team is a fine reflection of its owners. You should be proud of them and I know you are.

Please use this letter as an occasion to have the rest of your organization know how the Sherwins feel. There is nothing in this letter that I would not be comfortable to have anyone else see and read. You had the oporutunity to build a house and instead you built our home. There is a difference as we all know, and the difference is caring about what you do. Thank you very much for caring about your work and your people….Mike.

Mike Sherwin