September 29, 20—

To Whom It May Concern:

It gives me great pleasure to provide a most outstanding reference for Ms. Nancy Becker. Nancy and I worked together for a year and a half (20— to 20—) during her tenure as Vice President for Human Resources at California Healthcare. During that time, Nancy reported directly to me in my role as CEO.

Over the last 20 years, I have had the privilege to work with some outstanding HR professionals. Without a doubt, Nancy was the very finest. I make this judgment because of the unique way that she blends three critical elements:

1. Broad technical knowledge of Human Resources
2. Outstanding people skills, and
3. A sophisticated appreciation for the flexibility and innovation required in today's business world. I'll expand on all three areas.

With regard to her technical skills, one of the attractions for me about California Healthcare was the way in which HR systems and programs worked to support the staff so that we could focus on our core business. Between the systems that were in place and the people that she had in place to run them, both the staff and I always knew things would work well. Her judgment about the handling of myriad personnel issues was always right on, and I had explicit trust in her counsel. She knows HR as well as anyone I've met.

In any interview with Nancy, you will come away with a sense of her energy and commitment to people. This is not an interview facade, but the way I experienced her every day that I worked with her. At times she can overwhelm you with her enthusiasm and make you crazy with her dogged pursuit of what she believes is right for the organization. However, all the staff, both management and line, recognized and respected her commitment to doing the right thing in the right way to keep the organization moving forward. Her strong values and genuine respect for people are all too rare.

Finally, what helps Nancy stand out as an HR professional is her knowledge of what it takes to run a business. She always made great contributions in the development of our business strategies and then had the creativity, flexibility, and energy to make sure that all of the HR issues were handled in a way that would support our business objectives without compromising our strong commitment to our people. This set of skills made Nancy a critical member of the Executive team in every phase of our work.

It is rare to have the opportunity to provide such an outstanding recommendation for an individual. In Nancy's case I do it without reservation. I would be happy to provide any additional information that you need. Should you need to contact me, I will be available though August 5, and then will be leaving on an extended trip abroad.

Sincerely,

James T. Hart