Stan and Rhoda, you have heard from us so many times in the recent months that:

• we all like you very much;
  
• we will miss you when you go;
  
• and we appreciate your dedication to the Fund.

But you should not let the repetitiveness of this refrain detract from its truth. We will never forget your valuable guidance to us when we needed it most. And, above all, we will remember the warm friendship extended to us equally—regardless of seniority, professional background, or nationality. Your evenhandedness in all matters, personal and professional, embodies the high ideal of our Executive Board.

This afternoon, we wanted to reconfirm these feelings of ours by assembling here. You can't possibly have time for 1300 people to thank you individually. I know of no words that can express our thanks more eloquently than the sheer size of this gathering.

Personally, I feel very priveleged to have worked closely with you on the same floor of this building for the past seven years. Stan, you are a remarkable person in so many respects. It would take me many hours to enumerate them, and even more to choose among them. But if I had to, I would single out your thoughtfulness—which is evident not just in every day courtesies, but also in the way you correct us when we are mistaken.

I am happy to present to you a book of photos and press. This project was directed by Ratna Sahay and produced by the staff of EXR and TGS, mostly out of collections in EXR's treasury. But it also includes some reminders of events before your life at the Fund—the highlight of which, of course, is a photo of you and Rhoda on your wedding day.

This album is the first of the two volumes. It is impossible for everyone of us to appear in the albums. But Stan, please be aware that, whether we are there in the album or not, we all cherish our fond memories of the past seven years, our work together, and the personal bonds we made. We thank you and wish you well.