March 15, 1996

To whom it concerns,

It has been my pleasure to contract for Rick Gansler's assistance on an Apple initiative with a strategic partner for the past year (April '95 - March '96). Rick proved himself to be a very important asset, both to Apple, and to our partner.

Among the areas in which Rick excelled are:

• Technical breadth and depth. Rick was able to effectively apply his expertise to novel problems, and to acquire new expertise specific to the task in a timely fashion.
  
• Diplomatic skills. The client environment at Rick's site was heavily platform-biased, but Rick was able to gain respect for the Apple platform by working constructively with those on other platforms, as well as being an effective and knowledgable champion.
  
• Professional discretion. In his role of contractor for Apple, working at the site of one of Apple's partners, Rick was privy to confidential information from both sides. This information was conscientiously held in confidence. This I think is a key value in a contractor, and Rick demonstrates it in abundance.

In summary, I found Rick's work to be excellent, his communication skills high, and his professional conduct unimpeachable. I would not hesitate to hire him again.

Feel free to call me if you have further questions.

I will keep Richard in mind for future projects which may require a contractor of his skill and talents.

B. Bruce Brinson
Apple Computer, Inc.
(617)374-5315
email : bbrinson@cambridge.apple.com