06/01/2004
Dear Editor: Jay Steenhuysen’s piece “Three Vehicles for a Vision” (December 2003, page 164) carefully walked the reader through the choice of a philanthropic vehicle, providing a comprehensive overview of the differences and similarities. But, at the same time that the individual or family is choosing among these instruments, they also need to develop a strong giving strategy. With the guidance of a philanthropic advisor, they can consider what social issues they hope to impact, which nonprofits are the most effective in addressing those issues, how to evaluate the effectiveness of their giving, whether to make a few large gifts or many small ones and whether they want visibility or anonymity. As they begin answering these and similar questions, they can make their chosen philanthropic vehicle really work for them.
Phyllis McGrath
President
Philanthropy Management
Fairfield, Conn.
Worth welcomes your comments, critiques and suggestions. Please direct your letters to letters@worth.com
Dear Editor:
In your “Worthy Notions” column entitled “The
Entrepreneur’s Enigma” (March 2004, page 12), you assert that business book
publishers are neglecting the family business market.
I beg to differ. In
the Summer 2000 issue of Family Business Magazine, family business advisor Joe
Goodman offered capsule reviews of some three dozen books on the subject, many
issued by venerable houses like Jossey-Bass, Routledge, Harvard Business School
Press, John Wiley & Sons and McGraw-Hill (which is itself a family company).
Scores of books have been published since our Summer 2000 edition appeared;
Family Business reviews a title in each issue.
In addition, Family Business
Publishing Co. offers a Family Business Handbook series, providing resources for
family firm owners, managers and advisors on topics like management, succession,
leadership, growth, compensation and conflict resolution. The ninth volume in
the series, The Family Business Mentoring Handbook, will be published this May.
Barbara Spector
Editor
Family Business Magazine
Philadelphia
Worth welcomes your comments, critiques and suggestions. Please direct your letters to letters@worth.com
Dear Editor:
I enjoyed Jan Alexander’s impressive report
on Sea Island. (“The Scions of Sea Island,” March 2004, page 74). As the PR
representative for Hilton Head Island, I was disappointed to see the quote from
Pat Morris, and the section on overdevelopment. I think she missed the boat!
Hilton Head Island is the first eco-planned destination in the U.S. and has a
strong history of environmental awareness. There are no streetlights, no neon
signs and no billboards on Hilton Head Island, all out of respect for, and in an
effort to maintain, the island’s natural ecosystem. Though there is a high
volume of visitors each year coming to enjoy the 12 miles of beach or golf on
one of the award-winning courses, the island remains one of the most pristine
destinations on the East Coast, with strict regulations for preventing noise,
light and other kinds of pollution.
Anna Stancioff
Weber Shandwick
New
York
Worth welcomes your comments, critiques and suggestions. Please direct your letters to letters@worth.com