Barbara Lee Woollen’s resignation letter

Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008 | 2 a.m.

December 16, 2008

Board of Trustees

Las Vegas Philharmonic

Over the past year and a half, first as a Trustee, then as President and CEO of Las Vegas Philharmonic these have been my accomplishments:

1. Purged the board of negative and divisive Trustees who made it impossible for LVP to conduct business, with Board approval.

2. Elicited and retained the pro-bono services of attorneys Rick Cunningham, and John Dawson of the prestigious law firm of Lionel Sawyer & Collins, with Board approval.

3. Recommended LVP retain the services of Preferred Public Relations Marketing (Michelle Tell and James Woodrow) at a reduced monthly cost, with Board approval. (In less than six months the firm has generated over a million dollars in publicity for the LVP at a fraction of the actual cost.)

4. Brought in three new Trustees prepared to commit both substantial amounts of time and money to LVP, with Board approval.

5. Reviewed dozens of resumes and interviewed individuals for the position of Executive Director culminating in the selection of Peter Aaronson, including his salary, with Board approval. (This ended the string of interim Executive Directors the LVP had been experiencing which was so disruptive.)

6. Worked for countless hours with attorney and committee on a total revision of the LVP by-laws. Made recommendations now ready for LVP Board review and approval.

7. Strongly urged for an independent financial company to be retained to generate non-existent but necessary financial statements or to revise grossly misstated financials and projections, put proper accounting practices and procedures in place. (This led to the recent knowledge that the Philharmonic had lost approximately $170,000.00 for fiscal year ending June 30th 2008.)

8. Worked diligently with Pat Fink and Michelle Tell and others to plan media and marketing strategies, fundraising and events and community outreach programs embracing education and cultural diversity.

9. Since taking office as President and CEO of LVP on July 1st 2008, I have spent too many hours to count, working on behalf of LVP.

On a more personal level my contribution has been as follows.

a. Establishment of the Bruce and Barbara Lee Woollen Foundation with the LVP as the main benefactor.

b. Both my husband, LVP Trustee Bruce Woollen and I or our foundation have, over the last year and a half, contributed the following:

1. Sponsored or agreed to sponsor two Masterworks concerts at a benefit of $50,000.00 to LVP.

2. Hosted a soiree at our home.

3. Bought a table at the LVP gala.

4. Bought two tables at this year’s guild gala.

5. Donated several pieces of art for gala auctions.

6. Donated a portion of proceeds from our gallery’s Jane Seymour art show to LVP.

7. Offered a $30,000.00 challenge to Trustees to match $1.00 for every $2.00 they donated or brought in. Extended the deadline and the $30,000.00 ceiling if more than $60,000.00 was raised.

8. Donated penthouse for New Years Eve party.

9. Sold four ads for the current program.

10. Agreed to sponsor Jim Stalling artist fee for the May 16th concert at a cost of $5,000.00.

11. Committed to personally pay $35,000.00 of Peter Aaronson’s salary for the next year.

12. Offered to bridge any interim financing required by LVP at no interest during current shortfall.

Talk about alienating donors and those willing to actually do constructive work on behalf of LVP!

I took on the impossible responsibility of leading this organization because I believed I could make a difference and stayed long beyond reasonably expected because I had made the commitment to do so, unlike your conductor who made a contractual and moral commitment to relocate to Las Vegas and to become a part of our community only to slither out of a poorly written contract in pursuit of his own monetary gain and glory. This was just not right, but as Trustees, you accepted this. Your associate conductor went on to pursue his own need to conduct, by starting a competing organization which directly conflicted with the goals of the LVP. His accomplices were three LVP Trustees. You as Trustees accepted this too.

When the inmates are running the asylum, when sound business practices are disregarded in lieu of Trustees and employees’ egos, personal pursuits and vindictive behavior, when the board room emulates the sounds of a misaligned garbage disposal, devoid of common decency and respect, it is truly time for me, and others of sound judgment, to take our time, tireless efforts and overly generous monetary contributions elsewhere.

I’ve decided to take my experience and talents back to the profitable business arena where they have been proven successful and most appreciated.

I, therefore, respectfully submit my unconditional resignation as President and CEO and Trustee of the Board of Las Vegas Philharmonic. I wish you all the very best.

Barbara Lee Woollen