February 17, 1987

To Whom this letter of recommendation may concern,

I extend my warmest greetings as I attempt to affirm the personal qualities and professional skill
level of Greg McBride as I have both witnessed for myself and have had the enjoyment of hearing
from my staff and program participants, as well.

Greg came to this agency with the high recommendation of one of our counselors who had worked with
him while at Care Unit Hospital of Kirkland. He began employment with me on February 3, 1986 to
head up and improve our intensive outpatient alcohol-related driving offenders program. He was
charged with the responsibilities of restructuring the existing group format to one which would
more serve the needs of our clients, developing and teaching an alcohol and other drug information
curriculum, monitoring and documenting the treatment progress of our program participants, and
assuring consistent quality of care to our clients. Within two weeks of his employment in this
agency, a once consistently high rate of client absenteeism completely diminished. Poorly motivated
and grumbling clients were now sharing with me and my staff their enjoyment of learning about the
many facets of chemical dependency disease and recovery. Client and agency staff morale made a
sudden shift. A floundering program was remarkably alive and exciting! I have enjoyed the
consistently positive feedback on our program ever since. I am so pleased with the level of
learning and. personal insights that our participants are experiencing in Greg's groups.

It has been just over a year now since Greg took over our "Focus I" and "Focus II" outpatient
programs. A year of knowing someone's work permits an evaluator the time needed to accurately
assess all aspects of professional abilities and personal traits of an employee. I will now be
specific in my evaluation of Greg McBride's abilities so that this letter will be a helpful tool
for you in whatever you may be considering him for. I will begin with comments of Greg as
I have come to know him on a personal level and then will comment on my observations of him as a
professional.

Greg is a wonderful communicator because he shares on such a range of levels at the same time. His
words are clear and they make a point quickly. His tone and inflection work so well together to
invite listening. His wide range of affect and congruent body language work together in a
harmonious quality. He listens not only with his ears but with his eyes. He has a profound ability
to validate an individual, lending no doubt that he or she has truly been acknowledged. Greg's
blend of sharp wit, warmth of presence, and sincerity round out his skill in communication. His
manner is gentle and accomodating which makes being around him, a very comfortable experience. His
openess in the way he expresses ideas and perceptions quickly builds and consistently maintains the
trust of those around him. Greg's integrity and easygoing self-assuredness earns the personal
respect of those who know him.

Greg's personal traits are the foundation of his professionalism. As a Certified Alcoholism and
Substance Abuse Counselor, his standards and skill level are a model for other professionals in
this field. His expansive knowledge of chemical dependency disease, recovery, pharmacology/
physiology, inherant needs of the addiction impaired family in recovery, and all other aspects of
addictive disease create a wonderful learning experience for our program participants. His
interactions with clients are always in an atmosphere of respect and dignity in the sincere and
caring manner that Greg naturally exudes. His documentation is thorough and insightful. Treatment
plans are up-to-date and reflect the specific needs of each of his clients. Well groomed and
sharply attired, Greg's appearance speaks outwardly of his internal sense of personal pride and
professionalism. His awareness of professional ethics and client rights is consistently
demonstrated in each of his interactions with clients and colleagues alike. Greg McBride is indeed
a professional in every aspect of the word. It has been with great pleasure that I have written
this letter. I am hopeful that Greg remains with this agency for many more years to come. He has
been a tremendous asset to our growth and reputation for excellence in treatment services.

Should you need further clarification beyond that which is in this letter or have questions which
will assist you in your consideration of this individual, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Donald Burnham
Program Manager, The Shamrock Group, Inc.