Being Charitable

I was quite amused to learn that Celebrity Connection had not even received honorable mention as the world’s largest provider of celebrities to charity organizations (“Doin’ It for Charity (and P.R. and Gifts”), Sept. 11). Unfortunately my friends in the industry didn’t find the content of Isobel Silden’s article quite as amusing.

Silden’s failure to properly research the piece makes it appear as though Rita Tateel accomplished a host of wonderful things in a vacuum or in the couple of months since she started her little home business, Celebrity Source. For two years Tateel was working as part of a group, as an employee and minority shareholder at Celebrity Connection.

She was anxious to go out on her own and we had no reason to stop her. Truthfully, her second-hand smoke was killing us.

That Tateel is one of “the three people whose Rolodexes roll most” may be true, but we found that there are those who will whirl their Rolodexes and there are those of us who understand that professionals who develop lasting relationships between celebrities and charities do more than just spin their wheels.

BARRY M. GREENBERG

Chairman, Celebrity Connection