<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div style="margin: 0px; "><font size="4">Dear All,</font></div><div style="margin: 0px; "><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="margin: 0px; "><font size="4">the RICH project is moving forward very well and, as you have recently knew by Valery, it has been included in the Jefferson Lab budget.</font></div><div style="margin: 0px; "><font size="4">The INFN groups at Frascati and at Ferrara have taken the lead in the design and prototyping effort, and extensive beam tests have been carried out at CERN under their responsibility. </font></div><div style="margin: 0px; "><font size="4">With pleasure and fun I have worked in the project and I have taken the project responsibility until I left (temporarily) the INFN. This change didn't affect the project because we all have always worked as a close team. However, even if in my new position I will continue to assure close cooperation with the RICH collaboration during the design and construction phases of the detector and I will provide support for the infrastructure necessary for its completion, it is important to take a formal statement about my resignation from the project leader role.</font></div><div style="margin: 0px; "><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="margin: 0px; "><font size="4">After talking with many of you and in agreement with the Hall-B management and the group representatives, Marco Contalbrigo kindly agreed to replace me and serve as project leader of the project.</font></div><div style="margin: 0px; "><font size="4"><br></font></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-height: 22px; "><span style="font-size: large; ">Many thanks to Marco and my best wishes for continuing to work successfully to this project!</span></p></div><div><font size="4">patrizia</font></div></body></html>