The letter thanks Max Ruperti for providing a tour of Via Verde, an informative sustainable housing development, to a delegation of Chinese mayors and officials visiting New York. The delegation was part of a joint urban sustainability program between the Paulson Institute, China Center for International Economic Exchanges, and China Association of Mayors to identify rising leaders in Beijing's government. The program included sessions in Beijing, Chicago, and site visits to sustainable developments in Philadelphia and New York.

1. October 4, 2013
Max F. Ruperti
Property Manager
Phipps Houses Services Inc.
902 Broadway
New York, New York 10010
Dear Max,
On behalf of the Paulson Institute and the University of Chicago, we would like to thank
you for your participation in the Beijing urban sustainability delegation earlier this
month. Thank you for providing such an informative and engaging tour of Via Verde for
the mayors, vice mayors and sustainability officials. This visit provided a useful context
for the officials as they consider sustainable housing options in Beijing.
As you may know, this delegation was part of a comprehensive joint urban sustainability
program between The Paulson Institute and its partners, the China Center for
International Economic Exchanges and the China Association of Mayors. Our
organizations worked with the Chinese Government to identify rising stars in the Beijing
Government to participate in this program. The University of Chicago and Tsinghua
University took the lead in developing an engaging curriculum for the delegation. The
program included a week of sessions in Beijing at Tsinghua University; a week at the
University of Chicago; and then a week of site visits in Philadelphia and New York, of
which you were a part.
Thank you again for your time and contribution to this important program. We look
forward to working with you in the future.
Sincerely,
Deborah M. Lehr
Vice Chairman