[To: council@gnso.icann.org] [To: ga@gnso.icann.org] Posted by kind permission of Michael Palage Hello All: For those new Board members or staff that did not have the opportunity to personally know Hans, I thought I would try to attempt to capture the essence of the person that I had gotten to know over the past several years in the following words. Hans was on the original ICANN Board of Directors and he helped sheppard ICANN through its initial formation and its evolution and reform. Despite his unwavering support of ICANN the institution, he was vilified by many of ICANN's critics and became a lightening rod for their attacks. To these critics Hans will always be known as the last of the ICANN Board Squatters. However, it is in this light that one finds the true essence of who Hans really was. Hans always "listened" to the community and consider all the facts surrounding an issue. However, once he made up his mind he stood by it regardless of how unpopular it was. No amount of lobbying could sway him once he made up his mind. After hearing of this tragic news, I thought back to the last substantive conversation that Hans and I had. It was in Montreal at the VeriSign registry cocktail party. Hans, Paul Kane, and myself were outside having a philosophical argument over the ccNSO. The discussion was "lively." At the conclusion of the discussion, Hans leaned over to me and told me that this was the fun that lied ahead of me as a director over the next couple of years, and that although a lot of work had been done, much more remained. The last couple of months have been challenging for me as I try to find my place as a director. Although Vint joked during last Friday's Board meeting about me being with next Andy/Karl with regard to my abstentions, I always viewed myself as a tenacious Hans with Louis Touton's knowledge of where all the skeletons were buried. This was a joke that I have shared with many people over the past several months. However, in light of the tragic and untimely loss of Han, I instead view this as a unique opportunity over the next two years to pay tribute to Hans' memory. While many of us that knew Hans personally try to cope with this loss, I think Hans the consummate professional would not want us not to lose focus of the obligations to ICANN the institution. Specifically, finding a successor for him as the Chair of the Nominating Committee. This is a very important position, and one that Hans was uniquely positioned to fulfill. Finding a new Chair will not be easy, but one which we must attend to in short term. Finally, I also strongly support Tom Niles's recommendation that any communication be made in English and Dutch. Respectfully, Michael D. Palage