Send Marianna Montague to NAB 2017

I represent one of thousands of editors and other users of Avid Media Composer. Marianna Montague has been the virtual face of Avid over the last 15 years. Through the Company's ups and downs, as Director of Online Communities and Customer Advocacy for Avid, Marianna has been a consistent advocate for customers and company alike. She has personally, and at any hour of the day, helped customers problem-solve, run emergency, time-sensitive solutions in pressure situations that could spell disaster for the companies and individuals relying on Avid's dependability. She has done so with grace, supportiveness, and aplomb. (Even at 2AM when we called her for an emergency.) There is no other company I've seen that has such a dedicated, selfless representative and proponent. She has been a consistent and dedicated cheerleader for your company when many were discounting Avid as "over". At each NAB she has been the main conduit between a corporation and it's many users. It has been understood that Marianna was not asked to attend this year's NAB. We believe that is a foolish, unwise and self-destructive decision on Avid's part. By her NOT going, you are sending out a bad message at the worst possible time in Avid's history that will only prove to underscore Avid's apparent instability when public perception of your company is at an all time low, as Adobe and others are chomping at the bit waiting for Avid's demise. This will not only affect perception of your video line, but of all divisions across all your product lines. More than anyone else at the Corporation, Marianna is the public ambassador-the virtual life and soul of your company, and we, as loyal and consistent users (and buyers) of your programs, urge you strongly to reconsider your decision. This is penny-wise and pound foolish. Send Marianna to NAB.