We started to experience the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) firsthand in the last week with the announcement of social distancing policies, and closures of businesses and public events. Understandably, there is much concern as this is certainly an unusual event. I hope that you and your family are practicing an abundance of caution.  

Likewise, we are being overly cautious and have decided to close our office until March 27th. Several factors prompted our decision. First, we intend to do our part and to adhere to the recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and the Federal Government. Our contribution may be insignificant, but ultimately, we deem it the right thing. Second, we have staff with children who are affected by school closures. Under normal circumstances, like summer break, it wouldn’t be a disruption to family life. But these aren’t normal circumstances, and we place a premium on our employees and their families.  

Please know there won’t be any disruption of service. We have disaster recovery plans in place in the event of an emergency. These plans allow for a continuation of services for situations ranging from a plumbing leak to the destruction of our physical building. While this is not a disaster in the traditional sense, the plans we have in place ensure we will operate business as usual. 

We have rerouted our main phone lines and will be working remotely. Hopefully, you won’t experience any delays as messages are forwarded. We can also conduct meetings using web-based software with both video and screen sharing capabilities as needed. There are no requirements for camera capability on your end; you need only internet connectivity.  

The partners in our Bedford home office, our Hong Kong office, and our London office are reviewing tremendous amounts of information around the clock, to help us navigate through this difficult time. Trust that we’re taking our role as stewards most seriously. Equally as important, we’re concerned for your safety and the health of your family.