Letter Salutation Update

In My Humble Opinion
1

I need to write a letter cancelling some contracts, and it will go to no known individual at the subject supplier company.

In the way, way past I might have used “Gentlemen:,” or, more recently, “Dear Sirs/Madams:” Somehow “To Whom It May Concern:” doesn’t shake my stick.

This isn’t a friendly letter. I need to terminate several thousand dollars of budget leakage tied to an unfortunately long forgotten contractual relationship. I will, however, use these peoples’ services in the future, but at a much better rate. That’s not to be discussed in this letter.

I don’t need any help with the body of the letter; I’m just wondering what, in this post-tsunami age (not that that has anything to do with it), might constitute a contemporary greeting for a letter that addresses a legal issue and is going to nobody in particular.

Dear XYZ Data Corporation?

Dear Contracts Compliance Administrator (I don’t even know if they have such)?

What say y’all?

2

I’m trying very hard to see how a letter that addresses a legal issue can somehow not be sent to a specific person. So far, I’m drawing a blank.

Can you address it to the position or title of the person most likely to handle the matter? If you can do that, though, is there some reason why you just can’t get that person’s name?

3

Oh, I’m sure I can get a name in the morning - I was just going to try and write it tonight so I could send it out first thing in the morning before the tidal wave grabs my ass again. I guess I’ll just put in a something/anything salutation and try to get to fixing it before I send it tomorrow.

I’m still curious, though - is “Dear Sirs/Madams:” still in use? What’s replaced it, or is better?

4

How about “Sir or Madam”?