LEADERS Magazine April, May, June 2024 Volume 46, Number 2

SHAPING THE FUTURE

THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE

THE POWER OF POLITICS HOSPITALITY

SPIRITS

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On the Cover

General James L. Jones

Jones Group International

Ellen Stofan

Smithsonian

Jochen Zeitz

Harley-Davidson, Inc.

The Honorable Carlos Del Toro Secretary of the Navy, U.S.A.

Andi Owen

MillerKnoll

Richard A. Rosenbaum

Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Donna E. Shalala

The New School

Markus Pflitsch

Terra Quantum

Masayoshi Takayama

Masa

one

nation, an international company,

institute

learning,

an international

organization;

a chief financial officer, a major investor on behalf of labor or corporate pension funds, a chief information officer or a Nobel laureate. LEADERS Magazine was founded by Henry O. Dormann (1932-2018).

Photo Credits: Cover-Stofan, 12,13 - Photo by Jim Preston, Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, 12 balloon - Photo by Mark Avino, Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum; Cover-Zeitz, 10, 11 - Courtesy of Harley-Davidson, Segera- Crookes And Jackson; Cover - Del Torro, 28 - ©OPNAV Graphics - U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ford Williams; 9 - ©Greg Powers Photography; 20 author - @Kinga Karpati & Daniel Zarewicz, 20 “Akhnaten” - ©Karen Almond/Met Opera; 21 - ©Marty Sohl/ The Metropolitan Opera; 22 - @Jonathan Tichler/Met Opera; 23 - ©2022 Richard Termine, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; 24 author - ©Garrett Mills, 25 top - @Curtis Shaw Child, 26 top - ©Jay Landers; 26 bottom - ©NDP photo agency; Andreas Nikolareas; 27 bottom - ©Curtis Shaw Child; 32, 34 - ©Lee S. Weissman; 42 author - ©Vivien McClain Photography; 44 Douglas Durst - The Durst Organization 44 Jody Durst - ©Michael Pries; 44 WTC - ©Steve Mason/The Durst Organization; 45 - Richard Berenholtz/The Durst Organization; 51-52 - Komen Creative Team; 58 author - ©2022 Ashley Gilbertson; 59 building - ©Don Hamerman 2014; 62 University Center - ©Jacob Arthur Pritchard; 66-67 building - ©2022 Max Touhey; 68 - ©2020 J. B. Pittman; 72-73 - Courtesy Baptist Health South Florida; 74-76 - ©dbox; 80 author - ©2016 Ben Hider; 94 author - ©David Kaptein 2020; 95 - ©DIU photo by Devon Bistarkey; 102 -© 2023 Theory Image, Courtesy of SingleStore; 104 - Courtesy of Sanjay Govil; 105 - ©andy@ycjphoto.com, SPORTZPICS; 108 author - ©Chester Higgins; 108 Lincoln Center - ©Michael Moran; 109 - ©2018 Evan Joseph Images; 118 - contact@sachalenormand. com; 122 - ©Rene Perez 136 Robosson-Rockefeller-Pucillo - ©Carrie Bradburn/CAPEHART2024; 153 - ©Capehart Photography 2015; 138 - ©Carrie Bradburn/CAPEHART 2023; 146 - ©2021 Pamela Einarsen; 157 top - ©2021 Michel Verdure for Windstar Cruises 158 - Amber Pacific Studios Ltd.; 160-161 - ©2024 Eager Hearts Photography, Photos by Dacia Pierson; 165 - ©2023 Chip Riegel; 168 author - ©Mireille Roobaert; 168-170 property photos - ©Zannier Hotels; 172-173 property photos - ©Eric Laignel; 180 library bar - Linda Karlin; 182 author - ©Andrew Werner 182-183 property photos - ©Dylan Cross 2022, dragonflyiamgepartners.com; 186 author - ©David Picchiottino; 186 bottle - ©Anne Emmanuelle Thion; 186 - ©Sonia De Boni; 187 - Courtesy of Duca di Salaparuta; 190 - 2021 ©Food Flash Foodtography/Courtesy of Renegade Rum; 191 - Courtesy of Waterford Whisky; 193 barrels©Ljus&Mork; 200-201 - ©Sara Busiol; 202 bottle - ©PBGraphics

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Proactive Leadership

Long synonymous with legal excellence, Paul, Weiss is always one step ahead of emerging client needs. Our attorneys are not just observers, but active leaders in their fields who craft innovative solutions and offer unparalleled service to the world’s most influential companies, investors and business leaders.

I am pleased and honored to collaborate with LEADERS Magazine on curating another special feature highlighting “Resilience.” I reached out to some of my great friends who are leaders from government, business, nonprofits, public health, sports, the arts, and the military to share their perspective.

The purpose of these profiles is to provide outstanding people with the opportunity to speak about the things that matter to them and the times where resilience helped them reach their goal and to share their insight and perspective.

The subject of resilience has deep personal meaning to me. It has become my passion and purpose to learn about resilience. Who has resilience, can it be taught, encouraged, or learned?

I hope that you will find the insights on the following pages to be of interest, and I would like to hear your thoughts. Please feel free to share with me directly at info@arsht.com.

Adrienne Arsht Executive Vice Chair Atlantic Council

The Timeless Pursuit Of Adventure

An Interview with Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Harley-Davidson, Inc.

EDITORS’ NOTE As the President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board at Harley-Davidson, Inc., Jochen Zeitz is guiding the iconic motorcycle brand toward new horizons. Zeitz hails from Mannheim, Germany. His academic pursuits took him across borders, as he studied in Germany, Italy, France, and the United States. He graduated from the European Business School, specializing in international marketing and finance. In 1990, he joined PUMA and, by 1993, he became the youngest CEO in German history to lead a public company before the age of 30. In 2014, Zeitz co-founded The B Team alongside Sir Richard Branson, uniting global business leaders for socially and environmentally conscious practices. He also played a pivotal role in establishing the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa and founded the ZEITZ foundation, promoting sustainable solutions that balance conservation, community, culture, and commerce. Zeitz’s journey exemplifies resilience, vision, and a passion for positive change.

near bankruptcy to being sold to Kering (then PPR) as one of the top three sportswear brands in the world, growing its sales to almost $4 billion and its share price by 4,000 percent.

In 2008, we introduced PUMAVision, an ethical framework defined by the four key principles of being Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative, applied to all professional behavior, business procedures, and relationships throughout (and outside of) PUMA.

Additionally, while at PUMA, we developed the Environmental Profit & Loss Account (EP&L), which put a monetary value on environmental impacts across a business’ supply chain, inspiring a new, internationally recognized, environmentally and socially conscious business model.

In 2013, Sir Richard Branson and I co-founded The B Team – a not-for-profit to promote socially and environmentally conscious business practices across the globe.

I believe the keys to my success have been a combination of tenacity, passion, and detailoriented execution, underpinned by strong values. But most importantly, I always had a great team that I worked with, a group of committed, dedicated and passionate colleagues. It always takes a team to win.

What do you attribute to HarleyDavidson’s leadership, and how has HarleyDavidson been able to innovate and evolve to remain so relevant over the years?

Harley-Davidson is one of the most recognizable brands in the world and the most desirable company in the motorcycle industry. In a way, you can say that we are the industry in the most important U.S. market thanks to our incredible heritage that we built over the past 120 years. The HarleyDavidson brand means something to people – they identify with our values and what we stand for. It’s more than just a motorcycle; it’s part of an identity and culture. Our mission is the timeless pursuit of adventure. Freedom for the soul.

COMPANY BRIEF In 1903, out of a small shed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, four young men lit a cultural wildfire that would grow and spread across geographies and generations. Their innovation and imagination for what was possible on two wheels sparked a transportation revolution and lifestyle that would make Harley-Davidson (harley-davidson.com) the most desirable motorcycle and lifestyle brand in the world. Today, the company continues to define motorcycle culture and lifestyle. More than building machines, HarleyDavidson stands for the timeless pursuit of adventure. Freedom for the soul.

Will you discuss your career journey and what you feel have been the keys to your success in business?

I started my career at Colgate-Palmolive in New York, then joined PUMA in the 1990s and quickly rose to Vice President of Marketing and Sales. The company was bankrupt on paper and was being taken over by a new Swedish PE firm who asked me to explain what was wrong after hearing about me from a previous CEO.

I was made CEO and Chairman of PUMA in 1993 at the age of 29, but we didn’t announce it until I turned 30 some weeks later – to make it sound better. During my tenure, PUMA went from

I joined the Board of Harley-Davidson in 2007 and was appointed interim CEO in February 2020. In May 2020, I officially became the Chairman, President, and CEO of Harley-Davidson.

This requires us to innovate, evolve, and expand on the experiences we offer to riders and fans to stay relevant.

My big focus on becoming CEO was to make sure we had a plan to innovate and

Jochen Zeitz

Jochen Zeitz with a Harley-Davidson motorcycle

modernize our core segments and, in particular, our Touring motorcycles – the most important of Harley-Davidson’s business segments. This year we launched the most technologically advanced touring platform the industry has seen.

Another example on the other side of the spectrum is our drive to innovate in EV. Nobody thought Harley-Davidson could build competitive EV motorcycles, but we proved them wrong when we introduced our first electric motorcycle, LiveWire, which was pioneered during my time as a Board member. Subsequently, on becoming CEO, I decided to create LiveWire as a brand, then listed it on the NYSE – the first electric motorcycle company to go public in the U.S.

What was your vision for buying Segera and how do you define its mission?

I had traveled in Africa extensively when at PUMA and had seen how much damage was being done to the land, along with unprecedented social and environmental challenges that were unfolding.

I bought Segera when it was a run-down, degraded cattle ranch in Central Kenya, founded the ZEITZ foundation, helped nature to re-emerge, and over the years, it has become a thriving 50,000-acre wildlife conservancy and safe refuge for endangered species.

As the land regenerated and wildlife and biodiversity returned to the area, we decided to build Segera Retreat, an off the grid sustainable high-end tourism experience to share this incredible place as well as to inspire others.

My foundation pioneered the 4C’s philosophy – achieving true sustainability through a holistic balance of Conservation, Community, Culture, and Commerce. This philosophy was made global through a ZEITZ foundation initiative called The Long Run, which is now an independent registered charity and has become one of the world’s largest conservation alliances, preserving over 23 million acres

of wilderness and touching the lives of 750,000 people across the globe.

Where did your interest in philanthropy develop and how do you decide where to focus your philanthropic efforts?

My interest in sustainability and philanthropy began while I was at PUMA and continued to grow as I realized that business needed to be more holistic in its approach to creating win-wins for people while minimizing the negative impacts it can have on the environment and society, becoming more of a force for overall good. I had always felt passionate about Africa, especially its people and diverse cultures, so I started to focus my philanthropic efforts on Africa and Kenya in particular.

In 2017, together with the V&A Waterfront, we launched the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town. We wanted to create a museum in Africa committed to preserving and exhibiting cutting-edge contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora, enabling Africa to tell its own story and share its incredible talent with the world.

With the ZEITZ foundation in Kenya, all of our projects are interlinked, sustaining each other and flowing from one into the other. We created the first All-Women AntiPoaching Ranger Academy in East Africa, then during the pandemic, when social activities became limited, we initiated a reforestation initiative to plant over a million indigenous trees in central Kenya by 2024 and grow from there to two and then three million trees.

In response to severe droughts in East Africa, we started constructing a large-scale

water dam and other water infrastructure to support it. We are now combining all of these efforts to launch the Segera Rhino Sanctuary, which depends upon skilled wildlife rangers, forests, and sustainable water access to name but a few vital elements that are necessary to create one of the largest rhino sanctuaries in the world.

Do the traits that make you successful in business translate to being effective in philanthropy?

Yes – I believe that attention to detail is extremely important in both business and philanthropy. You have to be clear about your vision and your mission in both areas. It’s also important to build a great team and strategies for the long-term, so there are many similarities and synergies, but it sometimes takes a philanthropic angle to start a new initiative that would not work if you just applied a business lens. That said, I think that philanthropic endeavours need to be as efficient as you would run a business.

What role has resilience played during your career?

I’ve been in turnaround businesses all of my career – from PUMA’s near bankruptcy to navigating Harley-Davidson through COVID and various supply chain hurdles – and resilience is key. Ultimately, success isn’t a straight line – you need to be resilient in order to react, adjust, or course correct to win in the long run.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership?

I believe that you must have a clear vision and mission and the ability to not only share it, but also to translate it into action. Additionally, all leaders must be able to lead by example – you can’t expect people to work hard if you don’t do the same.

Over the course of my career, the power of being able to make the tough and daring decisions has been extremely important – it’s never been more clear coming through the pandemic and having to make so many tough choices.

Lastly, in my opinion, all leaders have to keep moving – despite being a perfectionist, you can never let perfection get in the way of progress. I often say that you don’t need to hit a ten to win, you just need to make sure you hit a target as entrepreneurial leadership does carry uncertainty. So, you just have to make decisions that are a lot more right than wrong.•

Segera (above); Jochen Zeitz with his family at Segera wildlife conservancy in central Kenya (below)

A Lighthouse Of Inspiration

An Interview with Ellen Stofan, PhD, Under Secretary for Science and Research, Smithsonian

EDITORS’ NOTE Dr. Ellen Stofan oversees the science museums and science research centers as well as the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, Smithsonian Scholarly Press and Scientific Diving Program. Her focus is on the Smithsonian’s Our Shared Future: Life on a Sustainable Planet initiative and collective research, especially in areas of biodiversity, climate change, global heath, sustainable communities, and environmental justice. Stofan previously was the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. As the former Chief Scientist of NASA, Stofan served as the principal advisor to the Administrator on science programs and strategic planning. Currently, she is on the science team of the NASA Dragonfly mission to Titan. Stofan holds master’s and doctorate degrees in geological sciences from Brown University, and a bachelor’s degree from the College of William & Mary.

INSTITUTION BRIEF

in archaeology. But the universe had a different story in store for me.

It was during my mother’s geology course, which she attended while pursuing a master’s degree in Ohio, that my path veered toward the earth sciences. As a child of ten or eleven, my hobby of collecting rocks became a profound fascination under her tolerant and kind professor. I was allowed to tag along on her field trip to a gorge with its imposing rock formations. The professor interpreted the language of the Earth, deciphering the rock layers as if they were chapters of our planet’s extensive story. His knowledge turned my curiosity into a barrage of inquiries.

Despite the masculine and engineer-dominated landscape at NASA, where my father and his peers were the predominant faces, my direction was irrevocably shaped when I was 14. My father was in charge of the rockets that would take the NASA Viking landers to Mars. During a month-long family stay at Cape Canaveral, I had the chance to hear about the world of mission scientists and the reasons behind our Martian venture. Carl Sagan spoke of Mars’ geology and its parallels with Earth, connecting the dots between our home planet and the mysteries of the red one.

The Smithsonian Institution (si.edu) was established by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1846 as an independent federal trust instrumentality, a unique public-private partnership that has proven its value as a cultural and scientific resource for over 175 years. The federal commitment provides the foundation for all the Institution does, and is especially helpful in attracting private support. The Institution leverages its federal funding to enrich the lives of the American people and advance its mission for “the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”

Will you discuss your career journey, and when did you know that you had a passion for science?

My journey into science began with an explosive start – quite literally. As a child witnessing a rocket launch, courtesy of my father’s position at NASA, I stood awestruck. The launch didn’t go as planned; the uncrewed rocket failed. Yet, from that failed attempt, a fervent curiosity for science was kindled.

Growing up in an era when female scientists were scarce in the public eye, my quest for a role model led me to the legendary Mary Leakey. Her groundbreaking work on human origins in the 1960s served as an inspiration, and I envisioned myself following in her footsteps

This pivotal moment made me realize that science was not solely about the vastness of space; it was equally about the narratives etched into the very rocks of Earth. The realization that one could delve into such stories as a profession, to “read” the layers of the Earth like pages in a book, resonated deeply with me, and it has since been the compass guiding my career.

The spark ignited in my youth followed me to college at William & Mary, where I landed an internship at the National Air and Space Museum. Walking amidst the silent giants of aviation and spaceflight before the museum’s doors opened to the public was nothing short of magical. In my early career, I immersed myself in planetary science research and space administration, ultimately serving as the Chief Scientist at NASA. In this capacity, I contributed to the grand endeavor of planning to send humans to Mars to seek life beyond Earth.

Ellen Stofan

Ellen Stofan assists “S.H.E. Can STEAM” campers as they prepare to launch a weather balloon out of Culpeper Regional Airport, Brandy Station, Virginia

“We are not just nurturing the next generation of scientists; we are cultivating a community where every dream has a place and every story is valued.”

In 2018, I returned to the Smithsonian, taking the helm at the museum that once stirred my youthful imagination. My career took another leap in 2021 when I became Under Secretary for Science and Research at the Smithsonian. These positions were not mere titles; they represented chapters of a lifelong narrative underscored by curiosity, the thrill of discovery, and the immeasurable value of mentors, and the dissemination of knowledge.

Will you highlight your role and areas of focus at the Smithsonian?

In my capacity as Under Secretary for Science and Research, I am tasked with a mission that truly energizes me every day: to cast a vision for our institution’s scientific endeavors and establish strategic priorities. Imagine our institution as a lighthouse of inspiration, illuminating pathways and sparking transformative change, especially in nurturing the scientific dreams of those who have not been represented in STEM fields.

Remember the faces of scientists you saw in textbooks? It’s time to refresh those pages. We have phenomenal women scientists right here who shine as role models – the kind I longed to see during my own academic journey. Their stories are not just narratives; they are powerful testaments that can redefine the realm of possibilities for the next generation.

Our commitment goes beyond inspiration; it’s about action. We are actively breaking down the age-old barriers that have funneled talent into a narrow corridor and muted diverse voices. By celebrating the achievements of pioneers from underrepresented groups, we are not just sharing stories – we are rewriting the science canon for a future where every child can see themselves as a scientist.

This role is profoundly personal to me. My professional voyage has been about contributing to new frontiers in scientific research and exploring worlds beyond our own. However, my transition to the Smithsonian marked a pivotal shift. Here, I contemplated a deeper purpose: “How can I extend a hand to those coming after me to reshape and enrich the field of science?”

Our museums and educational initiatives are more than repositories of knowledge – they are dynamic spaces that mirror the rich tapestry of the STEM community. By bringing a wide spectrum of accomplishments into the spotlight, we craft a narrative as varied and vibrant as the

Ellen Stofan in the “One World Connected” gallery at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC

people it represents. This narrative is a celebration that resonates with every visitor, especially the young women and girls who stand at the threshold of their scientific journey, poised to step into the realms of science, technology, engineering, and math.

Every exhibit, every program we design, is a chapter in a larger story that says: “This is what a scientist or an engineer looks like. It can look like you.” It’s an invitation to imagine, to explore, and most importantly, to belong. We are not just nurturing the next generation of scientists; we are cultivating a community where every dream has a place and every story is valued.

Will you provide an overview of the Smithsonian’s “Our Shared Future: Life on a Sustainable Planet” initiative?

“Our Shared Future: Life on a Sustainable Planet” is the Smithsonian’s comprehensive initiative to address the urgent environmental challenges of our time. It’s a strategic, innovative effort that leverages the institution’s extensive resources to foster a sustainable coexistence between humans and nature in the face of climate change. The excitement around this program stems from its integrative approach. It combines the Smithsonian’s rich collections and educational programs with its research prowess in history, art, culture, and science to develop practical, sustainable solutions for our planet.

The Smithsonian doesn’t just conduct groundbreaking science – it uses its educational reach through museums and programs to provide the public with actionable insights. This is about empowering people to actively participate in the change we all wish to see.

Central to the initiative is a commitment to Earth Optimism, which champions a hopeful outlook for our planet at this pivotal moment. It’s about cultivating a deep-seated respect for how science, technology, innovation, and culture are interlinked and how they can help us achieve a balanced coexistence with nature.

Our work is extensive: we’re studying carbon storage in forests, grasslands, and coastal ecosystems, mapping the genetic changes in marine life, examining the connections between human, wildlife, and environmental health, and working alongside farmers to cultivate biodiversity-supporting agriculture. The Adrienne Arsht Resilience Initiative at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is so critical to Life on a Sustainable Planet –it is helping us work with communities to co-develop resilience solutions.

With over 175 years of scientific inquiry under our belt, the Smithsonian is building on this legacy to advance sustainability for all life on Earth. “Our Shared Future” is more than just a program – it’s a rallying cry for collective action. We believe the answers to our environmental challenges are within reach, and we invite everyone to join us in this important work. The time for action is now.

What makes the Smithsonian so special?

The Smithsonian brand is known and trusted around the world, but Smithsonian isn’t just a name; it’s a global byword for discovery

and learning, a trusted custodian of history, and an innovator at the frontiers of science and technology. Yet, there’s a common misconception that our presence is confined to the galleries and exhibitions that line the National Mall in Washington, DC, where visitors often ask, “Where is the Smithsonian?” as if it were a single destination.

Indeed, our galleries are alive with the echoes of prehistoric roars among the dinosaur exhibits and buzzing with the energy of schoolchildren getting their first taste of real science. Programs like the National Air and Space Museum’s S.H.E. Can summer camp extend this learning, empowering young girls to reach for the stars – quite literally – by showing them that the sky’s not a limit but a beginning.

But the Smithsonian’s story runs deeper. It’s not just a keeper of artifacts or a facilitator of educational programs. We are a dynamic research institution where past knowledge is a launchpad for tomorrow’s breakthrough solutions. At the Smithsonian, we believe in the power of storytelling combined with scientific exploration. We provide a space where the dreamers of the past ignite the curiosity and drive of the next generation of explorers and innovators. When a young girl stands beneath the shadow of the Wright brothers’ plane or the Apollo lunar module, it’s not just a history lesson – it’s an invitation to dream and to realize that she, too, has a place in the unfolding narrative of innovation and exploration.

In essence, the Smithsonian is where the timeline of history stretches out its hands to the future. It’s where curiosity is nurtured into ambition, marked by a commitment to knowledge and the endless horizon of possibility. This is the essence of the Smithsonian: not just a museum, but a beacon of inspiration and a community of minds dedicated to understanding our world and shaping its future.

How has resilience impacted your work?

Revolutionary ideas stem from the audacity to challenge the norm. True change isn’t born from complacency or confining ourselves within the boundaries of what’s deemed “possible.” It emerges when we dare to dream, invest belief in those dreams, and persevere through the odds to turn them into reality. This is the essence of resilience: the relentless drive to navigate the unexpected, to rebound from setbacks, and not just to return to form but to forge a stronger, more adaptable version of what we were.

In the face of an escalating climate emergency, resilience is more than a concept – it’s a guiding principle for “Our Shared Future: Life on a Sustainable Planet.” This isn’t just about survival; it’s about uniting our collective strengths to ensure that communities can prosper without sacrificing the health of our planet.

So, how do we sculpt a future where economic vitality and high quality of human life are not at odds with the vitality of our ecosystems? How do we ensure that our actions today cultivate a world where biodiversity isn’t just a segment of a science textbook but a lived experience for generations to come?

The Smithsonian is stepping up to this challenge. Our commitment is to harness our global repository of art, culture, science, and history to unearth solutions that strike a balance between human progress and environmental preservation. We are innovating ways to empower communities to thrive while maintaining the delicate ecological balance necessary for a sustainable Earth.

It’s a complex puzzle, but we’re poised to piece it together, fostering a symbiotic relationship between humanity and nature. “Our Shared Future” isn’t just a response to a crisis – it’s a proactive movement towards an equilibrium, a testament to our adaptability and ingenuity. It’s time to rethink our relationship with the planet, not as a resource to be exploited but as a shared home to be nurtured. We have the tools. We have the knowledge. Now, it’s about putting them to work, not only to imagine a sustainable planet, but to create a resilient, sustainable future.

What are your priorities in your role at the Smithsonian as you look to the future?

I’m currently on a mission to elevate the profile and reach of our research. It’s about making the incredible wealth of knowledge we gather both seen and easily navigated by the public. But beyond visibility lies the imperative of integration, where we mesh the threads of various scientific fields and organizations into a cohesive fabric to address the major challenges of our time.

The Smithsonian has long been a vanguard in weaving together disparate viewpoints and datasets to unravel the complex tapestries of climate change, biodiversity, and the interplay between human culture and history. However, this aspect of our institution is like an unsung melody – familiar to some, unknown to many. I’m here to amplify that tune.

For many, the Smithsonian conjures images of iconic artifacts – the glimmer of Dorothy’s ruby slippers or the historic heft of the Apollo 11 command module. Yet, beyond the glass cases and exhibit halls, we have a cadre of scientists working tirelessly across the globe. They’re the sentinels of our environment, chroniclers of Earth’s past, and innovators for its future. They measure the pulse of our planet, drawing on a 175-year legacy of scientific inquiry to inform and confront today’s climate challenges with solutions that are not just viable, but sustainable.

My commitment is to move this narrative into the limelight – to ensure that when the Smithsonian is mentioned, it evokes not just images of past wonders, but also visions of a future where our research is a beacon for resilience and action. It’s about celebrating and promoting our diverse scientific heroes, those who embody the spirit of discovery and inclusivity. It is about combining art, history, culture and science to forge a better future. By doing so, we can inspire a new generation to engage with science and innovation in a way that reflects the rich tapestry of human experience and ensures that every voice is heard.•

Resilience: A 21st Century Rediscovery

By General James L. Jones, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired); Founder and Chairman, Jones Group International

EDITORS’ NOTE As President of Jones Group International (JGI) and one of America’s leading authorities on foreign policy, energy security, and national security, General James Jones provides JGI clients with strategies for navigating the complex nexus of business, international affairs, and public policy. General Jones was appointed by President Barack Obama as National Security Advisor to the President on January 20, 2009. During his tenure in the White House, General Jones served as a trusted Presidential advisor, represented the President as an envoy to American allies and partners, provided steady leadership during times of conflict, and oversaw an expansion of responsibilities of the National Security Council to include cyber security, homeland security, and strategic foresight. General Jones came to the White House from the private sector, where he served as the President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy. At the Chamber, General Jones worked to unite energy consumers and producers in pursuit of common goals – to increase U.S. energy supply and improve infrastructure, to advance international cooperation on energy issues, to protect national energy security, and to promote a better understanding of changes to the global climate and its effects on the environment. While leading the Chamber’s energy work, General Jones also served in the George W. Bush administration as the State Department’s Special Envoy for Middle East Regional Security. In this capacity, he worked with Israeli and Palestinian officials in furthering the Peace Process, focused on strengthening security for both parties to the conflict. General Jones retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in February 2007 after a distinguished forty-year career. From July 1999 to January 2003, General Jones served as the 32nd Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, the most senior position in the Corps. In 2003, General Jones was nominated to serve as Commander, United States European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe. As Commander of U.S. European Command, General Jones’ area of responsibility included 92 countries from Europe, Eurasia, and Africa. In his capacity as Commander of all NATO forces, General Jones led the

Alliance into overall command of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, the largest combat mission in NATO’s history. General Jones also oversaw the military integration of the Alliance as it expanded from 19 to 26 members, and he advocated that NATO take on energy security and defense of critical infrastructure as a core mission. General Jones spent the formative years of his youth living in France, where he became fluent in French and developed a global perspective. General Jones graduated from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps in January 1967. He served as a rifle platoon and Company Commander in Vietnam, where he earned a Silver Star. On returning to the U.S., he attended the Amphibious Warfare School in 1973 and the National War College in 1985 and served as Marine Corps Liaison Officer to the U.S. Senate. In addition, he served as Commanding Officer of the 24th

Marine Expeditionary Unit in Northern Iraq and Turkey on Operation Provide Comfort; Chief of Staff, Joint Task Force Provide Promise, for operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia; and Commanding General, 2nd Marine Division, Marine Forces Atlantic. He also served as Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense from 1997-99. Upon leaving the White House in 2010, General Jones founded Jones Group International. General Jones and the JGI team leverage their unmatched expertise, access, and credibility to assist clients in matters of energy security, national and international security, market access and trade promotion, and strategic leadership.

FIRM BRIEF Jones Group International (jonesgroupinternational.com) provides global strategic advisory services to help its sovereign partners in creating and fulfilling a transformative vision for their national defense, security and prosperity. With preeminent expertise and the best-in-class support available, the firm helps partners achieve tangible results to their most complex defense and security challenges.

General James L. Jones

Then Lt. Colonel James Jones participating in Operation Provide Comfort in Northern Iraq in 1991 with U.S. Senator Pat Leahy and General Anthony Zinni

Tom Brokaw coined a title for Americans born in the first quarter of the 20th century that immediately resonated with the country. He called them “The Greatest Generation” – an enduring moniker for Americans who lived their adult lives during an exceptionally perilous and futuredefining period of our national history. Living through the Depression and coming of age during World War II, the members of this generation defeated the evils of fascism - saving the world. In its aftermath, they guided our nation through the long twilight struggle of the Cold War, with all its tumult and difficulties – the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Cuban missile crisis, and the assassination of President Kennedy.

Despite these enormous challenges, they led the nation in an era of unprecedented economic growth, innovation, progress, and achievement, including putting a man on the moon. These accomplishments, and the timeless values and principles ennobling them, established our country as the model of democracy and capitalism for all freedom aspiring people.

The Americans of this exceptional generation have been described in many ways by their defining virtues – courageous, patriotic, innovative, dedicated, brave, selfless, and heroic, among others. But a virtue seldom used in describing the Greatest Generation is the word “resilient.” Yet it was supreme resilience that enabled them to overcome so much to achieve so greatly. Their resilience was defined by more than sheer bravery and toughness, though brave and tough they were. It was fired and forged by principle and conviction, and an unflagging sense of duty to posterity.

In this still young century, “resilience” has become a by-word for what it takes to succeed, whether for an individual, an organization, or as

a nation - properly so in today’s ever-changing operating environment in which threats, challenges, and setbacks surface with accelerating speed and complexity.

In a recent media interview in Kyiv, Ukraine a young woman was asked why the

people of Ukraine are so dedicated to defending their country and why they are so committed to defeating the Russian invaders. She responded that Ukrainians are, among other things, “resilient.” I was struck by her use of that word to so aptly describe the essential quality of her countrymen. Resilience is truly what enables them to endure despite being outnumbered and outgunned militarily, operating under the direst circumstances on the front lines of the new defense of Europe. To me it seemed exactly the right word for exactly the right time.

In the 21st century, however, the unanswered question, both at home and abroad, is whether the current generation of Americans possesses the quality of resilience required to maintain the global leadership and influence that has defined our nation for over a century. Today, we are confronted by monumental challenges on which the country’s future, indeed the future of freedom, democracy, and the human condition, depend. Now, as in the past, resilience is the indispensable quality for overcoming them, and in so doing maintaining America’s privileged and hard-earned position as the most influential nation on earth.

Of course, resilience is no less imperative in overcoming the obstacles we face in our personal lives, communities, and organizations. It’s the feature of who we are, not what we are, that is ever prepared for when inevitable difficulties arise to carry on – and with unwavering faith, conviction, and determination – to prevail.

My life began in 1943 and I’m now in my 80th year. I have been very fortunate to have been able to live my life as an American

Newly selected Marine Corps Brigadier Generals meeting with Marine Corps Commandant

General James Jones speaking with then Secretary of the Navy James Webb, and Marine Corps Commandant Al Gray for whom General Jones was senior aide at the time

with global experiences. My parents and their siblings were charter members of the Greatest Generation. My father and his younger brother were Marine officers in World War II. Both volunteered for duty in the Pacific, and both were highly decorated for heroism on multiple occasions. Incredibly, both survived that wartime experience.

My father left active duty in 1945 and accepted employment in 1946 with an American company in Paris, France, but remained in the Marine Corps Reserves and eventually retired as a Colonel. My uncle remained on active duty in the Marines until 1973 when he retired at the rank of Lieutenant General. He fought in our nation’s wars in Korea and Vietnam and was regarded as one of our nation’s great combat leaders. Both men and my mother and aunt, by their lives and example, taught me more about resilience than I could have ever learned in a classroom. I learned that resilience is not something that can be borrowed. It’s not a quality that can be summoned and magically appears when challenges are great. True resilience is part of our character, and imbedded in our composition and culture as individuals, families, communities, and as a nation.

My youth in France was characterized by learning about the United States from Europe. In my mind, I imagined the “Iron Curtain” as a real barrier behind which lurked communist forces bent on destroying the liberty and human rights we hold sacred. I learned about the Korean War, the fall of Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam, the Algerian insurrection, and the Russian launching of Sputnik which many Europeans predicted marked the beginning of the decline of America in favor of communism. But through that I learned about America’s greatness and its resilience in the face of incredible adversity. I greatly admired the American forces deployed in post war Europe, the rise of NATO (then in France), and my family’s struggle to adapt to a new culture and in learning a new language.

Returning to the United States in 1961, I attended Georgetown University’s great Foreign Service School in Washington, DC, thinking that my future would lie in the Foreign Service, but only after a three-year tour in the Marine Corps. In 1966, I married my wife, Diane, whom I had met in 1964. I was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in January 1967, and was an infantry Platoon Commander in Vietnam by November of that year. From my early days as a Marine Officer, I knew that I had found my calling, though it took me a while to commit to it being my career.

I learned about the essentialities of leadership and resilience in tandem. One was hard to conceive of without the other. From those senior to me I learned that selflessness, humility, and deflecting praise to others were traits essential to success in building personal and organizational resilience. In combat, I learned that trusting one’s subordinates and delegating authority were key enablers, especially during times when resilience was necessary to survive to fight another day. In the combat I experienced, there were no racial, religious, or ethnic issues that could

define or divide us; we were one team in one fight and we trusted each other. Not everyone made it home, unfortunately, but the resilience of the Marines I served with is something I still think about almost daily. The Marines had many ways of expressing their ethos. One of the most popular sayings of the day was “to err is human, to forgive divine, neither of which is Marine Corps policy.” It truly wasn’t! But I came to recognize the importance of valued tradition, common purpose, discipline, commitment to excellence, and esprit de corps and preparedness to forging organizational resilience.

Resilience, of course, is not an essential

“Americans have always shown resilience in the face of adversity and in support of its convictions. That quality comes from each of us as individuals, finding its place in every element of our society to define us as a nation.”

communicates feelings and love that touch us all every day. Jennifer’s three brothers learned compassion from Jennifer at a very young age and that quality has defined them as the kind men they are in their adult lives.

My wife, Diane, is the unquestioned real hero of our family. She battled breast cancer in 1983, more recently she had to undergo two hip and two shoulder replacements. She wears a pacemaker and now battles bone marrow cancer coupled with heart difficulties that cause breathing problems impeding her mobility. Through it all she has maintained an irrepressible will and a love for life and others. Her individual resiliency and courage through great adversity over the years is a prime example of what having a resilient spirit can do to overcome challenges that come our way in life’s journey.

And, of course, resilience is an essential feature of our communities and our business and civic organizations, continuously confronted by hardship. To overcome it and succeed, those entrusted with leadership responsibilities must create a culture of resilience. It begins with putting people first, including the welfare of employees and helping those most vulnerable on the path to success. When individuals within the company experience personal problems, it is important that leadership demonstrate its genuine concern and quickly offer help. This is the ethos that helps build strong and sturdy organizations.

character of the military alone. My witness and experience of it is broader and deeper. In my family, we have met with challenges on many occasions requiring resilience at its strongest. In dealing with separations for a year at a time, military spouses must cope with the absence of their partner and the children left behind must cope with the challenges of everyday life without two parents.

My wife and I have raised four children. Our second child, Jennifer, was born in 1971 with serious mental disabilities and life-threatening health conditions that created enormous strains on our family. Yet, over the years, Jennifer has been one of the greatest gifts we could have ever received. She has had such a positive impact on our lives. Even though she cannot speak, she

A great example of a leader who has demonstrated resilience, personal and professional, in the face of enormous obstacles and challenges is Thomas J. Donohue, the former President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As a young man he took on the job of finding work for wounded World War II veterans and later for physically disabled people in general. He rose to run the United States’ premier business organization. From one of his early mentors, who had been born with no legs and went on to found the organization Abilities Inc., he learned the conviction, “It doesn’t matter if people think you can’t do it; if you want to do it and it’s honorable and reasonable, you can usually get it done.” Tom personifies the traits of the Greatest Generation and the conviction he learned from personal experience and examples around him gets to the essence of what it means to be resilient –achieving a worthy object no matter what the impediments or what others may think.

Americans have always shown resilience in the face of adversity and in support of its convictions. That quality comes from each of us as individuals, finding its place in every element of our society to define us as a nation. Today, as America confronts challenges both within our borders and overseas, our global leadership is being tested in many ways. Overcoming these challenges will require the same type of resiliency that the Greatest Generation demonstrated. If that is to happen, the spirit of resilience must reside in the hearts, minds, and convictions of those we will be counting on to carry on the cause of liberty and our way of life in the years and decades ahead – what must be the new Greatest Generation of Americans.•

Welcome to Award-Winning Cancer Care.

Baptist Health Cancer Care is once again recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best healthcare facilities in the nation for cancer care. Miami Cancer Institute was recognized as a high-performing oncology program — which puts us in the top 10 percent of leading cancer centers in America.

This year, Miami Cancer Institute earned three additional awards in leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, lung cancer surgery, and prostate cancer surgery. The Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute and Miami Cancer Institute both received high-performing ratings in colon cancer surgery. Additionally, Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute, which has neurosurgeons with dual appointments at Miami Cancer Institute, is now ranked among the top neurology and neurosurgery programs in the country.

Representing Everything Theatrical And Glamorous About New York

EDITORS’ NOTE Peter Gelb’s career has followed a singular arc that began with his teenage years as an usher at the Metropolitan Opera and led to his appointment, in August 2006, as the storied company’s 16th general manager. Gelb has been at the forefront of the artistic world throughout the tumult of the past four years, bringing the country’s largest performing arts organization back from the brink after the pandemic closure, leading the way in commissioning and presenting new works, and rallying artistic forces in defense of Ukraine –including a benefit concert at the Met shortly after Russia’s invasion and, in partnership with the Polish National Opera, the launch of the Ukraine Freedom Orchestra which brought together leading Ukrainian musicians from around the world for international tours in summer 2022 and 2023, under the leadership of CanadianUkrainian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson. Now in his 18th year at the helm of the Met, Gelb has overseen a number of initiatives aimed at revitalizing opera and connecting it to a wider audience since the start of his tenure. He has also made a priority of revitalizing the repertory with commissions of numerous new works and new productions of both classic operas and modern masterpieces, overseeing more than 85 new stagings by some of the world’s greatest opera and theater directors. Gelb created The Met: Live in HD, a Peabody and Emmy Award–winning series of live performance transmissions shown in high definition in movie theaters. The series has sold more than 31 million tickets since its inception in December 2006 and is currently seen in more than 70 countries across six continents. As an award-winning producer of films, recordings, radio broadcasts, telecasts, concert events, operas, and festivals, he worked with many of the world’s leading artists prior to becoming Met General Manager. As president of CAMI Video, a division of Columbia Artists Management that Gelb founded in 1982, he served as executive producer of the Met’s television series for six years, producing 25 televised presentations for the company. His productions have earned 13 primetime Emmy Awards as well as multiple Peabody Awards. From 1995 until joining the Met, Gelb was President of Sony Classical, one of the largest international classical record labels, which he led through a period of notable growth and creativity.

INSTITUTION BRIEF

The Metropolitan Opera (metopera.org) is a vibrant home for the most creative and talented singers, conductors, composers, musicians, stage directors, designers, visual artists, choreographers, and dancers from around the world. The Metropolitan Opera was founded in 1883, with its first opera house built on Broadway and 39th Street by a group of wealthy businessmen who wanted their own theater. Today, the Met continues to present the best available talent from around the world and also discovers and trains artists through its National Council Auditions and Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. Almost from the beginning, it was clear that the opera house on 39th Street did not have adequate stage facilities, but it was not until the Met joined with other New York institutions in forming Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts that a new home became possible. The new Metropolitan Opera House, which opened at Lincoln Center in September 1966, was

equipped with the finest technical facilities. Each season, the Met stages more than 200 opera performances in New York. More than 800,000 people attend the performances in the opera house during the season, and millions more experience the Met through new media distribution initiatives and state-of-the-art technology.

When did you develop your interest and passion for classical music?

Growing up in New York, my father was a drama critic and my mother was a writer and the niece of the legendary violinist, Jascha Heifetz. I was taken to the theater and concerts from a very young age. When I was 13, my parents brought me with them when they were invited to the Met to sit in the box of Rudolf Bing, then the Met’s aristocratic General Manager. During the performance of Carmen, with African American soprano Grace Bumbry in the title role, two hecklers in an adjacent box booed Bumbry’s performance of the “Habanera.” Furious, Bing leaped to his feet and threw them out. I was impressed.

Peter Gelb

An Interview with Peter Gelb, Maria Manetti Shrem General Manager, Metropolitan Opera

Anthony Roth Costanzo in the title role of Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten” performed at the Metropolitan Opera

When I was 16 and a junior in high school, my father persuaded the Met to hire me as a part-time usher. My station was in the family circle standing room, the nosebleed section at the very top of the Met’s auditorium, where I had my first exposure to some of the Met’s most devoted fans who would often fight with each other over their favorite singers. My job was to break up the fights or to call in reinforcements.

From my vantage point at the very top of the Met, more than a hundred feet from the stage, I listened to the glorious voices of the greatest singers of 1970 – a golden era for operatic voices; the legendary Leontyne Price, perhaps the greatest Aida of all time; Renata Tebaldi, Italy’s number one diva and Maria Callas’ main rival for the title of Prima Donna Assoluta; and Franco Corelli, the forerunner to Pavarotti as the world’s greatest tenor, but whose severe episodes of stage fright tragically foreshortened his career. All this had a magical effect on my teenage soul. From the impressive gold proscenium that framed the stage to the sea of plush red velvet seats, the Met seemed to represent everything theatrical and glamorous about New York. It was as if all the performing arts had been rolled into one goldleafed operatic palace. This is when I fell in love with the Met and it’s why, five decades later, I’m committed to never letting it down.

Will you discuss your career journey?

Upon graduating from high school, I went to work as an office boy for Sol Hurok, a leading impresario who persuaded the pianist Arthur Rubenstein, Vladimir Horowitz’s principal rival, to change his first name to “Artur” to help make him more appealing at the box office. Hurok once said, “if the people don’t want to come, you can’t stop them.”

When I was in my 20s, I was the Assistant Manager of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and was responsible for initiating and organizing its historic tour to China in 1978. The tour to China was a cultural and political event to celebrate the resumption of relations between the U.S. and China. Jointly announced by Deng

Xiaoping and Jimmy Carter on the stage of the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, the Boston Symphony tour of China marked the end of the Cultural Revolution, following the imprisonment of the infamous Gang of Four.

Eight years later, in 1986, I was the 33-yearold manager of Vladimir Horowitz, arguably the greatest pianist in history and perhaps its most neurotic. I brought him to Moscow in official recognition of the pending détente negotiated by Gorbachev and Reagan. Horowitz’s concert was presented live and in its entirety as a news special on CBS in the United States and on the BBC.

Getting Horowitz to agree to return to his motherland was extremely challenging, since his many phobias had to be addressed to his satisfaction. Obsessed with his diet, Horowitz insisted on eating the exact same menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for years on end. At the time, his nightly meals included fresh Dover Sole and asparagus, two items decidedly not available in Cold War Moscow. Unfazed by this culinary challenge, Secretary of State George Schultz

and the American Ambassador to Russia, Arthur Hartman, enlisted the aid of our allies. The Italian Ambassador promised to secure the asparagus and the British Ambassador arranged for fresh Sole to be air couriered from London. Thus, the first Dover Sole airlift to Moscow was born.

To make Horowitz feel at home, the Hartmans moved out of their own master bedroom suite in Spasso House, the American Ambassador’s palatial residence in Moscow, temporarily giving it to Horowitz and his wife, Wanda, the temperamental daughter of Arturo Toscanini. I was assigned the principal guest bedroom – the same yellow room that Kissinger stayed in when he would visit.

One month before the Horowitzes were supposed to arrive with an entourage that included his chef, piano tuner, his customized trigger action Steinway, and me, disaster struck. The pianist Vladimir Feltsman, one of the Jewish Refuseniks who were endlessly waiting for their exit papers, was about to begin a recital in the salon of Spasso House, when it was discovered that the strings of his piano had been cut. In the audience was The New York Times bureau chief, who filed a front-page article about what clearly had been an act of KGB sabotage. Horowitz read the article and immediately threatened to cancel. It was only when Reagan himself had a letter hand-delivered on White House stationery to Horowitz guaranteeing his safety and the safety of his piano, that the tour was back on. In fact, Horowitz’s piano traveled to Moscow guarded by U.S. marines.

Managing Horowitz was challenging, but also thrilling, and he was always ready to offer me his own homespun advice. With regard to acoustics, he told me, “If the check is good, the acoustics are good.” He also advised me to read menus from right to left – “Like Hebrew,” he explained. Throughout my career, I’ve pursued politically charged cultural events, whether in China or Russia, no matter how tense, since art always has had the possibility to transcend politics and to soothe relations. In 1990, I produced Tchaikovsky’s televised 150th birthday concert

“Since the Met is the world’s leading opera company, the future of opera relies on the Met to succeed - and we’re dedicated to achieving that goal.”

A scene from Act I of Mozart’s “Così fan tutte”

from St. Petersburg, bringing with me Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma and Jessye Norman, her suitcases stuffed with turkey, since food rationing in St. Petersburg had just begun.

In 1991, I co-directed a documentary film about Mstislav Rostropovich and Galyna Vishnevskaya. It was a portrait of their heroism in the face of Soviet persecution. Ten years earlier, they had stood up to Brezhnev, sheltering Alexander Solzhenitsyn in their dacha outside of Moscow, even though it meant sacrificing their careers as Russia’s leading cellist and soprano. Facing global criticism for his mistreatment of them, Brezhnev chose to exile them rather than send them all to the gulag. Our film was about their triumphant return during Perestroika, a time when it looked like the world might be coming together. But of course, Putin has completely reversed that trajectory.

In 1997, when I was running the Sony Classical record label, we joined the Hong Kong government in commissioning Tan Dun to compose the official music of the Handover, “Symphony 1997,” featuring Yo-Yo Ma and

ancient Chinese bells. At the time, the world was hopeful that China would keep its word.

These are some of the experiences that prepared me for my work as the 16th General Manager of the Met, the largest and most challenging nonprofit performing arts company in the world.

How do you focus your efforts as general manager of the Metropolitan Opera?

When I signed my Met contract back in 2004, it included a clause (and still does) that I have to be available 24/7, since you never know what might happen in the daily and nightly events of the world’s busiest, and sometimes wackiest, performing arts company.

In reaction to our production of COSI, set in Coney Island in the ’50s, with real life circus sideshow performers, including sword swallowers, fire breathers, and a snake charmer, one of our stagehands said, “I always thought the Met was a circus. Now it really has become one.”

At the Met, anything can happen, and often does. There was the performance of Mussorgsky’s masterpiece Boris not so long ago in which the bass baritone Yevgeny Nikitin was

performing the role of Rangoni on a night when the great bass Rene Pape, singing the title role of Boris, was not feeling well. Pape began the evening’s performance, but just before the final and famous Boris death scene, Pape decided backstage that he couldn’t carry on. With two minutes to go before his entrance, we stripped off his costume and wig and threw them onto Nikitin, who had left the stage moments earlier dressed as Rangoni, one of Boris’ tormentors. Not missing a beat, Nikitin reentered the stage, now dressed as Boris. He sang and died as Boris right on cue. As soon as he was carried off stage, he was quick-changed back into his Rangoni costume just in time for his entrance on horseback for the final tableau. After he rode off the stage and dismounted, we put him back into the Boris costume for the curtain calls, since by this time Pape had gone home. For those members of the audience who were feeling a little sleepy at this point late in the evening, they probably never noticed. For the members of our company, it was just another wild night at the opera.

What have been the keys to the strength and leadership of the Metropolitan Opera over the years?

During his 22-year reign at the Met, the second longest tenure of a General Manager at the Met in a history that dates back to 1883, Rudolf Bing used his position to fight against inequality and on behalf of social justice. He also did not suffer fools and was famous for his dagger-like quips. During a protracted labor negotiation, a union leader accused Bing of openly showing his disdain. Bing responded, “Actually, I’m doing my best to conceal it.”

Bing was also known for his artistic feuds, with everyone from Maria Callas to the conductor Geroge Szell. When someone noted that Szell was his own worst enemy, Bing replied, “not as long as I am alive.”

Bing’s legacy as one of the great artistic leaders of the 20th century is enshrined in history. He was responsible for modernizing the Met and opera as an art form, bringing in Broadway directors, and sweeping away the cobwebs of theatrical inertia. An operatic Moses, he led the company from its antiquated old house on 39th Street and Broadway to the promised land of its new home at Lincoln Center in 1966.

According to my mentor, the late Ronald Wilford, who ran what at the time was classical music’s most powerful talent agency, Bing would playfully pretend to swat singers on his desk as if they were flies. And Bing kept a gavel on his desk as an accessory for ending meetings. His former secretary presented that gavel to me a few years ago and I keep it nearby, but I haven’t yet had occasion to use it.

My immediate predecessor as General Manager was Joseph Volpe, who began at the Met as a stage carpenter before eventually taking over in 1990. Volpe was known for running the Met with an iron fist, once infamously telling the soprano Angela Gheorghiu, who had complained about the color of her wig, “your wig is going on, with or without you.”

The Metropolitan Opera’s General Manager Peter Gelb and Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Meanwhile, like Bing, I will continue to fight for what is right. That’s why the Met helped create the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra in the days following the Russian invasion. My wife, the conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson, is its Music Director. Keri-Lynn is part Ukrainian and grew up in Winnipeg, a Ukrainian haven since the early part of the 20th century when waves of Ukrainian immigrants settled there. Under the patronage of Ukrainian First Lady, Olena Zelenska, the orchestra is made up of Ukrainian musicians from across the country who have come together each summer since the invasion to perform concerts across Europe and in the United States in defense of Ukrainian culture. Most recently, in commemoration of the second anniversary of the invasion, Deutsche Grammophon released their recording of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, with the final choral movement sung in Ukrainian instead of the original German. In Keri-Lynn’s version of the Ninth, Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” becomes the “Ode to Glory,” which is “Slava” in Ukrainian, the rallying cry for their victory.

In the film we made about Rostropovich, he explained that he was given lasting advice by his mentor and friend, Shostakovich, who himself was a victim of Stalin’s artistic oppression. Shostakovich told Rostropovich that in the fight for artistic freedom to think of himself as a soldier of music. My wife and the members of the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra are today’s soldiers of music. And that’s the credo I aspire to, as well.

What was your vision for creating The Met: Live in HD, and how has this initiative evolved?

This has been the most important media initiative of my tenure at the Met. But in fact, our history of harnessing technology to share performances goes back nearly 100 years.

In 1931, while the United States was still in the throes of the Depression, the Met was making use of electronic media with its radio broadcasts to help in its fight for financial solvency and a wider public. Today, not much has changed. We’re fighting harder than ever for post-pandemic financial solvency and a wider public, but we have new tools at our disposal, from social media platforms to the continuing success of The Met: Live in HD, our series of live performance transmissions into movie theaters and performing-arts centers around the world.

The cinema audience is coming back more slowly than at the opera house, but we’re still uniting hundreds of thousands of opera fans for nine times this season as we transmit our 1 PM matinee performances live into movie theaters and performing arts centers from as far south as the southernmost reaches of Argentina and Uruguay to as far north as the Arctic Circle where audiences in Tromso, Norway, faithfully gather. We’re seen live from the West Coast to as far east as Jerusalem and on a time-delayed basis in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, where the time difference is too great. Our transmissions are being seen on every continent except Antarctica. To serve our global audience, we utilize six different satellites that carry signals encoded with subtitles in eight different languages.

More than 30 million people have seen the Met in movie theaters so far. Who would have thought that so many would be enjoying grand opera and a hot dog for less than it costs to attend a baseball game?

How has resilience played a role in your career?

One of our board members was fond of quoting an aphorism he attributed to Churchill –that the only endeavor more complicated than grand opera is war. It turns out that Churchill never said that, and I’ve never been to war, but having led the Met for all these years I can imagine what it feels like to be a battle-worn veteran – although I don’t think I’m suffering from post-operatic stress syndrome just yet.

But in terms of aging and wear and tear, I think it would be fair for every year as head of the Met to be calculated in dog years, since dealing with the various forces and factions – we have 15 unions – at the world’s largest performing arts company is a formidable task.

With a budget of over $300 million and earned revenues that only cover a portion of our expenses, the Met’s challenges are Herculean. Since the pandemic, they’re even greater, which is why the Met has been moving forward with an accelerated artistic agenda that is intended to draw new audiences and new donors.

During the COVID pandemic, you launched Nightly Met Opera Streams with complete performances from the company’s voluminous archive streamed online. How did this effort exemplify the meaning of “The Show Must Go On?”

During the first months of the pandemic when most people were holed up in their homes, we provided them with artistic solace through our nightly streams of opera. It strengthened our bond with the public both near and far, and actually

won new fans for opera who suddenly had a lot of time on their hands to explore our art form.

With all that you have achieved and the many awards that you have earned, are you able to take moments to reflect on your accomplishments?

I’m too busy to reflect on past accomplishments (other than for this article). It is the responsibility of the Met to win new audiences for opera, since no matter how venerable our 138-year-old opera company is, there is no free pass into the remainder of the 21st century. That’s why we are not only commissioning new operas, but also studying new models for our performance schedule; why we introduced Sunday matinees a few seasons ago; and why we’re developing more programs in which to bring opera into the community.

It’s why we’re planning to increase our educational efforts in New York and across the nation, and why we’re adding new digital platforms for our performance contents. And it’s why we chose one of the world’s most brilliant conductors, Yannick Nezet Seguin, to become the Met’s Music Director. Yannick is now in the midst of his fifth season, and has been winning new fans for opera and the Met. A few weeks ago, Yannick and the Met won our fourth Grammy in a row for best opera recording of the year for Terence Blanchard’s Champion. The previous consecutive Met winners were Terence’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones, Philip Glass’ Akhnaten, and the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess

With several more years to go in my current contract, I’m already one of the longest serving managers in the Met’s history. Yet, I realize that my work is not yet done. It won’t be completed until the Met is on firmer financial footing and our artistic path forward is certain. Since the Met is the world’s leading opera company, the future of opera relies on the Met to succeed –and we’re dedicated to achieving that goal.•

Maestro Keri-Lynn Wilson with the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra at Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center, on August 18, 2022

Big Songs, Big Life

EDITORS’ NOTE Grammy-winning and Emmynominated songwriter Desmond Child is one of music’s most prolific and accomplished hitmakers. He’s a film, television, theater, and music producer, recording artist, performer, and author. His credits appear on more than eighty Billboard Top 40 singles spanning six decades, including “Livin’ On A Prayer,” “You Give Love A Bad Name,” “I Was Made For Lovin’ You,” “Dude Looks Like A Lady,” “How Can We Be Lovers If We Can’t Be Friends,” “I Hate Myself For Loving You,” “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” “The Cup Of Life,” “Waking Up In Vegas,” “Kings & Queens” and many more. From Aerosmith to Zedd, his genre-defying collaborations also include KISS, Bon Jovi, Cher, Barbra Streisand, Ricky Martin, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett, Michael Bolton, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks, Cyndi Lauper, Christina Aguilera, Ava Max, Mickey Mouse, and Kermit the Frog, selling over 500 million records worldwide with downloads, YouTube views and streaming plays in the billions. Child was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008 and serves on its Board of Directors as

An Interview with Desmond Child

well as the Board of ASCAP. In 2018, he received ASCAP’s prestigious Founders Award celebrating 40 years as a proud member of ASCAP. In 2012, he also co-founded the Latin Songwriters Hall Of Fame where he serves as Chairman Emeritus. In 2022, he was inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall Of Fame and “Livin’ La Vida Loca” was inducted into the National Archives of the Library of Congress for its cultural significance to America. In 2023, “Livin’ On A Prayer” was certified to have reached 1 billion streams on Spotify. His autobiography, Livin’ On A Prayer: Big Songs Big Life, was released in 2023.

When did you know that you had a passion for music and songwriting?

My mother was the Cuban songwriter and poet, Elena Casals, now known as “La Musa” and as I was growing up in the housing projects in Miami’s Liberty City, I didn’t know that most people didn’t write songs. My mom was always surrounded by her wild Bohemian friends and creativity was the same as breathing. I began composing as soon as I could crawl up on the piano bench and would bang away singing melodies that came to me.

Desmond Child

Desmond Child with Paul Stanley of KISS

Later in junior high when I was 14 years old, I wrote my first pop song as a birthday gift to a beautiful raven-haired well-to-do girl, Laura Stern, whom I had a crush on. As I grew up very poor and didn’t have the money to buy her a gift, I thought that a song would do the trick. It was titled “Birthday Blues” and must have somehow made an impression on her – although I didn’t get my first kiss –cause when she unexpectedly turned up at our Class of ’72 Miami Beach High School 30th reunion, she wept when I sang it to her from the stage. I didn’t get the girl…but I got the song.

Will you highlight your career journey?

My friends and I snuck into the three-day Palm Beach Pop Festival in 1969 and I watched Janis Joplin perform live for two hours without a break backed by the Edgar and Johnny Winter band completely mesmerizing the crowd. I saw the effect she had bringing us all together as a community and making us feel every word and note she sang. I knew at that very moment that this is what I wanted to do – become a rock star.

At Miami Beach High, I joined the choir where all the other rock musicians had enrolled and soon met Debbie Wall who became my first singing and songwriting partner in a duo we called “Nightchild,” renaming ourselves Virgil Night and Desmond Child to match. The name Desmond was inspired by the Beatles’ song “Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da” who’s last stanza is “Desmond stays at home and does his pretty

face and in the evening she’s a singer with the band.” I recently met Paul McCartney for the first time and told him the story and he wistfully said, “I always wondered if people out there understood that Desmond was gay?” I assured him that I totally got it.

It was the summer of 1971 and Nightchild hit the road headed to Woodstock, New York which became a mecca for musicians and hippies left over from the famous music festival. There, while working along with seasonal migrant workers during the day

Desmond Child and his musical guests perform at “Desmond Child Rocks The Parthenon” at the Roman theater Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, Greece on June 27, 2022

Jon Bon Jovi, Cher, Desmond Child, and Steven Tyler

at a nearby apple packing plant, we would sing for our supper at the many folk music clubs that had sprung up. I also spent time at nearby Bearsville Recording Studios as a “coffee boy” while musical genius Todd Rundgren was reinventing pop music for his epic album, “Something Anything.” His sounds inspired me to break the musical harmony rules of the day and learn to change keys and tempos to bring out the meaning of the song’s narrative.

By January 1972, we were starving and freezing and headed back to Miami Beach with our first demo of three songs professionally recorded by kind-hearted members of Van Morrison’s band. That’s when we found out

that the president of Columbia Records, Clive Davis, would be attending a music conference there and we snuck in disguised as John and Yoko. After the free dinner and show, we approached Clive and handed him our demo. Charmed by our daring imposter getups, he took the demo with him and a few months later sent it back to us with a very polite turndown letter personally signed by him. God, I wish I still had it now.

I consider this day one of being in the music business. In 2012, exactly 40 years later, after 80 top 40 hits and 500 million albums sold, I became the fourth recipient of the Clive Davis Legend In Songwriting Award – that‘s what I call resilience.

How important has resilience been throughout your career?

“Resilience” – this is the word that best describes the process of building the core inner strength it takes to keep going in the face of the many obstacles and rejections one inevitably experiences as you reach for your highest dreams and still create the best version of yourself.

As a child, it would crush me every time I heard my mother sobbing after being fired from one of her many low paying jobs as she sifted through the pile of unpaid bills on our kitchen table. As a single mom, she often couldn’t manage to put food on the table at night or gas in her beat-up car to find work or even get there on time after taking a series of unreliable public buses. She desperately wanted to be a respected artist and successful songwriter but didn’t have the resources and connections it would take to make that happen, but she had resilience and would always pick herself up and live to dream another day. Her determination and unrepentant magic still echos inside me as I wake up every morning in gratitude next to my loving husband of 34 years, Curtis, and restart my career all over again – never taking anything for granted.

Will you discuss your current projects?

I have been working for many years on a Broadway musical called Cuba Libre which is the true story of my mother’s two extraordinary younger sisters caught up in the “conga line of history” before and after the turbulent aftermath of the Cuban revolution. One became the mistress of the dictator Fulgencio Batista and the other the lover of Fidel Castro.

Desmond Child in the studio with Barbra Streisand

Desmond Child performing with Alice Cooper

I also keep doing my “day job” of writing and producing various established and upcoming recording artists including Barbra Streisand, Ricky Martin, Jon Bon Jovi, and Jojo Siwa, as well as composing original theme songs for theater, film, and television.

What interested you in writing your autobiography, and what are the key messages you wanted to convey in the book?

I got to the point in my life where I felt it was important to tell my story for our sons, Roman and Nyro, to be able to read someday and be proud of me, and be able to hear my voice and feel me around them. I was born poor, Latino, and gay between two centuries that have brought more technological advancements and economic growth than had ever existed in the history of mankind, yet I always felt I had to keep breaking down barriers and cracking through the glass ceilings to be able to succeed.

My book, Livin’ On A Prayer: Big Songs Big Life, is the story of my struggles and achievements in spite of difficult circumstances I was born into. My deepest hope is that letting the truth of all of me show will serve to be a guiding light for new generations to keep feeding the fire they have inside and reach for their highest goals.

With all that you have achieved and the many awards that you have earned, are you able to take moments to reflect on your accomplishments?

I recently watched a thrilling tribute of my career achievements which highlighted all the global icons I’ve had the honor of working with and the timeless songs I’ve helped them to bring to the world, and I have to admit that I was really impressed with my “bad self.” Ha ha ha! •

Cover of Desmond Child’s book, Livin’ On A Prayer - Big Songs Big Life

Desmond Child working with Jon Bon Jovi

A Call To Serve

An Interview with The Honorable

EDITORS’ NOTE

The Honorable Carlos Del Toro was sworn in as the 78th Secretary of the Navy on August 9, 2021. As Secretary, he is responsible for over 900,000 sailors, marines, reservists, and civilian personnel and an annual budget exceeding $210 billion. His priorities include securing the training and equipment for successful naval operations demand and addressing the most pressing challenges confronting the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps –China’s naval ambitions, climate instability, COVID’s ongoing impact, and strengthening a naval culture of inclusiveness and respect. Born in Havana, Cuba, Del Toro immigrated to the U.S. with his family as refugees in 1962. Raised in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City, he attended public schools and received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy where he earned a BS degree in electrical engineering. Del Toro was commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer upon his graduation in 1983. His 22-year naval career included a series of critical appointments and numerous tours of duty at sea, including First Commanding Officer of the guided missile destroyer USS Bulkeley ; Senior Executive Assistant to the Director for Program Analysis and Evaluation in the Office of the Secretary of Defense; and Special Assistant to the Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget –where he helped manage the budgets of DOD, the U.S. Department of State, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the Peace Corps. After retiring at the rank of Commander, Del Toro founded SBG Technology Solutions, Inc. in 2004. As its CEO and President, he supported defense programs across a host of immediate and long-term Department of Navy issue areas, including shipbuilding, AI, cybersecurity, acquisition programs, space systems, health, and training. He holds a master’s degree in national security studies from the Naval War College, a master’s degree in space systems engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a master’s in legislative affairs from George Washington University.

Secretary of the Navy, United States of America

What interested you in serving as Secretary of the Navy and made you feel it was the right fit?

A call to again serve our country and more specifically to serve our sailors and marines. I was absolutely honored when President Biden asked me to join the Biden-Harris Administration and most thankful to the American people. With 26 years of operational naval service reinforced by 17 years of private sector business experience, I felt I had the prerequisite experience to resiliently tackle the many difficult national security challenges we face today as a Navy, Marine Corps, and nation. I felt confident I would bring strong mature leadership, operational experience, and much needed acquisition skills to a department that had faced much senior civilian turnover in the previous four years.

As the first Cuban-American refugee to serve as Secretary of the Navy – one that also swore an oath to serve at 17 years of age, I knew I would also relate well to the hundreds of thousands of young Americans from all backgrounds who themselves or their parents or grandparents came to this country as immigrants to participate in this great democracy we call the United States of America. We are indeed a nation of immigrants bound together by a common set of core values in one American Constitution.

Born in Havana, Cuba, I immigrated to the U.S. with my family as refugees in 1962. I was raised in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City, attended public schools, and received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy where I earned a BS degree in electrical engineering and was commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer upon graduation in 1983. Over my career, I served in a series of critical appointments and numerous tours of duty at sea including commanding and overseeing the construction of a destroyer – the first Secretary of the Navy to do so – and serving as a White House Fellow in the Executive Office of the President. After retiring from naval service in 2004, my spouse and life-long friend, Betty, and I founded and operated a small engineering business enterprise for 17 years.

Today, I am again proud to serve and now lead the world’s greatest and most powerful Navy and Marine Corps, leading nearly a million sailors, marines, and civilians while managing a global $255 billion enterprise in service to the nation.

Will you highlight your priorities as Secretary, including securing the training and equipment successful naval operations demand and addressing the most pressing challenges confronting the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps?

My mission as Secretary of the Navy is to provide combat capable forces and capabilities to the President, Secretary of Defense, and Combatant Commanders around the globe to execute the President’s orders. We do so as a team in the Department of the Navy by recruiting, training, equipping, and organizing to deliver combat-ready naval forces to deter, and if necessary, win conflicts and wars through sustained forward naval presence in support of the joint force. For the past two and a half years as Secretary of the Navy, I have been unbelievably proud of our achievements as a Department to date as we focus on three enduring priorities: Strengthening Maritime Dominance, Building a Culture of Warfighting Excellence, and Enhancing Strategic Partnerships.

The challenges and threats we face today are global, ranging from Ukraine’s war with Russia to restore their national sovereignty, the PRC’s continued aggression across the IndoPacific, and Iran’s malign influence throughout the Middle East region. Every day, our Navy and our Marine Corps are deployed around the globe, countering a diverse set of challenges posed by nations and non-nation state actors.

In the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, for example, we continue to work alongside our NATO allies and Middle East partners to counter the Iranian-aligned Houthi attacks against commercial shipping – attacks that threaten the lives of sailors and other innocent civilian mariners. The Red Sea is one of our world’s most strategic shipping routes, with 12-15 percent of maritime trade passing through it. Since November 2023, trade volume through the Suez Canal has dropped 42 percent, with most major shipping companies opting to bypass the Red Sea altogether over security concerns, adding weeks to delivery timelines and raising the price of transporting a standard 40-foot cargo container from Asia to Europe from $1,500 in December to over $5,500 today.

These near daily attacks on our forces are countered courageously and most professionally by our fleet and force. Disruptions, increased shipping costs, and rising insurance premiums are paid for by citizens around the world at

The Hon. Carlos Del Toro

Carlos Del Toro,

the grocery store, the gas pump, and the pharmacy – the impacts of which are felt most by countries that rely on their global partners for food security and vital medicines to protect their populations from some of the world’s deadliest diseases.

We will continue to take the necessary resilient actions – both diplomatic and military – as part of international coalitions of like-minded nations to return stability to the Red Sea. Addressing the threats that adversely affect the U.S., our allies, and our partners who seek to use the global maritime commons for peaceful ends requires both a national and international commitment.

How is the Navy addressing climate instability?

As the Secretary of the Navy, I proudly can tell you we have made climate one of our top priorities since the first day I came into office. The consequences of our climate instability are an existential threat. That is why the Department of the Navy is focused on building a climateready force. That is a key element to strengthening our maritime dominance so we can deter potential adversaries, and if called upon, fight and decisively win our nation’s wars. And it’s not just an issue for us – it is an increasing issue for many of our allies and partners. This is why the Biden-Harris Administration is globally combatting this threat and we are embracing it as a combat-ready issue for the Navy and Marine Corps.

The Navy and Marine Corps team has been working on climate and energy security for a long time, and we are accelerating and broadening those efforts. We released Climate Action 2030, setting the Department of the Navy on a path to achieve the Nation’s commitment to netzero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, while becoming a more capable, agile, and lethal fighting force. The strategy directs follow-on implementation efforts for U.S. Navy and Marine Corps counterparts to identify initiatives to be a modern, lethal, agile force that can fight and win anywhere in the world.

Climate change is expected to intensify the rate of trans-boundary threats the Department of the Navy will need to meet. These conditions require the Navy and Marine Corps to adapt to meet new operational requirements, respond to increasingly common humanitarian response missions, promote regional stability, and address risks to installations and defense communities.

We have backed our targets with investments, weaving in resilience investments in energy infrastructure, water resilience, and nature-based solutions. Our approach yields results. We have renewable energy at bases all over the world, as well as 18 highly reliable and resilient microgrids. We continue to aggressively transition to renewable energy with a pipeline of projects including a 42-megawatt installation in our island state of Hawaii, at our facilities at Pearl Harbor. We are upgrading water and electrical infrastructure right here in the Bahamas at our Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC). We are bringing on more renewables which means fewer fossil fuels and lower emissions. We have achieved DoD’s

first Net Zero installation at our Marine Corps Logistics Center in Albany, GA. In fact, over the last decade we have added more than 1 gigawatt of renewable energy to the grid.

We are harnessing the power of nature to draw carbon out of the air and to build coastal resilience for our bases and neighboring communities. We are fighting drought and restoring water security thru grasslands rehabilitation at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. We are funding efforts to help restore coral reefs and are eager to pursue further efforts on coral reef research, regrowth and even creation.

Finally, Climate Action 2030 makes explicit what we already know – that no one can fight climate change alone. The plan calls for partnerships. We want to share and trade information, resources, and expertise with governments and NGOs around the world.

“I will be forever grateful to my dying days for the freedoms that this country had offered me and my family and that’s why I wanted to serve our country.”

Embracing climate-focused technologies and adopting a climate-informed posture strengthens our capability to stand by our partners and allies. The Secretary of the Navy has delivered Office of Naval Research funded climate resilience decision superiority technology and personnel to the heads of state of critically strategic Pacific Island partners.

How are you working to strengthen a naval culture of inclusiveness and respect?

Our people are our greatest strength. They provide the competitive warfighting advantage over our competitors. Building a culture of warfighting excellence is founded on strong leadership that is rooted in treating each other with dignity and respect. Taking care of our people is absolutely critical to our mission. We continue to strengthen our culture of inclusiveness and respect by continuing efforts to improve quality of service and quality of life for our sailors, marines, civilians and their families.

We continue to work to ensure their experiences within and outside the workplace are enriched. We are critically assessing where we are now and where we are going to identify the most pressing infrastructure problems, prioritizing facilities, barracks, water, energy, and internet. That’s directly connected to mission readiness and to recruiting and retaining the best possible talent. We treat each other as the professionals we are. We embrace diversity and inclusiveness and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind, sexual harassment or assault or extremism. When revealed in our ranks, we address it quickly to stamp it out as you would expect professionals to do so. We are one team.

How did your early years emigrating from Cuba to the United States impact your career journey?

My parents fled Cuba with me – a tenmonth-old, and very little else – one suitcase per family member. They did not see me become Secretary, but my mother did see me become Commanding Officer of our nation’s newest warship. Their sacrifice working two jobs for most of their lives while my grandmother cared for me at home humbles me to this day. It’s the common story for so many immigrants to this country. We charge forward because of the example they set for us and to fulfill their hopes and aspirations.

I grew up in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City in a rat-infested tenement on 42nd Street in New York, between 11th and 12th Avenue. It was just one block away from the Hudson River. I often joked that we were so poor that the only thing my father and mother could actually afford to do is walk us up and down the Hudson River. I think, subconsciously, I was attracted to the sea, attracted to boats, attracted to sailing the oceans because of that experience. My parents, Raul and Martha, and grandmother, Maria, definitely instilled in me a work ethic that still motivates me today. They also encouraged me to pursue my intellectual curiosity and passion about history, engineering, arts and the sciences. I attended Thomas Edison High School, a vocational technical high school in Jamaica, Queens which led to my acceptance to Annapolis. I often thought I would never be accepted to “a place like that” and even hesitated to apply. My father then told me, “I would never know if I did not try” and so I did thanks to his encouragement. Undoubtedly, these many experiences made me resilient to the challenges I faced as a young child and adult and afforded me the opportunity to embrace the many opportunities offered to me. I will be forever grateful to my dying days for the freedoms that this country had offered me and my family and that’s why I wanted to serve our country.

How important has resilience been throughout your career?

As mentioned, my parents provided me the inspiration to always be resilient in life. Over my lifetime, I drew on those lessons they instilled in me and always relied on hard work and determination to reach my goals. Full Speed Ahead – the journey continues.•

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

The Future Of Healthcare

An Interview with Michael Dowling, President and Chief Executive Officer, Northwell Health

EDITORS’ NOTE Michael Dowling is one of healthcare’s most influential voices, taking a stand on societal issues such as gun violence and immigration that many health system CEOs shy away from. His leadership has been invaluable to Northwell’s consistent expansion and prominence. In March 2020, he successfully navigated the health system through the first COVID-19 epicenter in the U.S., detailing Northwell’s experiences in a book titled, Leading Through a Pandemic: The Inside Story of Humanity, Innovation, and Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Crisis Overall, Northwell treated over 300,000 COVID patients – more than any other U.S. health system.

He is past chair and a current board member of the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL), the Greater New York Hospital Association, the Healthcare Association of New York State, and the League of Voluntary Hospitals of New York. Dowling was an instructor at the Center for Continuing Professional Education at the Harvard School of Public Health. He earned his undergraduate degree from University College Cork (UCC), Ireland, and his master’s degree from Fordham University. He also has honorary doctorates from the prestigious Queen’s University Belfast, University College Dublin, Hofstra University, Dowling College, and Fordham University.

vast network of more than 890 outpatient facilities, including 220 primary care practices, 52 urgent care centers, home care, rehabilitation, and end-of-life programs, and 21 hospitals. Northwell also pursues pioneering research at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and a visionary approach to medical education highlighted by the Zucker School of Medicine, the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies, and one of the nation’s largest medical residency and fellowship programs.

What has allowed Northwell Health to remain nimble and agile while being the largest health system in New York?

Prior to becoming CEO in 2002 and joining Northwell in 1995, Dowling served in New York State government for 12 years, including seven years as State Director of Health, Education, and Human Services and Deputy Secretary to the Governor. He was also Commissioner of the State Department of Social Services. Earlier, he was a Professor of Social Policy and Assistant Dean at the Fordham University Graduate School of Social Services and Director of the Fordham campus in Westchester County. Dowling has been honored with many awards and recognitions over the years, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad, the Alfred E. Smith Award from the American Society for Public Administration, the National Human Relations Award from the American Jewish Committee, and the Foreign Policy Association Medal Award. In 2017, he was selected to serve as the Grand Marshal of New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. In 2022, he was named the most influential leader in healthcare by Modern Healthcare , ranking #1 in its annual list of the “100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare,” making it the 16th consecutive year he was featured.

Dowling is past Chair of the Healthcare Institute and the current Chair of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). He is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences and the North American Board of the Smurfit School of Business at University College, Dublin, Ireland. He also serves as a board member of the Long Island Association.

INSTITUTION BRIEF Northwell Health (northwell.edu) is a clinical, academic and research enterprise with a workforce of more than 87,000 and annual revenue of $18.0 billion. Northwell is the largest healthcare provider and private employer in New York State, caring for more than two million people annually through a

This is a fundamental part of our culture –the most important ingredient in any organization. When we evaluate for positions of leadership, we look for people who have a positive attitude, are adaptable and have a forward-focused mindset. While we are a very large organization, we are very integrated and interdependent. The senior leadership team are all in the same central location which allows us

Michael Dowling

Northwell Health leadership (from left): COO Mark Solazzo; John D’Angelo, MD; Rich Barakat, MD; CEO Michael Dowling; and Jesse Chusid, MD, cut the ribbon at Northwell Health in the heart of Queens, New York at Rego Park, a $52 million, 70,000-square-foot transformative suite of medical practices covering a host of conditions

“It is extraordinary what we can do today that would have been unimaginable decades ago – the result of research discovery and technological innovation.”

to make decisions quickly and decisively. We place a premium on communication so when decisions are made they are communicated throughout the organization.

We believe in making the complex simple, rather than making the simple complex. We do not over analyze issues – we meet, make decisions, and execute.

Will you discuss the depth of Northwell Health’s capabilities?

This is one of the areas that makes us unique – we do everything. We are involved in cancer, neurology, orthopedics, transplant, community health, education, research, and so on. While we do everything, it is all for one single purpose – improving the condition of people in the community. We remain focused on the result. We are addicted to customer service.

It is extraordinary what we can do today that would have been unimaginable decades ago –the result of research discovery and technological innovation. Such advances in medicine are reasons to be extremely proud. We do great work but to improve overall community health, we must do more. Medical care delivery, as great as it is, only contributes about 20 percent to the improvement of overall health. We must go upstream to address lifestyle and behavior issues as well as societal issues, such as poverty, inequity, gun violence, environmental health issues, etc. Also, the growing addiction to social media and its impact on mental health, especially in children.

Health providers have a major responsibility here – and at Northwell, we take it seriously – but it must be seen as a responsibility of all industry and business leaders. It’s a collective responsibility.

Northwell Health has taken a leadership role in addressing gun violence. Have you seen progress in tackling this public health issue?

There is one statistic that I believe is shocking – guns are the leading cause of death for children and adolescents. This is not how the U.S. should be distinctive. We at Northwell have been taking a leading role on this issue for many years. We created a Division of Gun Violence Prevention and Safety, we hold an annual Gun Violence Prevention Forum each year, and we have established a national CEO Council on Gun Violence to also focus on prevention and safety. We work with other organizations and government to address this

Michael Dowling at Northwell’s fifth annual Gun Violence Prevention Forum where healthcare, government, business, and community leaders convene annually to discuss addressing gun violence as a public health crisis and how to change the landscape of gun violence-related injuries and deaths in the country

important public health issue and we’re very satisfied recently to see President Biden establish a White House Task Force on the issue, and we applaud Senator Chris Murphy for his national leadership for the passage a few years ago of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

The good news is that there has been some incremental improvements – improvements worth celebrating. Over the past two years, gun homicides have dropped nearly 8 percent, according to provisional data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

I see a growing recognition and activity by more leaders, in all businesses, that progress must continue. It is gaining more traction as a public health issue. It’s a long-term issue just like the effort years ago to improve automobile safety (airbags and seat belts). Of course, it will eventually require major and additional legislative action out of Washington.

How can business leaders address these long-term challenges with the pressures for short-term, quarter-to-quarter business results?

You manage for the short term but lead for the long term. You have to do both but leaders, in my view, should be focused on the next three to five years – what’s the vision, what’s the destination, what are the long-term metrics. An effective CEO can drive results in the short term, while investing for the long term. It’s no different in a non-for-profit entity like Northwell. Achieving sustainable results takes time.

Northwell Health is investing in new technology, data analytics, and AI. How do you make sure that these areas do not take away from the human touch and people part of the business?

Technology and AI have contributed enormously to the improvement in healthcare

delivery and will continue to do so. The new AI capabilities will help with diagnostic improvement, data analytics and operational performance and efficiency. We will have to be aware however of the potential dangers of falsehoods and misinformation. We must proceed with a combination of speed and caution.

While we optimize the use of technology we must not – especially in healthcare delivery –have it substitute for the importance of human contact. The person-to-person social relationship is so important. The leadership task is to find and secure the right balance – like we struggle with in other areas such as centralization versus decentralization, integration versus autonomy, privacy versus transparency, etc. It’s one of the challenges of leadership.

Will you discuss the work of Northwell Holdings and how you define its mission?

Northwell Holdings is a separate entity within the organization with the goal of advancing innovation, building for-profit business, and identifying alternative revenue streams to support the ongoing mission work of the company. There is a reality to the health provider business that is not fully appreciated. The bulk – over 60 percent – of our revenue comes directly and indirectly from government. This is a combination of Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid – which is growing does not cover the cost of delivery care. While Medicare is better it also does not cover the full cost. All providers have to negotiate with the commercial insurance companies to attain reimbursement to cross-subsidize the low reimbursement from government.

Creating alternative revenue via joint ventures, investing in business companies (such as technology) and creating our own businesses is therefore imperative. It’s being entrepreneurial. It’s about optimizing and commercializing certain assets of the organization. This is why we have established a for-profit set of businesses such as pharmacy (Vivo Health), transportation, laboratory services, and our own GPO (Group Purchasing Organization). This is an expanding and robust endeavor that will expand and grow. We are open to all innovative ventures and partnerships.

How critical is it for Northwell Health to have such an engaged and supportive board?

The relationship between its Board and leadership is obviously critical but requires

“Northwell Holdings is a separate entity within the organization with the goal of advancing innovation, building for-profit business, and identifying alternative revenue streams to support the ongoing mission work of the company.”

Michael Dowling meets with a student at Hillcrest High School in Queens. Northwell is the first Student Pathways anchor employer partner for New York City Schools, providing up to 150 internships to 12th graders at four high schools to give students meaningful, career-connected learning from health care professionals

“Innovation is at the foundation of everything we do. However, we have to be cognizant of making sure innovation is not constrained by overbearing regulations and compliance. The freedom to do ‘new and different’ must be encouraged.”

ongoing and productive communication. Trust is an imperative. We are fortunate at Northwell to have an engaged, knowledgeable, and supportive Board – a Board that also understands their role versus that of management. The Board has a fiduciary responsibility to hold leadership accountable on doing what’s right for the community. Management needs to be transparent and with the Board develop and articulate a clear strategy and vision and then execute. It’s a two-way process that is based on integrity, transparency, honesty, and trust. I have been fortunate with such a Board relationship. The pandemic shined a light on the critical role of healthcare workers, but this work is done day in and day out at health systems across the country. What do you tell people about a career in healthcare?

Those of us in healthcare – especially on the provider side – are very fortunate. Each day we improve lives, cure disease, reunite families, bring new individuals into the world, and care for the disabled, elderly, and frail –how inspiring and motivating. I discuss this obligation when I meet with new employees each week (usually about 250). Their role and commitments were in stark display during COVID and the public at the time were so appreciative – and rightly so. Healthcare workers are the core defense against healthcare disasters when such disasters (like COVID) occur. But, of course memories fade and criticism reappears – as it has. Healthcare workers work hard and are proud to be in a profession dedicated to improving people’s lives.

How is Northwell Health innovating when it comes to its medical school and nursing school?

When we decided to create the medical and nursing school, we were determined not to replicate the status quo. We wanted to innovate, to refashion a new curriculum and provide a creative learning experience. We have done that and we believe very successfully. For example –in the medical school all students are trained as EMTs in the first nine weeks and all are immediately in the field with patients – seeing, experiencing and learning. I am an advocate of apprenticeship – you learn best by doing. The school is now highly nationally ranked and our students do their residencies in the top places in the country. The same applies to the nursing school.

Innovation is at the foundation of everything we do. However, we have to be cognizant of making sure innovation is not constrained by overbearing regulations and compliance. The freedom to do “new and different” must be encouraged.

You mentioned earlier the need to find role models. Did you have role models in your life that impacted your journey?

There have been many.

My mother was a role model. She was an unbelievably caring person who never let deprivation diminish her optimism. She had all the reasons to complain – she had a difficult life, but you would never know and she would never admit it. She would give advice such as –don’t ever let your current circumstance limit your future potential. I always remember such words.

Former Governor Mario Cuomo was a major influence in my life. Mario Cuomo was a big role model for me. I had nothing in my background that would justify the opportunities he gave me, but he saw something in me and gave me a chance. He threw me into the deep end of the pool and believed I could do it. This is something I have taken with me in my management style. If you stretch good people, they will blossom. You learn by doing, and you learn by failing. Let hard work, positive attitude, resilience, decency and respect set you apart.

•

Michael Dowling with one of his mentors, former New York Governor Mario Cuomo

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Framework For The Future: Thought Leadership Insight For Big Law

An Interview with Richard A. Rosenbaum, Executive Chairman, Greenberg Traurig, LLP

EDITORS’ NOTE Richard A. Rosenbaum is the Executive Chairman of Greenberg Traurig, a unified international law firm of more than 2750 attorneys in 47 locations around the globe. He has long been considered a thought and change leader in the broader legal profession. He joined the firm in 1985 as its 90th lawyer and has since been integrally involved in forming and successfully executing the strategies that have led to the firm’s growth and unique culture across the United States, Europe and the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. He closely guards the firm’s long-term core values while still aggressively navigating ever-changing times. Rosenbaum has always put the firm’s clients and people first, understanding that a law firm leader works for them, first and foremost. He is proud of his work in founding the firm’s renowned and wideranging “commitment to excellence” program, which ensures that all these values remain core to the firm’s daily practice and global brand for many years to come.

own company’s headcount to increase. Sound too good to be true? There is a catch: almost half believe their business will not be viable in the future without reinvention.

We agree. In 1967, faced with religious discrimination, our founders created a firm where everyone was welcome – a reinvention of the traditional, “white shoe” model. We continue to succeed because we adapt to meet changing market conditions and evolving client needs. We do this while fiercely maintaining our commitment to excellence and remaining true to our core culture of respect and worldwide collaboration. In a fractured and fragile world, we stand united and strong.

We believe that the following themes will play a critical role in business and Big Law in 2024 and beyond.

NEED FOR GLOBAL UNITY AND COOPERATION:

FIRM BRIEF Greenberg Traurig, LLP (gtlaw.com) has more than 2750 attorneys in 47 locations in the United States, Europe and the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. The firm is a 2022 BTI “Highly Recommended Law Firm” for superior client service and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law Global 100 and NLJ 500. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 6.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab. The firm is recognized for powering its U.S. offices with 100 percent renewable energy as certified by the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e® Energy program and is a member of the U.S. EPA’s Green Power Partnership Program. The firm is known for its philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono.

Global stability is being threatened by wars, economic uncertainty, and an extraordinary number of national elections affecting half of the world’s population in 2024. How is Greenberg Traurig responding to the resulting global fragmentation?

According to the 2024 Davos World Economic Forum PwC Survey, the proportion of CEOs optimistic about global growth prospects doubled from last year, and about 40 percent expect their

As countries with shared financial and developmental goals conduct business on the world stage, Big Law has an opportunity to help clients work across borders. Greenberg Traurig’s broad, multidisciplinary, and seamlessly connected global platform makes us uniquely prepared for this mandate.

Unity begins in our own home – with more than 2750 attorneys in 47 locations across the United States, Europe and the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia, we operate as one united family. This kind of enduring cooperation is a result of our

deeply shared culture, with two key components. One, simply put – we like each other; our highly ranked attorneys respect and value one another for their authentic, diverse voice, their dedication, and generous contributions. Second is our robust collaboration encouraged by the firm and by every individual; we know that building on each other’s knowledge and strengths makes each one of us stronger.

RENEWED EMPHASIS ON INDUSTRY-FOCUSED TEAMS FOR HOLISTIC CLIENT SERVICE:

Clients are increasingly turning to Greenberg Traurig for our strong industry-focused teams. These teams are comprised of attorneys from different practice groups important to the client; each brings a deep understanding of a critical facet of the industry and the client’s operations. Together, our attorneys can collaborate across these distinct legal disciplines as an industry team to provide our clients with more holistic and seamless service. Many of our attorneys have real-world experience working as professionals in the fields in which they now counsel clients, such as an MD/JD who advises clients in products liability litigation; a former IRS attorney who counsels clients on tax disputes; and former GCs, to name a few.

We are also doubling down on our strengths in areas in which the state of the global economy, world events, and government regulations will greatly affect client needs in the coming year. For example, we are adding talent and capabilities to industries and practices – in which we are already leaders – including Real Estate, Capital Markets, Private Credit, Private Equity, Energy,

“As countries with shared financial and developmental goals conduct business on the world stage, Big Law has an opportunity to help clients work across borders. Greenberg Traurig’s broad, multidisciplinary, and seamlessly connected global platform makes us uniquely prepared for this mandate.”

Richard A. Rosenbaum

“Increasingly, attorneys come to Greenberg Traurig because of our strong culture, which remains resilient across geographies and generations; a culture of respect for the individual, integrity, diversity, inclusion, collaboration, and commitment to excellence.”

Infrastructure, Restructuring, Healthcare, Regulatory and Compliance, Labor and Employment, Technology, and Litigation.

EFFICIENCY IS AN EVERGREEN REQUIREMENT FOR LAW FIRMS:

To provide the best value for our clients, we must remain fiscally responsible in all areas of operation, leveraging the efficiencies of our global platform and economies of scale. To ensure optimal performance, we employ seasoned professional project managers who maximize efficiency with strategic planning and legal insights, valuebased pricing including alternative fee arrangements and billing rates matched to regional market conditions, office space optimization, productivity applications, and use of innovative technologies.

RESPONSIBLE ADOPTION OF AI:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is advancing at exponential rates so unfathomable that even the developers of the technologies cannot predict what our future holds. What we do know is that those who do not adopt will quickly fall behind. Adopt too quickly and your output could be a hallucination (false information invented by AI). Used responsibly, these models will be transformative tools that enhance productivity, efficiency, sustained business growth, and even reinvention.

To advise clients on responsible adoption of innovative technologies, we continually expand our capabilities with top-tier attorneys in the following practices: Innovation and Artificial Intelligence; Digital Infrastructure, Data Center, and Cloud Computing; Data Privacy and Cybersecurity; Blockchain and Digital Assets; Intellectual Property and Technology; Fintech; Metaverse; MedTech; Digital Healthcare; and Online Gaming.

At Greenberg Traurig, we strategically employ AI systems tailored specifically for our firm to augment our attorneys and professional staff. These technologies help us all work faster, dig deeper, and analyze and organize information. Our own critical judgment, including review, verification, and oversight, is essential. Thus, headed by the firm’s General Counsel and other firm leaders, we created strict policies for the use of AI to maintain our high legal and ethical standards and commitment to excellence including respecting privacy, transparency, and human rights. We also instituted a required training program reviewing risks, benefits, and responsible use of AI.

In short, we are proactively empowering our employees with digital fluency, leading the way

for greater value and impact for our clients and sustainable and powerful growth for our firm.

CORPORATE CULTURE’S IMPACT ON RECRUITMENT, RETENTION & SATISFACTION:

Today, competition for legal talent is fierce. In addition, generational trends of Gen Zers and Millennials, such as job-hopping, challenge old loyalties. Even in this competitive environment, Greenberg Traurig continues to attract and retain top legal talent. People want to work here because of our reputation as a leading firm with top-tier attorneys collaborating across our broad global platform.

Increasingly, attorneys come to Greenberg Traurig because of our strong culture, which remains resilient across geographies and generations; a culture of respect for the individual, integrity, diversity, inclusion, collaboration, and commitment to excellence. We foster a sense of belonging where every individual can be their authentic selves and feel listened to, valued, and represented.

With limited bureaucracy at Greenberg Traurig, an attorney’s career trajectory is determined by the force of their own drive and the success of their follow through for the client and the firm. Our award-winning mentoring and training programs provide educational experiences and resources dedicated to professional development. And we are a meritocracy that fosters individual empowerment, rewards entrepreneurial effort, and celebrates collective achievement.

In addition, our alumni program encourages loyalty to and from former employees including welcoming them back (boomerangs) or often working with them as clients.

We will continue to grow our firm through strategic recruiting based on client needs and specialized experience.

SEISMIC SHIFTS IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC MAP:

Those emerging markets that are growing at a proportionally faster pace than many established countries are increasing their role in the world economy. Our ability to adapt quickly, identify leading local attorneys who share our values, and establish a strong presence in regions predicted to experience dramatic growth is more important than ever. Greenberg Traurig is strategically opening offices to ensure we have a rock-solid presence in the evolving legal landscape.

Last year, we broadened our strategic expansion in the Middle East by opening locations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. New regulations in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have created a pro-business environment in the region. As such, the area is experiencing a major influx of investments, sports and entertainment events, and tourism resulting in a strong demand for infrastructure and real estate development. To meet this unprecedented demand, we continue to build a deep bench of acknowledged local leaders in the real estate and hospitality industries and the financial sector, including private equity, private credit, banking, M&A, and capital markets. With recent hires we now have the largest Sports, Media & Entertainment team in the Middle East.

In 2023, we also entered Singapore  – a key gateway in Southeast Asia and an international business and finance hub  – with locally recognized leaders in Energy & Infrastructure and Private Finance. With our newest hire, best known for building M&A practices and offices from scratch for two global law firms in Singapore, we look forward to widening the worldwide presence of our top-tier M&A and Private Equity practices. We will continue to innovate, stay ahead of the next growth trend, expand existing offices, and enter new locations to provide our clients with better value and seamless service as they conduct business in the United States and throughout the world.

CLIMATE TRANSITION TRENDS

– CHALLENGES &

OPPORTUNITIES:

Global pressure to comply with mandates to reduce carbon footprints is creating opportunities and challenges for businesses and governments in the areas of alternative energy sources and infrastructure.

Greenberg Traurig continues to strategically expand our Energy and Natural Resources and Infrastructure practices to counsel clients on the entire lifecycle of renewable energy, hydrogen, EV battery and related supply chain, and digital infrastructure projects. When we opened in Singapore, we launched the firm’s Asia Energy and Infrastructure Practice to assist clients in energy transition. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, Southeast Asian countries must annually invest an average of approximately $210 billion to achieve their climate goals.

Greenberg Traurig is recognized for powering its U.S. offices with 100 percent renewable energy as certified by the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e® Energy program and is a member of the U.S. EPA’s Green Power Partnership Program.

OUTLOOK FOR GREENBERG TRAURIG:

Developing a framework for a resilient future through collaboration and transformation can be daunting in today’s environment. Amidst a world mired in geopolitical unrest and with predictions by business leaders that sustained growth – even survival – requires reinvention, our innovative and nimble business model empowers us to weather any condition, remain optimistic, and operate from a position of strength.•

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Designing The World We Live In

An Interview with Andi Owen, Chief Executive Officer, MillerKnoll

EDITORS’ NOTE Andi Owen is the Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of MillerKnoll, a collective of dynamic brands with nearly 11,000 global employees and revenue of $4.1 billion in fiscal 2023. The firm is a leader in designing and manufacturing environments for work, home and beyond for contract and retail customers around the globe. Owen first joined Herman Miller as President and CEO and was instrumental in guiding the merger of two iconic design companies – Herman Miller and Knoll, along with their specialty brands – to create MillerKnoll. Owen brings a depth of experience driving complex customer-focused businesses to her leadership at MillerKnoll. She is passionate about using design-based thinking to solve complex problems, innovating to improve people’s lives, and using business as a force for good. This core belief informs her overall strategy and vision for the company. Owen is a committed advocate for advancing change. As CEO, she champions MillerKnoll’s efforts to create positive industry and societal change through philanthropy, sustainable and inclusive design, and collective action. Under her leadership, MillerKnoll shapes the conversation on designing spaces that align with how we will live, work, and gather in the future.

COMPANY BRIEF MillerKnoll

design, and now we have the opportunity to bring their legacies into the future, building on and honoring the solid foundations each brand has built.

Now, as one collective, we’re committed to designing the world we live in, and building a more sustainable, equitable, and beautiful future. Our mission, as I define it, is to use our business for the greater good, all while delivering the timeless, quality designs we’re known for.

From a business perspective, merging into one collective has driven our momentum. We’ve expanded our dealer network, bringing new designs to new markets. We’ve focused on our retail expertise, and we’ve connected with a greater number of designers and forged new collaborations, increasing our global impact to help create innovative and inclusive spaces.

Beyond the shared history and design legacy that brought Herman Miller and Knoll together, we also knew that contractions were coming for our industry. Even before the pandemic, office space dynamics were changing. While the

(millerknoll.com) is a collective of dynamic brands that comes together to design the world we live in. The MillerKnoll brand portfolio includes Herman Miller, Knoll, Colebrook Bosson Saunders, DatesWeiser, Design Within Reach, Edelman, Geiger, HAY, Holly Hunt, Knoll Textiles, Maharam, Muuto, NaughtOne, and Spinneybeck|FilzFelt. MillerKnoll is an unparalleled platform that redefines modern for the 21st century by building a more sustainable, equitable and beautiful future for all.

Will you discuss the merger of MillerKnoll and how you define the company’s mission?

Herman Miller and Knoll merged in 2021, forming the design collective now known as MillerKnoll. Merging these iconic brands together was both an incredibly exciting move, and a very natural one. Both have been undeniable pioneers in modern

Andi Owen

pandemic accelerated remote work, distributed teams, and has fundamentally changed how we exist in our working and living spaces, we knew that these headwinds were already coming for our industry. Merging allowed us to benefit from the collective strength of our combined brands to continue delivering for our customers and clients.

What have been the keys to MillerKnoll’s industry leadership and how do you describe the MillerKnoll difference?

Herman Miller and Knoll have long been pioneers in the design industry. Our industry leadership has been built on pushing the boundaries, and asking ourselves how we can design what the world will look like tomorrow, as opposed to solely reacting to the needs and tastes we see in spaces today. And now, as one collective, we’re continuing that legacy.

As for the MillerKnoll difference – we’re incredibly fortunate when it comes to the brands within our collective. From our most recognized consumer brands – Herman Miller, Knoll, and Design Within Reach – to amazing specialty brands – including HAY, Muuto, Holly Hunt, NaughtOne and more – delivering to niche and bespoke markets, we’re able to design for retail and contract customers, in a variety of different settings (home, office, government, hospitality, healthcare, and more), and on a global scale.

We are constantly learning and growing from each other as we collaborate across our brands, integrating what makes each one unique into our overall ethos as a company. When you combine our brand legacy with the agility and innovation brought by our smaller brands, you can really see what sets us apart from our peers.

How is MillerKnoll redefining modern design?

MillerKnoll is built on the legacy our founding brands have laid, as pioneers and disruptors in modern design, building spaces that people love. Our mission is to design for

today and tomorrow, and to create spaces that meet our modern needs while also pushing us forward into the future.

Right now, we believe that means reintroducing the human experience back into modern design. We’re focused on creating products and spaces for the entire person, for the holistic experience they have every day, not just a specific function or task. So, for example, creating furniture for the office that takes into account how different employees might use their workspace – do they need products that can be easily rearranged to collaborate? What about designing the office to better adapt to hybrid work?

Pushing modern design into the future also means leveraging the emerging tools we have today to create beautiful spaces tomorrow. We’re always focused on identifying and seizing new opportunities to improve our design process, as well as help our customers and clients visualize our pieces in their lives.

At the same time, we’re also redefining modern design to be a tool for the greater good, and pushing our industry partners and peers to do the same. Whether it be using recycled and sustainable materials or designing for different physical, mental, emotional, or cultural needs, we know our built environment isn’t something adjacent to how we live our lives, but rather something that shapes it. As one collective, we’re working each day to create spaces that are a net positive experience for everyone.

How can business leaders reimagine their workplaces to embrace the new ways we live and work?

Everything about the ways we live and work has changed, and we need workplaces that reflect that evolution. Hybrid working conditions have changed how often we see our colleagues, and altered how we collaborate. We’ve also learned how the “traditional” approach – where an office is just a space to

complete tasks – can often make the workplace experience difficult and isolating for many employees.

We need workplaces that empower a diverse workforce – representing different physical and mental needs, cultural experiences, and personal backgrounds – to achieve and excel. We need to adapt our spaces, not continue expecting employees to adapt to the office. This doesn’t have to be intimidating. CEOs have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to remove exclusionary barriers in the workplace, and make the office accessible, inclusive, and impactful for everyone.

What are the return-to-office trends MillerKnoll is focused on, and what insights are you providing to clients?

When it comes to the return-to-work conversation, we’re focused on what happens after we all gather back in the office. We know that employees want to feel connected to their colleagues, and sense that they belong. While we want to design spaces that encourage people to spend time in the office, we also want to create workplaces that are wellness driven and create a positive and impactful experience for employees.

We’ve long been focused on creating inclusive workplaces, and over the decades we’ve spent in this space, we’ve learned that the most important stakeholders in the designing process are employees. You cannot reimagine the workplace without first understanding how the needs of your workforce may have changed. So, with that in mind, the first and most important step in redesigning the workplace is listening to employees’ needs, and from there, curating an environment that supports them and is adaptable to the changes of tomorrow.

Beyond fostering community and connection, we’re also keenly aware that the workplace must be flexible. Hybrid and remote work have altered how often employees are in the office,

MillerKnoll furniture

and pushed companies to embrace change and accept flexible work arrangements. We need spaces that reflect this adaptability.

Building flexible spaces that support employees when and where they work, and that can be quickly and easily reconfigured to fit different team dynamics and projects, is part of creating an organizational culture that is resilient to change, and accessible to everyone.

How critical is it for MillerKnoll to build a diverse and inclusive workforce to mirror the diversity of its clients and the communities it serves?

Belonging is integral to everything we are and everything we do. We serve so many different communities around the world, and it’s essential that we build a workforce that mirrors those who are using our products to bring their spaces to life.

I’m proud that, as we design spaces where everyone can thrive, we’re equally committed to leading by example. It’s more than just maintaining a diverse workforce to design useful products, however – it’s also about a core belief that MillerKnoll should be somewhere that everyone can belong. And I’m happy to report that we’ve been consistently recognized as such. Just this year, we were recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity, and we earned a top score from the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.

Our engagement with the broader industry is the same. As a global company, we design for communities all over the world, and it’s so important that every step in the process reflects that. Our workforce is more than just our designers and associates. We also work with a fantastic supplier network, which we work hard to make sure includes diverse partners and enterprises, and creates opportunities for underrepresented communities.

We also talk about designing for the whole person, and creating spaces that positively impact the world around us. To do that, we have to ensure our designs meet diverse needs, backgrounds, and experiences. We are passionate advocates for including broad perspectives in our design process, and throughout our organization.

As part of that commitment, we established the Diversity in Design Collaborative (DID), bringing together companies from across the design industry to break down educational and career barriers to Black creatives throughout the talent pipeline. We knew that lasting change wouldn’t come from us acting alone, but rather working together as one industry to move the needle and push for better representation across the board.

What do you see as MillerKnoll’s responsibility to be a good corporate citizen and to address societal need?

For us, giving back to our communities is another core value. It’s important to us – and to me personally – that we use our business for the greater good, whether that be reaching out to our communities or making sure we deliver for our customers in a sustainable and equitable way.

When the initial opportunity to join Herman Miller came around, one of the deciding factors for me was the chance to work for a company aligned with my values – working for a company creating pieces that would last generations, not end up in landfill. Not only have I long been passionate about protecting our planet, but I had spent my career in the retail industry, and I didn’t want to keep inadvertently contributing to waste. Now, in leading MillerKnoll, I intend to continue that legacy and ensure MillerKnoll is always a leader not only in caring for the environment, but for our society as a whole.

First and foremost are our operations – our design process, our dealer network, and our distribution. Corporate citizenship starts in how we do our business, and at MillerKnoll it’s critical that we can advance change at every step. That’s why we’ve made an effort to design out waste by using recycled and sustainable materials, reduce our carbon emissions to meet the U.N.’s 2023 goals, and keep our products out of landfills by giving our customers sustainable, alternative options for discarding pieces they no longer need. With these and every other initiative, we’re making good on our responsibility to protect the planet and do business in a way that’s better for everyone.

But our responsibility goes beyond our products. We as a company have the reach to make tangible and sustainable change for communities worldwide, and we feel an obligation to leverage that in any and every way we can.

Every year, we celebrate our global Day of Purpose, a day all colleagues are encouraged to spend time giving back to their communities, and for our U.S. colleagues to participate in local elections as well. It’s always amazing to see not only how our brands participate and the tangible good we can do as one collective, but also how much each colleague within MillerKnoll takes our commitment to heart.

What is next for MillerKnoll, and what are the opportunities you are looking forward to for the collective?

I’m looking forward to the work we’re doing as a collective to cement our legacy, and continue disrupting the industry with innovative yet timeless designs. Our industry is at an inflection point, and we have an incredible opportunity to completely reimagine how spaces play a role in our lives.

Something particularly exciting for us right now is what lies beyond the home and office. Our lives take place in so many different environments. And not every workplace is a traditional office. Inclusive design is meant for any and all spaces, and we’re focused on maximizing opportunities to bring that intention beyond the home and office.

Take, for example, the healthcare industry. Designing our hospitals and care facilities with intention not only plays an important role in our healthcare experience, but also in ensuring agility and resilience in our health systems. From products that can be easily repurposed to spaces that are inclusive, accessible, and comfortable for patients and staff with different needs, we’re looking at the healthcare system to see how we can bring these spaces to life with innovative design, keeping hospitality at the core.

It’s opportunities like this – analyzing the entire human experience and how it can be improved with intentional and inclusive design –that I’m most excited about for our collective.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership?

To me, empathy and compassion are two essential qualities for effective leadership. For everyone – your colleagues, your customers, your community. Being able to understand and validate the situations or emotions those around you are dealing with is critical to strong leadership. I’ve found that the best way to exercise that skill is to listen.

Especially now, when modern leaders are working to bring people together when they’re far apart or even isolated, and to motivate each other through complex situations, it’s vital that we as leaders are able to listen and learn. I’ve learned that we must always be willing to adapt, and communicate and lead in the ways our team members need – not the way we want to or the way we feel the most comfortable. So, in addition to empathy and compassion, effective leadership requires us to listen, embrace feedback, and push ourselves to grow in the ways our people need us to.

What advice do you offer to young people beginning their careers?

Don’t be afraid to speak up and rock the boat. When you’re starting out in your career –especially for those coming into their first leadership positions – you have a fresh perspective on everything around you. Take advantage of that, and pursue change. Find what’s not working – or what could work better – and seize the opportunity to transform what’s in front of you. Learn from the wisdom of others, yes, but don’t discount your ideas simply because you’re young.•

Own it.

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Alliant is the premier place to propel your career to new heights, and the reasons are simple. We give you the resources to succeed. We surround you with outstanding people. Then we get out of your way.

At Alliant, we take ownership seriously and even offer our producers an opportunity to own equity in the company.

Why? Because we believe you should own your success.

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

The Ohio Advantage

An Interview with The Honorable Mike DeWine, Governor, Ohio

EDITORS’ NOTE Governor Mike DeWine was elected as Ohio’s 70th Governor in November 2018 and then reelected in November 2022. With a background in a small family business, DeWine’s political career has included serving as Greene County Prosecutor, Ohio State Senator, U.S. Congressman, Ohio Lt. Governor, U.S. Senator, and most recently, Ohio’s 50th Attorney General. As Governor, his priorities include addressing the state’s opioid crisis, and focusing on the health, welfare, and education of Ohio’s children. DeWine graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio with a degree in education.

or university will receive one of our merit scholarships of up to $5,000 a year. If we can nurture and grow upcoming generations of kids to reach their full potential, we will have truly accomplished something great for Ohio.

Will you elaborate on your administration’s efforts to improve education in Ohio and reform K-12 education?

In Ohio, we are working hard to give students the best education possible so they can live up to their God-given potential. Our most recent budget established the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, a cabinet-level agency to prepare students for success in school and, later, in the workforce.

The earlier a child is on track and reading on grade level, the more success that child will have in later grades and after graduation. But this has been a problem for our students. In fact, in 2022, 40 percent of all third graders in Ohio weren’t proficient readers.

What attracted you to public service?

When I was in college at Miami University, I received a bachelor of science degree in education, and I intended to be a history teacher, but I ended up pursuing my law degree, and practicing law led to public service and politics. Public service is an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. Every day in office is a gift and a chance to work on issues, drive policy, and solve problems that will improve the quality of life for our citizens.

Will you provide an overview of the priorities for your administration?

We are always striving to make Ohio the best place to live, work, and raise a family. To make that happen, we invest a great deal of funding and resources in job creation and workforce development. We also focus efforts on improving mental health, supporting law enforcement, and preserving our natural resources. But most of all, we focus on removing barriers and creating opportunities to help our children.

We are investing in prenatal care and postnatal care for moms, early reading for all children, and good quality childcare, so that kids are ready for kindergarten. We are transforming education, particularly our reading programs. We are building up our teachers and principals because they are the guiding lights in our schools. We are expanding our career technical center programs and making sure they have the most up-to-date equipment so their graduates are ready to go right into the workforce or on to higher education. We are increasing funding for college scholarships. In fact, in this year’s graduating class, the top 5 percent of students from every high school who choose to attend an Ohio college

Today, our #1 goal is to improve reading proficiency. In the fall, we began moving Ohio school curriculums to what works: evidencebased literacy instruction aligned with the Science of Reading. The Science of Reading refers to the research that has been conducted for decades by scientists and reading researchers that shows there is an actual “science” to reading. And, certain reading skills need to be taught, including phonics.

We are confident that with our greater emphasis on early reading and proven literacy instruction, proficiency will rise. Today, Ohio districts not using the Science of Reading are in the process of switching to that method. Already, more than 8,000 Ohio teachers have received Science of Reading literacy training and support from our Educational Service Center consultants and are using what they learned to teach the 200,000 children in their classrooms. By the end of the next school year, the Science of Reading will be in every district.

How is your administration preparing Ohio for the 21st Century by expanding highspeed, affordable internet and investing in infrastructure?

Having access to the internet has become an absolute necessity for living and thriving in today’s world, but unfortunately, reliable, low-cost connections are lacking in many communities throughout

The Hon. Mike DeWine

First Lady Fran DeWine and Governor Mike DeWine pose with local children from Malvern during a reading of The Very Hungry Caterpillar at the Carroll County Public Library to promote enrollment in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio

Ohio. That is why, in 2020, Lt. Governor Jon Husted and I announced the creation of BroadbandOhio, an office within the Ohio Department of Development that is dedicated to improving access to high-speed internet across Ohio.

Since its inception, BroadbandOhio has invested nearly $250 million to connect 135,000 homes across the State through its Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program. Another $50 million was made available last year to internet service providers to help cover infrastructure costs. Some examples of recent successes include: More than 90 percent of residents in Darke County are experiencing improved internet coverage; the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in Madison County received funding for an autonomous farming equipment project; and Butler County students living in a mobile home community received free internet access through a state-funded grant that will provide connectivity for three years.

When it comes to infrastructure, since 2021, we have been redeveloping communities by making investments for growth and future opportunities through our Ohio BUILDS initiative, which focuses on supporting targeted solutions that impact quality of life, such as water infrastructure improvements, brownfield redevelopment, and the demolition of blighted buildings. To date, we have spent $500 million to support hundreds of water and wastewater projects, $350 million on 313 brownfield removal projects, and $150 million for the demolition of commercial and residential buildings and revitalization of surrounding properties throughout the State.

Will you discuss your administration’s commitment to transparency?

Government operates best in daylight. Ohioans want to be informed, and they deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent. Today, technology makes that easier than ever.

Soon after taking office, we began looking for ways to make information more readily available to the public and to transform government services. In April 2019, we launched the InnovateOhio Platform to coordinate government data and resources. I also signed an executive order to require all state agencies, boards, and commissions to adopt and use the platform. Today, data, through the DataOhio portal, is open and easy to explore and share.

One of the first technology-driven wins for transparency came when Lt. Governor Jon Husted worked with Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague to unite the Treasurer’s Ohio Checkbook and Ohio’s Interactive Budget into a one-stop resource for taxpayers to easily use to learn more about spending at the state and local levels of government. The new Ohio Checkbook rolled out in 2020 and today, budgets, contracts, and salaries are just a click away. Also, by streamlining the process and eliminating duplication, the State has saved about $900,000 a year.

How critical is a strong public/private partnership in Ohio and will you highlight your working relationship with the business community?

Public/private partnerships are great ways to get things done as they leverage the strengths

of both sectors. We are always working with the business community and have a great relationship with the “Big Six” – the Ohio Business Roundtable, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, the Ohio Retail Merchants, the Ohio Farm Bureau, and the Ohio Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business.

But, perhaps the most successful public/ private partnership in Ohio is the one we have with JobsOhio, our economic development corporation. JobsOhio is state-authorized, yet private, and staffed by seasoned professionals with years of private sector experience. It operates alongside, but outside of, state government, giving it the ability to move at the speed of business and the expertise to speak the language of business.

“If we can nurture and grow upcoming generations of kids to reach their full potential, we will have truly accomplished something great for Ohio.”

The public/private partnership we’ve built with JobsOhio has proven to be a powerful competitive advantage for our State. We’ve had some terrific wins with the help of JobsOhio, including landing Intel in 2022. Construction on Intel is underway in Licking County, and Ohio is becoming the Silicon Heartland – home of the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing site in the world. With Intel and the entrepreneurial talent and businesses coming to Ohio and the groundbreaking innovations coming from the industries already here, Ohio’s economic future is looking even brighter.

As you look to attract new industries and businesses to Ohio, how do you define the Ohio advantage?

We have so much going for us in Ohio. First, we have a great location in the Midwest. Ohio is within a day’s drive of 60 percent of the U.S. and Canadian populations.

We also have an abundance of clean, fresh water. About 3 million Ohioans get their water from Lake Erie, and through our H2Ohio Initiative, we are taking very good care of Lake Erie and all our waterways.

Another asset that sets Ohio apart is our workforce. We’re Midwesterners, who get up in the morning, go to work, and get things done. We are continuing to build our workforce by creating good relationships between business and education. We are also encouraging young people to explore their options – whether those options include attending a career center, pursuing an apprenticeship, going to a college or university, or going straight into the workforce. Our other workforce investments include increased funding for proven programs, such as TechCred, which give employees the ability to earn industry-recognized, technology-focused credentials to prepare them to work in hightech jobs.

Another selling point for Ohio is its robust and vibrant economy. We have consistently been able to keep our taxes down, and Ohio is incredibly financially sound. Because of our diversified economy and fiscal strength, Ohio recently achieved the coveted “AAA” ratings from all three major credit bureaus for the first time in the State’s history.

Ohio has another advantage, and that is its reputation for innovation. Ohio’s worldclass research institutions employ some of the industry’s top scientists and leaders with the skills to advance solutions for production here at home.

Ohio also has a strong transportation network. In fact, it is one of our most vital assets, and we have invested in making them safer and more reliable. Ohio is well-positioned to handle a growing economy, and transportation is vital to that growth. Our Ohio Department of Transportation is charged with maintaining nearly 50,000 lane miles of state and U.S. routes outside municipalities and interstates and more than 14,000 bridges. This transportation system carries 61 percent of the freight traffic in Ohio.

In short, Ohio has set a solid foundation for businesses to grow and prosper.

With so much gridlock and partisanship in Washington DC, what do you see as the key ingredients to getting action and achieving results?

When people find common ground, that can certainly be a way forward. There will always be disagreements and undercurrents that shape discourse. But, in the end, what is best for the people should be what drives policy and solutions.

With the success that your administration has achieved for Ohio, are you able to enjoy the process and take moments to celebrate the wins?

I am grateful every day for the chance to serve the people of Ohio. I frequently travel beautiful Ohio and get to meet so many wonderful people. It is truly inspiring. The very best days for me are when I have Fran, my lovely bride of over 56 years, by my side, and am surrounded by our kids and grandkids. I am a very lucky man.•

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Long-Term Owners

An Interview with Douglas Durst, Chairman, and Jonathan (Jody) Durst, President, The Durst Organization

EDITORS’ NOTE Douglas Durst is the Chairman and a member of the third generation to lead The Durst Organization. He joined The Durst Organization in 1968, learning the business from his father, Seymour, and two uncles, Roy and David. Durst recently completed a term as chair of the Real Estate Board of New York, and is a board member of The New School, and a trustee emeritus of The Trust for Public Land. He has been involved with the theatrical arts for many years and is a member of the board of directors of The Roundabout Theater and Primary Stages. In addition, he has been an environmental activist for many years and founded The Model Organic Farm Foundation, a nonprofit organization that operates one of the largest organic farms in New York State. Durst graduated from the Fieldston School and the University of California Berkeley.

Jonathan (Jody) Durst is the President of The Durst Organization. He started his career with The Durst Organization in 1984 in the construction department. He then moved on to directing the operations of the commercial portfolio and supervising new construction projects in midtown Manhattan. In conjunction with these responsibilities, he oversaw contract negotiations with tradesmen and vendors, and lease negotiations with prospective tenants. He also directed the investigation and application of energy-efficient and environmentally responsible technologies for The Durst Organization. In 2005, Durst joined his cousin, Douglas, as leaders of The Durst Organization and, under their leadership, the company built the nation’s first sustainable skyscraper, 151 West 42nd Street, and the first LEED Platinum high-rise office tower, the Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park. Today, Durst oversees the management and operations of a 13 million square foot office portfolio, including One World Trade Center, and 3,400 residential rental units. Before joining The Durst Organization, he worked as Engine Performance Engineer for the Chrysler Corporation and as a Research and Development Engineer for FMC, within a division that manufactured large diesel tractors. Durst graduated from Tufts University with a degree in mechanical engineering.

COMPANY BRIEF

The Durst Organization (durst.org), founded in 1915 by Joseph and Rose Durst, is the owner, manager, and builder of 13 million square feet of premier Manhattan office towers and over three million square feet of residential rental properties, with 3,400 rental apartments built and several thousand units in the pipeline. The Durst Organization is recognized as a world leader in the development of high-performance and environmentally advanced commercial and residential buildings where people live, work, and thrive.

What have been the keys to Durst’s industry leadership?

Douglas: My grandparents, Joseph and Rose Durst, founded The Durst Organization with the philosophy of “leave each place better than you found it.” This belief has driven our work for generations. We create buildings with a focus on sustainability in which people live, work, and thrive. As long-term owners, we continually invest in our properties to offer high-quality spaces and services for our tenants and residents.

How do you describe Durst’s culture and how important has it been to maintain a family feel at the company?

Jody: Our culture is centered around our core values: integrity, relationships, long-term perspective, loyalty, proactivity, agility, and innovation.

Everyone is very collegial, professional, and treats each other with respect, which I like to think stems from being a family business.

What are your views on the state of the commercial real estate market in New York City?

Douglas: The commercial real estate market has rebounded significantly, especially the top tier of the market. The Durst Organization owns and operates 13 million square feet of Class A

and A+ commercial office towers and we have a lower vacancy rate today than we did in 2019. That’s true of our flagship properties like One Bryant Park, which is 100 percent leased, and One World Trade Center, which is 95 percent leased, as well as our older properties in which we have continuously invested to maintain their appeal to tenants.

At many of our properties, we’re seeing more space leased and higher net-effective rents. In 2023, we leased over one million square feet – the highest level of leasing during the past eight years, except for 2018 which was slightly higher.

Hybrid work has not impacted this leasing momentum. Our tenants do not lease space by the day. Companies want to show their employees that they are investing in them with a high-quality office space whether they are in-person three, four, or five days per week.

What is your leasing outlook for 2024?

Douglas: The New York City office market entered 2024 with more predictability and stronger fundamentals than at any time since the pandemic. A CBRE report recently found that the high-end of the market is impervious to the woes that the lower tier is facing, based on the number of 2023 lease transactions at $100 per square foot or more. Another report, from JLL, identified Midtown Manhattan as a bright spot where more than 90 percent of top-tier leasing activity occurred in Q4 2023.

Douglas Durst

Jonathan (Jody) Durst

One World Trade Center

While continuing to promote the benefits of in-person work is important, the main challenge currently facing commercial owners and operators isn’t convincing tenants to return to in-office work. The bigger challenge is getting the banks and regulators to recognize the strength and proven rebound of the top of the commercial market. Banks have significantly pulled back lending for real estate without distinguishing between the successful top-tier sector of the market and challenging sectors. Real estate is suddenly viewed as a monolith when it is not and never has been, and this is hurting New York City.

Will you provide an overview of Durst’s complete repositioning of an older office tower, 825 Third Avenue, and what tenants can expect from this office tower transformation?

Jody : 825 Third Avenue looks and feels like a brand-new tower. At the end of a 25-year triple-net-lease, we completely emptied the 530,000-square-foot building and embarked on a $150 million capital improvement program focused on tenant comfort, building performance, modern aesthetics, and sustainability. This transformation earned us a LEED Gold certification – no easy feat for an older office tower.

The show-stopper is a full-floor tenant amenity space. Our Well& by Durst space at 825 Third Avenue offers indoor and outdoor spaces for meetings, special events, and socializing. We pre-leased 35 percent of the building last year before the work was even done.

What are the key characteristics that tenants are looking for in their office space?

Jody: Tenants are looking for quality office spaces that are located near public transit and assets that have been well-maintained and invested in over time. We take maintaining our properties very seriously, and we don’t just mean sweeping the floors. We continually make

investments in our properties to improve them. 1155 Avenue of the Americas is a great example. It’s a 1980s building that was doing well. When a very large tenant moved out, we saw an opportunity to invest $130 million to reposition the building. We created a new lobby, installed new elevators, added outdoor space, and put in new windows to create better views and increase efficiency. Our approach to long-term planning and investment is consistent throughout the portfolio, and it has paid off.

With the flight to quality, tenants also prioritize experiences and convenience for their employees. We offer a calendar of special events for tenants and residents, discounted rent at our residential properties if you work in a Durst building, and perks from our retail partners. This approach creates places where people want to come to work and supports talent attraction and retention.

Will you discuss some of Durst’s residential projects that are under construction?

Douglas : While the majority of our portfolio is commercial, over the past two decades we have developed some of the most recognizable residential properties in New York City including the 57 WEST campus. VIA 57 WEST, designed by Bjarke Ingels, has a 22,000-square-foot interior courtyard garden that is an oasis in the city. On West 31st Street, we built EOS, offering hospitality-focused amenities and the convenience of being within five blocks of Amtrak, the PATH, and 15 subway lines.

In addition to Manhattan, we have been developing in Queens. We are currently under construction at 20 and 30 Halletts Point, the second major phase of our Halletts Point residential development along the Astoria waterfront. When the development opens next year, 20 and 30 Halletts Point will bring 647 units

of mixed-income housing to Astoria along with public waterfront open space and neighborhood retail. Northwestern Queens is one of the most desirable and fastest growing areas in New York City right now, and we are proud to be delivering new housing and amenities for the neighborhood.

What do you feel should be done to address the need for housing in New York City?

Douglas : The housing market in New York City is broken. Demand is high, supply is limited, and there is a scarcity of units available to renters of all incomes. New York City’s rental vacancy rate recently reached a historic low of 1.4 percent.

A long-term issue is that New York’s tax burden falls unfairly on residential multifamily rental buildings. One-third of all rental revenue goes to City taxes. Then, in 2022, a program called 421-a, which provided tax incentives for rental projects, expired. At the same time, construction costs, insurance, and many other development expenses increased dramatically. As a result, rental housing construction has fallen off a cliff.

Lawmakers need to provide incentives to boost the creation of new rental housing, expand access to housing vouchers, and reject any new restrictions on the rental market that would stifle new development.

Will you highlight Durst’s commitment to sustainability?

Jody : Sustainability is at the core of our approach to development and operations. We are committed to implementing industry-leading sustainability measures and to creating healthy spaces where people live and work. We design our buildings to be highly energy-efficient, to conserve water, and to reduce waste. Our entire commercial portfolio is certified LEED Gold or higher.

A few examples: Our in-house sustainability team is very selective about the materials we build with. We ensure our wood products are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. That means the wood was sustainably harvested to minimize the impact on surrounding wildlife. Across our portfolio, we have offered organics collection for composting long before New York and other cities introduced mandates. Additionally, we look for new technologies that will help reduce energy usage and increase resident comfort. We have deployed View Glass Smart Windows at some of our residential and commercial properties which reduce our carbon footprint and provide access to natural light and unobstructed views of New York City.

With all that Durst has achieved, are you able to enjoy the process and take moments to celebrate the wins?

Jody: When you are caught up in the day to day, finding time to celebrate the wins can be difficult. I am proud of everything that our team has achieved. From big milestones, such as the topping out ceremony at 20 and 30 Halletts Point last year, to a work anniversary, I hope that a sense of pride is instilled in the work that we do, and that we are living up to our mission of leaving each place better than we found it.•

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Defining Leadership

An

EDITORS’ NOTE Paolo Zannoni is Executive Deputy Chairman of the Board of Prada S.p.A. He has been an international advisor at Goldman Sachs since 2019, covering Italy and the rest of Europe. He served as Chairman of the Italian energy and telecommunications company, Prysmian Group, from 2005 to 2012. Prior to this, Zannoni worked at Goldman Sachs for many years, where he significantly enhanced its investment banking franchise in Italy. Before joining Goldman Sachs, Zannoni was Vice President at Fiat S.p.A. and a lecturer at Yale University. He continues to be an executive fellow at the Yale School of Management, an advisory board member of the International Centre for Finance (ICF), and a board member of the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs. Zannoni has an MA and an MPhil in Political Science from Yale University. He also has a BA from the University of Bologna.

his incredible network of relationships. So, I interacted with Henry Kissinger, David Rockefeller, the Rothschilds, the Warburgs, Helmuth Schmidt, Alfred Herrhausen, Michael David-Weill, Felix Rohatyn, among many others. I learned a lot from all of them.

I was involved in many complex transactions around the world, among them was the attempt to buy 50 percent of Avtovaz, the largest car producer in the USSR. I failed, but I had the opportunity to watch the collapse of the USSR from the inside – a unique experience.

Being at Goldman Sachs – the last major investment banking partnership – in the late ’90s was also an incredible experience. Of all the top U.S. banks, Goldman was a latecomer in Europe. Yet, in a very short time it rose to the top – an incredible journey.

This was true when money was minted gold and silver, and it is true now. In any society and political system, money is largely the debts of banks. This simple fact gives banks and bankers a unique place in society and brings power and obligations.

Will you discuss the key messages that you wanted to convey in the book?

COMPANY BRIEF Pioneer of a dialogue with contemporary society across diverse cultural spheres and an influential leader in luxury fashion, Prada Group (pradagroup.com) founds its identity on essential values such as creative independence, transformation, and sustainable development, offering its brands a shared vision to interpret and express their spirit. The Group owns some of the world’s most prestigious luxury brands, including Prada, Miu Miu, Church’s, Car Shoe, the historic Pasticceria Marchesi and Luna Rossa, and works constantly to enhance their value by increasing their visibility and appeal. The Group designs, manufactures and distributes ready-towear collections, leather goods and footwear in more than 70 countries through a network of 603 stores as of June 30, 2023, as well as e-commerce channels, selected e-tailers and department stores around the world. The Group, which also operates in the eyewear and fragrances sector through licensing agreements, has 24 owned factories and more than 14,000 employees.

Will you highlight your career journey?

I was recruited as Chief of Staff of the Chairman of the Board of Fiat, Gianni Agnelli, while a PhD student at Yale. It was a dream job. Gianni Agnelli was an exceptional businessman and a very remarkable man, one of the few Italian industrialists to be a true capitalist. He was demanding as much as generous with precious advice and willing to share

And, last but not least, my current job at Prada. The company is unique in its industry because the controlling shareholders are truly special – hugely talented, creative and, at the same time, with an exceptional entrepreneurial drive.

What do you feel have been the keys to your business leadership and success?

Watching closely people that were better than me at what I had to do. Asking them for advice and listening to what they suggested. A long journey trying to learn from the best.

My career has been in large organizations –a car company, an investment bank, a luxury goods company. Each was unique and full of idiosyncratic features, and one had to learn these features to be successful. This takes time and humility, and if you read them correctly you will know which kind of behaviors are needed to be successful. Be humble and flexible. Organizations change and you have to adapt, but stand your ground when you feel you have to.

What interested you in writing the book, Money and Promises, and what made you feel it was the right timing for the book?

The financial crisis of 2008 pushed me to look closely into the essence of the business of banking across centuries and countries. I wrote the book to show the true nature of banking and the effect that it has on nations. Banks deal in debts, they exchange the debts of clients for their own, and in doing so it creates money because the debts of banks are money – they have the same purchasing power of legal tender.

Banks make money exchanging the debts of clients for their own. When the State is the client, banks make money exchanging public debt for their own. This establishes a very close relationship between banks and the State. It has always been so, in any nation, in any political system, in any age. So, when banks get in trouble, governments bail them out – anywhere and anytime.

Banks get in trouble often because they deal in debts. A banker is always in debt – to his clients, partners, and competitors. Banks are a fragile business because even their assets are debts: the debts of clients. It is easy for such a business to run into trouble. But their debts are the currency of nations, and the State has no choice but to bail them out.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership?

True teamwork comes first and foremost. It is a tiring, cumbersome and slow way to make decisions, and it makes implementing those decisions very complex. But at the end it is very effective because it mobilizes a wealth of talents, opinions, and resources – and those get things done. In business, one must make lots of decisions in situations full of uncertainties and risks. That takes guts, but it also requires analytical skills. Those skills can be learned – invest the time and efforts needed to learn them.

What advice do you offer to young people beginning their careers?

Try hard to get the right mentor for what you want to do. And I mean a true mentor, not a sponsor or a patron. A true mentor will teach you what you need to know, but will not protect you when you make mistakes and fail. That way you will learn how to be effective at what you do. And you will be rewarded when you do well and punished when you fail. That way you will quickly learn if you have what it takes to be successful in the career you wish to pursue.•

Paolo Zannoni

Interview with Paolo Zannoni, Executive Deputy Chairman of the Board, Prada S.p.A.

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SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

The Highest Echelons Of The Legal Market

EDITORS’ NOTE Chairman of the firm since 2008, Brad Karp is one of the country’s leading litigators and corporate advisors. Karp has successfully guided numerous Fortune 100 companies, global financial institutions and other companies and individuals through “bet the company” litigations, regulatory matters, internal investigations and corporate crises.

FIRM BRIEF Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (paulweiss.com) is a premier firm of more than 1,000 lawyers with diverse backgrounds, personalities, ideas and interests who provide innovative and effective solutions to their clients’ most complex legal and business challenges. The firm represents many of the world’s largest and most important public and private corporations, asset managers and financial institutions, and clients in need of pro bono assistance.

Paul, Weiss has been in growth mode this past year. Will you discuss your goals and the areas where you are investing?

We are fortunate to sit at the highest echelons of the legal market; we represent the most important clients in the world on their most consequential matters in each of our five strategic practice areas – public company M&A, private equity, litigation, white collar and regulatory defense, and restructuring. Over the past 15 years, we have made strategic investments in these five core practices. This strategy has made us market leading in each and has led the world’s leading companies, alternative asset managers, and financial institutions to retain us in their most complex, challenging problems.

This past year was a watershed year for our firm. We made substantial investments in our London office and launched a new office in Los Angeles. These moves were front-page news around the world. We also recently promoted our second-largest class ever of new partners.

Will you elaborate on the exciting developments in London and Los Angeles, and what’s behind these moves?

Paul, Weiss is remarkable in having both a globally preeminent M&A practice and a globally leading private equity practice – the result of consistent, long-term investment and a laser focus on best-in-class client service.

Today, our private equity clients are focused on investments across Europe. While we have long had a well-regarded office in London, we had been searching for the right team to help us build out a full-service, market-leading platform to meet our existing clients’ growing needs across the region.

In August, we had a once-in-alifetime opportunity to bring over the leading private equity-focused transactional teams in both London and Los Angeles. Their arrival instantly cemented our top-tier status in private equity in both markets. We have since brought in the region’s preeminent antitrust and technology transactions lawyers – and we’re not done yet.

What have been the keys to Paul, Weiss’ consistent growth and strength in the industry?

As a law firm, we have two main assets: our clients and our talent. Our success over many years is rooted in the exceptional results and value we deliver for our clients on their most critical matters; we try to exceed their expectations, day after day. We treat client problems as our own and go the extra mile to help them succeed. We set incredibly high standards for everything that we do. In doing so, we build relationships of trust and friendship; we understand our clients’ goals and what matters most to them and we consistently deliver.

Clients today are looking to hire the best lawyers, and we have more star talent than any law firm in the world. We invest intensively in attracting supremely talented individuals, providing them with unparalleled training and professional opportunities, and promoting them – and by the best lawyers, I mean not just the smartest lawyers in the room, but lawyers with a solutions-oriented mindset and high “EQ.”

Finally, our professional culture is our “sleeper” asset, both with our clients and our lawyers. We value excellence in client service, collaboration, and respect, and we are committed to diversity and pro bono service. We genuinely like each other and enjoy practicing together. Consequently, we are able to attract and retain the most talented lawyers and our clients like to work with us.

What emerging issues are your clients most concerned about today?

Generative AI and AI-driven tech are a major focus for our clients; how to engage AI safely and effectively, how to understand the tools’ implications legally, and how to leverage the business opportunities these tools offer.

We are working with our clients as we explore the impact of these tools together. We created a cross-functional Digital Technology Group early last year to provide holistic guidance on AI and the law. The practice is led by my partner Katherine Forrest, a former judge in the Southern District of New York, a leading trial lawyer, and the country’s leading AI lawyer,.

The lawyers in this group are not just observers; they’re active participants in the

“Paul, Weiss is remarkable in having both a globally preeminent M&A practice and a globally leading private equity practice – the result of consistent, long-term investment and a laser focus on best-in-class client service.”

Brad S. Karp

An Interview with Brad S. Karp, Chairman, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

AI field, speaking and writing about it, and providing unparalleled guidance on everything from legal issues and opportunities in AI, to the development of best practices. We are leading the industry in this area.

What role will innovative technology and AI play in the future of law?

AI will revolutionize how we as lawyers work, changing everything from how we approach problems, to the way we staff matters and bill our time. Our clients expect us to understand the technologies’ applications to our business so that we can produce better results, more efficiently.

Just as E-Discovery machine-learning technologies reduced the burden on junior lawyers to perform manual document review 15 years ago, so, too, AI will reduce the burden on lawyers in certain areas such as summarizing documents and comparing clauses across thousands of corporate agreements and innumerable additional spheres. The technology will create new roles within our firm for AI technologists and new opportunities to collaborate to solve complex problems.

We recently established two working groups to address the issues related to AI and

“We are also seriously upping our game on mental health and well-being – which has become doubly important since the pandemic and is a crisis across the legal industry. At Paul, Weiss, we now offer the industry’s leading support system.”

we are committed to optimizing our hybrid workplace, and we have learned to work effectively and inclusively, both in person and remotely.

We are also seriously upping our game on mental health and well-being – which

“We value excellence in client service, collaboration, and respect, and we are committed to diversity and pro bono service. We genuinely like each other and enjoy practicing together.”

the law; the first, AI Works, is focused on how to use these new tools responsibly and effectively and on establishing best practices. That team, which includes lawyers alongside our top AI professionals and knowledge management experts, is focused on developing a governance framework and identifying the best legal tech tools and appropriate use cases. The second, ImpactAI, is assessing and preparing for the transformational impact generative AI could have on how legal services are delivered.

How is the firm evolving to accommodate the needs and expectations of the next generation of lawyers?

Workplace flexibility is non-negotiable for many of our younger lawyers. We’ve optimized our hybrid model, finding the sweet spot between remote and in-person via an “anchor day” schedule. Being in the office remains critically important for learning how to be a lawyer and for understanding our culture. At the same time,

has become doubly important since the pandemic and is a crisis across the legal industry. At Paul, Weiss, we now offer the industry’s leading support system. We engaged a top global provider of mental health services for our lawyers and business professionals and their families, and are providing among the industry’s most generous well-being stipends so individuals can access the specific resources they need to stay healthy and well.

Paul, Weiss has been part of a number of inclusive “firsts” in the legal industry –such as being the first large law firm to hire Black men and women associates and the first New York firm to elect a woman to the partnership. What is the firm’s approach to bolstering diversity and inclusion?

Diversity and inclusion is something that we believed in generations before other firms;

it’s in our DNA and it’s a major reason I joined Paul, Weiss 40 years ago. Diversity of perspectives makes us better lawyers, and encouraging diversity is the right thing to do; it is reflected in our ranks at every level of seniority.

As a testament to our stature in this area, last summer my partners Loretta Lynch, the former U.S. Attorney General, and Jeh Johnson, former head of the Department of Homeland Security, and I were asked to co-chair a New York State Bar Association blue-ribbon task force on how companies, universities, law firms and the courts could safeguard and advance diversity goals following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision rejecting affirmative action admissions policies. In September, our task force issued a 93-page report that provides a legal path forward to continuing to encourage diversity across our organizations. That report received front-page coverage and we are proud to have led the effort.

We also champion inclusion in many meaningful ways across the firm; for example, our Colleague Connect Circles are smaller communities within practice groups that introduce our many new lawyers to each other by hosting engaging educational programs and activities that reinforce the firm’s inclusive history and culture. Our goal is to make sure that every lawyer has the maximum opportunity possible to succeed.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in a career in law?

I tell them the same thing that I have long told my daughter, who recently became a law firm partner herself: find your passion in the law. Choose an area of the law that you love, that excites you and that you find rewarding. Once you do, commit to it fully.

The law is a field that offers lifelong learning. I’m still learning new things every day, even as I begin my fifth decade in the law, both in working with my clients to solve new problems and in leading this law firm across an ever-changing and increasingly competitive landscape. •

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Searching For Tomorrow’s Cures

EDITORS’ NOTE As President and Chief Executive Officer of Susan G. Komen, Paula Schneider is responsible for the day-to-day operations and strategic direction of the world’s largest breast cancer organization. As a breast cancer survivor, and having lost her mother to metastatic breast cancer, Schneider’s work is personal as she brings a unique combination of business expertise and real-world perspective to Komen’s mission as CEO. During her tenure, Schneider led Komen through an enterprise-wide restructuring, transforming Komen’s national network of independent local affiliate organizations into a single, united entity, leveraging shared operational functions while maintaining local development and mission teams across the country. Schneider is a sought-after public speaker on impactful leadership and women’s health. She has been a featured speaker at such thought leadership events as Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, Yahoo! Finance, Women in Retail, Milken Institute and Dreamforce. She is currently a member and keynote speaker of C200, the preeminent global organization for the advancement of women business leaders. Schneider also serves on the Bloomberg New Economy Forum’s International Cancer Coalition and is a member of Fast Company’s Impact Council. She is widely regarded as a business expert in organizational management and finance. Prior to Komen, she served as CEO of American Apparel, which was the largest vertically integrated clothing manufacturer in the U.S. with over 8,500 employees and 600 retail stores internationally. She previously served as president of the Warnaco Swimwear Group, the largest swimwear company in the world, with brands such as Speedo and Calvin Klein. Subsequently, Schneider became a senior advisor at the private equity firm, The Gores Group, where she created platform strategies for best-in-class operations and potential acquisitions. She became the first female CEO in The Gores Group’s portfolio of companies. Schneider is a graduate of California State University, Chico.

source of funding for the fight against breast cancer. Susan G. Komen is the only organization addressing breast cancer using a comprehensive 360-degree approach which spans groundbreaking research, community health outreach, issue advocacy, and programming. To date, Susan G. Komen has invested nearly $3.6 billion across 60 countries.

What led to your interest in leading Susan G. Komen and made you feel it was the right fit?

My journey towards leading Komen was deeply personal. I like to say the choice was made for me. During my years in the private sector, I was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, one of the deadliest forms of this disease. I discovered it myself and spent time undergoing chemo treatments, a mastectomy, and radiation, all while I was leading Warnaco.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t my first brush with cancer: my mother died of metastatic breast cancer, my brother died of metastatic prostate cancer, my sister had melanoma and then, I faced my own breast cancer diagnosis. When the opportunity to lead Komen came

to me, I had no choice. I was already using my voice and platform to raise awareness and funds for the disease, but I knew I wanted to make an even bigger impact so my daughters and the generations after had a chance of living in a world without breast cancer. The opportunity to lead Komen was the perfect convergence of my personal mission and professional expertise.

How has your background and experience as CEO of private sector companies helped in your role leading Susan G. Komen?

My experience as CEO of private sector companies has brought me some of the toughest leadership projects, including navigating incredibly difficult turnarounds, cash flow analyses, total cultural overhauls and, of course, overseeing thousands of personnel.

When I became CEO of Komen, I felt a new urgency in the nonprofit arena – especially with an issue as widespread and timely as breast cancer. A big part of my job leading Komen is conducting a public “turnaround” in the way we all view breast cancer. It requires fiscal management, data-driven decision-making, and largescale cultural mindset shifts – all of which I first learned how to execute in the private sector.

ORGANIZATION BRIEF Founded in 1982 with $200 and a shoebox full of potential donor names, Susan G. Komen (komen.org) has now grown into the world’s largest nonprofit

Paula Schneider

An Interview with Paula Schneider, President and Chief Executive Officer, Susan G. Komen

Paula Schneider, joined by her two daughters at a Komen event, attributes her family’s deep history of cancer to her personal fight to end the disease

How do you define Susan G. Komen’s mission and purpose?

Our mission is simple yet profound: to save lives by meeting the most critical needs in our communities and investing in breakthrough research to prevent and cure breast cancer.

In the United States alone, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. It is a pervasive, indiscriminate disease and this statistic serves as a powerful reminder of the relentless enemy we are up against.

We aim to support those affected by breast cancer today while tirelessly searching for tomorrow’s cures. Through our comprehensive approach – which encompasses over $1 billion dollars in research, community health, patient care, and public policy advocacy – we strive to ensure that all those facing breast cancer feel supported, informed, and empowered. We embed ourselves directly within the communities that we support, help patients navigate the diagnosis and treatment, provide financial assistance, and more. It is truly a 360-degree approach to care.

What have been the keys to Susan G. Komen’s leadership and how do you describe the Susan G. Komen difference?

The keys to Komen’s leadership are our relentless pursuit of our mission, our commitment to science and evidence-based solutions, and our deep connection to the community. The “Susan G. Komen difference” lies in our holistic approach to fighting breast cancer.

We are not just funding research; we are on the ground, providing direct support to those in need, advocating for patient rights, and working to ensure that everyone has

access to quality care. This comprehensive, multi-faceted strategy sets us apart and amplifies our impact.

Will you discuss Susan G. Komen’s focus and commitment to research?

Research is the cornerstone of our mission at Susan G. Komen – it is how we continue edging closer to lifesaving breakthroughs. We have invested over $1 billion in research since our inception, making us the largest nonprofit funder of breast cancer research outside of the U.S. government.

Our focus spans early detection and treatment strategies to understanding metastatic disease and developing new therapies. By investing in the brightest minds and most innovative projects, we aim to accelerate scientific progress and bring us closer to a world without breast cancer. While research may not be as flashy to some, it is quietly saving lives every day.

The progress we’ve made over the years is nothing short of incredible. Thanks to countless discoveries and investments backed by our donors, Komen has helped reduce the breast cancer mortality rate by 42 percent since 1989 –a testament to the power of research, advocacy, and community support.

Will you highlight Susan G. Komen’s efforts in promoting community health?

In terms of promoting community health, we know that you can’t just force yourself into a neighborhood and start creating change – especially in the public health space. That is why we spend critical on-the-ground time in our markets, making sure our efforts are publicized, and working with key stakeholders to help build healthy communities.

Our community health programs are designed to educate, screen, and connect individuals with the care they need, particularly in underserved populations. This work is critical because it translates our research findings into tangible benefits for those affected by breast cancer, ensuring that advancements in care are accessible to all.

How critical is innovation to Susan G. Komen’s culture and mission?

Innovation is at the heart of everything we do. We are pioneering efforts in digital health to improve patient care and outcomes, developing advanced genetic screening tools to personalize treatment plans, and leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance diagnostic accuracy. This culture of innovation is what enables us to stay at the forefront of the fight against breast cancer, transforming the landscape of research and care.

Our ShareForCures initiative is emblematic of our innovative streak. ShareForCures is a secure breast cancer research registry that connects researchers with the information of people who have or had breast cancer. The benefits of this registry are twofold: it makes it easier for more people with breast cancer to confidentially contribute to research about this disease, and it allows researchers access to a broader set of diverse data. The more data we can collect, the faster we can spur innovative scientific breakthroughs.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership?

Effective leadership, to me, is characterized by vision, empathy, and resilience. It’s about setting a clear direction, inspiring your team to embrace that vision, and navigating challenges with grace and determination. It’s also about humility and trust – having the humility to know you aren’t an expert in everything, and hiring the best people who you can trust with your business. Having a personal connection to your cause also certainly doesn’t hurt.

What advice do you offer to young people beginning their careers?

My advice to young people starting their careers is to pursue your passions with openness and curiosity. Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks and step outside your comfort zone. Growth, in my experience, is borne from the times we feel the least comfortable and most tested.

A good reminder is that the path to fulfillment is not always linear. Be patient with yourself and stay adaptable to the everchanging landscape of life. And always remember, no matter your focus, you’re continuously developing transferable skills in your career that allow you to pivot and take on exciting new roles and industries. I surely wouldn’t have guessed 20 years ago that I would leave fashion for fundraising, but life has a way of guiding you to your ultimate purpose. Above all, stay true to your values and vision, as they will anchor you through the ups and downs of your professional journey. •

Komen hosts its annual Advocacy Summit every summer where advocates and survivors meet with congressmen and women to protect patient rights

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Looking Ahead To The Next 45+ Years

An Interview with Xiaojun (Dennis) Huang, Executive Vice President, Bank of China U.S.A.

EDITORS’ NOTE Dennis Huang, Executive Vice President of Bank of China U.S.A., leads the Bank’s strategic management practice, including risk-based strategic planning and strategy implementation and monitoring. He also oversees in-house research on macroeconomy, banking industry, and business development. Huang leads the Secretariat of the newly established ESG Committee, and heads the New York Research Center under the BOC Group Research Institute and the BOC Academy New York. Prior to joining BOC, Huang had extensive securities industry experience in both China and the U.S. He was also extensively involved in the establishment of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. He is an elected board member of the China International Finance Society, and an advisory board member of the Emerging Market Institute at the Johnson School of Business at Cornell University. He holds an MBA from Cornell University.

With guidance from Bank of China Group, the Bank’s vision is to enhance our global service network and facilitate bilateral economic and trade exchanges, continuing to serve as a bridge between China and the U.S. to the benefit of both economies and its people.

With over 40 years in operation in the U.S., our motivation stems from our core values, which are to:

• Provide excellent service

• Innovate with prudence

• Uphold openness and inclusiveness

• Collaborate for mutual growth

Will you highlight Bank of China U.S.A.’s strength and track record in the U.S. market?

BOC U.S.A. ranks 1st among Chinese peers in the U.S. market, 21st among 164 foreign-funded banks, and 57th among 4,071 commercial banks in the American banking industry by asset size, as of Q3 2023. We are proud to be recognized as the “Best RMB Bank in the U.S.” for three straight years by The Asset magazine.

COMPANY BRIEF As China’s most international and diversified bank, Bank of China (www.boc.cn/en) has a well-established global service network with institutions set up across the Chinese mainland, as well as in more than 60 countries and regions. It has established an integrated services platform based on the pillars of its corporate banking, personal banking, financial markets, and other non-commercial banking businesses, which covers investment banking, direct investment, securities, insurance, funds, aircraft leasing, and other areas, thus providing its customers with a comprehensive range of financial services. Bank of China U.S.A. (BOC U.S.A.) (www.bocusa.com) has branches in New York City, Queens, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

How do you define Bank of China U.S.A.’s mission and purpose?

At Bank of China U.S.A, we continue to play a key role in bridging the China-U.S. economies, serving as a trusted partner to provide high-quality financial services while supporting local economies and communities. The Bank prides itself as a model for sound risk and compliance management, crossborder trade investment and finance, digital transformation, investing in its employees, and good corporate citizenship.

We are the largest Chinese bank in the U.S. market with the longest history. BOC U.S.A. has been operating in the U.S. for more than 40 years, offering products and services in corporate banking, trade, and commodity services, USD and RMB clearing and settlement, global markets services, and personal banking. We work with about 60 percent of the Fortune Global 500 companies headquartered in the U.S. and about 30 percent of the U.S. Fortune 500. We have a strong reputation and track record for success, reliability, and professional services.

We view ourselves as a global bank with a local spirit. We have branches in Manhattan, Queens, Chicago, and Los Angeles, serving communities and businesses across the states. More than 85 percent of our clients are local companies, over 90 percent of our credit portfolios originated from local markets, and more than 90 percent of our fulltime employees are hired locally.

We also make significant investments in the U.S. through our corporate social responsibility (CSR), environmental, social and governance (ESG), and community reinvestment act (CRA) initiatives, with dedicated committees in place to lead and govern these programs. From 2021 to 2023, the Bank closed 20 green finance loan projects with over $1 billion in total outstanding loans booked. We have also participated in various charitable activities, such as donating to COVID-19 relief efforts, supporting financial literacy programs, and sponsoring other arts and cultural events in the communities we serve.

2024 marks the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the U.S. What are your views on this milestone and the critical importance of the relationship between the two countries?

We have witnessed the remarkable development of the economic cooperation between China and the U.S. over the past 45 years. The diplomatic relations established in 1979 have laid a solid foundation for mutually beneficial outcomes for the two countries, as well as the stability and prosperity of the global economy.

The bilateral trade volume between China and the U.S. has increased from about $4 billion in 1979 to over $570 billion in 2023, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, making them each other’s top trade partners. The two

“With guidance from Bank of China Group, the Bank’s vision is to enhance our global service network and facilitate bilateral economic and trade exchanges, continuing to serve as a bridge between China and the U.S. to the benefit of both economies and its people.”

Xiaojun (Dennis) Huang

“Ensuring the next 45 years of relations is a smooth and productive one will require vision, practicality, and a dedicated effort by all involved.”

countries have also collaborated on various regional and global issues, such as climate change, public health, counter-terrorism, and non-proliferation.

However, the relationship between China and the U.S. is also facing challenges and uncertainties. Supply chains disruptions, uncertainties for markets, businesses, and consumers, misunderstandings between the two sides, among others, are still to be worked through.

With that, the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the U.S. is not only a time to celebrate our achievements, but also a time to envision the road ahead. The relationship between China and the U.S. is too important to fail.

We must continue engaging in dialogue and consultation, reconcile differences and disputes, and expand in areas of mutual benefit and cooperation. The U.S.-China Economic and Financial Working Groups, established last September, reflect the mutual desire of both countries to have a regular and constructive dialogue on economic and financial issues, policies, and trends. Through their three meetings so far, both countries have demonstrated a commitment to address the challenges and opportunities in the bilateral and global economic and financial landscape. Ensuring the next 45 years of relations is a smooth and productive one will require vision, practicality, and a dedicated effort by all involved.

Despite some of the economic and political challenges in recent years, how have the thriving bilateral trade activity and investments between the U.S. and China over the past 45 years allowed Bank of China U.S.A. to grow and thrive?

As a senior business executive, I have witnessed the remarkable growth and development of the bilateral trade and investment relations between our two countries in the past decades. Despite some of the economic and political challenges in recent years, the situation of the thriving bilateral trade activity and investments between the U.S. and China is still very positive and promising.

According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. to China exports reached $147 billion in 2023, while U.S. imports from China totaled $427 billion in 2023, five times and three times larger, respectively, compared to 20 years ago.

The U.S.-China trade relationship directly and indirectly supports millions of jobs in both countries and contributes to the economic growth and development of both nations. According to a report by Oxford Economics, in 2019 U.S. exports to China supported 1.2 million American jobs across various sectors, such as agriculture and manufacturing. Meanwhile, Chinese imports provided American consumers with high-quality and affordable goods.

The U.S. and China are also important sources and destinations of foreign direct investment (FDI) for each other. According to Statista, in 2022 about $7 billion worth of direct investments from China were made in the United States, an increase of 180 percent compared to a decade ago, but still below the peak from 2016. These investments created jobs, enhanced innovation, and fostered cooperation in various industries, such as energy, technology, and entertainment.

serving customers with a wide range of financial products and services. We have also provided financing solutions to Chinese companies investing in the U.S., while supporting U.S. companies expanding across the U.S. and into China. Additionally, we have participated in many major projects that benefit both countries, such as financing the construction of solar farms in California, and supporting the export of American soybeans and other agricultural products to China.

We are proud to be a driver of a dynamic business partnership, and we believe that by enhancing the trade and investment cooperation we can create more opportunities for growth and development for both economies, as well as for the Bank.

What do you see as some of the key trends or opportunities that will shape the next 45 years of China-U.S. business cooperation and how does the Bank’s strategy play into that future cooperation?

Some of the key trends or opportunities I see shaping the next 45 years of China-U.S. business relations include the areas such as biotechnology, clean energy, e-commerce, and fintech. These sectors not only offer new sources of growth and competitiveness, but also solutions to global issues such as climate change, healthcare, food supply and safety, and poverty reduction. Our Bank is committed to supporting our clients in these and other sectors, both in China and the U.S., by providing them with financial services, market access, and risk management solutions.

Another trend I see is the expansion of trade and investment. Despite the trade tensions and uncertainties in recent years, I believe these are the foundation of valuable economic relations. Both countries have complementary strengths and needs, and can benefit from greater market openness, fair competition, economic stability, and win-win cooperation. The Bank is actively facilitating trade and investment flows between China and the U.S. by offering our clients crossborder payment, financing, and settlement services.

I also see cross-culture, person-to-person exchanges improving. Beyond the economic value, I think cultural and educational exchanges are vital for building trust and friendship between China and the U.S. Both countries have rich and diverse cultures, histories, and values, and can learn from each other’s experiences and perspectives. BOC U.S.A. is proud to support various initiatives that promote such exchanges, including forums, cultural events, and charitable activities.

The bilateral trade and investment relations between the U.S. and China have also enabled the Bank to grow and thrive in the U.S. market. Since we re-established our presence in New York in 1981, we have expanded our network to four branches across the states,

As mentioned, there’s no doubt that many obstacles remain, but tension can often be a catalyst for innovation, compromise, and growth. We’ve seen this already over the past 45 years between the U.S. and China, and for this reason I believe that the relationship has more opportunities than obstacles. BOC U.S.A. values being a trusted driver of economic development between the nations for much of the past 45 years and is excited about the work to come over the next 45 plus.•

The headquarters building for Bank of China U.S.A. in Manhattan

Vornado Realty Trust is a preeminent owner, manager and developer of office and retail assets in New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago.

Spearheading the charge for a better New York, Vornado is actively developing THE PENN DISTRICT, a new urban campus on Manhattan’s West Side.

NYSE: VNO VNO.COM VORNADOREALTYTRUST

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

The Design Experience

EDITORS’ NOTE Farooq Kathwari has been Chairman and CEO since 1988. He serves in numerous capacities at several nonprofit organizations including the Board of Overseers of the International Rescue Committee; the advisory board of the Center for Strategic and International Studies; and the Council on Foreign Relations. He is Chairman Emeritus of Refugees International; an advisory member of the New York Stock Exchange; former Chairman of the National Retail Federation; Director Emeritus and former Chairman and President of the American Home Furnishings Alliance; a Director of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University; Co-Chairman of the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council; and a member of the International Advisory Council of the United States Institute of Peace. He served as a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from 2010 to 2014 and was tapped to join the congressionally mandated United States Institute of Peace bipartisan Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States co-chaired by Governor Tom Kean and Congressman Lee Hamilton, who formerly led the 9/11 Commission. Among his recognitions, Kathwari is a recipient of the 2018 Ellis Island Medal of Honor and has been inducted into the American Furniture Hall of Fame. He has been recognized as an Outstanding American by Choice by the U.S. government. He has received the Yale School of Management’s Chief Executive Leadership Institute Lifetime of Leadership Award; the National Human Relations Award from the American Jewish Committee; the National Retail Federation Gold Medal; and Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award. He has also been recognized by Worth magazine as one of the 50 Best CEOs in the United States. Kathwari holds a BA in English literature and political science from Kashmir University, Srinagar, and an MBA in international marketing from New York University. He is also the recipient of three honorary doctorate degrees.

COMPANY BRIEF

interior designers and sells a full range of furniture products and decorative accessories through its website and a network of approximately 300 Design Centers in the United States and abroad. Ethan Allen owns and operates nine manufacturing facilities including six manufacturing plants in the United States, two manufacturing plants in Mexico, and one manufacturing plant in Honduras. Approximately 75 percent of its products are made in its North American plants.

How do you define Ethan Allen’s purpose and mission?

We are proud to celebrate the 92nd year of a business that began as a furniture manufacturer in the Green Mountains of Vermont and has evolved into a global, vertically integrated enterprise. We continue to manufacture about 75 percent of our products in our North American workshops. Our retail locations, which we call Design Centers, have evolved to deliver a unique experience that combines the personal service of our interior designers with state-ofthe-art design technology.

We have repositioned Ethan Allen as the Interior Design Destination, where people can

make their homes more beautiful than they could have ever imagined. We offer great style, built on classic design from a modern point of view, and excellent values, running our business in socially responsible ways. We do all this while continuing to deliver the quality we have been known for 92 years and counting.

Ethan Allen is guided by a core set of leadership principles. Will you highlight these principles and how deeply engrained they are in Ethan Allen’s culture and values?

The ability to constantly reinvent the way we do business stems from having the right mindset. That’s why you’ll find a copy of our Leadership Principles almost anywhere you go at Ethan Allen; they’ve been part of our DNA for more than 30 years.

Our associates are known for their work ethic, their ability to react quickly at pivotal moments, their willingness to embrace new opportunities, and their determination to strive for the highest quality while embracing an entrepreneurial spirit. At the same time, we never stray from core principles: treating others with dignity, making fair decisions, and putting our clients first. We lead by example, differentiate big issues from small ones, and empower others to do their best. All these behaviors are rooted in our Leadership Principles, which have been around for a while yet still equip us to meet the challenges of the future.

Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (ethanallen.com) is a leading interior design company and manufacturer and retailer of quality home furnishings. The company offers free interior design service to its clients through the efforts of approximately 1,500 in-house

“Shaping the future means thinking of new ways to work with clients and giving them an experience they won’t find anywhere else.”

How critical is continuous improvement and constant innovation to Ethan Allen’s success?

Consumer demands and circumstances can change quickly, as we learned during the pandemic. We were able to meet many of those challenges because we manufacture most of our products, about 75 percent, in North America. There are advantages to being one brand, vertically integrated from product concept to manufacturing and logistics, then to retail. To stay successful, we have to be careful not to grow complacent, but to look for ways to constantly improve and reinvent what no longer works.

One way we’ve disrupted ourselves in the past year is by transforming the look of our Design Centers. We refreshed our projections but, in many cases, we’re showing fewer of them because we can do more with less thanks to design technology. We’re more focused than ever on the design experience – working with our interior designers to plan room layouts in our 3D planner, looking at fabric and finish

Farooq Kathwari

An Interview with Farooq Kathwari, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ethan Allen Interiors Inc.

samples as they customize each piece, using workstations with large screens. We’re developing technology to help clients preview how any fabric will look on any upholstery frame, and our designers increasingly use our Virtual Design Center to shop alongside their clients.

To be the “interior design destination” means being the one place people want to go to most for all their interior design needs. Shaping the future means thinking of new ways to work with clients and giving them an experience they won’t find anywhere else.

You talk about people and talent as a key differentiator for Ethan Allen. What do you look for when bringing in talent and will you discuss Ethan Allen’s commitment and investment in its workforce?

We start by looking for people who already embody our Leadership Principles; it’s easier to bring in someone who’s already a natural fit for our culture. We look for designers who represent the communities in which they live and work, whether that’s in downtown Chicago or Kuwait City. We also look for people who can design in all kinds of styles and have a drive for continuous learning and growth, whether they’re taking advantage of our education and training to learn new technology tools or sharing grassroots outreach ideas for both in-person and digital spaces.

We expect our associates to meet clients where they are, to work the ways clients want to work now, and to ensure that they remain accessible to our clients from design concept to delivery day. At the end of the day, you have to love working with people if you want to be successful in a retail environment.

As Ethan Allen continues to grow in size and scale, is it more difficult to maintain a culture of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit within the company?

We have actually been able to grow leaner in recent years thanks to technology

innovations both in our manufacturing and in retail. I mentioned the physical space of our Design Centers being smaller because we are able to do more in less space. We also have a smaller team of interior designers who write the same amount of sales as we used to write with a much larger team.

Maintaining an innovation-oriented culture and entrepreneurial spirit, again, comes down to people. If you hire people with the right attitude, they’re internally motivated, and they motivate one another.

How is Ethan Allen approaching the need to invest in new technology while making sure not to lose the human touch?

Any technology that we develop is born for one purpose: to better serve our clients. We don’t have touchscreens in our Design Centers just to have them; they’re for our interior designers and clients to research products together. Our 3D room planner helps clients preview their product and collaborate with their designer in real time, so they feel confident about placing an order, and they feel their ideas have been heard and incorporated. When our digital team works to develop new tools, they base their decisions on feedback from the field, asking what’s needed to ensure our designers can serve their clients better. Putting clients first when making business decisions is the key to great personal service in any retail environment.

How critical is it for Ethan Allen to build a diverse and inclusive workforce to mirror the diversity of its clients and the communities it serves?

Although the language of interior design is universal, we make it a priority in our recruiting initiatives to ensure that clients can come into our Design Centers and see themselves reflected within our workforce. American demographics are changing, and our workforce has to evolve to change with them. The future of retail is a future in which people of all backgrounds have

access to terrific products and a welcoming experience. I grew up in the beautiful mountains of Kashmir and became an American by choice, so I have great respect for the diversity and opportunity that America represents; as a quintessential American brand, we share those values wherever we do business.

What do you see as Ethan Allen’s responsibility to be engaged in its communities and to be a force for good in society?

We say all the time that we are a proud American brand, and if we want to assume that mantle, we have to lead by example. We work to be a force for good both in our communities and in our suppliers’ communities through our social responsibility initiatives which ensure that all people who work with us, and those we work with, are treated with dignity and respect.

In our upholstery plant in Mexico, for example, our associates can access transportation to work, affordable meals, and free medical care. For four consecutive years, our workshops have been recognized as Empresa Socialmente Responsible – Environmentally and Socially Responsible – by the Mexican Center for Corporate Philanthropy and the Alliance for Corporate Social Responsibility. Our standards for dignity and justice are the same throughout our company no matter where our associates are located.

Clients have higher expectations than ever; particularly younger generations of clients look behind a company’s façade and want to know what the company’s values are and whether they do business in socially responsible ways. The future of retail, then, isn’t just about great products and innovative technology; it’s about embracing values that are congruent with what matters to our clients.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership?

I believe that a leader’s job is to make their people better. I have regular conversations with my teams of leaders where we focus on areas like talent, technology, social responsibility, marketing, and more. They know they are expected to bring items to report to me and to show progress as they develop their own teams. I also take the time to personally respond to what we call internally WOW stories – stories of exceptional work by our designers or top-notch service to our clients. Being accessible, leading by example, empowering others – the Leadership Principles work because I follow them, too.

Ethan Allen has achieved great success under your leadership. Are you able to enjoy the process and take moments to celebrate the wins?

As I have stated, the main job of a leader is to help their people become better. The win I celebrate most is having the chance to see our teams thrive and grow. Last December, our associates presented me with an award recognizing my 50 years of history with Ethan Allen, from back when I first formed a joint venture with the company to my 36 years in leadership. Much has changed in my tenure, but we remain strong, innovative, and focused on the future. As I always say, we are just getting started.•

Ethan Allen living room furniture

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Serving Marginalized Populations

An Interview

Brendan G. Carr, MD, MS, Chief Executive Officer, Mount Sinai Health System

EDITORS’ NOTE Brendan Carr is nationally recognized as a leader in academic medicine and health policy. He has practiced clinical emergency medicine for more than 20 years, is a renowned emergency physician and health policy researcher. He has focused on building regional systems of emergency care, especially for trauma, stroke, cardiac arrest, and sepsis, and developing innovative delivery system solutions to create a more distributed and accessible acutecare delivery system. He has served in an advisory role to domestic and international organizations and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine. Carr previously served on the faculty at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and as an Associate Dean of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. In addition to his academic accomplishments, he also served the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in a variety of roles focused on improving trauma and emergency care delivery for the nation. Most recently, he was a special adviser on preparedness and response. In that capacity, his principal focus was on understanding how the emergency care infrastructure of the nation’s healthcare system could be strengthened to ensure the ability to respond during large-scale threats to the public’s health. Carr earned his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine, and completed both his residency in emergency medicine and his fellowship in trauma and surgical critical care at the University of Pennsylvania. He is an alumnus of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Clinical Scholars Program and holds master’s degrees in both clinical psychology and health policy research. An accomplished researcher, he has authored more than 175 manuscripts, and has received funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and multiple foundations.

INSTITUTION BRIEF

network. The eight hospitals – Mount Sinai Brooklyn, The Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Queens, Mount Sinai St. Luke’s, Mount Sinai South Nassau, Mount Sinai West, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai and Mount Sinai Beth Israel – have a vast geographic footprint throughout the New York metropolitan region.

Will you discuss your career journey as you have recently assumed the role of chief executive officer of Mount Sinai Health System?

I think about the experiences of the different chapters of my professional life, and the big three in healthcare are clinical care, education, and research. The other two pieces that are important to me are the creativity and innovation on how we deliver care, and the service to community. I went to a Jesuit university to learn the principles of social justice, and then to Temple University for medical school which is located in a part of Philadelphia that is poor and marginalized, and there is a commitment to service at Temple. Following Temple, I went to

University of Pennsylvania where I learned the rigor of research and where I competed with the best and brightest in the research space. I then went to Thomas Jefferson University Health System where I learned how to be creative and innovative in how to deliver healthcare.

I bring the clinical, education, research, and creativity to this new role which resonates with the team at Mount Sinai Health System.

What have been the keys to the strength and leadership of Mount Sinai Health System?

The book that was written about Mount Sinai, This House of Noble Deeds, tells the story of the origins of the institution. This is a place that was built to take care of marginalized populations, which was marginalized Jews at that time, and then the hospital built a medical school which led to building a health system. The size and scale of Mount Sinai has changed, but the story and the mission has remained. The leadership of Mount Sinai throughout the years has never wavered on our mission and the commitment to serving marginalized populations, and the need to balance the business of healthcare with the social justice aspect of healthcare. This is in the DNA of Mount Sinai.

Mount Sinai Health System (mountsinai.org) encompasses the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the Mount Sinai Philips School of Nursing and eight hospitals, as well as a large and expanding ambulatory care

Brendan G. Carr

with

“The leadership of Mount Sinai throughout the years has never wavered on our mission and the commitment to serving marginalized populations…”

What do you see as the role of the health system in driving the health and well-being of marginalized communities?

It is important to note that the business of healthcare delivery is getting harder and harder. The majority of nonprofit health systems face challenges operating with slim margins. I fear that the business challenges will impact efforts to address social determinants of health, preventative care, and engagement with the community –especially those that are marginalized. We need to get serious about addressing the challenge being caused by the business side of healthcare.

This issue will take all partners in the ecosystem, from providers and health systems to the education sector and the business community. Population health is about taking care of the populations that you serve, and to tip the scale we need to build a partnership across all these channels since it takes all of us working together to make positive impacts on the public’s health.

How do you define health?

There are many in our industry that define health by the delivery of care, such as an amazing transplant or a recovery from cancer, but when you zoom out a little we all understand that health is so much bigger. It involves the way we live our lives, including our mental health and the need to feel supported. It all depends on context – when you are running a health

system, you need to be better at the things that no one else can do, which relates to the delivery of care – but we know that health is much bigger, and we need to address all the areas that impact health.

How important is it for Mount Sinai Health System to build a diverse and inclusive workforce to mirror the diversity of its patients and the communities it serves?

This is important beyond words, and the people we serve want and need to see people like them. It provides a much different level of comfort when you are being treated by a person who speaks your same language or comes from your same community. We place a major focus on diversity and inclusion, and we are intentional about building a pipeline of talent that mirrors the diversity of the communities we serve.

Will you highlight the medical school and the impact that it has made on the health system?

There are certain individuals who really deserve the praise for what they have done in thinking about the students we are recruiting and the way that we are educating them at our medical school. This was all built before I arrived, and it was the vision and foresight of others to build a medical school that has a broad definition of health and an innovative curriculum in preparing the future leaders in the industry. We do this in small groups and handson opportunities where you are not solely learning from a book, but seeing firsthand what it means to deliver care and serve patients.

It is exciting to see the level of talent coming into the industry and at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. We are committed to developing students that will be on the front lines of tackling the future challenges in healthcare.

You have spent your career taking care of patients. Will it be hard to continue to have patient interaction as you lead Mount Sinai Health System in your new role?

This is going to be hard to balance, but I am going to try because being with patients is grounding and it really provides the opportunity to feel the pulse of the organization. I feel it is important to have patient interactions in order to be reminded of the complexities of people’s lives and how their health outcomes are connected to that. It is also special for me to be surrounded by residents and doctors and nurses that provide such energy in the clinical setting – it is a magical feeling.

Are you still surprised to see the amazing things that take place at Mount Sinai Health System on a daily basis?

The amazing things keep changing – not a day goes by that I do not see or experience something that is astounding to me. One example would be gene therapy. When I think about what we knew when I was coming up in the profession about gene therapy, and what our researchers are now working on to achieve, it is truly shocking. It’s continuous innovation and it’s very exciting. There are people who are working every day to make sure that we advance health for people now and in the future.•

Staff at Mount Sinai Health System

Icahn

of

at Mount Sinai in New York City

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Leading With People

An Interview with Greg Zimmer, Chief Executive Officer, Alliant Insurance Services

EDITORS’ NOTE Greg Zimmer assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer on April 1, 2024 and is responsible for implementing the strategic direction of the firm. He also is responsible for corporate operations and all mergers and acquisitions activity. Prior to joining Alliant in 1998, Zimmer and his partners built a significant financial services firm that ultimately was sold to GMAC, where he served as Senior Vice President. His career also includes corporate finance and venture capital experience while serving as Vice President at Security Pacific, which ultimately merged with Bank of America. Zimmer holds a bachelor’s degree in economics/ systems science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a master’s degree from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA.

How do you define Alliant’s culture and how critical is maintaining culture as Alliant continues to grow in size and scale?

Alliant has a high-performance culture that is built on putting people first. We are highly collaborative and focused on consistently raising the standard of excellence for service and results. We are dedicated to recruiting, acquiring, and retaining the top talent in the industry, and allow our employees to share in the company’s success through equity ownership. This helps to keep walls, divisions, and silos from forming within the organization and enables us to retain our entrepreneurial spirit while we continue to grow and expand.

Alliant achieved record growth in 2023 and continues to lead in the industry. What have been the keys to the company’s success?

acquisitions to become bigger – we’re making acquisitions to become better. Every business we acquire brings something new to our organization, which helps us to diversify our service offerings and compete at the highest level.

Do you see ongoing expansion opportunities for Alliant into new business categories?

FIRM BRIEF Alliant Insurance Services (alliant.com) is one of the nation’s leading distributors of diversified insurance products and services. Operating through a national network of offices, Alliant offers a comprehensive portfolio of services to clients.

It all starts with having the best people, then supporting those people with superior products, superior resources, and superior infrastructure while creating an environment that allows them to operate decisively and effectively for their clients in any market climate. Acquisitions are also a core component of our ongoing success, and we approach them in a highly strategic manner. We’re not making

Absolutely. We’re continually looking for new opportunities to expand our reach and grow our footprint. This is best illustrated by our emergence as a leader in the consumer market, where we’ve gone from having a small presence to becoming an industry leader over the past five years. We now hold a significant market share in the nonstandard auto market, Medicare, and ACA, three categories where we were previously not active. And in late 2023, we launched Alliant Consumer Group, a dedicated platform that houses Alliant’s portfolio of consumer-facing operations. This is all driven by bringing on great people with a track record of success and an appetite for strategic growth.

Alliant’s core values are entrepreneurialism, service, and strength. Will you discuss how these values are engrained in the company’s mission?

Alliant’s long-standing culture of entrepreneurialism is driven by giving our people the

“We maintain a flat organizational structure that is not overly rigid or bureaucratic, so there are fewer barriers to finding the best possible solutions for our clients. This leads to outstanding service and the ability to always operate with our clients’ best interests in mind.”

Greg Zimmer

“Alliant’s long-standing culture of entrepreneurialism is driven by giving our people the freedom to perform at the highest level possible.”

freedom to perform at the highest level possible. We maintain a flat organizational structure that is not overly rigid or bureaucratic, so there are fewer barriers to finding the best possible solutions for our clients. This leads to outstanding service and the ability to always operate with our clients’ best interests in mind. By placing service at the forefront, we’re able to cultivate and maintain a strong, stable organization that consistently produces great results. When you lead with people, the result is long-term strength and durability.

How challenging is it to differentiate in the industry and how do you describe the Alliant advantage?

Alliant was built, from day one, on differentiating from our competitors. One of the hallmarks of this differentiation is our collaboration. We have very large positions in certain industry verticals; however, all of our team members work together, sharing resources and experience to benefit the client. This allows us to draw from our collective strength to gain a significant competitive advantage. We also use our size to our advantage, leveraging the aggregate volume of all of our clients to drive a better deal, even in the most competitive of markets. This leads to better service, better pricing, and a better client experience.

Alliant has a reputation for being home to the industry’s top talent. What are the keys characteristics you look for when bringing new talent into the company?

We look for people who have demonstrated a strong track record of success, whether in insurance or any other field. We want people who are curious, results-oriented, and pillars in their community. We understand that top talent migrates to where they can be successful, so we’ve created an environment that attracts high performers and provides the resources and support needed for them to thrive.

What do you see as Alliant’s responsibility to the communities it serves and to be a force for good in society?

We are highly invested in supporting our communities at the grassroots level. We believe we can make the biggest impact by supporting local charities and encouraging our employees to play a direct role with those charities through volunteer time off (VTO). We encourage our employees to find causes that they are engaged in and passionate about, then provide vital resources and connections to support them, including a corporate matching program.

We have also made a significant engagement in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and have a dedicated team that is focused on

forming partnerships with like-minded organizations and supporting our internal employee resource groups (ERGs). We launched the Alliant Insurance Foundation in 2023, a charitable, nonprofit organization focused on expanding access to career opportunities in insurance for underrepresented individuals.

Will you discuss your views on effective leadership and how you approach your management style?

We believe that great people don’t need to be micromanaged. We work hard to identify visionary leaders and work with them collaboratively to help them achieve their goals, as opposed to a more bureaucratic structure where they feel restricted in their ability to lead and grow the businesses they are responsible for. We give our leaders great responsibility and hold them accountable for their results.

You joined Alliant in 1998. What has made the experience so special for you?

The greatest reward has been watching our business grow and evolve over the years, expanding from a regional operation with a few hundred employees to a national leader with a team of more than 11,000. This has had a positive impact on so many lives, both professionally and personally, and it’s a direct result of the incredible team we’ve built here at Alliant.•

“By placing service at the forefront, we’re able to cultivate and maintain a strong, stable organization that consistently produces great results. When you lead with people, the result is long-term strength and durability.”

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Transformational Leadership

An Interview with

EDITORS’ NOTE A nationally recognized leader in higher education and government, Dr. Donna Shalala brings decades of distinguished leadership in higher education to The New School. She served as President of the University of Miami, Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and President of Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY). A dedicated scholar and teacher, she has held tenured professorships at Columbia University, CUNY, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and most recently was a faculty member at the University of Miami. Her leadership in U.S. government began as one of the country’s first Peace Corps Volunteers. For eight years she served in President Bill Clinton’s Cabinet as Secretary of Health and Human Services, following which a Washington Post article described her as “one of the most successful government managers of modern times.” Most recently, she was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Florida’s 27th Congressional District.

Where did your interest and passion for education develop?

I think I grew into it because I wanted to be a journalist. I believe that it was the Peace Corps that really shaped me and focused me on trying to make the world a better place, and the vehicle was education. I have also always had a major focus on the social services and have been very concerned about providing young people with opportunities – and it is not just in the classroom, it is all the other things needed to support them.

Is the right conversation taking place when it comes to addressing the needs of young people around education and social services?

I would say that the answer is yes, but sometimes it stalls. An example is the child tax credits that the House has passed which are waiting for the Senate to pass – this is part of the general movement to invest in children early on. The recognition that young people

need to eat breakfast and lunch, so the importance of providing free breakfasts and lunches in the schools, is critical. There are many things that young people need to support them so that they are able to learn. When it comes to higher education, I have been concerned about affordability, especially for students that are vulnerable, to make sure that they have opportunities no matter what their income was or where they came from.

Do you feel that there has been positive change when it comes to K-12 education?

There has been positive change, especially due to technology. Teachers are better educated, and students have more opportunities in our schools. We still have not paid teachers adequately and we have not supported teachers adequately, but when I look back at how I was taught and how students are being taught today, it is fundamentally different in large part due to the impact of technology as well as having teachers who are better trained and much more sensitive to the differences of the students in their classrooms.

INSTITUTION BRIEF The New School (newschool.edu) is a new kind of university in New York City, one where scholars, artists, and designers come together to challenge convention and create positive change. The university takes full advantage of its location in one of the most vibrant and diverse cities in the world. Its colleges and graduate schools include Parsons School of Design, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, the College of Performing Arts, The New School for Social Research, the Schools of Public Engagement, and Parsons Paris. Since its founding in 1919, The New School has redrawn and redefined the boundaries of intellectual and creative thought as a preeminent academic center. Its rigorous, multidimensional approach to education dissolves walls between disciplines and helps nurture progressive minds. At The New School, students have the academic freedom to shape their unique, individual paths for a complex and rapidly changing world. With leading-edge faculty and world-renowned alumni, The New School is committed to developing students who will have an impact on the world and address the most pressing social issues of our time. This effort is bolstered by the university’s commitment to fostering an equitable, inclusive, and socially just environment for its community.

Dr. Donna E. Shalala

Dr. Donna E. Shalala, Interim President, The New School

“I am someone who is referred to as a transformational leader. If the trustees had asked me to come and be a caretaker of the university, I would have walked away in a minute. That is not me. I like rebuilding and transforming institutions to make them better, but always with consensus.”

What interested you in the opportunity to lead The New School?

I was interested because The New School is a unique institution, and I never repeat the same job. There is nothing like The New School in higher education. I had lived in New York for a long time, so I knew the history of The New School, and I knew that I could address the real needs that it was facing. When the previous President left, there was a need for an Interim President who was able to step in immediately and deal with a large deficit which we have been able to completely eliminate. We were also in the middle of finalizing negotiations with two unions on our campus, including our graduate students who teach. I am pleased to share that both negotiations have been successfully resolved.

I knew that it was critical to build consensus on the campus about what we were going to do, not only with the trustees, but with all those who were involved in The New School. We had open meetings for faculty, staff, and students and complete transparency about what we intended to do. We made sure that whatever we did would not impact the academic core, and that we would find other opportunities for people who would no longer be in their same positions, which resulted in minimal disruption.

I am someone who is referred to as a transformational leader. If the trustees had asked me to come and be a caretaker of the university, I would have walked away in a minute. That is not me. I like rebuilding and transforming institutions to make them better, but always with consensus.

Do you feel that the uniqueness of The New School that you highlighted is well-understood?

The New School has many parts, such as the Parsons School of Design which is the leading design school in the country, and many of these parts are well-understood. We have highly branded schools within the university, and you want it to go both ways. You want people to recognize a world-class college within your university, and at the same time to understand that there are other parts of the university that are very distinguished. At The New School, we have both world-class colleges within the university, and a world-class university.

Will you discuss The New School’s focus on building a diverse student and faculty population?

Social justice has always been a priority for The New School, and that is why we are in the process of rebuilding enrollment management and financial aid. Private universities struggle because of their price, and New York City is expensive, so you have to look at all the pieces and create opportunities to drive impact in your diversity and inclusion efforts.

How valuable has your past experience in business, government, and education been in your role leading The New School?

It is very valuable, but it does not mean that I repeat things from other institutions. I look at the uniqueness of each institution and I try to understand the specific culture. There is no question that my many years running complex institutions helps, in part because it makes you fearless, but my focus is on what is needed at the time for the institution I am leading.

You mentioned being a transformational leader who takes on challenges and fixes them. Are you thinking about your next opportunity?

In terms of The New School, we’ve completely eliminated the deficit and have developed a five-year plan that will grow the university’s revenue. The strategy will point people in the right direction, and then help them to continue to move in that direction. You need to build consensus and an understanding that this work is not about a quick fix, but about creating a long-term solution. It takes discipline, focus, and intentionality to thrive in the future. My strategy has always been not to be Ms. Fix-It, but to build a consensus for the long-term.

I have no idea what my next step will be when I conclude my service with The New School.

How do you describe your management style?

Fun and unflappable.

What advice do you offer to students as they look to start their careers?

I was teaching a class on Presidents’ Day at the University of Miami some years ago. It was a very large class of about 300 students focusing on the politics and economics of healthcare, and I was trying to convince the students that the politics of healthcare were really interesting. I could see that their eyes were glazing over, and finally I asked them what day it was, and they said Presidents’ Day, and then asked me why we were in class. I told them because they should hear from a President on Presidents’ Day, and in walked Bill Clinton.

President Clinton and I had talked about the importance of Medicare and the need for a healthcare support system for a whole generation of people – the Greatest Generation – and at the end of the class he told the students they could ask him any question. A young man stood up and said that if he wanted to be President of the United States, what courses should he take? I thought President Clinton’s answer was brilliant. He said to be a sponge. He said that he could not predict what you are going to need to know 20-30 years from now, but that you need to learn about all sorts of subjects, and you need to learn how to keep learning. He said that this is how he prepared to be President of the United States. This advice from President Clinton is the best advice I can offer to any young person.•

Guy’s heart stopped twice. Back coaching days later.

“I technically died, and here I am. I’m incredibly lucky. I could not have been in better hands.”

—Guy Monseair, City Island Rowing Coach

“We had an immediate critical decision to make in the race to save Guy’s life. We decided to proceed with emergent quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery despite Guy’s swollen and weak heart resulting from his acute heart attack and cardiac arrest. There are very few health systems in the country with the knowledge base and the skill that we have at Monte ore Einstein for

managing

these kinds of complex life-threatening conditions.”

—Robert Michler, MD Surgeon-in-Chief and Chair, Surgery and Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery

Monte

ore Einstein

See Guy’s story at monte ore.org/guy

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

High Intensity And High Reward

An Interview with Matthew J. DiLiberto, Chief Financial Officer, SL Green Realty Corp.

EDITORS’ NOTE Matthew DiLiberto is the Chief Financial Officer of SL Green Realty Corp., Manhattan’s largest office landlord, overseeing the finance, accounting, tax, investor relations, and corporate capital markets functions of the organization. Prior to joining SL Green in September 2004, DiLiberto was with Roseland, New Jerseybased Chelsea Property Group, now a division of Simon Property Group, where he was a Controller and Director of Information Management. From August 1998 to June 2000, DiLiberto worked at New York-based Vornado Realty Trust as a Senior Financial Analyst focusing on accounting and controls as well as the preparation of high-level management reports and SEC filings. Prior to joining Vornado Realty Trust, DiLiberto worked as a Business Assurance Associate at Coopers and Lybrand, LLP (now PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP). In addition to his professional responsibilities, DiLiberto serves on the Best Financial Practices Council of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), is Vice-Chairman of the FDNY Foundation, the official not-for-profit of the New York City Fire Department, and was previously co-owner of Leavine Family Racing, a motorsports organization that fielded cars in NASCAR’s Cup Series. DiLiberto has been a firefighter and EMT in New Jersey since 1997. He holds a BS degree in accounting from The University of Scranton.

real estate industry because of our talented employees who are committed to both the goals of the company and the betterment of New York City. I don’t think there is any firm out there who demands more from its people and is more appreciative of those efforts than SL Green. Our reputation as an extremely hard-working shop is well known and it may not be for everyone. But for those who are here, many of whom have been here for decades, they know that we are one big family with a common goal, and we will do whatever it takes for the company, its people, and the city to thrive.

What have been the keys to SL Green’s strength and leadership in the industry?

We don’t know how to accept defeat and we don’t want to. From the management team all the way through the organization, we want to win. We want SL Green to win, we want our employees to win, we want our constituents to win, and we want New York City to win. And more often than not, we do. Our competitive nature pushes us to work for things that are not the easiest to accomplish, but have real benefit. A never quit attitude is

required to succeed in New York City real estate. We bring that to the table in spades. Will you provide an overview of your role and areas of focus?

While being one of the largest real estate companies in New York City, we pride ourselves on operating one of the most streamlined organizations in the sector. We do a lot more with a lot less. That means our employees have diverse responsibilities and so do I. Day-to-day, I oversee our accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, tax, cash management, billing, and collections teams. I am also responsible for the company’s corporate capital markets activity, utilizing the public and private markets to source debt and equity capital for the business while working with our investments team to facilitate hundreds of real estate related transactions every year. As a public company, I spend a lot of time managing our shareholder and analyst relationships. And finally, as a member of a tight-knit and experienced executive management team, I am in constant contact with our Chairman and CEO, Marc Holliday, and the rest of the team focusing on the strategy and direction of the company. In short, I do just enough to fill 25 hours a day, 8 days a week.

COMPANY BRIEF SL Green Realty Corp. (slgreen. com), Manhattan’s largest office landlord, is a fully integrated real estate investment trust, or REIT, that is focused primarily on acquiring, managing and maximizing the value of Manhattan commercial properties. As of December 31, 2023, SL Green held interests in 58 buildings totaling 32.5 million square feet. This included ownership interests in 28.8 million square feet of Manhattan buildings and 2.8 million square feet securing debt and preferred equity investments.

How do you describe SL Green’s culture and values?

SL Green is a place where work ethic, dedication, teamwork, and philanthropy are front and center. If you display these attributes, you will thrive in our environment of high intensity and high reward. We are considered a standout in the

Matthew J. DiLiberto

How has the role of the CFO evolved and what are the keys to being effective in the role?

The days of a CFO just being the numbers guy or the money guy are long gone. In the past, a CFO generally came through one of two channels: accounting or banking. Often, they were a company’s previous auditor or investment banker. What companies have learned is that the CFO must have a diverse background with exposure to many facets of the business. It’s tough to pitch a spectacular fund-raising idea without knowing the impact on your earnings and balance sheet. Nor can you just look backward and understand what the company has done in the past without considering its future. You need to be constantly thinking of ideas that work for as many components of the company as possible, including its shareholders and employees. There is a real people element to the role today as well. I love the people I work with. My office is not in a walled-off C-suite. I sit in an interior office in the middle of my department where I can see and talk to my team members all day, every day. I think you need to see, hear and feel what’s going on to be a good CFO.

What are your views on the state of the New York City commercial real estate market and how important is it for people to return to the office to build culture and collaborate?

New York City has a long history of resiliency and success. It faces challenges, reinvents itself and comes out better and stronger than it was before. No city in the United States or in the world has a record like that. That’s why we focus on New York City and not on other geographies. This is merely one more chapter in its history. I believe technology would have led to more work-from-home patterns and workplace flexibility at some point  – the pandemic simply accelerated that process. But leading companies, successful leaders in those companies,

researchers, sociologists, and many others agree, there is no substitute for working in-person. For a company, teamwork is critical to success. How can you work as a team when you can’t even see your teammates? Workplace flexibility will change the size and complexion of the New York City office market. The 420 million square foot market will shrink as those buildings that didn’t work as office buildings, even pre-pandemic, are repurposed, while the remaining office product will continue to be improved and amenitized to serve the needs of today’s market. The best buildings in the best locations will continue to thrive. New York City will still be the most vibrant office market in the world and SL Green’s goal is to continue to be the best portfolio in the market.

SL Green commits its time and resources to corporate responsibility and supporting the community it serves. Do you see this as a responsibility of leading companies today?

I believe every great company should strive to succeed for the benefit of its investors, its employees and, more importantly, the broader community in which it operates. As my 3-yearold says, sharing is caring. There is no firm more dedicated to the success of New York City than SL Green and we encourage everyone here to take time to contribute to that success. Every year, our employees commit thousands of hours of their own time to help local charities while the company commits its financial resources to countless initiatives. This includes the charitable organization that we founded during the pandemic, Food1st. While most people were home wondering what was going to happen next, the SL Green team was here in the office throughout the pandemic assisting the city in any way we could. We saw a real need to help the thousands of food-insecure residents of New York City and the tireless first responders by opening restaurants in our portfolio to provide thousands of meals – and the efforts of Food1st continue in earnest even today.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership and how do you describe your management style?

One simple phrase describes my management style: hands on. I believe that the best way to effectively lead is to be in the trenches with those doing the work, understanding exactly what they do and the challenges they face every day. Strong leaders need to get their hands dirty. They should be willing to do anything that someone who works for them would do. I enjoy things like diving into spreadsheets and reviewing support documents. I want to see and hear what is going on behind the scenes and ask questions. In addition to helping me manage the team, I learn a lot and have a much greater appreciation for the extraordinary work that the team does. Like remote work can create an “out of sight, out of mind” environment, remote management can have the same impact, weakening a leader’s influence and, by extension, weakening the company.

You joined SL Green 20 years ago. What has made the experience so special for you?

We measure tenure in dog years at SL Green, so I think it’s more like 140 years. You have to be a bit of an adrenaline junkie to work here, and I am. We aren’t jumping out of airplanes, but there is such an intensity and vibe in this firm that you have to love it and feed off of it. Boredom isn’t an option. No matter what the market environment, this team is constantly working on something innovative – or maybe a dozen things. We are excited to hear “nobody has done that before” or “I don’t think you can do that.” Challenge us and let us show you what we can do. I love that. I work with the best management team and employees in real estate and every day is an adventure.

What advice do you offer to young people beginning their careers?

I think there are three keys to a successful career. First, be a sponge. Keep your eyes and your ears open to everything and seek out the experiences that will advance your career. Don’t wait for things to come to you. The most unfortunate impact of the new remote workforce will be a lack of real work experience and interpersonal skills in young people. In a remote work environment, young employees are only a part of the things they are invited to and they have to communicate from the other side of a screen. When I was coming up in my career, I never sat still. I walked around and got myself involved in everything I could. It’s how I learned the business, met people throughout the company and became recognized by management up the chain. Make yourself noticed, don’t wait to be noticed. Second, never burn a bridge. You never know when you will come across someone again in your career and under what circumstances. Sometimes the nature of your job will create tension with others. Don’t let that tension go too far. As they say, it’s business, not personal. That leads me to my final key to a successful career –be yourself. The most successful people are not replicas of each other. In fact, their uniqueness is often what sets them apart. Work hard, learn as much as possible, utilize what you learn, respect others and be yourself.•

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Connecting People And Possibilities Around The Globe

An Interview with Sriram Krishnasamy, Executive Vice President, Chief Transformation Officer and Chief Digital and Information Officer-Elect, FedEx Corporation, and President and CEO, FedEx Dataworks

EDITORS’ NOTE On March 11, it was announced that Sriram Krishnasamy will become Chief Digital and Information Officer of FedEx Corporation effective July 1, in addition to his roles as Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer for FedEx Corporation and President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Dataworks, an organization tasked with harnessing the power of the rich FedEx data ecosystem to help optimize internal operations, fuel innovation, and build more intelligent supply chains around the globe. Since joining FedEx in 1997, Krishnasamy has worked at multiple operating companies and held leadership positions around the globe – including stops in Dubai, Belgium, and India – before settling in Memphis in 2017. His 25+ years of experience at FedEx has contributed to his deep knowledge of the network and an unrelenting curiosity about the role of supply chains in connecting the world. Krishnasamy holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Madras.

The PSP philosophy was introduced by our founder and Chairman, Fred Smith, during the earliest days of FedEx: Create an environment of opportunity, trust, and respect for your people, commit to providing superior service to our customers at every touch point, and operate in a manner that produces sustainable profits, so we can reinvest in our people and our business for longterm success. This philosophy has stood the test of time, and each tenet is essential for the success of FedEx and must be in balance with the others.

The second part of the question – how do you describe the FedEx difference? – comes down to our Purple Promise. The Purple Promise states: I will make every FedEx experience outstanding. It’s our collective commitment to go above and beyond for our customers and it’s what unites every single FedEx team member. Our PSP culture and Purple Promise go hand in hand – by taking care of each other, we’re able to take care of our customers, and drive growth for the company.

Will you elaborate on FedEx Dataworks and how do you define its mission?

COMPANY BRIEF FedEx Corp. (fedex.com) offers customers and businesses around the world a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce, and business services. With estimated annual revenues of $88 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions through its operating companies that compete collectively, operate collaboratively and innovate digitally under the prestigious FedEx brand. Consistently ranked as one of the world’s most admired and trusted companies, FedEx inspires its nearly 500,000 team members to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards, and the needs of its customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world in responsible and resourceful ways, with the goal of achieving carbonneutral operations by 2040.

How do you describe FedEx’s culture and values?

I believe that culture is an expression of your core values. Culture can evolve over time – and across a large enterprise like FedEx, you will likely have “sub-cultures” across teams and departments – but your core values should remain consistent across the board. At FedEx, our core values are anchored in something that we call our People-Service-Profit (PSP) philosophy.

Within my team at FedEx Dataworks, we have our own expression of the PSP values. Our unique culture within the wider FedEx enterprise can be described by four principles: bias for action –valuing progress over perfection, especially in times of uncertainty or ambiguity; accountability –we hold ourselves and each other accountable to do our best work, always addressing challenges with empathy and respect; inclusion – we approach relationships and interactions with curiosity, not judgement; and finally, growth mindset –always looking for opportunities to stretch, grow, and learn through experimentation.

What do you feel has made FedEx an industry leader and how do you describe the FedEx difference?

When Fred Smith started FedEx back in 1973, he didn’t just found a company, he launched an entire industry. He created a global delivery network out of the belief that connections could make the world faster and more efficient.

One of the things I respect most about our Chairman is that he isn’t interested in looking backwards. He’s constantly thinking ahead –what will the world look like in 3,5,10 years? Back in 1978, he was famously quoted as saying “The information about the package is as important as the package itself.” His early belief in the power of information, visibility, and access shaped the entire supply chain industry and is directly reflected in our digital strategy today.

This entrepreneurial spirit and forwardthinking mindset have been keys to FedEx’s success for the past 50 years. Our willingness to continuously evolve, expand, and invest in our physical and digital networks – through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions – has helped us stay one step ahead and meet the needs of our customers in an ever-evolving world.

FedEx collects petabytes of data every day as we facilitate the global movement of goods across our physical network, and in early 2020, a small group of team members from across FedEx came together to answer the question: how can we put that data to work to not only improve efficiency and accuracy of our operations, but to unlock net new opportunities for our team members, our customers, and their customers?

This data crossroads came at a time when the industry was expecting to see daily shipments double by 2026, driven by organic growth in e-commerce (a projection that was later accelerated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic). The early Dataworks team understood that FedEx would only meet this demand by providing a suite of services for internal operations and external customers backed by FedEx insights and rooted in a next-generation data platform.

From day one, the success of FedEx Dataworks has depended on two factors: first, investment in a centralized enterprise data platform  –a single source of truth where data models are free from operational siloes and reusable/scalable across use cases; and second, building digital solutions on top of that platform that lead with empathy for the customer – whether that’s an internal operator or an external customer.

Over the past four years, our mission has crystalized into making supply chains smarter for everyone. This mission is oriented around three strategic pillars and grounded in our platform mentality:

• Internal optimization: we’re transforming our network with digital tools that help us work smarter, improve service, and increase efficiency.

• Digitize customer supply chains: we’re committed to providing best-in-class digital experiences that help our customers optimize their own end-to-end supply chains.

• Move up the e-commerce value chain: we’re designing a suite of differentiated

Sriram Krishnasamy

solutions that go above and beyond our core transportation business and help our e-commerce customers grow their businesses.

Today, our FedEx Dataworks mission of making supply chains smarter for everyone has become the vision statement for our entire FedEx enterprise. Building a digitally enabled FedEx isn’t just the job of data scientists and data engineers. It’s something we can all contribute to and benefit from – whether you sit in operations, IT, marketing, sales, HR, etc.

Will you highlight FedEx’s DRIVE transformation and how this effort has been driven throughout the enterprise?

DRIVE was introduced in September 2022 on the heels of our quarterly earnings release. At the time, we were experiencing a sharp drop in volume driven by macro-economic headwinds. But due to the scale and breadth of our operations, we couldn’t adjust our network capacity and reduce costs at the same pace that volume was declining. Our bottom line took a hit.

DRIVE was introduced as a way to drive business results and build resilience into our network. It is not a project, it is not a single event with a finish line, and it is not a costcutting exercise. DRIVE is a collective effort to optimize our network, improve service, reduce structural costs, strengthen our performance culture, and perhaps most important, establish a strong accountability framework for FedEx to thrive long-term.

Today, the DRIVE effort touches every single part of our business and is organized across 16 different domains led by senior leaders. We also stood up a transformation office to help facilitate change – providing the infrastructure, tools, and frameworks needed to deliver results. This structure is important, but for DRIVE to be successful – it can’t be seen as a project or program. We all must be committed to thinking, working, and interacting differently. Three attributes underpin the DRIVE way of working and help keep us all accountable: we need the skills to identify and evaluate opportunities, the will to enact change, and the rigor to see changes through and ensure they add value.

Will you discuss FedEx’s digital strategy and focus on driving digital innovation across the enterprise?

Digital is in our DNA at FedEx. Over the course of our 50-year history, we’ve introduced gamechanging digital innovations like package scanning and tracking – setting the industry bar for consumers and businesses alike by creating what was up to that point an unimagined level of visibility.

Because of our early focus on digital and the scale of our physical operations, we have one of the richest data sets in the world today. That being said, our digital strategy isn’t really about data; it’s about problem-solving and unlocking new value for our customers. We’re helping our internal users and external customers clearly define their business problems – whether that’s an operations manager in the hub trying to recover a critical package during a winter weather event, or a customer trying to find the most sustainable route for shipping their packages – and using insights from our data to build solutions.

“DRIVE was introduced as a way to drive business results and build resilience into our network. It is not a project, it is not a single event with a finish line, and it is not a cost-cutting exercise.

DRIVE is a collective effort to optimize our network, improve service, reduce structural costs, strengthen our performance culture, and perhaps most important, establish a strong accountability framework for FedEx to thrive long-term.”

Empathy for the end user underpins every part of our digital strategy. The centralized data platform we’ve built at FedEx Dataworks is like fuel for machine learning and AI technologies, and we’re experimenting with exciting new applications every single day – working to get predictive, anticipate what’s next, and build flexibility into our network. But empathy always stays at the forefront; even the most powerful technologies in the world are useless if we don’t understand our customer and the context in which they’re operating.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership and how do you describe your management style?

As I mentioned in a previous answer, we have a few principles that define our culture at Fedex Dataworks. These are reflected in my own leadership style:

Growth mindset and inclusion: I believe there is rarely just one solution to a problem or one “right” answer to a question. As a leader, it’s important to stay curious and embrace diversity of thought. I try to create an environment where my teams know that disagreement is okay – in fact it can be highly productive – as long as it comes from a place of curiosity and respect. When presented with a new idea or proposal, instead of asking why, which can lead to a limited mindset, I encourage my teams to ask, “why not?” which reflects a growth mindset. It’s a small difference but opens a world of possibilities.

Bias for action: There’s an old adage that says the only constant in life is change, and that is certainly true of our world today. Most people aren’t comfortable with ambiguity. It’s natural to feel paralyzed or stuck when the future isn’t certain, but I believe times of change and ambiguity are incredible opportunities for growth. As a leader, I try to give my teams the backing and confidence they need to move forward with their ideas and be limitless in their belief of what’s possible – especially when the future isn’t clear. I call this having a bias for action – and it’s one of our core principles at FedEx Dataworks.

Accountability: In our day-to-day roles, it’s easy to get caught up in activities and lose sight of outcomes. The ability to clearly communicate priorities and then hold ourselves and our teams accountable to deliver tangible results is crucial for anyone in a leadership position.

In my position, I try to set a clear vision, remove obstacles when necessary, and empower my teams to take ownership of results. Every decision does not need to go through me. This sense of accountability should permeate all levels of the organization – from the interns to the C-suite.

You have been with FedEx for more than 25 years. What has made the experience so special for you?

On a personal level, FedEx has given me the agency to reinvent my career several times over. I’ve moved 18 times across six different countries during my 25 years with FedEx. My career has taken me and my family all over the globe, and I’ve had the opportunity to work with some incredibly talented and smart people along the way. This exposure to diverse ways of thinking and working has helped foster the growth mindset I mentioned earlier – I’ve been afforded the opportunity to take risks, embrace experimentation, and approach problems with a fresh perspective.

Throughout my career, I’ve also had a front row seat to the role FedEx plays in driving global commerce. Our purpose statement – connecting people and possibilities around the globe – is at the heart of everything we do. Whether we’re distributing lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines, delivering aid in the wake of a natural disaster, or helping an entrepreneur get their e-commerce business off the ground, our work matters and that’s something that consistently motivates me. And we are just getting started. •

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Meeting The Needs Of The 21st Century

EDITORS’ NOTE On November 6, 2018, the people of Wisconsin voted Tony Evers the 46th governor of Wisconsin. Four years later, on November 8, 2022, Wisconsinites re-elected him as governor. Prior to his election in 2018, Evers served as the Wisconsin State Superintendent of Public Instruction, winning statewide elections in 2009, 2013, and 2017. With over three decades of public education experience, Evers has spent most of his life fighting for Wisconsin’s kids. He began his career in education, first as a science teacher in Baraboo before going on to serve families, students, and communities across the state, including in Tomah, Oakfield, Verona, and Oshkosh. Born and raised in Plymouth, Wisconsin, Evers graduated from Plymouth High School and earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

After years of disinvestment in education under the previous administration, I’ve signed three consecutive state budgets that provided historic investments in education at every level by increasing funding for special education, school mental health, sparsity aid for rural schools, and school transportation costs. The most recent budget I signed provided more than $1 billion in spendable revenue for K-12 schools – that’s money that can be used in the classroom for our kids. I was also proud to use my broad constitutional veto authority to ensure school districts will have continued, additive per pupil revenue adjustments of $325 every year for the next 400 years, providing districts with a level of predictable, long-term spending authority increases that they have not experienced in more than a decade.

and suicidal thoughts – and that’s especially true for teen girls, students of color, and LGBTQ kids. That was a large part of my decision to declare 2023 the Year of Mental Health, and it’s why I fought hard to secure $30 million in the most recent budget to continue support for school-based mental health programs statewide.

Whether it’s making sure kids have access to mental health services, ensuring kids aren’t hungry at school so they can focus on their coursework, helping with increased costs of classroom and school supplies due to national inflation, or retaining and recruiting educators and staff to keep class sizes small, we’ve made significant progress in doing what’s best for our kids and ensuring our schools have the tools to provide every kid a high-quality education. But we also know that much work remains, and we’re not letting up anytime soon.

What attracted you to public service?

Public service means a great deal to me –not just as governor, but also as a born-and-raised Wisconsinite. I grew up surrounded by healthcare workers, and I always wanted to follow in their footsteps and help people just like they did. Ultimately, that path ended up with me spending most of my life in education – first as a science teacher, then I became a principal, a superintendent, and the state superintendent – living and working in communities across our state.

To me, public service has always been about helping people, being a good neighbor and a good citizen, and doing what I can to give back to the community and the state that raised me and made me who I am today. And I’m proud that’s led to about 50 years of serving the great state of Wisconsin.

Will you discuss your administration’s efforts to improve education in Wisconsin and reform K-12 education?

I’ve always believed that doing what’s best for our kids is what’s best for our state. I’ve spent most of my life fighting for Wisconsin’s kids and schools, first as a science teacher, then later as a principal and state superintendent, and now as governor. Supporting and investing in our kids and our schools and improving outcomes to ensure our kids are successful both in and out of the classroom has been a central focus of my public service and my administration.

One issue impacting our kids and our schools that I’ve been particularly concerned about is the mental health crisis facing our youth. According to the latest report from the Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health, kids continue to report highly concerning levels of anxiety, depression, self-harm,

How is your administration preparing Wisconsin for the 21st Century by expanding high-speed, affordable internet and fixing roads and infrastructure?

We’re working hard to ensure Wisconsin has the infrastructure, workforce, and economy to meet the needs of the 21st Century. We have to have

The Hon. Tony Evers

An Interview with The Honorable Tony Evers, Governor, Wisconsin

Governor Tony Evers chats with kids at Mount Horeb Intermediate School in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, during Public Schools Week

reliable and affordable high-speed internet, good roads and bridges, accessible transit and transportation alternatives, and sustainable, resilient infrastructure in Wisconsin – these are all key to our state’s and our economy’s future success.

No administration in Wisconsin’s history has done more to expand access to high-speed internet than my administration has because we know that nearly everything about our economy, our workforce, and our way of life in the 21st Century depends upon it. And the longer it takes to get everyone connected, the more costly it will become for our state to catch up.

I created the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access and declared 2021 the Year of Broadband Access, and we’ve worked to deliver historic investments in broadband expansion over the last four years. I’m proud that with our state budget investments and the federal relief funds I’ve directed to broadband expansion, we are helping more than 400,000 homes and businesses get new or improved broadband services across the state.

Additionally, through President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are expecting to receive more than $1 billion in federal funds to continue our efforts to ensure every Wisconsinite has access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet.

When it comes to our roads and bridges, I ran for governor promising to fix the damn roads, find a long-term, sustainable solution to our transportation funding crisis, and invest in building 21st-century infrastructure to create stronger, more inclusive, and well-connected communities.

And we’ve gotten to work delivering on this promise. Since 2019, my administration has repaired and improved over 7,424 miles of roads and 1,780 bridges, including over 900 miles of road and over 200 bridges last year alone. We also worked with Minnesota and federal partners, including U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, to secure another $1 billion in

federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to replace the Blatnik Bridge in Superior, which is a critical economic driver and supports the largest port on the Great Lakes.

With so much gridlock and partisanship in Washington DC, what do you see as the key ingredients in getting action and achieving results?

It’s no secret that folks on either side of the aisle don’t always agree on every issue all the time, especially in Washington DC. But, for me, it always comes down to trying to do the right thing for Wisconsin and the people of our state. So, I’m proud that even though Republicans have had a supermajority and near-supermajority, respectively, in the Wisconsin State Legislature, we’ve still been able to find common ground and bridge partisan divides to deliver huge wins for Wisconsinites across our state.

This past year, for example, we worked together to enact some of our most important work yet. We passed significant bipartisan legislation to provide a generational increase in state support for local governments. Our most recent bipartisan budget made one of the largest investments in affordable housing in state history. And we were able to pass historic legislation to keep the Milwaukee Brewers and Major League Baseball in Wisconsin through 2050, ensuring future generations will grow up rooting for the home team just as so many of us have.

Most recently, I was proud to sign new, fair legislative maps that passed through the Wisconsin State Legislature with bipartisan support. That’s something most folks in our state never thought would be possible, but we focused on doing the right thing for the people of Wisconsin – and not any one political party or politician – and we got it done. Wisconsin isn’t a red or blue state – we’re a purple state – and now our maps will reflect this basic fact.

I always like to remind people that, despite what some people would have them believe or what gets covered on the news, there is a lot of bipartisan work happening in the State Capitol building, from addressing reckless driving to supporting our farmers and agricultural exports to bolstering financial literacy in schools statewide. I usually surprise people when I tell them that I actually end up signing far more bills than I veto each legislative session under divided government. I know it’s usually the vetoes that garner the most amount of news attention, but at the end of the day, I think we’ve been able to show that we can accomplish big things when elected officials put politics, partisanship, and egos aside and choose to do the right thing for our state and the people we serve.

With the success that your administration has achieved for Wisconsin, are you able to enjoy the process and take moments to celebrate the wins?

Absolutely. Working in a divided government, which we’ve done for the last five years, you learn to celebrate your wins every chance you get, especially when we’re able to work together in a bipartisan fashion to get things done. Any time we can do the right thing, find a solution to fix a problem, or make government work better for the people of this state, that’s a win in my book.

For example, I’ve been celebrating Wisconsin’s new, fair legislative maps that I signed into law in February. For the first time in over a decade, Wisconsin is no longer living under some of the most gerrymandered legislative maps in America. This is a big deal and a huge win for the people of our state, and something I’ve spent the last several years since I first ran for governor in 2018 fighting to secure.

I proposed legislative maps that the Wisconsin State Legislature adopted and passed with bipartisan support without any changes. Wisconsin’s new maps that I enacted are fair, responsive, and reflect the will of the people. Under these maps, we’ll see more competitive, contested races by making it more likely that legislative districts will flip from one party’s control to another when voters’ preferences change – that’s common sense, and it’s how our elections should work.

With these new, more competitive maps, elected officials on both sides of the aisle will actually have to listen and do what is best, not for their own political party, but for the people who elect them. I think we’ll see more compromise and good-faith efforts to work together and across the aisle, and we’ll be able to get some great things done for the people of Wisconsin. I’m hopeful we’ll finally be able to enact popular policies that we know have bipartisan support like Medicaid expansion, expanding paid family leave, and commonsense gun safety measures.

So, that’s something we’ve been celebrating and something I’m pretty jazzed about, and I always try to be present and take it in when we have historic moments and victories like these. I have the best job, and I feel fortunate every day to serve the state that made me who I am today.•

Governor Tony Evers fills potholes in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on his annual “Pothole Patrol” tour

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Transforming Cancer Care

An Interview with Michael Zinner, MD, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Medical Director, Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute and Baptist Health Cancer Care

EDITORS’ NOTE Dr. Michael Zinner is a world-renowned cancer surgeon and researcher. He was named founding CEO and Executive Medical Director of Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute and Baptist Health Cancer Care in October 2015. An expert in pancreatic-hepatobiliary diseases, Zinner joined Miami Cancer Institute from Dana-Farber/ Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center in Boston, where he was Clinical Director and Surgeon-inChief at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital from 1994 to 2015. He is also the Moseley Professor of Surgery, Emeritus at Harvard Medical School and founder of Harvard’s Center for Surgery and Public Health. Prior to his Boston experience, he was Chairman of the Department of Surgery at UCLA from 1988 to 1994. Zinner was co-founder and co-director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a multidisciplinary clinical program of surgeons, oncologists, radiation therapists, radiologists, and pathologists. The author of more than 265 peer reviewed academic papers, he was a member of the editorial boards of Annals of Surgery , Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery , and the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. From 2008 to 2010, Zinner served as Chairman of the Board of Governors, and then from 2016 to 2017 as the Chairman of the Board of Regents, of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) which has more than 80,000 members. He was the former Chairman of the Health Policy and Advocacy Committee of the College. Throughout his distinguished career, Zinner has been widely recognized for his extraordinary clinical accomplishments, his contributions to cancer treatment and research, and his mentorship to students, physicians and researchers worldwide. A Miami native, Zinner received his MD degree from the University of Florida and did his surgical residencies at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes in Baltimore.

expertise and advanced technology  –including the first proton therapy center in South Florida, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and one of the only radiation oncology programs in the world with each of the newest radiation therapies in one place  – to diagnose and deliver precise cancer treatments that achieve the best outcomes and improve the lives of cancer patients. The Institute offers an impressive roster of established community oncologists and renowned experts, clinical researchers and genomic scientists recruited from the nation’s top cancer centers. Selected as Florida’s only member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer (MSK) Alliance, Miami Cancer Institute is part of a meaningful clinical collaboration that affords patients in South Florida access to innovative treatments and ensures that the standards of care developed by their multidisciplinary disease management teams match those at MSK.

Will you highlight the history of Miami Cancer Institute and how you define its mission?

Baptist Health South Florida began planning for a standalone cancer center connected

to its flagship Baptist Hospital campus over a decade ago. They had reached out to several established cancer centers, including one I was associated with, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to give them advice in terms of building. The building project broke ground in 2014, and we opened our doors seven years ago. Miami Cancer Institute is an approximately 445,000 square-foot ambulatory facility connected by a bridge and a walkway to what is now a 950-bed general hospital, Baptist Hospital. We have grown in that period of time from what was about 24 physicians to what is now more than 120 physicians, and we have grown in volume to be among the largest cancer programs in the State of Florida. We see approximately 1,300 to 1,400 patients per day walk through the door. Our mission is to transform cancer care in our community and across the globe. We are living out our mission each day we offer the latest treatments and technologies, including all the radiation modalities under one-roof; have specialized experts able to treat every type of cancer; and are at the forefront of novel clinical trials that provide hope and push the boundaries of cancer care right here in South Florida while impacting the field of oncology research around the world.

INSTITUTION BRIEF Miami Cancer Institute (miamicancerinstitute.com) brings to South Florida access to personalized clinical treatments and comprehensive support services delivered with unparalleled compassion. No other cancer program in the region has the combination of cancer-fighting

Dr. Michael Zinner

What have been the keys to Miami Cancer Institute’s strength and leadership in the industry?

What we have been able to do is to not only recruit the best national and international talent in physicians and technical staff, but to also acquire the best technical equipment. We have been, in some cases, first or second in the nation in acquiring technologies that very few places have. For example, we have more radiation oncology equipment under one roof than any other center in the United States. That enables us to adapt the use of technology to what the patients’ needs are, as opposed to adapting the patient to whatever device we have. We think that is a game changer for approaching complex cancer patients.

How critical is innovation to Miami Cancer Institute?

Innovation is the heart of what we do. We are innovative not only regarding what I previously mentioned about equipment, but the application of that equipment. Another example is in regard to pancreatic cancer. This is one of the worst cancers we have to deal with, and we started a clinical trial to innovate the treatment of pancreatic cancer: we became the first in the United States, and then worldwide, to be able to publish this and double the survival rate for patients that could not have surgery in terms of treating pancreatic cancer. That is just one of the kinds of innovation that we have.

We have also begun first-in-human clinical trials, because, in terms of cancer care, we want to be on the cutting edge of where not only technology is, but also where research applying to humans is.

Will you discuss Miami Cancer Institute’s commitment to attract top talent and invest in its workforce?

When we opened the doors, we had a small contingent of physicians, but virtually

every single physician we have recruited has come from an established cancer center or an academic medical center where you or I would want to be treated. We are literally pushing the frontiers now. We are able to do that because Baptist Health South Florida has been incredibly supportive financially for us to do that, not only in the technology, but in the type of staff we have been able to recruit here in South Florida.

Our goal is to make it possible for anyone who lives in our region, or in Latin America and the Caribbean, to come to us and not have to travel outside the region for the highest technical and comprehensive cancer care possible. We believe that it is important for patients to be treated in their home environment, where their support systems are. That, too, can complement the complex cancer journey.

What are your views on the advances being made in cancer research and treatment?

Cancer care has changed dramatically over the last decade. The traditional forms of cancer care involve surgery to cut it out, chemotherapy to poison the cancer, and radiation to burn it out. Now there are new innovative techniques like immunotherapies, which use the body’s own immune system to fight the cancer. We have multiple research programs in immunotherapy to be able to use the body’s own mechanisms to treat and cure cancer. This is a major thrust of what we do.

We have over 300 clinical trials now –about half of them are therapeutic; the other half are following patients long term to see how they do. All of that contributes to the academic environment that is the basis for our growth at Miami Cancer Institute.

How important is it for Miami Cancer Institute to build a diverse and inclusive workforce?

We feel that diversity and inclusivity are very important, so much so that we established,

“We have more radiation oncology equipment under one roof than any other center in the United States.”

with outside donor help, the Center for Equity in Cancer Care and Research to reach out into our community to impact the care of underserved populations. It is appropriate to say that your cancer treatment and care should be dependent on your genetic code, not your ZIP code, and not based on where you live or the social determinants of health. Social determinants like transportation, appropriate food access, the workforce, and dependent care all play a role in supporting those underserved communities, and that is a very strong part of what we do.

Did you always know you had a passion to become a doctor and what has made the profession so special for you?

No, I didn’t. I started off wanting to be an engineer, and, in fact, my undergraduate degree is in engineering. I am even on the board of the engineering school I graduated from. So, no, I didn’t know I wanted to be a doctor until well along the way. It was after engineering school that I decided to go to medical school.

The patients are what make practicing medicine so special. I wish I could cure everyone who sat in front of me as a patient, but there is great joy for me, personally, in seeing patients that are either cured or whose symptoms are relieved, or in seeing that you are doing something to improve their health. It’s a personal enjoyment and a personal pride that I take home every day.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in pursuing a career in medicine?

It’s a noble profession – probably the noblest of professions – but it requires passion and dedication. Unlike other professions, this learned profession requires you to commit to it from the morning when you wake up until the moment you go to bed. That passion is what I tell young people to bring to the table.•

The New Epicenter Of Manhattan

An Interview with Vornado Realty Trust

COMPANY BRIEF

THE PENN DISTRICT (above and following pages)

Vornado Realty Trust (vno.com) is a preeminent owner, manager, and developer of office and retail assets. Vornado’s portfolio is concentrated in the nation’s key market – New York City – along with premier assets in both Chicago and San Francisco. Vornado is a real estate industry leader in sustainability policy. The company owns and manages over 27 million square feet of LEED certified buildings and received the Energy Star Partner of the Year Award, Sustained Excellence 2024. Vornado is listed on the NYSE and is a member of the S&P MidCap 400.

Will you highlight Vornado’s history and what have been the keys to Vornado’s industry leadership?

Throughout our history, Vornado has been defined by our vision, patience, and precision in execution. We’ve made it our business to dream and then deliver on bold, complex projects – THE PENN DISTRICT, which we have been amassing for over 40 years, chief among them. Our portfolio is concentrated in the nation’s key market – New York City – along with premier assets in Chicago and San Francisco. We were among the earliest adopters of sustainability measures throughout our portfolio. We currently manage more than 27 million square feet of LEED certified buildings and are a recent recipient of the Energy Star Partner of the Year Award, Sustained Excellence. Plans of grand scale demand unwavering commitment and perseverance to materialize. As we have demonstrated over time – on masterpieces like 731 Lexington Avenue and 220 Central Park South and now in THE PENN

DISTRICT – we are patient, even while facing market headwinds and other external challenges. We have built Vornado and our projects to withstand any market cycle, and our strategy has proven successful.

Will you discuss Vornado’s commitment to not just developing and creating buildings, but also building and creating stronger communities?

Our tenants are our partners, and we listen to them. What they are telling us is that the way they want to work is rapidly changing. There is a large and growing list of tenants who are rejecting the rigid, formal, closed-door model in favor of the less formal, creative, interactive West Side model. This has led us to think of our buildings as connected communities unto themselves. We’ve built the highest-quality amenities possible – flexible office space and conference centers, to vaulted lobbies that double as informal social spaces, to fitness options like wellness centers and pickleball, to food and beverage offerings that take you from a morning coffee to a late-night cocktail. Coupled with premium office space itself and a plethora of activations centered around education, wellness, culinary, and entertainment, you have a true physical ecosystem that is enriching and gives our tenants endless ways to come together.

What was the vision for THE PENN DISTRICT?

THE PENN DISTRICT is the new epicenter of Manhattan, and we are developing it as a dynamic new mixed-use campus that is already transforming people’s perception of the area. We are incredibly proud of PENN 1 and PENN 2, our trophy buildings at the heart of the district that sit directly atop mass transit, but we also fully own and control 10 million square feet with the ability to develop. We own virtually all of the street retail in and around Penn Station and have additionally invested millions of dollars in public realm improvements. We are raising the bar for what it’s like to work, dine, shop, and navigate through the neighborhood. Midtown’s center of gravity has shifted to the west and the south, and THE PENN DISTRICT is at the center of it all.

What should tenants and visitors expect when experiencing THE PENN DISTRICT?

THE PENN DISTRICT is unlike any other neighborhood in New York City. It sits directly above Penn Station, the busiest and most accessible transit hub in North America: over 650,000 people a day use Amtrak, 15 subway lines, the LIRR, NJ Transit and PATH trains, and will be joined by access to Metro North in 2027. It is home to Madison Square Garden, the world’s most famous arena; and such titans of industry as Amazon, Apple, Meta, Morgan Stanley, The Hartford, Cisco Systems, and Samsung, and others to be announced. We have cultivated the most authentic and sought-after New York City culinary offerings and brought them to THE PENN DISTRICT, including a newly announced Avra destination opening in Spring

2025, Bar Primi and Roberta’s Pizza opening this April, the recently opened Blue Ribbon Sushi and Steak, and the Moynihan Food Hall which offers both commuters and neighborhood locals diverse options on the go. The Irish Exit, the new bar from the team behind The Dead Rabbit, also recently opened in the Moynihan Food Hall. Later this year, Sunday Hospitality, owners of the internationally recognized Sunday in Brooklyn restaurant in Williamsburg and the popular Café Chelsea in the Hotel Chelsea, will open a restaurant at PENN 2 called The Grand Astro Room. It is equally important to note our “greening of the

district” efforts that will provide safe pedestrian plazas, trees and plantings, and quality activities throughout the public realm. In THE PENN DISTRICT, there will be something for everyone.

Will you highlight Vornado’s holdings in the District and its role in reimagining the neighborhood?

Vornado has long been and remains THE PENN DISTRICT’s largest owner, developer, and operator. Our holdings in THE PENN DISTRICT encompass over 10 million square feet of reimagined office, retail, and public realm space. At its heart are the redesigned and reprogrammed

PENN 1 and neighboring PENN 2 tower. We’ve reimagined these as a two-building connected campus that encompass 4.4 million square feet of premium office space. The redevelopment includes more than 140,000 square feet of new “WorkLife” amenities located across the first three floors of PENN 1.

These amenities, which are available to all tenants throughout our PENN DISTRICT holdings, incorporate The Landing, a full-service restaurant, bar, and private dining rooms; a grand social stair and bleacher seats; all new ground floor retail; a 35,000-square-foot wellness and fitness center with pickleball courts by Life Time; and 100,000 square feet of flexible workspace and conference facilities managed by Industrious. The redevelopment also entails several new and improved entrances to

Penn Station and the surrounding subway system; a reinvention of the district’s street level and belowgrade retail, including dozens of new food and beverage and health and wellness options; and an enhanced public realm, punctuated by acres of inviting new public plazas, lush landscaping, and widened sidewalks. This holistic approach means that anyone coming to THE PENN DISTRICT – for work or entertainment – will find a premium experience at their fingertips.

How critical is transportation access for THE PENN DISTRICT and do you see location as a competitive advantage for the development?

Over the course of two decades, we managed to assemble a major portfolio of development sites and trophy office properties

in the heart of the only district in New York City that offers a one-seat ride from New Jersey, Westchester, Long Island, the outer boroughs, and the northeast corridor. Being situated directly above North America’s busiest mass transit hub is at the very core of THE PENN DISTRICT’s identity. When you consider that the primary reason people want to work from home is the length of their commutes, you understand just how profound our competitive advantage is. Going to work, dining out, experiencing a live event in the district – it’s incredibly accessible from anywhere in the region. We’re proud to be an integral piece of the successful public-private partnership that is strategically redefining the transportation experience by building a host of new accessible entrances to Penn Station – including the recently opened 32nd Street Entrance we built in partnership with Amtrak – and the vital 33rd Street LIRR Concourse which we recently completed.

Vornado curated all-new retail spaces which now provide appealing options tailored to the full range of workers, residents, commuters, families, concertgoers, and other visitors who traverse the station on a daily basis. A host of food and beverage options are available any time of day – from Dunkin’ and Starbucks in the morning, to Dos Toros and Shake Shack for lunch, to Insomnia Cookies for a late-night snack – it’s all here in the new Penn Station.

How is Vornado approaching restaurant/food and beverage offerings at THE PENN DISTRICT?

As with all our efforts, we place enormous value on the highest-quality hospitality experience possible. We have been very intentional in curating a mix of local and national brands that offer something to everyone – and at a range of price points –both within Penn Station and at street level across THE PENN DISTRICT. As a result, the neighborhood is experiencing a restaurant renaissance, and each proprietor is excited to be an integral part of the elevated experience.

What are your views on New York’s future and the importance for people to be in an office to collaborate and build culture?

New York has long been and remains the most important city in America. It is the nation’s economic and cultural capital and the finance center of the world with the largest concentration of Fortune 500 headquarters. Our conviction about Manhattan’s future performance, importance, and even dominance is stronger than ever. Watching our buildings teem with activity has made us more resolute than ever that the urban office is the future of work. Companies will continue working to strike a balance when it comes to hybrid work policies and the right level of flexibility. But make no mistake, they now fully understand the productivity, collaboration, creativity, and cultural benefits inherent in bringing their workers together in person. We hope they join us in THE PENN DISTRICT.•

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Transforming The Financial Digital Landscape

An Interview with Nikki Katz, Head of Digital, Bank of America

EDITORS’ NOTE Nikki Katz leads the digital team delivering digital products and experiences for Bank of America’s 69 million clients. Katz is focused on powering client acquisition, loyalty, and relationship deepening across the enterprise via the bank’s suite of digital experiences. Prior to joining the bank in 2018, Katz was Vice President of Technology at Disney’s Parks, Experiences, and Consumer Products segment, where she led Disney’s retail, e-commerce, digital media, and gaming technology teams. Katz is an experienced digital strategy, product, design, and engineering leader. She launched her career as a software engineer at Yahoo and became a leader in driving digital transformation, delivery, and innovation across advertising, education, media, entertainment, and finance organizations. Katz was named to Fast Company’s Queer 50 list in 2022; recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal in 2020 among its “40 Leaders in their 40s”; named to Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in business list in 2018; selected as one of Diversity Journal’s Women Worth Watching list for 2017; and named one of STEMConnector’s Top 100 Diverse Corporate Leaders in 2015. Katz co-chairs the bank’s LGBTQ+ Executive Council composed of approximately 100 out-at-work executives who help guide Bank of America’s LGBTQ+ policies. Katz holds a BS in symbolic systems from Stanford University.

governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

What excited you about the opportunity to join Bank of America and made you feel it was the right fit?

Bank of America has been on a journey for more than a decade to transform our technology and business toward a digital future and to meet evolving client expectations, and it’s been exciting to be a part of that. While our uses for money remain the same – from paying for a meal to buying a home – the way we manage money has shifted. Financial matters are universal and impact all people; my role has given me the opportunity to pair my expertise in technology and user experience with my passion for creative problemsolving at scale to help millions of people manage their finances digitally so that they can enjoy today while planning for tomorrow.

How do you describe Bank of America’s culture and values?

We are committed to being a Great Place to Work for all of our 200,000-plus Bank of

America teammates and to focusing on our clients’ needs and our role in making their financial lives better. To achieve that, our culture prioritizes creating connection, fostering diversity and inclusion, driving accountability, and enabling opportunity across all areas of our company. At the end of the day, we want to be a company that people are proud to work for, where they do meaningful work, and where they feel cared for and able to achieve their goals.

Will you provide an overview of your role and areas of focus?

As the Head of Digital for Bank of America, I lead the team driving the innovation and development of digital products and experiences for our 57 million verified digital users. We’re responsible for the mobile, online banking, and investment experiences; our digital capabilities – including our virtual assistant Erica; and the digital tools used by financial center employees. By understanding the needs, motivations, and behaviors of our clients, we provide digital solutions that help them easily and securely manage their banking, lending, investing, and retirement needs – no matter where they are on their financial journey.

How is Bank of America’s digital team working to power client acquisition, loyalty, and relationship deepening across the enterprise?

Our clients engaged with our digital solutions at record rates in 2023, connecting with their finances more than 23.4 billion times through a combination of digital

COMPANY BRIEF Bank of America (bank ofamerica.com) is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,800 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 57 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations,

“By understanding the needs, motivations, and behaviors of our clients, we provide digital solutions that help them easily and securely manage their banking, lending, investing, and retirement needs – no matter where they are on their financial journey.”

Nikki Katz

“Our extensive digital capabilities and programs such as Preferred Rewards, a first-of-its kind loyalty program that recognizes the value of a client’s entire relationship with the bank, helps us to create life-long relationships with our clients, and has helped generate record levels of client satisfaction and retention among our members.”

logins and proactive alerts  – an all-time record high. As we continue to streamline our digital experience, leverage insights to help our clients on their financial journeys, we expect to only see these engagement numbers continue to increase.

We have made it easier than ever for our clients to monitor, manage, and optimize all of their finances through unified digital experiences and a unified financial relationship. Our extensive digital capabilities and programs such as Preferred Rewards, a first-of-its kind loyalty program that recognizes the value of a client’s entire relationship with the bank, helps us to create life-long relationships with our clients and has helped generate record levels of client satisfaction and retention among our members.

Will you provide an overview of Bank of America’s market-leading AI virtual assistant Erica?

Erica is the most advanced and first widely available virtual financial assistant and is available to our clients 24/7 through our mobile banking app. Since launching in 2018, clients have interacted with Erica nearly 2 billion times to address everyday financial needs.

Erica can quickly respond to voice, text chat, or on-screen interactions from clients who need assistance with financial tasks, like finding your routing number or moving money between accounts, while also proactively delivering personalized insights and advice at key moments. Erica acts as both a personal concierge and mission control for your finances offering financial guidance such as providing a weekly snapshot of month-to-date spending, scheduling face-to-face meetings, and flagging recurring charges, so clients know when to take action and make adjustments to their savings and spending.

How important is it for Bank of America to connect clients across the consumer and wealth management lines of business, and will you discuss this effort?

We continue to make significant investments to enhance our digital offerings so that it’s easier than ever for clients to manage their finances across all their relationships with us

at Bank of America. This year, we are realizing our goal of unifying our mobile capabilities by bringing together banking, investing, retirement, and wealth management into one personalized experience so that clients will be able to access their full financial picture with us in one view – putting them at the center of the experience with our full enterprise at their fingertips. This allows all our clients, regardless of their relationship mix with us, to utilize our advanced digital capabilities, enabling them to monitor and manage their entire financial life with us in one place.

Will you highlight Bank of America’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, and how critical diversity is for the digital team?

Bank of America has been recognized year-over-year as a leader in diversity and inclusion, not just in our industry, but among major corporations. We believe that everyone should be able to bring their whole selves to work.

Our diversity – in thought, style, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, age, ability, military status, financial status, experience, and more –makes our team stronger and is essential for us to serve our clients. Banking and financial wellness are not one-size-fits-all. To provide 69 million unique and individualized experiences

to each of our clients, our team needs to be comprised of diverse viewpoints, skills and life experiences.

Across our organization, we’ve cultivated 11 Employee Resource Groups that help to create an environment where all our team members feel welcome and comfortable at work. As co-chair of our LGBTQ+ Executive Council composed of approximately 100 out-atwork executives who help guide Bank of America’s LGBTQ+ policies, I can personally attest to how critical it is to be able to show up authentically at work and to the high level of support I have seen and felt from the bank which has helped enable my success here as well as so many others’.

What do you feel are the keys to building more interest and involvement for women and girls in STEAM and engineering?

I think the interest to go into a career related to STEAM or engineering is there, but unfortunately, for some women, the opportunity is lacking. It’s an area I’ve been passionate about my entire career. In a previous role, I had the privilege of creating and running an innovative program to drive gender diversity in technology organizations. The program supports female employees in non-technical roles and takes them through an education and apprenticeship program that realigns them into software engineering roles. This program was created to target those who are interested in tech but don’t necessarily have training in that area and give them the opportunity to merge their existing skills with new technology expertise and pivot to careers in a variety of highgrowth tech-related fields.

What are your priorities for Bank of America’s digital efforts as you look to the future?

We’re constantly transforming the financial digital landscape by leveraging the latest and most innovative technologies while at the same time still providing human connection through in-person guidance from our thousands of specialists across our financial centers network. As we move forward in an increasingly digital world, we leverage client feedback and data analytics to better understand our clients and to continuously meet their evolving needs.•

“We’re constantly transforming the financial digital landscape by leveraging the latest and most innovative technologies while at the same time still providing human connection through in-person guidance from our thousands of specialists across our financial centers network.”

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Choose To Be Extraordinary

EDITORS’ NOTE

An Interview with Dr. Nido R. Qubein, President, High Point University

Dr. Nido Qubein became the seventh President of High Point University in January 2005. Since that time, enrollment has quadrupled, campus has expanded from 90 to 520 acres, and academic schools have grown from 3 to 14. Qubein came to the United States as a teenager with limited knowledge of English and only $50 before going on to build business partnerships in banking, real estate, publishing, and retail businesses. Prior to his role as HPU President, Qubein rose to prominence as an internationally known author and consultant who has given more than 7,500 presentations worldwide. He has served on the corporate boards of several Fortune 500 companies including Truist, the sixth largest bank in the nation, La-ZBoy, and FinThrive Healthcare. Qubein is also executive chairman of the Great Harvest Bread Company. Among numerous honors and recognitions he has received, Qubein is an inductee of the Horatio Alger Association for Distinguished Americans, along with Oprah Winfrey and Colin Powell.

What have been the keys to High Point University’s growth and leadership?

At High Point University, we are laser focused on the personal and professional transformation of our students. Everything is built around that. College should be more than just obtaining a diploma. An extraordinary, holistic education should be about professional development and personal transformation as well.

Our campus is a physical manifestation of this. HPU has more than quadrupled the size of campus, more than tripled enrollment, and grown from three to 14 academic schools. But the outcomes of our students and the success they achieve after graduation are the results of a transformational learning environment.

As a university president, I believe that leadership should always be forward thinking. It must be realized fully through the prism of the long-term, future view. We are growing thoughtfully and meaningfully on merit and by design. HPU has grown not only in our number of students, but in the academic programs we

offer. HPU has launched several new schools in nursing, optometry, dental medicine, law, and entrepreneurship. We are attracting students from across the nation and the world.

As a leader, you can’t do it alone. You have to create capacity. You lead by developing and bringing out the best in others by entrusting them with tasks and responsibilities that will stretch them and help them grow. Do that and whomever you lead will thrive. I’ve seen that happen. So has my friend, Dr. John Maxwell, the #1 leadership speaker in the world and the Executive Coach in Residence at High Point University, one of dozens of thought leaders mentoring students in our Access to Innovators program. Here’s what Maxwell told me a few months ago: “I tell people that leadership is all about influence, and they ask me how they can increase their influence. I tell them to intentionally add value to people on a daily basis. The moment you intentionally add value to people, they begin to influence you.”

How do you define HPU’s culture and values?

At HPU, students learn that their values are the foundation on which they stand. On

UNIVERSITY BRIEF Founded in 1924, High Point University (highpoint.edu) is a liberal arts institution located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. “America’s Best Colleges” 2024 Edition, published by U.S. News & World Report, ranks HPU #1 among all regional colleges in the South (the twelfth consecutive year at number one). It also ranked HPU for the ninth consecutive year as the #1 Most Innovative Regional College in the South for innovation in curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology, and facilities. HPU was named for the thirteenth consecutive year to the national “Colleges of Distinction” list. HPU also earned Fields of Study distinctions for the Phillips School of Business and the Stout School of Education. The Princeton Review named High Point University as one of the nation’s top institutions for undergraduate education. The Princeton Review also named HPU in the 2024 edition of “The Best 389 Colleges” and on the Best Southeastern Colleges “2024 Best Colleges: Region by Region” list. HPU was also recognized among the Top 20 in the nation for Best-Run Colleges, Best Career Services, Most Beautiful Campus, Most Active Student Government Association, Best College Dorms, and Best Campus Food, as well as a Great School for Business/Finance Majors and a Great School for Communication Majors.

Dr. Nido R. Qubein

In the First-Year Seminar on Life Skills that I teach for all freshmen, I share with our students that life is about both success and significance. I always tell them that applying your talents without thinking of your values and principles is like using your car’s accelerator without touching the steering wheel.

Will you discuss HPU’s focus and commitment to teaching life skills and how this focus is at the heart of HPU’s mission?

High Point University is the Premier Life Skills University. Beyond the diploma, HPU students embrace a growth mindset, understanding that talent and abilities can be developed through hard work, learning new strategies and collaborating with others.

High Point University’s Survey Research Center has twice surveyed C-suite executives nationwide to find out what they want in their future hires and what traits, characteristics and attitudes they see in their current employees that make them successful. These executives lead businesses with anywhere from 5,000 to 25,000 employees, and the answers they gave us are resounding. But what we discovered is what I expected. The skills needed to succeed never change. We all need team players, people who

“High Point University is the Premier Life Skills University. Beyond the diploma, HPU students embrace a growth mindset, understanding that talent and abilities can be developed through hard work, learning new strategies and collaborating with others.”

their earliest visits to campus, I tell parents and students that HPU is grounded in values –hard work, personal initiative, generosity, gratitude, faith, and more. Parents spend their lives modeling values for their children. When they send their student to a university, they want it to uphold and further those values. And when students choose a university, they want an institution that will serve as an extension of their home.

Our culture promotes the values of generosity, gratitude, hard work, personal initiative, and joy, among others. Values such as these built our nation, and we ensure students live in an environment that models those same values. Values cannot merely be taught; they must be modeled for students. I remind our faculty and staff that we live, students watch and students learn.

The values of God, family and country are clearly embraced on our campus. American flags fly next to sculptures of bald eagles and historical thought leaders, with quotes inscribed in sidewalks. You’ll find these words there from Roy E. Disney, son of co-founder Roy O. Disney and nephew of Walt Disney of The Walt Disney World Company: “When your values are clear, making decisions becomes easier.”

Cameron Scott (center), HPU graduate and MLB executive, at HPU’s Presidential Scholar Program Weekend

Charlie Freeman, HPU’s Sports Business Executive in Residence, mentors students

High Point University. Like David, HPU has an entrepreneurial mindset.

The David S. Congdon School of Entrepreneurship will be North Carolina’s first private school of entrepreneurship and one of only two in the state when it opens in 2025. Here’s what is unusual about the School of Entrepreneurship: It will not be starting from an embryonic stage. We already have programs, including a department of entrepreneurship. From day one, this school will have hundreds of students. It is part of the next major wave of growth on our campus, which is well underway with a $400 million investment in academic expansion and construction projects supported by $100 million in gifts from three generous families. On the Innovation Corridor, construction has begun on the Workman School of Dental Medicine and Kenneth F. Kahn School of Law. HPU’s Innovation Corridor also houses the Congdon School of Health Sciences and Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy. By creating a centralized hub for graduate education, HPU students will benefit from interdisciplinary learning by connecting and collaborating with each other.

Clearly, we have intentionally launched new schools that graduate the type of leaders the world needs.

“At HPU, we educate our students not only on the important subject matter in the classroom, but just as importantly, on how they must embrace an optimistic attitude, develop a growth mindset, and engage in constant learning to best apply their technical knowledge.”

are coachable, communicate well, collaborate always and are never afraid to say, “We can figure that out.” I call these life skills.

At HPU, we educate our students not only on the important subject matter in the classroom, but just as importantly, on how they must embrace an optimistic attitude, develop a growth mindset, and engage in constant learning to best apply their technical knowledge. This is what is required to thrive in the world as it’s going to be.

What was the vision for creating a new School of Entrepreneurship at HPU?

The addition of a School of Entrepreneurship was announced in 2022 along with schools of law, nursing, and optometry – bringing HPU to 14 academic schools, up from just three in 2005 when I accepted this position as president of my alma mater.

HPU recently received a substantial and generous 8-figure gift from my longtime friend, David S. Congdon, executive chairman of Old Dominion Freight Lines Inc., one of the nation’s leading transportation companies. It is a mammoth undertaking to begin an academic school at a university. We are grateful for David Congdon’s spirit of generosity and advocacy for

Qubein

HPU students gaining experience by participating in summer undergraduate research

Will you provide an overview of the curriculum?

HPU has embraced incorporating “FIO” skills, or figure-it-out skills, throughout our curriculum. We attract many forward-thinking students with creative, entrepreneurial minds. For more than a decade, our students have pitched their business ideas to a panel of judges and earned thousands of dollars in start-up funds during the annual Business Plan Competitions and Elevator Pitch Competitions. The Elevator Pitch Competition is also part of HPU’s Global Entrepreneurship Week, an international initiative that introduces entrepreneurship to young people across the globe.

HPU is also a place that attracts global entrepreneurs who have changed the world. As a few examples, Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph serves as HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence and Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak serves as HPU’s Innovator in Residence. They visit campus to work closely with students and guide them on how to launch and grow their businesses. What other university can say that?

Entrepreneurship and innovation are the #1 ways to impact any global economy, according to HPU’s Intellectual Property Expert in Residence, JiNan Glasgow George. Our students will benefit from HPU opening the School of Entrepreneurship instead of simply making entrepreneurship a major within our business school. With its interdisciplinary and business foundational approach, this new school will equip students with the life skills and mindset to start their own businesses and create economic opportunities and social value.

The School of Entrepreneurship will offer multiple undergraduate degree options, starting with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Entrepreneurship, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Sales, a Bachelor of Arts in Event Management, and a Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Management.

HPU has also developed a School of Nursing. Will you highlight the School of Nursing and the impact that it will have for HPU?

High Point University has an excellent reputation for establishing undergraduate and graduate-level degrees in healthcare education, and the School of Nursing is a continuation of our commitment to prepare graduates for the world as it will be. The School of Nursing joins the Congdon School of Health Sciences, the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, and the Workman School of Dental Medicine on our campus, with more programs and schools in development, including the School of Optometry.

Dr. Racquel Ingram, an Amy V. Cockcroft Nurse Fellow in Nursing Leadership with 26 years of nursing experience, is leading the School of Nursing as its founding dean. She has 23 years as a nurse educator with expertise in nursing curriculum and program development and 19 years of nursing leadership. Dr. Ingram joined HPU’s Congdon School of Health Sciences in 2021 as founding chair and assistant professor for the Department of Nursing, where she worked to lay the groundwork for a nursing

curriculum along with Drs. Daniel Erb, provost, and Kevin Ford, dean of the Congdon School of Health Sciences. The Bachelor of Science in nursing program welcomed its inaugural class in fall 2022.

Establishing a school of nursing provides opportunities for HPU to develop additional undergraduate and graduate-level programs. Since joining HPU, Dr. Ingram has assembled a staff of nurse educators who are committed to excellence and interdisciplinary care.

Students learn in a 50,000-square-foot state-of-the-art nursing complex that includes a 16-bed skills lab with 14 diverse simulators modeling an acute care environment, as well as three high-fidelity simulation suites for adult health, pediatric and maternal/newborn care.

A community of career advisors, study abroad advisors, peer mentors, and others support the holistic growth of our students. And I teach the Freshman Seminar on Life Skills so that I, personally, can mentor students on matters important to the marketplace.

Though they will be 20-something-yearsold when they graduate, with the benefit of mentorship and directed experiences, HPU graduates will have amassed the wisdom usually acquired over many years.

“Our goal here is to plant seeds of greatness in the minds, hearts and souls of our students.”

Last fall, HPU welcomed approximately 6,040 students, once again its largest number of students in school history. The incoming freshman class represented many milestones. The class had the highest averages for unweighted GPA and SAT scores in school history, as well as the largest international student population. Twenty percent of the class represent first-generation students. The future remains bright at HPU as we celebrate our centennial anniversary in 2024, when we also plan to welcome inaugural cohorts of students in our schools of dental medicine and law.

Life is not about perfection. Life is about excellence. Our call here is to choose to be extraordinary. The circumstances in which you find yourself today do not determine where you end up. They only define where you start. We want students here who want to call this home. Parents give their children roots. At High Point University, we give them wings.

What do you feel are the keys to providing a quality education for the future?

Under your leadership, HPU continues to innovate and expand its offerings for its students. Where do you see additional opportunities for growth for HPU?

We remain committed to transforming the lives of our students and preparing them for the world as it will be. When we first set out to build a transformational university, we paid attention to the demands and opportunities of the global marketplace. In a world where technical skills inevitably become obsolete faster than ever, we knew our students needed the latest technology but also much more. They needed life skills.

HPU has established itself as The Premier Life Skills University. We have built an ecosystem of support to ensure students experience meaningful guidance throughout their educational journey. Every freshman has a professional success coach who either specializes in their major or assists students who have yet to declare their field of study.

Our Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works has introduced a Research Rookies program that encourages freshmen to prepare for high-level research with a faculty advisor as soon as they arrive, rather than waiting until they are upperclassmen.

When you read about college rankings and all the information thrown at students when it’s time for them to make a college decision, it’s easy to get lost. Let me tell you what I believe. It’s not about rankings, though I’m very proud of the top rankings that we have earned at High Point University. It’s not about where a school is located. It’s not even about the major that a student selects. It’s all about results. The thing that matters most is what students do with their lives and how they are prepared through college to succeed in life after college.

Our goal here is to plant seeds of greatness in the minds, hearts and souls of our students. For students, the goal isn’t to just thrive in class. It’s to maximize the experiential education experience only found at The Premier Life Skills University. It’s one thing to teach content. Students can learn about math and history at any university, but we want to teach context in addition to content. Our students learn through mentorship and by practicing skills they will need to succeed in their careers. Quality comes from a steady stream of little improvements. Over time, these have a major benefit for the future.

Every day, we ask ourselves this question: How can we provide an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people? And every day, we work tirelessly to make sure our educational model meets the demands of the marketplace and provides our students with transformational, invaluable opportunities.•

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Excellence Without The Arrogance

EDITORS’ NOTE Jonathan Edward Alpert, MD, PhD, is Dorothy and Marty Silverman Chair, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Montefiore Einstein and Professor, Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Alpert’s clinical focus centers on the evaluation and treatment of complex mood and anxiety disorders.

After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts at Yale College in 1977, Alpert earned his Doctor of Medicine at Yale University in 1986. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy in behavioral pharmacology at the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England, in 1987 on a Marshall Scholarship. Alpert completed residency training in pediatrics at the Boston Children’s Hospital in 1989. He then completed his psychiatry residency at McLean Hospital in 1992, where he was Chief Resident in psychopharmacology in his final year. He then held faculty and leadership roles at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School through 2017.

Alpert’s research focuses on the treatment and biomarkers related to major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. He has been principal investigator and co-investigator on numerous funded research projects and his work has been published in many peerreviewed publications. Alpert serves on the editorial board of several psychiatry journals and has over 240 publications. He has also given many national and international invited presentations.

Alpert is a member of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology, the American College of Psychiatrists, the Association of Chairs of Departments of Psychiatry, the Society of Biological Psychiatry and the Anxiety and Depression Association, among others. He chairs the Council on Research of the APA. Alpert has received teaching, mentorship and service awards from the Massachusetts General Hospital, Partners HealthCare, Harvard Medical School, the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance, the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and the American Psychiatric Association.

INSTITUTION

BRIEF

Montefiore Medicine (montefiore.org) is a leading academic medical organization comprised of Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Together they are pioneering patient-centered research and providing exceptional personalized care with over six million patient interactions a year in communities across the Bronx, Westchester and the Hudson Valley. Montefiore Health System is comprised of 10 member hospitals, including the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, White Plains Hospital, and more than 200 outpatient ambulatory care sites that provide coordinated, comprehensive care to patients and their families. Albert Einstein College of Medicine, home to nearly 1,000 students in its MD, PhD, and combined MD/PhD programs, is one of the nation’s preeminent centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation.

How do you describe Montefiore’s culture and values?

From my perspective, Montefiore and Albert Einstein College of Medicine together represent one of just a few institutions where the twin goals of promoting biomedical science (including basic science research) and health equity are so effectively entwined.

As a single academic health system serving more than 1.4 million people in the Bronx, one of the most diverse and economically poorest communities in the country, Montefiore Einstein is ever aware of its responsibilities to invest in the “health and wealth” of the Bronx and other similar places, through science, respect, and active partnerships. Many of our basic science departments sponsor pipeline programs for Bronx high school students like BEYOND ALBERT and local college students. Often faculty members who have NIH funding and roles in national organizations provide expert care to

Dr. Jonathan E. Alpert

An Interview with Jonathan E. Alpert, MD, PhD, Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Professor of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Pediatrics, Montefiore Einstein

Bronx patients and families. Addressing social factors that impact health are part of our routine; access to nutritious food, education, transportation, green spaces, parenting supports, and safe housing is understood to be critical to the overall health and well-being of our community.

Will you provide an overview of your role and areas of focus?

As chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, my overriding focus is on advancing access to state-of-the-field, culturally responsive mental healthcare in the Bronx and surrounding regions. Another important effort is nurturing a department that serves as a model for other academic psychiatry teams serving diverse urban communities in under-resourced areas across the country.

My role includes working with colleagues to build strong general adult and child programs, offering treatment to individuals and families contending with mental illness and addictions. Additionally, we partner with other departments and programs – from Pediatrics, OB GYN, our NCI-designated Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Transplant Surgery, Medicine, Family Medicine, to Emergency Medicine – to integrate core mental health services and supports for each of these patient populations. For me, education and mentorship of the future generation of leaders in psychiatry and psychology is particularly meaningful. By training truly outstanding academically oriented, community focused mental health leaders we can improve access to mental healthcare for generations to come.

What have been the keys to the strength and leadership of Montefiore’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences?

“Excellence without the arrogance” is a defining strength within Montefiore Einstein Psychiatry and across the health system. As a community of academic psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals and staff, we strive to conduct ourselves with professional and cultural humility in the service of delivering exceptional patient care, training, and scholarship.

We understand that accomplishing the mission really well – whether that mission involves a new clinical program, research project, or community initiative – is far more important than the individual who sits at the front of the table or who gets “credit.” Fortunately, our department is full of true team players and recognizes that most goals require a diversity of perspectives, skills, and multiple devoted hands-on deck, a philosophy I try to nurture by example.

Most of us, at some point in our journeys, decided on our career paths with the goal of earning the privilege of using our intellect, drive, education and values to helping others lead the best lives they can lead. In this respect our department draws enormous strength from the Bronx communities we serve. I believe we see less burnout among staff at Montefiore Einstein, versus places that have become more “corporatized” and detached from their communities. Being able to partner with the people of the Bronx, to support and advance the mental health, is a daily reminder of why we chose to do what we do; this is hugely energizing and grounding.

Will you discuss your views on the mental health crisis and what needs to be done to effectively address mental health concerns?

What we often refer to as “the mental health crisis” has multiple dimensions, reflecting both distinctly negative trends and a few that are positive.

On the negative side, over the past decade, rates of premature death from drug overdose have dramatically increased, while high rates of suicide persist among groups such as youth of color, which had for a time relatively lower rates of suicide. In the U.S., there is a substantial shortage of skilled mental health professionals for the growing number of people seeking mental health services, often translating into long wait times and in all too many instances, no care or putative care that does not meet evidence-based guidelines.

It is positive to see an increasing number of medical students with interest in psychiatry

programs across the country, but we need to increase the number of residency training slots to meet the growing demand for expert care. Training allied professionals like nurse practitioners, who can team with psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers to provide skilled care, is another step. We are learning also about the role of peer navigators, and how people with lived experience of mental illness or addiction, can provide additional scaffolding and practical support. I’m proud to share we were recently designated as a New York State Office of Mental Health Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (COE) and awarded a $7 million grant as part of this program. Through this funding, we plan to pilot new models of care, including programs where people who have had firsthand experiences with mental health conditions will provide support as patients transition to community settings.

Also among the positives is the increased number of people reaching out for care, which is not simply a reflection of a challenging era but also a demonstration of success in combating stigma against mental illness, addiction, and its treatments. Far more people, including from communities in which mental illness and addiction were historically viewed as flaws or even sins, are more knowledgeable about mental illness and the safe and effective treatments available.

At a societal level, we need to continue to learn about and address challenges to mental health, ranging from cyberbullying to social isolation.

At a population health level, we should proactively teach mental health skills and resilience building in classrooms, faith-based settings, and other community organizations, which are increasingly receptive to partnerships with mental health professionals. Early intervention such as providing very basic skills from cognitive behavioral therapy to children in middle school may help address some problems before they escalate and need formal treatment. We know that 74 percent of Bronx high school students report high levels of stress and anxiety and sadly, suicide among Bronx children ages 5-17 has doubled in the past decade. To begin to address these needs, Montefiore debuted the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Emergency Service in our Children’s Hospital in 2019 and more recently opened an Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) last year.

At a clinical level, we need to ensure access to high quality, affordable mental healthcare is greatly expanded – through a concerted collaboration between insurers, mental health professionals, and state oversight bodies. Currently, few mental health professionals accept insurance products and when services are reimbursed payments are often not sufficient to cover the costs of care. As a result, while insurance companies appear to have ample provider networks, people who try to access mental health services end up with lists of clinicians who no longer accept patients. All too often, only individuals affluent enough to pay out of pocket can access care. Montefiore has practices which accept insurance, helping more patients get affordable care.

Montefiore Behavioral Health Center at Westchester Square

How is Montefiore Einstein using a blend of research, education, and care to help partner with its patients to manage mental health concerns?

True partnership is the critical concept here. Some of the most impactful research we conduct at Montefiore Einstein involves stakeholders who actively participate in the formulation of research questions during the initial design, maximizing the usefulness to our community. Patient and family advisory groups inform the direction of our clinical programs and help us improve upon how we deliver care.

In the first weeks of their training, our psychiatry and psychology interns visit the neighborhoods we serve and are introduced to the critical importance of respect, empowerment, hope, and empathic curiosity – these elements are key to building trust and collaboration. From my vantage point, there is a remarkable absence of a towngown divide between Montefiore Einstein and the Bronx communities. Instead, there is a recognition that we are all in it together to address mental health concerns affecting our communities.

What are some of the new models of care, both in New York and across the nation, to help fill traditional care gaps?

Montefiore Einstein has been a national leader in behavioral health integration, which is the addition of mental health services into primary care offices and offers the Montefiore School Health Program, the largest most comprehensive school health program in the country linked to an academic medical center.

More recently, Montefiore Einstein is among the pioneers of reverse integration, in which primary care medical services are co-located in mental health or addiction clinics. People with serious mental illness (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder) or addiction live on average 15-20 fewer years, primarily due to premature death from common causes such as heart disease, respiratory illness, and cancer. Reverse integration aims to address this glaring health disparity by delivering high quality medical care in locations where these patient populations already receive much of their care from teams they trust.

Multidisciplinary programs represent another model that provides “whole person” care for patients and their families as they seek treatment for complex and life-altering conditions. Our new Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Brain Health Center brings together neurologists, neurosurgeons, psychiatrists, psychologists, and case managers to provide holistic care for individuals with conditions such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, or stroke as well as mental health supports for their caregivers.

Given shortages in the mental health workforce, often pediatricians, family medicine physicians and obstetricians are at the front lines of evaluating and treating patients with mental health challenges. New models of care such as ProjectTeach in New York, in which Montefiore Einstein participates, or MCPAP in Massachusetts, are designed to remotely provide expert consultation in pediatric and perinatal psychiatry, as well as training and resources for nonpsychiatric colleagues who are an invaluable component of mental healthcare for a majority of patients.

The incorporation of peer navigators into mental health programs is another important model increasingly adopted at Montefiore Einstein and nationally. People with mental health or addiction challenges often struggle with care transitions, moving from inpatient care to their first outpatient appointment is a time of high risk and loss to follow-up. Knowledgeable peers with lived experience can provide invaluable support to increase the likelihood of new patients successfully starting and continuing care they need.

Hybrid care models like partial hospitalization programs create an option for people who require intensive care but can safely return to the comfort of their homes in the evening. At Montefiore, we have plans for a new adult program that would allow up to 25 people at a time with severe mood and anxiety disorders spend the day (20+ hours weekly) in individual and group settings working towards their goals.

Did you know at an early age that you wanted to pursue a career in medicine and what has made the profession so special for you?

I was a relative latecomer to medicine, becoming a premed only in my junior year of college. I majored in psychology and philosophy with a long-standing intellectual interest in mind, brain, and behavior. Only after volunteering as a college sophomore at a school in New Haven for children and adolescents with autism did I recognize the profound and pervasive impact of neuropsychiatric conditions and the role physicians, including psychiatrists, can play in advancing knowledge about and treatment for these conditions.

I was also very fortunate at this time to come under the mentorship of a remarkable psychiatrist, Donald Cohen, who subsequently became director of the Yale Child Study Center, and to me his work represented the promise of contemporary psychiatry, bridging cutting edge insights from neuroscience and pharmacology with a deep-felt appreciation for the more humanistic dimensions of the field. Over decades in practice, the multifaceted richness of psychiatry remains an endless source of fascination and gratification for me. I remain ever grateful for the opportunity to be a physician. To be granted a license by society to use one’s training, skills, and values to provide care to fellow human beings at times of challenge in myriad intimate and respectful ways is truly a sacred privilege.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in pursuing a career in medicine?

As Aristotle wrote, “Where your talents and the needs of the world cross; there lies your vocation.” The world needs chefs, investment bankers, elementary school teachers, gardeners, sales managers, physicists, and poets. Medicine is an amazing vocation, but it is not unique in meeting far-ranging needs of society. If you are driven in equal measures by empathy and science, compelled not repelled by suffering, motivated to study hard not simply in order to be successful – but to be of value, thrive within the camaraderie of teams, and are willing to find ways to take good care of yourself while you take good care of others, you probably have the makings of a great physician.•

Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care - Westchester

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SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Building Better Communities

EDITORS’ NOTE Over the last 29 years at RXR, Todd Rechler has been instrumental in the successful planning, development, operation, integration, and management of over 11 million square feet of acquired and developed commercial, residential, industrial, and mixed-use property at RXR. Serving as Chief Construction and Development Officer and President of RXR’s Development and Construction Companies, Rechler is responsible for all RXR’s development and construction projects. Based in New York City, he provides direct oversight to both the locally developed projects in New York and the surrounding suburbs, such as White Plains, New Rochelle, and Yonkers, as well as RXR’s efforts towards national expansion, including new development opportunities in markets such as Tampa, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, and others throughout the country. Rechler is actively involved in the communities in which he works and lives. He is Vice Chair of Roger Williams University and Chairs the Real Estate Board.

Will you discuss your role leading RXR’s construction and development efforts?

We have a team of 150 people in our development and construction companies. We are working on dozens of projects each year ranging from development projects in the design and entitlements phase through vertical construction. Our construction team oversees development projects, redevelopments, capital improvement projects, and interior fit outs. We have a very collaborative process and an amazing team that think like an owner. We build for the long term. Unlike a general contractor who, when building out a tenants space is only there for the project, we partner with our tenants for their stay in our buildings.

How do you define RXR’s culture and values?

The overall philosophy that drives us as a company and a community leader is “Doing Good and Doing Well Means Doing Better.” This holds true within our office as well as outside our offices. Culturally we are

a big family at RXR. We support each other both at work and at home. We have a great group of team members here, and we have created a very collaborative, energetic work environment.

What have been the keys to the strength and leadership of RXR in the industry?

Our philosophy is the same inside and outside of the office. We build better communities. This holds true in all of our projects. Our commercial spaces are more comfortable, more efficient, and healthier for our commercial tenants. Our residential buildings are designed to give our residents a hospitality-like living environment like no other. We want our buildings to inspire our residents when they are leaving for their workday and comfort them when they return. Add to that our management team that creates a special community experience and you have a recipe for success.

Will you provide an overview of RXR’s portfolio and current development projects?

We have over 30 million square feet of commercial properties and over 9,400 units of multifamily. We are currently designing/

COMPANY BRIEF RXR (rxr.com) is an innovative real estate investment manager, operator, developer, and place-maker committed to applying a customer and community-centered approach to acquiring, operating, and building properties and to providing services and products that create enduring value for all stakeholders. Headquartered in New York with a nationally-scaled platform, RXR is a 450+ person, vertically integrated investment manager with expertise in a wide array of value creation activities, including acquisitions, asset and portfolio management, property operations, development, construction, leasing, and technological innovation. RXR is an active investor in real estate credit, rental housing, commercial property, and property technology through value-added and opportunistic investment strategies. The RXR platform manages 93 commercial real estate properties and investments with an aggregate gross asset value of approximately $18 billion, comprising approximately 30.5 million square feet of commercial properties, a multi-family residential portfolio of approximately 9,400 units under operation or development, and control of development rights for an additional approximately 3,000 multi-family and for sale units as of December 31, 2023. Gross asset value compiled by RXR in accordance with company fair value measurement policy and is comprised of capital invested by RXR and its partners, as well as leverage.

Todd Rechler

An Interview with Todd Rechler, Chief Construction and Development Officer, RXR

Artist renderings of 175 Park Avenue (above) and Two Clinton Park (top)

developing over 4 million square feet of commercial space including 175 Park Avenue, which will be a 2.3 million square feet office building with a 200 key hotel connected to Grand Central Station. It will have the highest occupied space in the Western Hemisphere with the hotel starting at over 1,200 feet up in the air.

We are developing a new terminal at JFK Airport. We are completing a multi-level logistics center in Red Hook, New York and have thousands of units of multifamily development underway including 390 units opening in a month at 2 Clinton Park in New Rochelle, and our recently completed 200-unit Maven project that just opened in the Bronx. We broke ground on Phase 2 of our project in Brooklyn which is in partnership with Long Island University and will have both academic space and multifamily residential. This year we will commence leasing at our Hamilton Green project in White Plains. This is 477 units in White Plains that will appeal to the “renter by choice” market and includes 26,000 square feet of entertainment retail. Outside of New York, we have residential projects underway in Denver, Dallas, and North Carolina and have recently completed projects in Phoenix and Tampa. All of these projects will be transformative for the markets they are in.

What are some of the changes taking place in construction today?

Today, we need to be even more efficient in the way we design and develop our assets. We have to design assets that are truly mixed projects. We see almost all developments becoming true mixed-use projects. Many include commercial space mixed with residential – maybe even hospitality and public space. At RXR, we are experts in the commercial world and experts in the residential world. We have a great public-private partnership model,

and when we blend all these together, we create successful projects that result in better communities for our tenants, residents, and neighbors. How important is it for RXR to not just create buildings, but to also create communities?

The key is the combination of what we are building and how we operate. We see higher retention levels in our commercial and residential properties because of the community environment that we create.

What are your views on the current state of commercial real estate and how important is it for employees to be in an office to build culture and collaborate?

The commercial office market is in a rough patch at the moment. We are seeing an increase in the daily occupancy within our buildings, as our tenants have realized the value of working next to each other and with each other. The conversations that happen in the hallways on the way to or from a meeting, or on the way to or back from the pantry, are priceless. The mentoring that happens within the office environment for younger employees cannot be replicated over Zoom or Teams.

What has made the real estate industry so special for you?

I was fortunate to grow up in the business. Being able to work with my family on all aspects of the real estate world gave me a foundation to do what I do today like no other.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in pursuing a career in real estate?

First and foremost, I tell them to find a career doing what they enjoy and makes them happy. Real estate is an amazing industry because every day can be different. No matter how experienced you are, you’re learning something new all the time. It’s a very exciting industry to be in. We have a tremendous internship program that we offer at RXR providing internships for roughly 30 students a year. The program lets them experience all aspects of real estate. When they finish, they have a much better understanding of what they want to do when they graduate.•

Artist rendering of JetBlue Terminal 6

Artist rendering of Hamilton Green

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

The Power Of Politics

EDITORS’ NOTE David Axelrod is a preeminent American political strategist and commentator and the former chief strategist and senior advisor to President Barack Obama. Axelrod was the founding director of the University of Chicago’s non-partisan Institute of Politics and now serves as a senior fellow at the IOP. He is the host of “The Axe Files,” a top-rated podcast featuring in-depth conversations with public figures across the political spectrum. A former political writer for the Chicago Tribune , Axelrod produced media strategy and advertising for 150 campaigns across the U.S., culminating in President Obama’s historic elections. Axelrod is also the author of The New York Times best-selling memoir, Believer: My Forty Years in Politics

and this election would be a decision as to which path we wanted to take. These words resonated with me and even as a child it resonated with me that politics had the ability to change the course of history. I worked on my first campaign when I was nine years old handing out leaflets for Bobby Kennedy who was running for the Senate in New York.

What are the characteristics that you look for in a candidate when deciding to get involved in a campaign?

is a quality that I always looked for, although I didn’t always find it. I ended up managing Simon’s campaign and we won an improbable victory.

Will you discuss your career journey and where you developed your passion for politics?

My story is peculiar in that I had a path from the time I was five years old, and very few people can say that. When I was five years old, John F. Kennedy was campaigning for President in New York City, and it was 12 days before the 1960 election. He came to Stuyvesant Town where I grew up in New York which was a housing development built for returning war veterans. This was one of ten stops that he made in New York that day. The woman who took care of me while my mother was at work, a wonderful lady named Jessie Berry, took me outside and put me on top of a mailbox on 20th Street which had filled in with people, and I watched this transfixing event in which this young man, John F. Kennedy, jumped up on a platform and spoke. Even at this young age, it all seemed very important to me, and I followed him religiously after that. I was introduced to newspapers from the time I learned to read, and while like most kids I read the sports pages first, I was also a news junkie from a very early age.

While I am not sure you will believe me if I told you I remember what JFK said that day at the age of five, I have since researched it and he said that he was not running on the ticket because if he is elected everything will be good, and that being an American citizen in the United States in the 1960s was a hazardous occupation filled with peril, as well as hope,

I was a journalist for ten years before I went into politics, and I left journalism to work for a man named Paul Simon – not the singer, but the Congressman – who was running for the Senate in Illinois. It was a hard decision to leave my job as a political writer at the Chicago Tribune, but I knew that I wanted to be more of a part of shaping events rather than only writing about events. I knew when I made this change that I had to do it for someone who was authentic and committed to making positive change, and Simon was that person. This

I started a political consulting firm after that and through the 150 campaigns I did, I cannot say that all were headed to sainthood, but the longer I became involved the more I searched for people who were authentic and committed to positive change through politics and government. The more experience I gained, the more I became intuitive about working with people who had those qualities. I was attracted to pragmatic idealists like me who understood that you had to make compromises in our politics and in our democracy in order to get positive results.

I will tell you a personal story. I have an adult child, Lauren, who seven months into her life started having seizures that were really uncontrolled for the first two decades of her life, and it really shaped our lives. We were one of the families that almost went poor trying to cover medical and pharmaceutical bills that were not covered by insurance, so when the Affordable Care Act passed and I was working for President Obama at the time, I went into

David Axelrod

An Interview with David Axelrod, Senior Political Commentator, CNN, and Host, The Axe Files

David Axelrod moderates an election preview panel discussion with Susan Davis, David French, David Wasserman, and Bakari Sellers at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics

my office that night and I wept and wept. I did this not because it was a great political triumph, but because I was thinking of my own family and millions of families like mine that might not have to go through the same agony that we did trying to cover our child’s medical bills just to keep her alive. I had known President Obama for many years, and he was an old friend who knew my family situation. When I found the President and told him that I wanted to thank him on behalf of all of those families like mine, he put his hand on my shoulder and said, “that is why we do the work.” It was a very simple gesture, but it was so clarifying for me since we get so caught up in the red states and the blue states and who is winning, but that is not the point. The point is what can you do with the authority that you get to make a possible difference in the lives of people, in the lives of communities, and in the life of the world. That is what I sensed as a five year old when I heard JFK and felt that this was a person who may move events in a positive way and while I may not have articulated it at the age of five years old, I knew it was important.

I think the best politicians and the best leaders are those who genuinely care about what they are doing and not just about accumulating power.

Is it harder to find those types of politicians in today’s political landscape?

I am concerned that good people are turning away from the process and find it so dispiriting and nasty that they will not engage, but I also feel that there are still many good people who are part of this process and who are joining this process. There are many people from both sides of the aisle who served in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq who have joined this process and are very selfless which is reflected in the commitment that they made to serve in the military.

I meet people all the time in public life, Democrats and Republicans, who I admire. I founded an Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago after my last campaign. It is a non-partisan institute that was created to build pathways to engagement for these really smart young people who want to change the world and are looking for ways to do it. I am also doing some things at Arizona State University. I am inspired by these young people – they are skeptical, but not cynical. They feel a sense of obligation and a responsibility to make their communities better and to make the world better, so that gives me hope.

It is a very difficult environment, and I worry about what social media has done to our society and what it has done to our politics. The business model of the social media platforms is merely to keep people online so that they can see advertising messages, and how they keep them online is not really their concern. The algorithms that they use have this horrendous insight that the best way to keep people online is through anger, resentment, outrage, conspiracy theories, and so on. This drives us into silos – cable TV has had a role in this as well – and we get into this silo where our views are always affirmed, but not always informed, and everyone outside the silo is considered not just a fellow American with a different point of view, but rather a combatant. Politics itself has begun to mirror this, and I am hoping that as citizens and as a society we will push back.

When you look back on your relationship with Barack Obama, did you know early on that he had the ability to connect with people in such a special way and that he may be able to reach the highest office?

There was a friend of mine in Chicago, Betty Lou Saltzman, who’s kind of a doyenne of liberal politics. She called me in 1992 and said

that she had just met the most extraordinary man and that I needed to meet him. He had just come back to Chicago from Harvard Law School and was running a voter registration drive. I asked Betty Lou why she wanted me to meet him and she replied, “I know this sounds crazy, but I think he could be the first Black president of the United States.” I said that was pretty grandiose, but that I was happy to meet anyone she wanted me to meet. I had lunch with him and while I didn’t necessarily walk away humming hail to the chief, it did strike me that here was a guy who had been President of the Harvard Law Review and he could have gone to work at any law firm or any corporation in America and been set for life, but instead he came back to Chicago to run a voter registration drive and went to work in a small civil rights firm. He mentioned to me at that lunch that he wanted to do something larger than himself, and may want to serve in public office one day. I thought that he would be a splendid public official.

It wasn’t really until ten years later when we worked together on his campaign for the U.S. Senate that I began to see the things that the country would eventually see – his extraordinary ability not just to speak and communicate, but also to listen. One of the keys to his success as a speaker was his focus on telling the stories of people he met, and his ability to hear people and relate to them was a special trait. He also had the ability to walk into any room anywhere in the country and be comfortable, which is a very unusual quality.

I must say that as highly as I thought of him, and as skilled as I knew he was, I also knew from past presidential campaigns how grueling the process was and how much pressure you come under, and I was not sure how he would react to that. One of the most remarkable traits that Barack Obama has is his growth curve – his intellect is incredible, but his ability to grow was so impressive to me.

When you think back to that day when you were five years old watching JFK speak and the impact that it made on you about the power of politics to give hope and improve people’s lives, do you still feel that way today with all of the partisanship and gridlock in Washington DC?

I wrote a memoir a few years ago called Believer so it is kind of my brand and I’m not going to quit now. I believe in the power of politics. This is a challenging time, and we have lived through many challenging times –we fought a Civil War in this country – but I always grew up believing that we have the power to make something better and we have the power to change course, and I still believe in that. I have faith that a better day will come, but I also know that this relies on people believing that a better day will come. The battle of democracy is always between cynicism and hope, and while at this moment the cynics are on the march, it is up to us who believe in hope to change that direction. Barack Obama used to say that hope is about believing in things that are unseen – believing that they are possible – and I still have hope.•

David Axelrod sits down with U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Energy Transition

An Interview with Robert B. Catell, Chairman, Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center at Stony Brook University and Chairman, National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium

EDITORS’ NOTE Robert Catell was formerly the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of KeySpan Corporation and KeySpan Energy Delivery, the former Brooklyn Union Gas. His career with Brooklyn Union Gas started in 1958. Following National Grid’s acquisition of KeySpan Corporation, Catell became Chairman of National Grid U.S. and Deputy Chairman of National Grid plc. He currently serves as Chairman of the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center, National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium, and is Chairman Emeritus at Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School. Catell received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the City College of New York and is a registered Professional Engineer.

distance circuits in the basement of their headquarters in Manhattan. Not seeing a great future there, I applied to a newspaper ad from the Brooklyn Union Gas Company. After an interview with the Chief Engineer, I was hired as a junior engineer and began my energy career in the meter repair shop. From there I was promoted to a field engineer putting pipes in the ground. I spent the next 50 years at Brooklyn Union Gas, which became KeySpan Energy, moving through many other areas of the company including sales, regulatory, gas supply and engineering.

In 2007, National Grid acquired KeySpan and I was appointed U.S. Chairman, a position I retired from in 2009.

What was the vision for creating the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC) at Stony Brook University and how do you define its mission?

ORGANIZATION BRIEFS Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (aertc.org) is located in the Research and Development Park at Stony Brook University and is a true partnership of academic institutions, research institutions, energy providers and industrial corporations. The Center’s mission is innovative energy research, education and technology deployment with a focus on efficiency, conservation, renewable energy and nanotechnology applications for new and novel sources of energy.

National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium (nationaloffshorewind.org) is a nationally focused, not-for-profit organization that seeks to produce innovations that directly respond to the technical and supply chain barriers faced by offshore wind project developers in the U.S., build strong networks connecting technology innovators, investors, and industry, and increase U.S. content and job opportunities.

Will you discuss your career journey in the energy and utilities industry?

I started my career in the energy and utilities industry with an excellent mechanical engineering degree from the City College of New York. I later took and passed the test for a Professional Engineering License and achieved a master’s degree in engineering from CCNY.

My first job in the utility space was with AT&T, a large conglomerate at that time with 450,000 employees. My job was testing long

In 1991, I was elected President and CEO of Brooklyn Union and spent the next 18 years transforming the company to an energy holding company with subsidiaries in gas exploration, pipelines, midstream, and energy services. In 1998, KeySpan acquired the gas properties of the Long Island Lighting Company and the management of the operations of the electric system for the Long Island Power Authority. In 1999, KeySpan acquired the Ravenswood generating plant from Con Edison. “Big Allis” had generating capacity of 2000MW, which we increased by 250MW, with a new combined cycle plant. In 2000, KeySpan acquired Eastern Energy in Massachusetts with its main subsidiary, Boston Gas, and became the largest gas distribution company in the Northeast.

When I retired in 2009, I collaborated with the Dean of the Engineering School of Stony Brook University, Dr. Yacov Shamash, and we created the Advanced Energy Research & Technology Center at Stony Brook University (AERTC.) We were able to raise $50 million from the State of New York and built a 50,000 square foot Platinum LEED certified building at the Stony Brook Research Park. Its vision was to do research to develop clean energy technologies which can be commercialized. I continue in that role today.

The AERTC has a Board of individuals from the utilities, the energy industry, and academia which guide its mission and is the designated Center of Excellence for Energy in New York State. There is a very close working relationship with Brookhaven National Laboratory, a Department of Energy lab which is managed by Stony Brook through a joint venture with Battelle. A number of individuals are joint appointments both at Stony Brook and Brookhaven National Laboratory.

The Advanced Energy Center collaborates with both industry and academia in submitting proposals for research funds from both DOE

Robert B. Catell

and NYSERDA and has been successful in being awarded over $150 million in grants since its inception.

The Center also houses a NYSERDAfunded incubator which provides financial support and business expertise to early-stage energy companies.

Will you highlight the work of the National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium?

The National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium was formed through a competitive DOE process with an initial $20.5 million grant to do research to develop the technologies required to lower the long-term cost of offshore wind. The DOE fund was matched by a $20.5 million grant from NYSERDA and a board was formed including all the major wind developers, the utilities, academia, and a number of Northeast states.

It has been in existence for over five years and has awarded over $50 million to research projects through a competitive solicitation process. These projects consist of research in the construction and generation of offshore wind and cover supply chain issues and workforce development   all driving toward a sustainable offshore wind industry in the U.S. providing an ongoing source of renewable energy.

The process is managed through a Research and Development Committee, chaired by the CEO of the Carbon Trust which is an entity that has a great deal of experience managing a similar activity in the United Kingdom. The state members of the Consortium have provided additional funding to account for the over $50 million that has been awarded to date.

The NOWRDC has collaborated with both private and government entities in the offshore wind space and has coordinated a conference showcasing the research that has been accomplished.

What are your views on the current state of the energy industry?

The energy industry is going through a major transition, from a highly regulated industry to a very competitive industry focusing on new technologies, while maintaining reliability and affordability and reducing carbon emissions.

The electric industry is going through a transition from a fossil fuel-based industry to a zero carbon-based industry with a major supply being provided by renewables like offshore wind and solar. The natural gas industry is going through a transition from a methanebased industry to renewable gas and hydrogen fuel to reduce the carbon footprint. In both cases, the existing transmission/distribution systems will need to be transitioned to handle the new energy sources while maintaining reliability and affordability. This will be accomplished through the development and implementation of new technologies, through review by both the public and private sectors.

How are new technologies impacting the energy industry?

New technologies will be central and essential to the transition being faced by the energy industry. In the case of electricity, the intermittent nature of renewables will require the development of utility scale storage to fill the gaps in order to ensure reliability. This will require the development of new technologies in the storage space using non-flammable materials. In addition, the distributed nature of new electric generation will require major technology and information system advances to incorporate and manage the very disparate sources of power. Furthermore, the proliferation of remote metering will require new technologies to monitor and manage the system from a customer usage and affordability standpoint.

In the natural gas sector, the transition to renewable gas and hydrogen will require

modifications to the existing delivery system, and in some cases, a new delivery system. There will be a need to modify certain appliances, and this will require the incorporation of new technologies at the end-user.

To the extent the customers on the natural gas system are replaced by “electrification” there will be a requirement for an enhanced distribution system through the use of new technologies to avoid wholesale replacement of the existing system at significant costs.

What do you feel are the biggest challenges facing the energy industry?

The major challenges facing the energy industry will be the development and commercialization of the new technologies required, and their incorporation into the energy stream, while maintaining reliability and affordability. The new technologies will require financing by government and industry to bring them to fruition.

In addition, there will be a need for a trained and educated workforce to manage the new technologies being utilized, and there will be a need to rebuild much of the energy infrastructure in an environmentally sensitive manner.

What are you most excited about when you look to the future of energy?

The future of the energy industry, while facing many challenges, is very exciting for the opportunities it provides to improve the quality of life of individuals, while providing tremendous job opportunities for young people. There will be a universal need for individuals with computer skills, knowledge of artificial intelligence, and skilled technical workers to install and maintain the new technological advances.

The interest of young people in STEM education will be a necessary forerunner to develop the workforce of the future with a diverse background as its foundation for future growth.

What has made the energy and utilities industry so special for you and what do you tell young people about the types of careers the industry offers?

The energy industry has provided me with a very rewarding life experience, filled with a great deal of satisfaction. It furnishes the ability to provide so many residences and businesses with a reliable, affordable source of energy which ensures a great quality of life while being sensitive to the environmental impact. In addition, it has provided me with the ability to support the community through both an organization and personal involvement, and in particular to improve life in underserved communities.

The opportunity for young people to have a career in the energy industry can be even more rewarding today with an emphasis on maintaining quality of life while improving the environment. Starting with an engineering career, as I did, or as a technician, or in computer sciences, or a career in community involvement, there is a real opportunity to positively impact the environment by reducing our carbon footprint and serving underserved communities at the same time.

I would highly recommend that a young person consider a career in the energy or utility industry with the opportunity to have a very successful and rewarding experience.•

Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center at Stony Brook University

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Helping People Learn Better, To Live Better

EDITORS’ NOTE Sandra Reiter brings more than two decades of operational and consulting expertise to the leadership of Vertex Solutions. She holds a master’s degree in business administration and a juris doctor degree from Columbia University and is a member of the New York and Massachusetts State Bars. She earned her BA cum laude from Middlebury College and graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy cum laude

COMPANY BRIEF Vertex Solutions, LLC (vertexsolutions.com) is a high-technology learning enterprise company. Founded in 1997, Vertex specializes in progressing human performance by implementing emerging technology for better learning to promote and achieve customer confidence and success.

Will you highlight the history of Vertex Solutions and how the company has evolved?

Vertex Solutions – a women and minorityowned small business when I became CEO in 2020 – has been in the training and learning business for nearly 30 years. As the new CEO, and as we diversify into different categories and industries, I have never lost line of sight on our commitment to stay authentic in how and why we work. It is a mission to help people to learn better, to live better.

We have progressed from computerbased eLearnings to web-delivered and then mobile learning and gaming. While the foundation of our business is our expertise in every aspect of courseware development, from immersive Interactive Multimedia Instruction to precise 3D modeling and mobile learning, I came on positioned to develop Vertex into a technology company. Under my leadership, and with our exceptional team, we have become specialists in XR training, the term that encompasses any combination of virtual reality, mixed reality or augmented reality. We employ the mentor-protégé approach in our on-the-job training scenarios, which we have proven to be the gold standard for faster learning with longer memory retention and better job performance.

Our XR training, coupled with continuous courseware development, enables us to provide expert tutorial learning. This is followed by practice in an immersive 3D job-performance environment, complete with a data analytics “mentor” that delivers our users immediate feedback.

What are the results and benefits of this training method?

This XR approach to learning has been incredibly successful in addressing the pilot shortage we have been witnessing (and feeling) in both the Department of Defense and commercial aviation. We deliver lightweight, low-cost,

multi-crew aircraft simulators, equipped with a comprehensive suite of avionics components. Every cockpit switch, knob, button and display is fully functional, including circuit breakers for emergency procedures and other specialized training tasks. Our three-seat, dual-control simulator is designed to fit into an ordinary 10-by-10-foot office space, and is powered by two 110-volt outlets, requiring no additional HVAC or building modifications. Simply put, we are training pilots and maintenance crews more effectively and at a lower cost, transforming the entire learning process, which in our business translates into protecting and saving lives.

One significant breakthrough is our achievement of military and commercial dual use, one of my initial goals, which means we now provide XR simulators to train commercial airline pilots. This dual-use technology allows for lower product cost, taking advantage of economies of scale and mass economies of scope.

We have already delivered more than 300 of our simulators to the Air Force, the Navy and commercial aviation customers. This spring, we will have employees providing pilot training with our XR simulators at nine military installations and one airline. We are also partnering with one of the leading eVTOL developers, producing a similar XR simulator for them with the expectation of receiving FAA certification for flight equivalency training.

Sandra Reiter

An Interview with Sandra Reiter, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer, Vertex Solutions

As hundreds of pilots are actively using our XR flight simulators, we gain continuous and invaluable access to a rich source of user acceptance data. There are very few companies that deliver similar XR simulators at this scale that also undergo daily use by instructor and student pilots. We make high fidelity training accessible, responsive, current, and affordable, bringing the training to our users, addressing the costly (in terms of dollars and time) problems of where to train so we can focus on the how.

How critical is innovation to Vertex’s future growth?

We are at a moment where our revolutionary pilot training technology coexists with a nearcrisis-level pilot shortage for both the military and commercial sectors. As a leader within XR aviation training for the military, we are uniquely well positioned to take advantage of the natural synergies that exist between the military and commercial aviation markets. The military is willing to invest in new technology and willing to provide R&D funding to advance technology, while commercial aviation wants proven solutions.

On the flip side, adoption by commercial aviation builds credibility and enthusiasm in the military, resulting in new R&D for more complex scenarios and combat missions. This creates a symbiosis for improvements in aviation training, positioning Vertex in a sweet spot to address the

pilot shortage in both commercial aviation and the military – this is what I refer to as a win-win. Currently, we are also progressing into new categories, such as Space Force, submarines, and electric boats, and have already won multiple Small Business Innovative Research awards to help make the transition to a number of Phase III commercialization contracts.

How important is it to build a diverse and inclusive workforce and do you feel that there are strong opportunities for women in the industry?

As mentioned, we are a women-owned and minority-owned business, with diversity a must, not a nice to have. Thinking alike can be dangerous, and the surest way to succeed in our mission is to create a workforce that encourages different perspectives to problem solve and avoid stagnation or complacency.

For example, we employ a healthy mix of military veterans who bring knowledge of the defense landscape, possess tested leadership qualities and excel at performing under extreme pressures. By integrating veterans into our workforce, Vertex not only honors their service, but also leverages their expertise to help us deliver on our customers’ complex needs and maintain a competitive edge.

While historically the defense industry has been male-dominated, we are seeing a shift to

greater inclusivity at all levels. Women provide skills and perspectives that challenge what has been considered as norms and ignite innovation, critical in advancing any industry.

What makes Vertex’s culture unique?

Having a strong company culture is equally as important as strong business fundamentals. As CEO, every single person in the company is important. I have to lead by example. At the same time, I have to empower everyone to be a leader and to appreciate when and how to be a follower. What we do is serious, and if, or really when, we encounter the unexpected, we rely on the strengths of each other to problem solve and course correct. There is no place for panic; instead, we pause, reset and move forward.

I ask myself, and our team, to make mini-miracles happen on a daily basis. I am especially proud of how involved we are in the communities where we work, live, and play, and since I have been CEO, many of our employees have taken positions at Chambers of Commerce, Economic Development Councils, and a variety of other professional organizations. We also support STEM education initiatives and military-advocacy organizations. We have an established history of providing robust internship opportunities, with several former interns currently serving on active duty.

F-16 Mixed Reality Reconfigurable Fighter Trainer (MR-RFT) – Vertex delivers numerous mixed reality aircraft configurations

(The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement)

In all of what we do, I am white knuckled over holding to my moral compass: surprise and delight your team, your family, your friends, even yourself and strangers, because the positivity you gain by helping someone learn and live better makes you better.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership?

As a minority – my heritage is Puerto Rican –and as a woman owner and CEO of a cuttingedge technology company, I believe in servant leadership. You have to be rigorous, become a subject-matter expert and earn the trust of those you are leading in order for them to want to be led. There is a significant difference between “needing” to be led and “wanting” to be led because you trust and believe in your leader.

I am not going to lie. I faced a steep learning curve in 2020 to become effective, including gaining my security clearance – now that was definitely outside of my wheelhouse. I had to listen and ask questions – a lot of questions. Once I got my tutorial in our landscape, learned our language and understood what excited the team and what kept them up at night, we could deliver together on a rational yet aggressive growth strategy. My team knows that I stand shoulder to shoulder with them, while also prepared to make the difficult decisions that come with being a CEO.

Initially my team only knew me by my professional background, so it was on me to prove how my years of legal and business experience would benefit them. I began my career as a corporate attorney and was comfortable in my practice, but I found myself drawn to being on the other side of the table. Immediately prior to Vertex, I was the Senior Vice President of Global Operations at a private equity-backed talent management firm. In my

three years there, we were the fastest-growing firm in the industry, and I was responsible for all business operations and spearheading and integrating our mergers and acquisitions. I learned how to manage the delicate balance of business growth and stability, when to push hard and when not to push as hard – though in truth, I can’t say I really ever stop pushing.

I should add that I am the founder and former chairwoman of the Young Professionals Committee for the Susan G. Komen Greater New York City Breast Cancer Foundation. I started what became the first young professionals committee, which was rolled out across the nation and then internationally, raising millions and providing access to care to those who would otherwise be underserved. I also sit on the Board of Advisors for the Hospital of Special Surgery, which is #1 in the U.S. for orthopedics, #2 for rheumatology and topranked for pediatric orthopedics.

With every life move, I have challenged myself to get outside of my comfort zone by asking “why not” instead of “why.” People have described me as relentless, but I am okay with that. If I believe something will make someone or some situation better, “no” is not an answer. However, there is a fine and important line between relentless and reckless – move forward with awareness, grace and conviction – but conviction must be based on hard work and hard data. No deal has ever been made, and no one has ever been made better, on hope alone.

There’s no handbook for being a CEO. What made you ready to be one, and who did you turn to for guidance?

I would question anyone saying they are ready. You are never ready. But, you can be prepared. In addition to my educational and professional background, I was a competitive

athlete and freestyle skier – the youngest member of the U.S. Junior Freestyle Ski Team in fact. The dedication, resilience, and grit this required helped give me the mentality and focus I need to be successful in business (and more). Being a CEO is hard work, which can mean a lot of “bruises” along the way, and I unapologetically show the sweat, sometimes literally.

As for people who have influenced me, the first, easy answer is my parents. My mom was born in Puerto Rico, never went to college and grew up in the Bronx, New York. She is a constant learner; she encouraged my ambition, but allowed me the space to make my own mistakes and accept that “good” is often better than perfect. I have learned that perfectly imperfect is my perfect.

I also grew up with a father who is well estab lished within the business world, and benefit daily from his counsel. I am fortunate as well to work with my Vertex business partner, and stepmother, Kimberly Kozlowski, another female minority; while we are unafraid to disagree, we appreciate how to move forward in lock step once a decision is made. We are the definition of a modern blended family, which also translates into how we manage Vertex –family first. Another mentor would be Nancy Brinker, the founder of Susan G. Komen and former ambassador to Hungary. I credit her on teaching me to be unafraid to ask “why not?”

I would be crazy if I also did not spotlight the entire Vertex team, especially our President and COO, Dennis Wikoff. They have shown Herculean patience, educating me on the DoD, navigating government intricacies and translating the industry into terms that allow me to understand and consequently provide them with what they need in order to do what they do so exceptionally. The team is protective of me, as I am of them. They do make those mini-miracles happen on a daily basis, and they make my role not only easier, but fun.

What advice do you offer to young people beginning careers?

Be studied. Be passionate. Be courageous. Listen hard and learn, then choose your words carefully. I talk about the importance of actions. But, speaking up or staying (actively) silent has just as much place, power, and significance.

I would advise that adjusting to a business career can be an evolution. Initially, I missed the foundational rigor and security I experienced as an attorney. But, my legal training provided me with the platform and skillset to evolve with confidence. As any of us navigate careers, regardless of the years we have, difficult decisions will have to be made. You have to learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Running a business won’t always make you popular, something my father cautioned me at a very young age. At the time, I found myself head scratching: How can that be possible if you’re the boss? Fast forward a few decades, I get it, and I live it.

A successful leader offers people – and themselves – the opportunity to learn better, to live better. Learn every day, I urge people, young and not so young alike, and with that, be better every day.•

Military Freefall Jumpmaster Virtual Training System (MFF JM-VTS) – Immersive training for any job performance environment

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Impactful Legacy Planning

An Interview with Carra Cote-Ackah, Head of Philanthropy Engagement and Legacy Planning, Goldman Sachs Family Office

EDITORS’ NOTE Carra Cote-Ackah is head of Philanthropy Engagement and Legacy Planning for the Goldman Sachs Family Office. In this role, she partners across the business to implement and execute on a holistic philanthropy strategy for clients and a customized education advisory program to support multigenerational legacy and stewardship. CoteAckah joined Goldman Sachs and was named managing director in 2022. Prior to joining the firm, she led bespoke consulting and multiyear partnerships with ultra-high-net-worth families; global philanthropy, volunteerism, and sustainability/responsibility programs for Vanguard; and strategic partnerships spanning nonprofit agencies and the public sector. CoteAckah currently serves as a senior fellow at the Center for High Impact Philanthropy where she teaches and provides ongoing guidance to donors and impact investors. She is also a member of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization and serves as chair of the Surdna Foundation, one of the oldest and largest family foundations in the U.S. Cote-Ackah earned dual BS degrees, summa cum laude, in psychology and child development from Vanderbilt University, an MA specializing in public

policy and racial inequality from Duke University, and an MBA in nonprofit management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

FIRM BRIEF

Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management (privatewealth. goldmansachs.com) helps high-networth individuals and families along with select foundations and endowments pursue their wealth management goals. Goldman Sachs is a leading global financial institution that delivers a broad range of financial services to a large and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in all major financial centers around the world.

What excited you about joining Goldman Sachs and made you feel it was the right fit?

Across my career, I’ve had the privilege to lead individuals, families, and institutions in activation toward significant impact goals. I was excited to join Goldman Sachs because of what the firm does – delivers a world-class experience for clients, and how they do it – through a collaborative, team-oriented approach. As someone whose experience sits in helping

people discover their purpose, I knew joining Goldman Sachs would help me live mine.

Will you highlight your role and areas of focus?

My role leading Legacy Planning and Philanthropic Engagement for Private Wealth clients means I spend every day harnessing the holistic resources of the firm to help our clients achieve their wealth objectives and create their best lives and legacy. Because legacy is not just what you leave behind, but what you build together, I am most engaged when families hit an inflection point. These are moments that really matter in their lives, like the sale of a family business, marriage of a child, a liquidity event that can scale up their philanthropy, the need for better family governance, and more. With Goldman Sachs’ structure of being able to provide hyperpersonalized advice for clients, we can truly develop goals and action plans that allow them to lean into the purpose of their wealth.

How does your role fit into Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management’s broader organization and offering for clients?

Within Private Wealth Management at Goldman Sachs, we have a dedicated team that provides wealth planning and advice, philanthropic services, fiduciary support in-house, and a wide array of targeted “à la carte” solutions provided by third-party vendors for

“My role leading Legacy Planning and Philanthropic Engagement for Private Wealth clients means I spend every day harnessing the holistic resources of the firm to help our clients achieve their wealth objectives and create their best lives and legacy.”

Carra Cote-Ackah

“With Goldman Sachs’ structure of being able to provide hyperpersonalized advice for clients, we can truly develop goals and action plans that allow them to lean into the purpose of their wealth.”

clients who need help with alternative investment coordination, cyber security, domestic staff or private aviation, for example. Our team seamlessly integrates and operates as a family office to combine deep, intimate knowledge of our clients’ financial pictures with the right solutions. As our clients’ preferences and needs evolve over time, I’m able to help spot issues and opportunities where we can help them prepare and integrate all aspects of their wealth to be a force for good.

How does the Goldman Sachs Family Office educate and support clients’ multigenerational legacy and stewardship goals?

Providing education around estate planning has always been core to what our team does. We’re now spending even more time focusing on the qualitative side of succession planning – advocating for engagement, transparency, and communication with rising generations. We help families establish their legacy and mission, foster open dialogue, and reassess their plans as family needs evolve. For the next generation, we value the opportunity to connect, educate, and create relationships. Whether we’re working with someone that’s next in line to inherit family wealth or an up-and-coming wealth creator, our events and educational resources give clients and their families the chance to connect with like-minded

people, meet interesting thought leaders, and gain vital education. Proven family governance practices, such as family meetings with a deliberate and agile educational roadmap, help drive multi-generational success.

What unique planning considerations and opportunities do you see most often for business-owning families?

As a third-generation family business owner myself, this topic has a particular place in my heart. Business-owning families have an additional dimensionality when they consider intersecting roles – of family, business and ownership – to make strategic decisions. Longterm success requires particular attention to common issues such as insufficient separation of family needs and business goals, competitive posturing amongst future leaders and heirs, obligations to take care of nonparticipating family members’ financial stability and well-being, and more. The best planning is holistic and a continuous loop of family alignment, open (and sometimes difficult) conversations, and reassessing the family infrastructure and portfolio as both the family and business evolves.

What advice do you give to clients who are looking to create greater impact with their philanthropy?

I’ve been honored to have personally governed and directed more than $1 billion

in philanthropic dollars to the nonprofit sector during the last 15 years, and I’ve provided education to families who have generously donated billions more. I believe it’s a great era for philanthropy. Families have many options for charitable vehicles (e.g., foundations, donor advised funds, charitable remainder trusts, etc.), and technology and transparency in the nonprofit field have improved donor decisionmaking. That means that families can focus on what really matters to them. I advise families to be proactive and strategic – saying no can be as important as saying yes. What does your family really hope to accomplish with its philanthropic legacy? What are the causes or geographies that resonate most? With a clear mission and vision for giving, families can focus on doing the most good with what they have. A core tenet of high-impact philanthropy is not how much you give, but how well you give. Find talented people, use evidence in the field for what works, pay attention to what you can learn to know whether a strategic shift may be warranted. Finally, this can be a “three-fer” when you involve the family. It’s an opportunity to teach and live the family’s values, to build financial literacy skills in young adults who can evaluate organizations or oversee the endowment, and to deepen multigenerational connections.•

“Families have many options for charitable vehicles (e.g., foundations, donor advised funds, charitable remainder trusts, etc.), and technology and transparency in the nonprofit field have improved donor decisionmaking. That means that families can focus on what really matters to them.”

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Protecting Intrinsic Human Rights

An Interview with

EDITORS’ NOTE Michael Breen

is President and Chief Executive Officer of Human Rights First. Before joining Human Rights First, Breen served as President and CEO of the Truman National Security Project and the Center for National Policy, co-founded the International Refugee Assistance Project, served in the Obama administration’s Office of White House Counsel, and led American paratroopers in combat as an Army officer. He has worked and served in conflict zones around the world, led dozens of successful and awardwinning campaigns for policy change at the federal and state level on a range of climate, national security, and human rights issues, and advised hundreds of electoral campaigns for offices from state representative to president. His writing and commentary have been featured by The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Meet the Press, and many others. Breen holds a JD from Yale Law School and a BA from Dartmouth College, having studied in Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and England.

Breen, President and Chief Executive Officer, Human Rights First

we curb the abuse of technology by empowering our network of rights defenders and equipping them with the tools needed to enact change. We are driven by a fundamental belief in universal rights and that all people have the right to life, liberty, and security.

Will you provide an overview of Human Rights First’s areas of focus?

As we aim to create a more just and equitable world for all people, our work focuses on four critical areas:

1. Authoritarianism: We use our expertise and influence to uncover abuses of power and hold institutions accountable to make sure people across continents and circumstances can live without fear of oppression.

2. Extremism: With a network of human civil rights defenders, veterans, and advocates, we are challenging the antidemocratic extremist movement in the United States. We confront this extremism through research, advocacy, legal action, and technology to uphold human rights and protect democracy.

3. Systemic Injustice: Systemic injustice has plagued America since its founding. We advocate for equitable policies, provide legal representation, and conduct research to address historical injustices affecting marginalized communities.

4. The Use and Abuse of Technology: We develop technological solutions to uncover and address human rights abuses, rebalance power dynamics, and hold violators accountable.

What are the keys to creating lasting change in Human Rights First’s efforts?

To make real and lasting progress, we need to build a network of people and organizations that respect and defend human rights. We need a human rights movement that is a meaningful part of our communities, not one that stands apart from them. We’ve got to be relevant to our neighbors.

Internationalism is rightly at the core of our belief in universal rights, and it would be unfair to say that the traditional human rights movement has completely ignored domestic concerns, but I believe that we have to be more committed to showing up for our neighbors when it counts.

ORGANIZATION BRIEF Established in 1978, Human Rights First’s (humanrightsfirst.org) mission is to ensure that the United States is a global leader on human rights. The organization works in the United States and abroad to promote respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Will you discuss the history of Human Rights

First and how you define its mission?

Established in 1978, Human Rights First is a nonpartisan international human rights organization based in New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. Our advocacy has been instrumental in the success of various initiatives to ban torture, hold bad actors accountable via sanctions, and bring the refugee and asylum policies of the United States into compliance with international law.

We protect intrinsic human rights. We support victims of injustice and promote the rule of law. For almost 50 years, Human Rights First has worked tirelessly at home and abroad to uncover human rights abuses, bring perpetrators to justice, and ensure that all people live without fear of oppression or persecution. We challenge authoritarianism, we confront extremism, we combat systemic injustice, and

Michael Breen

Michael

Michael Breen testifies to the U.S. Congress

That’s why we have established a footprint that spans the United States, allowing us to build networks of human rights defenders in the communities we serve, to better understand local challenges and work collaboratively towards solutions.

Will you highlight the strength and expertise of Human Rights First’s team?

Our teams are passionate advocates for the fundamental belief that all people are born free and equal in dignity and rights, and are entitled to equal rights and freedoms without distinction of any kind. We are subject matter experts who deeply believe that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

Our Refugee Representation Program, for example, provides crucial legal services to migrants in the Washington DC, New York City, and Los Angeles areas who lack representation, cannot afford legal assistance, and are seeking asylum or other forms of protectionbased immigration status. They recognize the dire situations faced by our clients, many of whom have fled political, religious, ethnic, and gender-based persecution in countries plagued by severe human rights violations. For these clients, legal representation is not just a matter of procedural necessity, but often a matter of survival for themselves and their families.

Through our collective expertise and dedication, we provide comprehensive support to these vulnerable individuals, guiding them through complex legal processes and empowering them to assert their rights in pursuit of safety and justice. Our team’s tireless efforts underscore our unwavering commitment to defending human rights and ensuring access to justice for all.

How valuable has it been for Human Rights First to have such an engaged and committed board?

The board at Human Rights First has been instrumental in driving our mission forward and creating a more equitable world. The directors’ expertise and diverse perspectives have proven invaluable in navigating the challenges of the current climate both domestically and abroad. We were particularly fortunate to have two extremely capable and visionary co-chairs during a pivotal period for our organization and human rights in general. Mona Sutphen and Mike Rozen brought tremendous new talent to the board, and their leadership was instrumental in allowing us to play the crucial role we have in responding to crises from Afghanistan to Ukraine and establishing some groundbreaking new programs.

Where did your passion for addressing human rights work develop?

I had the privilege of serving as an Army officer earlier in my career, including combat leadership assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan. My experience in the military was the beginning of a lifelong commitment to defending human rights and democracy.

I opposed the idea of going to war in Iraq, and while I served there I found myself fulfilling my duty to the very best of my ability while witnessing the realities of that conflict and its impact on civilians.

The values instilled in me since childhood by my father, a retired law enforcement officer, had been a major influence on my decision to serve in uniform. His teachings on the importance of due process and human rights echoed in my mind as I faced the ethical dilemmas of war.

One experience among many stands out. As the insurgency in Iraq ramped up, my fellow soldiers and I found ourselves focusing more and more on hunting down the bombmakers behind some horrific attacks on civilian targets: restaurants, hospitals, buses, schools. During those raids, I encountered the families of those we were pursuing, their fear palpable as armed soldiers entered their homes. I found myself reassuring those families of our values as Americans, emphasizing our commitment to human rights and justice.

Months later, while still fighting in Iraq, I discovered that many of those I had detained had later been subjected to torture in Abu Ghraib. I was deeply shaken. This realization prompted me to question how such abuses could occur under the banner of my uniform and flag. It ignited a determination within me to ensure that such egregious violations never happened again.

After my service, I pursued a career in law, co-founding the International Refugee Assistance Project and working with refugee families in Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan, serving in the Office of White House Counsel, and having the opportunity to lead a few important and impactful institutions in Washington, DC.

Eventually, I found my way to Human Rights First. The organization’s tireless advocacy for asylum seekers’ rights and campaigns against torture resonated deeply with me, and I knew I had found a place where I could contribute to lasting, meaningful change and uphold the values I hold dear.

What are the keys to the ability for the United States to maintain its role as a beacon of human rights advocacy?

When U.S. policies and actions no longer match its values, when hate and extremism are normalized, and when our democratic processes are threatened, our global legitimacy is undermined along with our ability to protect the most vulnerable worldwide.

As such, it’s imperative to acknowledge and address human rights issues here at home while holding accountable those who aim to dismantle our democracy. The ideology fueling the antidemocratic extremist movement in the United States has become increasingly visible within our institutions, policies, and public discourse. It poses an existential threat to our democracy that is no longer confined to the fringes. To safeguard democracy in the United States, it is imperative to confront violent attacks themselves and attempts to propagate and mainstream violent extremism. This requires a comprehensive approach to mitigate the profound threat posed to the foundations of our democratic principles.

Through a collaborative network of human and civil rights defenders, veterans, and advocates, our Extremism and Human Rights Program is actively challenging the antidemocratic extremist movement. Leveraging our expertise in research, policy, law, technology, and national security, we aim to uncover the movement, expose its tactics, and uphold fundamental human rights.

Our effort to confront extremism builds upon our established work on refugee and immigration issues, our veterans coalition, and tools from our Innovation Lab. This integrated approach allows us to effectively address the surge in antidemocratic extremism, emphasizing the protection of local democratic institutions and the mitigation of extremism within the military and law enforcement.

What are your priorities for Human Rights First as you look to the future?

As we look to the future, we remain steadfast in our focus on our four pillars of work. In the immediate, we are dedicated to helping protect free and fair democratic elections, especially in the United States. This involves work to help protect our democratic institutions and confront antidemocratic extremism.

Additionally, we remain dedicated to holding accountable bad actors for human rights violations, including attacks against human rights advocates and political opponents in places like Russia, while simultaneously supporting human rights defenders in Ukraine.

The recent killing of Alexi Navalny in a Siberian prison cell is a stark reminder that dictatorship is resurgent in many parts of the world, and we are committed to standing alongside those on the front lines of those struggles. We will continue working to amplify the voices of those who have the courage to advocate for justice and freedom, providing them the support and solidarity needed to continue their vital work in what are challenging and often dangerous environments.•

Michael Breen in Ukraine

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Empowering Decision-Making Through Real Time Data

An Interview with Raj Verma, Chief Executive Officer, SingleStore

EDITORS’ NOTE Raj Verma is the Chief Executive Officer of SingleStore, the data platform that allows users to transact, analyze, and contextualize data in real time. With over 25 years of experience in the tech industry, Verma has worked with clients across multiple industries and organizations, from start-ups to enterprise level. Prior to SingleStore, he was COO of TIBCO through its journey to becoming a billion dollar company. He was formerly associated with Hortonworks and Apttus as COO. Verma is host of the podcast “Into the Singleverse,” which explores how data is changing the world and shaping the future. Verma and top leaders from business, academia, sports, and philanthropy discuss the incredible impact of realtime data for the 21st century and beyond. He has authored articles about AI for Forbes, Fast Company, the World Economic Forum, and more. He is also the author of Time Is Now: A Journey to Demystifying AI, which will be published in April 2024.

Raj Verma

hour. Having all that information in real time, as it happens, is transformative and empowers businesses to make the best decisions.

Our purpose is to create a product that allows customers access to that powerful insight. We are the only real time data platform in the industry, meaning we provide customers with the fastest and most insightful way to store, process, and analyze data so they can make the best decisions possible. Uber, Hulu, and Siemens are examples of companies that run on SingleStore.

and delivered determines the depth of insight that companies and customers have to make decisions and provide solutions. At SingleStore, our products, and specifically our data platform, provide customers with fast and efficient access and analytics of their data.

COMPANY BRIEF SingleStore (singlestore.com) empowers the world’s leading organizations to build and scale modern applications using the only data platform that allows users to transact, analyze, and contextualize data in real time. By combining these capabilities, SingleStore eliminates performance bottlenecks and unnecessary data movement to support constantly growing, demanding workloads. Hundreds of customers worldwide – including Fortune 500 companies and global data leaders like Hulu, Uber, and General Electric and many more – choose SingleStore to unleash the power of their data.

How do you define SingleStore’s mission and purpose?

SingleStore’s mission is to empower decision-making through real time data. In today’s modern world, you cannot make impactful decisions without access to information that is up to date and delivered within the necessary context. Real time analytics is what allows us to order a car on ride share apps, monitor our banking information, and get recommendations for new shows on our favorite streaming apps. If you’re a ride-sharing company, you want to know not only the number of users wanting to order a ride, but also their likely preferences and destinations, and whether it may rain within the next

With AI, the need for real time data is becoming more obvious. Think of AI as a superhuman that can walk into the world’s biggest library and read and remember all the information contained in its books in a matter of seconds. The quality of its outputs is going to depend on the content of those books – whether it is accurate or not – and on how quickly it can retrieve that information to come up with answers. SingleStore therefore has an important mission in the age of AI. We are aware of the indispensable role data plays in this groundbreaking technology’s development, and work night and day to power it with the best way to store, analyze and access data.

Will you provide an overview of SingleStore’s products and what makes SingleStore’s cloud-based platform unique within the data tech industry?

All companies rely on data. How that data is stored, analyzed, categorized, contextualized

Our data platform is unique because we can process both analytical data, which allows you to understand complex trends like the best time for certain product sales, and transactional data, which is a better fit for simpler tasks like knowing the number of products available to sell. The fact that we are the only company able to offer simultaneous analysis of both analytical and transactional data means we are the only real-time data platform out there. We are giving businesses the capacity to understand their data in ways they never have before, thereby empowering them to make better decisions.

What are your views on diversity in the tech industry, and how are you addressing diversity and corporate citizenship at SingleStore?

The tech industry’s innovations have changed the world, and I am confident that we will continue to do so, especially with the rise of generative AI. However, our innovations will only have an impact if we tap into our greatest resource: diversity. Having a diverse workforce brings in a wide range of perspectives that is key to developing new ideas and products that benefit everyone. If we only employ a certain demographic of our society, we are only going to bring about change for a certain set of people.

“We are the only real time data platform in the industry, meaning we provide customers with the fastest and most insightful way to store, process, and analyze data so they can make the best decisions possible.”

I sincerely believe, for example, that if we had more women in the tech industry teenage girls would be less exposed to social media content that feeds them images of fake and unattainable ideals they should strive for. These ideals have crept into our phones and screens from decades of male dominance in industries like marketing and advertising. We need more women in our industry to tell us how we can offset those absurd ideas. We need more women to help the tech industry bury age old patriarchal norms and values, not reinforce them. Similarly, we also need more people of color to help the industry tackle racial bias.

At SingleStore, we’re committed to improving diversity in tech both internally and in our wider communities. Through SingleStore’s DEI Alliance, we invest in nonprofit organizations that seek to further the inclusion of women and non-binary talent in tech. We have also partnered with organizations like Girls Who Code, an international nonprofit organization encouraging women to become computer scientists, and Dream Machine’s AI Initiative, which focuses on how AI can be harnessed ethically to increase access to tech to underrepresented communities.

You wrote a book, Time Is Now: A Journey Into Demystifying AI. What interested you in writing this book and what are the key messages you wanted to convey?

The potential of AI to transform our world is unprecedented. With AI, the easy tasks will get automated, the harder tasks will get easier, and the impossible tasks will become possible. Yet to unleash this potential, we need to make sure we have control over AI’s development. And one way things can easily get out of control is if we allow exaggerated worries surrounding AI

to be used for fear mongering. If this happens, we will see opposition to AI, which can stifle efforts to develop it into a tool that can enhance human intelligence.

I wanted to write this book to help dispel those fears, but also to demystify a technology that’s existed for years but only recently has come into mainstream consciousness. The only way we, as a society, can actually take control of the way we develop this powerful technology is for us to understand it.

I also want my readers to understand the pivotal role data plays in AI. To put it simply, AI relies on the data we feed it. When we feed it with bad information, it gives you bad results. Results that we will use, by the way, to make wrong decisions and choices. When we are careful to feed it the best and most accurate information, AI enhances our ability to make good and impactful choices.

We need to understand these fundamentals to shape this technology to our advantage. That is the purpose of my book.

What is the best way to mitigate AI risks, such as AI bias?

I believe businesses and organizations have a big responsibility here. We cannot be shortsighted and see AI solely as a means to increase productivity and profits. Using AI comes with a big responsibility that we must embrace if we do not want to unleash some dangerous consequences.

For example, businesses must prioritize data privacy. AI applications that rely on generic, publicly available datasets can be tricked into revealing sensitive data if prompted correctly. That’s why we should make sure the data we use to power AI is safeguarded and private. We cannot allow data like financial information or medical records to go public. That would be a huge problem.

You mentioned AI bias, a very serious risk that we need to address with this technology. Again, AI applications that rely on publicly traded data are prone to give biased answers. If that superhuman in the world’s largest library runs into books that advocate for white supremacy, it is going to give you an answer based on what it read in those books. So when we use AI we must be cognizant that these are issues we need to correct. We can do that by being more careful with the data we feed AI, and by having humans monitor AI algorithms so they can catch bias when it happens, and teach the algorithm to avoid it in the future.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership and how do you approach your management style?

Communication, communication, communication. Your team can’t effectively understand you if you’re not communicating clearly and with the right context. Proper communication solves many issues in a workplace even before they arise.

I also approach my management style by being understanding when things go wrong. Bill Parcells, the famous NFL coach, once said (and I’m paraphrasing here): Four or five things

will happen every day that you wish wouldn’t happen. If you can’t handle those, then you need to get another job. As a leader, you should expect things to go wrong – nothing goes perfectly 100 percent of the time. The key isn’t about focusing on the problem, it’s about how you brainstorm, together, to find the right solutions.

And, of course, choosing the right team is essential. It is tempting to hire “yes people” who wouldn’t dare contradict you. It can make things run smoother. But the best hires are those who think differently and who dare to challenge your assumptions. Only then can you bring in new perspectives that allow you to refine your ideas and toss out the ones that don’t work. I find that the best hires I’ve made are people that don’t think like me. They challenge me and therefore force me to become a better leader.

What advice do you offer to young people beginning their careers?

Always be curious and be open. Curiosity leads you to ask deep questions, and from deep questions come deep answers. Remaining curious and asking questions signals intellectual humility, which means you are open to transformative ideas. Intellectual certainty does the opposite, and keeps you from growing and adapting to new circumstances in your career. Curiosity has been the driving force behind some major moments in my career. I took a 33 percent pay cut to move to America and work for TIBCO because I was so curious about how the company could transform the financial industry through real time analytics of stock performance. It paid off. If I had stayed abroad, I would have had a comfortable life, but I would have never had the opportunity to arrive at where I am now, as the leader of one of the most innovative data technology companies in Silicon Valley.

The other advice I would give is to be patient, especially if you want to be entrepreneurs and leaders. Careers are never straightforward. You take two steps forward, and most likely will run into events that push you at least one step backwards. Setbacks are inevitable. The important thing is to get up and keep taking those steps. It is the consistency in taking those steps that will drive your success. Don’t bet on the big breakthroughs, bet on steady progress and, one day, you will look back and see all the many steps you have taken to get to the place of success at which you have arrived.

What’s next in your evolution as a leader?

I plan to lead with curiosity. Many people fear the unknown, but I believe that while we should always be cautious, we shouldn’t let fear cause us to forget the joy of discovery. We must be open to change and all the benefits it can bring us. For example, as the younger generations enter the workforce, we should listen to their ideas about tackling age-old problems and navigating the next frontier. We should carry the lessons we’ve learned from the past, but ensure that they don’t keep us locked to a period that is long gone. My goal is to always remain open to what’s next, and push myself and my team to reach new heights.•

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

The Entrepreneurial Spirit

EDITORS’ NOTE Sanjay Govil is the Founder and Chairman of Infinite Computer Solutions. He worked for IBM and Verizon prior to establishing Infinite in 2003. Govil is a Fellow of the Wharton School of Business and is a member of the Global CEO Advisory Council for the Wharton Fellows program. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Future of Advertising Project at the Wharton School of Business, and was nominated to become a member of the Graduate Board for the Wharton School of Business. He has been recognized and featured in media throughout the world. Despite his business successes, he remains involved in the community through his philanthropic activities. He is particularly interested in supporting education related activities including the The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) DC’s Young Entrepreneurs Program. He is also raising awareness around entrepreneurship through his chariIty, The Sanjay Govil Foundation. An avid sports fan, he previously owned the Delhi Acers Badminton Team, and is now the owner of the Washington Freedom Major League Cricket team in Washington DC. He is equally passionate about cricket and is the owner of the Washington Freedom Cricket team in Washington DC. Govil earned a BSEE degree from Auburn University, and completed graduate work at Syracuse University as well as the Wharton School of Business.

COMPANY BRIEF Infinite Computer Solutions

(infinite.com) is a global leader in digital engineering and IT services established in 2003. With over two decades of experience helping clients turn digital transformation into business value, the company partners with customers to optimize, modernize, and scale their technology landscape –combining leading technologies, innovative platforms, and accelerators with practical know-how.

What was your vision for founding Infinite Computer Solutions and how do you define its mission?

Infinite works with clients across sectors –healthcare, telecommunications, media, financial services, engineering, and more – to drive digital innovation and embrace automation. We’re a global leader in digital engineering and information technology, leveraging new technologies and industry knowledge to shape the future.

My idea for Infinite came in the most natural way. I was driving around one day, and I thought to myself that I wanted to do something meaningful, something that was my own, and something that could help others. I’d had a career in technology, started a family, and now I wanted to create something that could present a real accomplishment and have meaningful impact in a long-term sense. So, we launched Infinite in 2003, and now we have offices all over the world, working with clients to develop and maintain their systems and push them into the digital future.

What have been the keys to the strength and leadership of Infinite in the industry?

Operating in the technology and digital space, adaptability and innovation have been critical to Infinite’s success. Emerging technologies are rapidly evolving, and they’re altering our approach to the world and the problems we need to solve along the way. For any company to become a fixture in this industry, agility, flexibility, and a willingness to change are nonnegotiable. And beyond reacting to the technology space, we’ve been able to drive encouraging growth by reaching into new markets and maintaining an interest in reaching out past what we’re comfortable or used to in order to expand our reach.

Our strength has also been built on understanding our clients’ needs, focusing relentlessly on how to deliver the best value for our stakeholders. It requires keen, unwavering attention to consumer tastes, client feedback, and an overall interest in how our customers are experiencing our business. Our success is intertwined with our clients’ success and we are deeply investing in their achievements.

Of course, success in business is unachievable without focusing on operational excellence, and investing in our people. We’re committed to attracting and retaining top talent – another necessity for success in this or any other field – and we’ve done so by aligning our business with shared values and

“My idea for Infinite came in the most natural way. I was driving around one day, and I thought to myself that I wanted to do something meaningful, something that was my own, and something that could help others.“

Sanjay Govil

An Interview with Sanjay Govil, Founder and Chairman, Infinite Computer Solutions

purpose. I’ve found that when your teams are connected by one mission, and they feel a sense of belonging and fulfillment in chasing those goals, your entire organization is sure to benefit.

You also serve as chairman of Zyter| TruCare. Will you provide an overview of Zyter|TruCare’s business?

Zyter|TruCare exists at the intersection between technology and healthcare, providing services and software solutions for healthcare providers, payers, and public health organizations to deliver affordable, value-based care.

At the time, I had developed expertise in the healthcare space through my work at Infinite and elsewhere, and I could see the incredible potential value digital tools could have for enhancing health outcomes. My goal was to build a company solely focused on the healthcare industry and creating tailored solutions for hospitals and insurance companies. And now, I’m proud to say we’re driving digital transformation to achieve equitable, affordable, and accessible solutions across the healthcare industry and care management space.

What led to your passion for sports and your involvement with cricket?

I’ve been a cricket fan my entire life. I grew up watching it, and to this day, I can still remember the joy I felt from seeing my first live match – hearing the sound of the bat making contact with the ball, the ball just grazing the wicket.

I left India when my father got a teaching job in the United States, and when we got to Alabama, I discovered that cricket was simply not a part of the American experience. Sometimes I would gather with a group of friends who were South Asian and British expats to play pickup cricket, but beyond that, my passion for cricket had to be put on pause. Despite cricket being the second-most popular sport in the world, it had no foothold in America.

Those memories bounced around my mind when the opportunity to join Major League Cricket and the Washington Freedom arose. In becoming the owner of Washington Freedom in MLC, I saw not only a way to immerse myself in a sport I’ve loved since childhood, but also a chance to share it with a whole new generation of fans.

Do you feel that the sport of cricket is building awareness and recognition in the United States?

Absolutely, and I’m grateful to be part of that momentum. We’ve had an exciting debut so far – last year, Major League Cricket played an incredible inaugural season, and now we’re looking forward to our second this summer. Being in Texas last year for the kickoff match, it was clear that we’re well on our way to creating a space for cricket in the U.S. sports scene. We’re seeing not only dedicated cricket fans from international communities come out to support, but new fans who want to get involved with something new. And with teams spanning the country – from Texas, New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and Seattle – we’re really reaching out into all different communities and raising the profile of cricket nationwide.

We’ve also seen encouraging interest from international cricket franchises and figures, indicating that we’re not only expanding cricket’s fanbase in the U.S., but that U.S. cricket is reaching around the world. Even before our first season, MLC was supported by international cricket leagues like the Big

Anrich Nortje of the Washington Freedom celebrates bowling Quinton de Kock of the Seattle Orcas during match three of Major League Cricket season 1 between the Seattle Orcas and Washington Freedom held at the Grand Prairie Stadium, Grand Prairie, Texas on July 14, 2023

“It’s a really exciting time for cricket in the U.S. right now, and we’re only getting started. Cricket is also set to join the Olympics in Los Angeles 2028, which I can only imagine will have an even greater impact on the demand for U.S. cricket.”

Bash League in Australia, the Indian Premier League, and more. We’ve also drawn famous cricket players from across the world. Now, as we head into our second season, my team, the Washington Freedom, has hired Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting as our new manager.

It’s a really exciting time for cricket in the U.S. right now, and we’re only getting started. Cricket is also set to join the Olympics in Los Angeles 2028, which I can only imagine will have an even greater impact on the demand for U.S. cricket. But even the fact that cricket has returned to the Olympic stage is a testament to its growing popularity, here and everywhere else.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership and how do you approach your management style?

Similar to my view on organizational success, I firmly believe that effective leadership depends on your ability to be flexible, adaptable, and open-minded. No one has all the answers, but as leaders, it’s our job to listen to those around us, take in wisdom and feedback from our teams and our mentors, and use those insights to make the best decisions for our teams. Not only does this approach ensure you’re thinking about how your strategies will affect everyone, but it also democratizes the decision-making process, making everyone throughout a team or organization feel more connected to the end result.

We’re also living in a world that’s changing rapidly. Every day, the landscape we’re working in evolves. As leaders, it’s our responsibility to respond to challenges and changes in a creative matter, and be willing to embrace discomfort and uncertainty. Flexibility allows us to explore new ideas, take on unprecedented challenges, and adapt in even the most difficult situations.

Personally, my management style is driven by bringing out the best in my team members. Whether that’s at Infinite or on the Washington Freedom cricket team, everyone has a role to play and value to create, and as a leader, I do everything I can to empower those around me to perform at their best in whatever capacity.

Will you discuss your interest and commitment to philanthropy and how you decide where to focus your efforts?

I’ve always been highly passionate about mentorship. I believe that continuous learning and education have tremendous value. More specifically, I’m very invested in creating opportunities for students, and making an impact that can carry on throughout their entire lives. For example, I’m a major supporter of the U.N.’s GirlUp Program, which provides education, leadership training, and advocacy opportunities to girls from around the world, with a focus on closing the gender gap in STEM.

As a business owner, it’s important to me that we’re investing in education for tomorrow’s leaders and inventors and CEOs. And as a parent –and as a person – I strongly believe in making sure that investment is accessible to everyone.

By investing in our students today, we put ourselves that much closer to creating the future we want to see. Our children will be the leaders shaping the world one day, and so it’s important to me that we create opportunities for people from all backgrounds and all communities to be a part of that future. That’s the philosophy that has led me to support organizations like GirlUp and other mentorship programs, and in many ways, it’s the reason I believe in philanthropy at all.

Do the same traits that made you successful in business apply to being effective in philanthropy?

Without a doubt. I firmly believe that, to be successful at something, you have to be focused and persistent, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re looking to secure a profit or create positive change in the world – though I’m confident that those two things aren’t mutually exclusive.

At the end of the day, finding success in any organization involves working with your own skills and the skills of others to maximize potential output. Given that mentality, it doesn’t really matter whether you’re working in a business mindset or a philanthropic mindset: success comes to those with foresight and determination.

Did you always know that you had an entrepreneurial spirit and desire to build your own business?

I didn’t always think I’d be an entrepreneur, but looking back, I can see the seeds of that career path throughout my life. I was always interested in problem-solving and gathering as much information as I possibly could, and my early career path got me in front of a lot of strong leaders at IBM, Wharton, and Auburn who nurtured me and encouraged me to push forward with my own ideas. It’s that combination of nature and nurture that made me into a leader with entrepreneurial spirit, and I am so grateful for all the help I received along the way.

With all that you have accomplished in business and philanthropy, are you able to enjoy the journey and take moments to celebrate the wins?

Right now, I’m enjoying the growth. I’m enjoying what we’ve accomplished. And while I’m always looking for the next win or the next challenge, I definitely appreciate the moments when things are going well, and try not to use those times to give myself a headache about all the things we still want to do.

I think, at some level, it’s impossible to fully pivot away from what’s next. I’m always thinking about the next problem we can solve or the next opportunity we can seize, and that’s what has made me successful. But at the same time, I try to take a moment now and then to look back and appreciate the journey.

What advice do you offer to young people beginning their careers?

First and foremost, I encourage young people to be passionate about what they do. Find something that truly excites and motivates you, and follow where it takes you. Passion is the fuel that drives perseverance and excellence.

You also need to embrace the fact that you know next to nothing about who you are and where you’re going to go. The early stages of your career are an invaluable opportunity to soak up knowledge, gain experience, and hone your skills. Be curious, ask questions, seek out mentors, never stop growing, and most of all, know that you have so far to go.

At those early career stages, you have the incredible benefit to always be learning, and to be more adaptable and open to change than those who are further along in their journey. The world is constantly evolving, and successful careers are built on the ability to adapt to new technologies, market trends, and challenges. Embrace change as an opportunity for growth and innovation.

Finally, always remember that the difference between winning and losing is usually perseverance and time invested. Success is rarely linear. It requires hard work, determination, and the ability to overcome obstacles and setbacks. Stay focused on your goals, believe in yourself, and never lose sight of your dreams. •

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Making A Difference

EDITORS’ NOTE Peter Malkin joined his father-in-law and Malkin Holdings LLC’s Co-Founder, Lawrence A. Wien, as a principal of Malkin Holdings LLC in 1958, and was responsible for the syndication and supervision of property acquisitions and operations of Malkin Holdings LLC. Malkin is the Founding Chair and a director of the Grand Central Partnership, The 34th Street Partnership and The Fashion Center Business Improvement District, each of which is a not-for-profit organization that provides supplemental public safety, sanitation, and capital improvement services to a designated area in midtown Manhattan. He is also Co-Chair of the Emeritus Council of Directors of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. (having been the longest serving board member of that institution), Founding Chair and currently Chair Emeritus of the Dean’s Council of the Harvard Kennedy School, Co-Chair Emeritus of The Real Estate Council of the Metropolitan Museum of New York, founding Co-Chair with Paul Newman and Co-Chair Emeritus of Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP), a member of the Global Wealth Management Advisory Committee of Bank of America, a member of the Advisory Committee of the Greenwich Japanese School, a partner in the New York City Partnership and a director of the Realty Foundation of New York. Malkin received a bachelor’s degree summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from Harvard College and a law degree magna cum laude from Harvard Law School.

Where did your passion for philanthropy develop?

Now in my 91st year, I know that I was right 70 years ago to say, “One Wife, One Home and One Job!” These have been excellent guidelines for me, and I have been blessed with family and home. With the “One Job” reduced to Chair Emeritus of Empire State Realty Trust, I now realize that I have had a second calling, if not “Job,” and that is active participation in not-for-profit activities that have been both fulfilling and worthwhile. The Athenian Oath was to leave one’s city better than one found it. Abraham Lincoln said, “I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.”

How do you decide where to focus your philanthropic efforts?

I have focused my social participation upon the city where I worked and the town in which we live. In New York City, I was able to apply my experience in real estate to founding and enlisting the support of property owners and tenants in the founding of Business Improvement Districts

“I now realize that I have had a second calling, if not ‘Job,’ and that is active participation in not-for-profit activities that have been both fulfilling and worthwhile.”

FIRM BRIEF Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT) is a NYC-focused REIT that owns and manages a well-positioned property portfolio of office, retail, and multifamily assets in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area. Owner of the Empire State Building –the “World’s Most Famous Building” – ESRT (esrtreit.com) also owns and operates its iconic, newly reimagined Observatory Experience. Empire State Realty Trust achieves success for its tenants, brokers, investors, employees and other stakeholders. Its fully-modernized, energy-efficient spaces provide exceptional value to its current and prospective tenants and residents, and serve as a competitive advantage for ESRT.

Peter L. Malkin

An Interview with Peter L. Malkin, Chair Emeritus, Empire State Realty Trust

Peter Malkin is Co-Chair of Lincoln Center’s Emeritus Council and was its longest serving board member

(BIDs) that enhanced, even revived, central Manhattan: The Grand Central Partnership, the 34th Street Partnership, the Fashion District Partnership, as well as the Bryant Park Conservancy, in partnership with Dan Biederman, from what it had become by 1989 to what it was able to become with the subsequent leadership of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff.

Because a great city is more than safer with cleaner public spaces, I have applied my skills to Lincoln Center, of which I was the longest serving member of its Board and am Co-Chair of its Emeritus Council, and to the New York Museum of Art, of which I was Co-Chair of its Real Estate Council, and am now Co-Chair Emeritus.

In the national arena, about 25 years ago I joined with Paul Newman to found the Committee Encouraging Corporate Purpose (CECP), the notfor-profit organization now with over 200 Chief Executive Officers of public companies that is dedicated to encouraging public companies to play active roles in social betterment and sustainability. Paul, through his Newman’s Own, during his life had given $300 million to public causes, 100 percent of the profit earned through the sale of products made to his recipes. With his partnership, I enlisted to serve as Honorary Chairs David Rockefeller, Paul Volcker, and John Whitehead, and then helped to recruit the many CEO

“I have learned that one gets to know people one would want to know by joining with them in supporting and actively participating in those organizations that benefit local areas and the greater society.”

members with the help of prominent CEOs such as Sandy Weill, Terry McGraw, and Doug Conant. Paul and I had initially been inspired by Larry Wien, my partner and father-in-law, who in the 1970s personally solicited CEO’s and submitted resolutions at annual meetings to about 100 corporations, which resulted in increasing their annual philanthropy by $300 million. The CECP companies now grant billions of dollars each year for public purposes.

In the Connecticut town where we live, I have founded and chaired The Merritt Parkway Conservancy, which protects and preserves this historic parkway, the Tree Conservancy, which has planted over 5,000 trees, and Green & Clean, a small version of the Manhattan BIDs. With my wife, we are committed supporters of our town’s Historical Society, working to offset the lack of knowledge of history so unfortunately prevalent today.

What has made your philanthropic work so special for you?

I have learned that one gets to know people one would want to know by joining with them in supporting and actively participating in those organizations that benefit local areas and the greater society. I might call this enlightened selfishness, so much better than and hopefully countervailing what Pat Moynihan called the all too prevalent “defining deviancy down.”•

Grand staircase at the entrance of the Empire State Building Observatory

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Addressing The Key Fiscal Challenges Threatening America’s Future

An Interview with Michael A. Peterson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Peter G. Peterson Foundation

EDITORS’ NOTE Michael Peterson is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to addressing America’s fiscal challenges and building a stronger economic future. The Foundation engages in grant-making, partnerships and research to educate citizens and policymakers and foster solutions to put America on a sustainable fiscal path. Peterson sets the Foundation’s policy direction and strategy, shaping its major programs and initiatives. He is also Chair of the Board of Directors of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, an independent research organization dedicated to strengthening prosperity and human welfare in the global economy. Additionally, he serves on the boards of the Nuclear Threat Initiative and the Partnership for New York City, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Economic Club of New York, and Business Executives for National Security. Peterson graduated magna cum laude and with Honors from Brown University, where he was awarded the Taubman Prize for his thesis. He received his Master’s degree from the London School of Economics.

FOUNDATION BRIEF

government, he dedicated the vast majority of his resources to the Foundation. I joined him in launching the foundation in 2008 and have been running it as CEO since 2015.

Our mission is to increase awareness about our nation’s fiscal challenges and bring people together to address them. We are nonpartisan because this issue transcends politics, and real solutions will require both parties to join hands. Given the huge role that healthcare plays in our budget and economy, we also have a Center dedicated to helping the delivery system achieve better health outcomes at lower cost. We have also recently started working on initiatives to support a better-functioning democracy, which we will need to solve any of our problems. In addition to the Foundation, we have a 501(c)4 called Peterson Solutions Fund that supports these same core missions.

Will you provide an overview of the work of the Foundation and its programs?

In the policy area, we work with top research organizations across the political spectrum to develop and build support for more sensible budgets. One of our signature

projects is the Solutions Initiative, which brings together seven ideologically diverse think tanks to present their own plans for long-term fiscal sustainability. What I like about this project is that they all agree the problem needs to be solved now, and they all solve it. It showcases the good news: that there is a broad range of viable policy options to choose from.

In terms of building awareness, we publish a range of content and information to help policymakers, the media and citizens better understand these issues. For example, we run an annual fiscal education program on hundreds of college campuses called “Up to Us” – we think it’s critical to get young people more aware and involved because most of them don’t really understand that all these deficits are just passing the bills to their generation, plus interest.

On the healthcare side, one of our core areas is improving access to healthcare data. A key challenge is that we don’t exactly know where all the waste and inefficiency is, so government entities and providers need better access to data and information in order to improve. We work closely with state governments on their data and ways to build more sustainable healthcare plans. Most recently, we established a new Institute that evaluates digital health technologies.

The Peter G. Peterson Foundation (pgpf.org) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that is dedicated to increasing public awareness of the nature and urgency of key fiscal challenges threatening America’s future, and to accelerating action on them. To address these challenges successfully, the Foundation works to bring Americans together to find and implement sensible, long-term solutions that transcend age, party lines and ideological divides in order to achieve real results.

Will you highlight the history of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation and how you define its mission?

My father established the Foundation because he cared deeply about our country. He was fortunate to live the American Dream, and was concerned that the same opportunities were not going to be available to the next generation. He had been writing and speaking out about America’s growing national debt and the threat it poses to our economy for many years. After retiring from a long career in business and

“Our mission is to increase awareness about our nation’s fiscal challenges and bring people together to address them. We are nonpartisan because this issue transcends politics, and real solutions will require both parties to join hands.”

Michael A. Peterson

“When you are trying to tackle enormous problems like the $34 trillion national debt or our $4 trillion healthcare sector, you need to focus on projects that have high impact. So in every one of our grants, we develop a ‘theory of change’ which explicitly lays out the goals and objectives, along with a range of metrics that we track.”

Technology has a key role to play in improving performance, and this new organization will give purchasers evidence about which innovations work, and which don’t.

How critical is it to have metrics to measure the impact of the Foundation’s work?

When you are trying to tackle enormous problems like the $34 trillion national debt or our $4 trillion healthcare sector, you need to focus on projects that have high impact. So in every one of our grants, we develop a “theory of change” which explicitly lays out the goals and objectives, along with a range of metrics that we track. Some metrics are simple and accurate, like number of clicks on a research report, and others are more diffuse, like national polling about fiscal confidence, which we do every month. Having come from the business world, I spent my career making decisions using financial and operating data, so I value metrics when developing and evaluating strategies.

What do you feel are the keys to effective philanthropy?

Philanthropy comes in all shapes and sizes. Some foundations focus on simply finding the right organizations to support on particular issues. They essentially see themselves as funders for work that is determined and executed by others, so they spend their time reviewing and evaluating the capabilities of other organizations. We do some of that, but most of our work is developed “in house.” The unfortunate reality is there aren’t many organizations out there focused on fiscal responsibility or healthcare efficiency – that’s part of the reason why we are. But it also means that we need to take ownership of project development, and proactively come up with ideas and initiatives. For us, a culture of innovative thinking and opportunistic risk-taking is really important. The first step is coming up with the projects, and then we either execute them ourselves or find partners to help get the work done. Regardless

of whether you are doing the work internally or with others, the key is to have a clear and compelling strategic vision, and a realistic and measurable plan for execution.

Do you approach your philanthropic work with a similar mindset to how you addressed your business efforts?

Most definitely – I run the Foundation very similarly to how I ran my businesses. In the business world you take investment dollars and expend them on capital projects and operations under a business plan to achieve a profit return. As a foundation, we take philanthropic dollars and expend them on grants and initiatives under a theory of change to achieve impact. Business principles are useful because they impose a discipline around being responsible and accountable with your dollars to achieve goals. To me, there is no reason why a charity should be any less focused on performance –it’s just that, rather than making money, the goal is to have greater impact on your mission to help others.

You serve as chair of the Peterson Institute for International Economics. What is the Institute’s mission and focus?

Yes, there is yet another Peterson entity –my father always joked about his “creativity” (or lack thereof) in coming up with names for organizations.

The Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) was founded in 1981 by my father and Fred Bergsten. They had worked together on international trade in the Nixon administration. Believe it or not, at that time there was no research organization focused on international economics. They saw this as a serious hole in policy research, so they set out to build a high-quality, nonpartisan think tank focused on these issues.

Fast forward 40-plus years and PIIE has become a five-time winner of the best economic think tank in the world. The Institute has a

team of more than 50 top economic researchers committed to elevating the understanding of the most urgent issues confronting the global economy. Our research agenda spans trade, investment, finance, crisis response, and macroeconomics. As the world faces many complex and interconnected global challenges, the Institute’s mission is more important than ever. I did not have much to do with building PIIE, but I am honored to help guide the organization in these critical times.

Your father, Pete Peterson, spent his career in leadership roles in business, government, and philanthropy. What role did his experience have in your career journey?

When you have a dad like Pete Peterson, it’s probably not a great idea to spend a lot of time comparing your careers. But I will say that I was always very inspired by him, and in particular how he was able to achieve great success in both finance as well as public service.

In my own way, I have tried to learn from his experiences to make my own choices. My degrees were in public policy and economics –I loved learning about how people make economic decisions, and the rules that can have a profound impact on human lives. I understood how critical finance was to the economy and decided to start my career as an investment banking analyst at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. I didn’t sleep much, but I learned a ton about how businesses work and how capital should be deployed. Four years later, I left to work for one of my clients, which was a large telecommunications business, eventually becoming a CFO and COO. This experience taught me much more about management and operations, at a deeper level than Wall Street can. I then had an itching to build my own thing, so I partnered with a member of our management team to start a new telecommunications business from scratch using new IP technology, which made it much easier and faster.

That business was underway and growing when my dad called and asked me to help him start the Foundation. It was hard because I was really enjoying and committed to what I was doing. In the end, however, it was an easy choice. I had always hoped to get back into public policy and economics, and our country was rapidly heading in the wrong direction. My dad was 82 at the time, and he needed a hand. This mission was simply much more important than a new business, so I gradually exited my company to join him full time.

How special was it to have the opportunity to work side-by-side with your father?

I will always cherish working side-by-side with him for ten years, until his passing in 2018. Sometimes fathers and sons can have complicated relationships, but we did not. We both bent over backwards to support each other and be generous and thoughtful partners together. And it was philanthropy, so it wasn’t about us or our individual needs – it was about helping the country. It was truly a pleasure to see him in action, and it’s a privilege to be able to continue his legacy.•

André Hambourg

POST-IMPRESSIONIST MASTER

Few artists attain the international acclaim that has been accorded to André Hambourg in their lifetime. His paintings hang in more than fifty museums in France and other countries, and private collectors worldwide have acquired his luminous marine and beach scenes, poetic compositions of Venice, landscapes, and still lifes - works that brilliantly transcend the art of Impressionism. His name and paintings are synonymous with the highest standards of French art.

Hambourg was born in Paris in 1909. He studied at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs and then, in 1927, enrolled in the Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts as a student of painting with Lucien Simon. Hambourg became active in the Salons early in his career, starting with his first exhibition at the Salon de Tuileries in 1929 and followed by shows at the Salon des Indépendants, Salon d’Automne, Les Peintres Témoins de leur Temps, Salon du Dessin, Salon de la Peinture à l’Eur and the Salon des Terres Latines.

André Hambourg is often remembered as a sensitive interpreter of the Normandy coastline and of the Venetian canals, but his distinctive style was achieved through his different artistic experimentations throughout his lengthy career. He traveled extensively, experiencing and painting many different environments and cultures, from France to Algeria, Russia to Venice, and Israel to the Ivory Coast, to name a few.

Life in all its guises had always been the overriding passion of Hambourg’s work. In the development of his art, perhaps it is not life that has changed but his apprehension of it; from being the painter of its sorrow, he was now the painter of its joy, dynamism and constantly renewed creation. He caught the color of a particularly transient moment, held and magnified in a dynamic mutability. By means of his own reactions to life and the spontaneity of human contact, he relayed to the world what the world expects from the artist - the possibility of renaissance.

Wally Findlay Galleries has represented the work of André Hambourg since 1963. His exhibitions at Wally Findlay Galleries in New York, Chicago, Palm Beach and Beverly Hills have added to his fame and stature.

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Quantum Computing

An

Interview with Markus Pflitsch, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Terra Quantum

EDITORS’ NOTE Markus Pflitsch is a quantum physicist, senior financial executive, and deep-tech entrepreneur. He believes in the competitive advantage of quantum tech and is committed to supporting the European ecosystem to unlock its value. Since he was 14 years old, Pflitsch has been a quantum physics enthusiast. He built on that passion, studying mathematics and physics, and pursuing a research career at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. He also built a career in business and finance, starting with the Boston Consulting Group in Europe and North America and going on to serve as an executive and financial officer for several international firms. He brought his scientific training and business experience together in 2019 when he founded Terra Quantum.

What was your vision for creating Terra Quantum and how do you define its mission?

Terra Quantum is built on our conviction that quantum technology is the future of computing. Quantum computing applies the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that are too complex for even the most advanced conventional computers. Our vision, therefore, is to be on the cutting edge of this new, game-changing technology. We want to lead the quantum revolution and be the trailblazer in technology solutions, shaping a better future for humankind to prosper in. Our mission can be summed up this way: To unleash the power of quantum tech to deliver meaningful solutions today.

Will you discuss how quantum computing works?

though there is impressive progress in this space –the purely quantum hardware of today is not yet capable of solving large-scale industry applications on its own. This creates both science and engineering challenges: How to best utilize and isolate quantum effects and build systems that can leverage these for computation.

Will you provide an overview of Terra Quantum’s products and solutions?

We have identified a use-case portfolio of 50-plus opportunities across industries that will benefit from hybrid quantum computing. These industries include financial services, logistics, automotive, life sciences, and pharma. We can solve clients’ problems and advance their businesses by tackling their most complex computing problems. We offer practical performance enhancements today, not some day off in the future, shaping their business for tomorrow.

COMPANY BRIEF Terra Quantum (terra quantum.swiss) is a leading quantum technology company headquartered in Germany and Switzerland. It consists of three core services. The first provides customers with access to an extensive library of algorithms that can be used for solving complex problems in the domains of optimization, machine learning and simulation, among other things. It also develops new quantum algorithms for customers or adapts existing algorithms to their specific needs. The second division offers a hybrid quantum computing, including access to simulated and physical quantum processors hybridized with classical high-performance computers. The third division is “Quantum Security as a Service” through which Terra Quantum offers unique solutions for secure quantum and post-quantum communications worldwide. Terra Quantum is also part of a joint venture, QMware, which is a leading provider of hybrid quantum computing cloud services.

It is now well known to physicists that physical matter at the subatomic level exhibits behavior that is fundamentally different than on a macroscopic level, something that was once inconceivable. Quantum computing leverages this behavior. We do that with hardware that manipulates the basic unit in quantum computing, known as the “qubit,” short for quantum bits. The bits in classical computers can only be 1 or 0. Qubits can be one or the other – or both at the same time. Through this effect, called superposition, and another one correlating the qubits in all possible ways, called entanglement, quantum computing can evaluate many possibilities at once. That capacity can exponentially increase the speed of hybrid calculations.

I don’t want to overstate the case, however. At this point in time, we are still facing limitations on the capabilities of quantum hardware. Even though we see rapid maturing of the hardware – and even

I should add that at this stage in the development of the technology, hybrid computing – by which I mean the hybridization of quantum and classical high-performance computers – is a key part of Terra Quantum’s business model. It enables us to address industrially relevant applications today. We use the QMware (a TQ joint venture) cloud for its hybrid quantum computing approach. The unique architecture provides a clear advantage to competitive solutions, offering a fully integrated platform with a shared memory structure. This means that high-performance and quantum computing processes work – literally – in parallel.

Hybrid quantum software applications executed on the QMware cloud are able to access the best classical computing resources seamlessly, without requiring amendments at the application level. As we develop this system, parts of the applications will be executed by classical computing systems, while more complex parts will be executed on quantum systems.

“Quantum computing applies the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that are too complex for even the most advanced conventional computers. Our vision, therefore, is to be on the cutting edge of this new, game-changing technology.”

Markus Pflitsch

“We at Terra Quantum are convinced that this is a revolutionary time in computer technology and that the quantum era promises groundbreaking progress and innovation that is going to transform the world as we know it.”

To address large-scale industrial applications, we develop software applications which showcase world-class performance on the best computing platforms of today – Central Processing Units and Graphics Processing Units – while also seamlessly harnessing the increasingly maturing Quantum Processing Units, as and when needed.

Terra Quantum is focused on being “the European answer to breakthrough and accessible quantum computing technology.” Where are you on this journey?

Headquartered in Germany and Switzerland, Terra Quantum is now one of the leading quantum technology companies in Europe. We were pioneers in the quantum field and therefore have an edge on the competition. We do not envision ourselves, however, as only a European organization. The United States has always been a leader in creating and embracing new technologies, and we intend to be a part of the growth of quantum computing in the U.S. In addition to the U.S., we endeavor to have a leading position globally too, particularly as quantum technologies enhance their impact across the world.

Right now, our quantum algorithms executed on the hybrid quantum cloud can:

• Generate business advantages by solving real-world problems in the areas of optimization, machine learning, and simulation.

• Combine the best of classical and quantum hardware in one integrated platform.

• Seamlessly harness the power of improved quantum processors as they mature.

• Ensure that our partners and clients do not need to bet on a certain type of quantum hardware or a particular hardware player.

What are the opportunities for quantum technologies to change the world for good?

We at Terra Quantum are convinced that this is a revolutionary time in computer technology and that the quantum era promises groundbreaking progress and innovation that is going to transform the world as we know it. As a pioneer in this field, Terra Quantum is committed to applying quantum technology for a better future, breaking down the barriers between science and industry and laying the foundations of a real quantum tech ecosystem and value chain.

In particular, we see enormous potential benefits being harnessed in support of the energy transition and in the field of life sciences. There are also huge possibilities in the realm of quantum security, protecting information as we

approach “Q-Day” when current, classical security systems are increasingly vulnerable to decryption by quantum computers.

What do you see as the intrinsic connection between the planet and quantum technologies?

We value the intrinsic connection between our planet and quantum technologies, putting sustainability at the core of our business and culture. Standing at the very beginning of the quantum revolution, we feel the excitement – and responsibility – for ensuring the applications and tools we are developing are eco-friendly and sustainable.

Quantum computing has the potential to help humankind overcome technological limitations and solve our greatest challenges in business and society. This includes improved energy efficiencies through optimal grid management, rapid acceleration of the drug discovery process, and improved prediction and simulation of complex systems like weather patterns.

Will you provide an example of how quantum computing might be able to help companies across industries?

Terra Quantum has developed unique hybrid algorithms that can explore huge, complex solution spaces faster and more efficiently than classical algorithms, delivering qualitatively better answers than classical algorithms are able to produce, no matter the underlying hardware. Terra Quantum’s proprietary algorithms can be applied to a wide range of optimization and machine-learning problems in various industries. One example would be optimizing the packing of goods within shipping containers. A logistics company needs to maximize the amount of goods that can be packed while at the same time considering various constraints, such as weight limitations and placement directions for each package. This is such a complex computing challenge that shipping containers are currently, on average, only 65 percent utilized. For a large shipping organization that transports about 13 million containers a year, every percentage point improvement in capacity utilization can deliver $429 million in annual savings. As I said, a game-changer.

And here’s a real-world example of how we have already helped customers. We are able to run enhanced versions of Monte Carlo simulations, often exponentially faster than a classical computer could. Using this approach, for a particular client in financial services, we have been able to reduce the time for pricing options products by 75 percent, giving them a strategic advantage in the competitive world of global financial markets.

Did you always know that you had an entrepreneurial spirit and desire to build your own company?

I can’t honestly say that I always knew that I wanted to build my own company, but from an early age I was enthusiastic about quantum physics. I never lost that enthusiasm, but along the way I did pursue a career in business and finance. Starting at the Boston Consulting Group in Europe and North America, I acquired invaluable experience in the financial services industry. I went on to spend several years as a chief financial officer and senior executive with various corporations including Deutsche Bank and UniCredit, and then as my entrepreneurial spirit came alive, I became an owner-manager of digital and high-tech companies. Ultimately, I found a way to leverage my knowledge and experiences in quantum physics, business, and finance by becoming an entrepreneur in the quantum tech space. And that’s how Terra Quantum came to be.

I might add that I am a senior advisor to private equity funds and a member of the BadenBadener Unternehmergespräche, a German institution that helps cultivate the next generation of executive leaders by bringing together decisionmakers from business, politics, and society.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership and how do you approach your management style?

I am fortunate to be surrounded by an incredibly talented, dedicated, visionary team of executives. As CEO, the final decisions are up to me of course, but my leadership style is to get constant input from my team, to let everyone speak freely and to the greatest extent possible, to solve problems collegially. We are also fortunate to have a group of senior advisors whose scientific knowledge and business acumen are absolutely invaluable. We are honored to work with this remarkable team of international experts that brings together the finest people from science, academia, and industry.

What are your priorities for Terra Quantum as you look to the future?

As I said, quantum computing is going to have a transformative impact on the world – revolutionary, you might say. Our priority going forward will be to remain a leader in the industry. A leader dedicated not only to advancing the technology in the service of science and business, but also ensuring that quantum computing helps society overcome technological limitations and solve problems in eco-friendly, sustainable ways.•

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Revolutionizing Communication

An Interview with Tomas Gorny, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Nextiva

EDITORS’ NOTE Tomas Gorny was born and raised in Poland. He moved to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream at the age of 20 without knowing any English. Today, he’s a technology visionary, Co-founder and CEO of Unitedweb and Nextiva, and on the board of directors for Endurance International Group. He has received numerous awards for his leadership in the technology industry. In 2014 he was recognized as the “Business Leader of the Year” at Arizona Technology Council’s 2014 Governor’s Celebration of Innovation, and in 2017 he was named Top Tech CEO by the Phoenix Business Journal. Gorny is passionate about making a mark and driving positive change in his community around charitable causes he believes can make a widespread impact. His philanthropic efforts are achieved through Nextiva Cares and the Gorny Foundation.

Tomas Gorny

this as my opportunity to pursue my American Dream. At the time, I didn’t speak English and I had to work additional jobs to cover my expenses. The company sold after just two years and made me a millionaire overnight, so very quickly I came from living off $3 a day in my early days in the U.S. to being a millionaire. However, subsequent ventures faced challenges, especially during the burst of the dot-com bubble. Undeterred, I started IPOWER in 2001, which became one of the fastest-growing website hosting companies in the world and eventually sold for nearly a billion dollars in 2011. Today, it’s the secondlargest hosting company after GoDaddy. In 2008, I founded a website-security company called SiteLock with a mission to protect and optimize every website on the internet. Through the years, we’ve grown to protect over 16 million websites, collaborated with 200+ partners, and established a global presence that surpasses any competitor.

keen sense for understanding how businesses communicate with their customers and teams. You can see why I wanted to be a part of the tech industry and make technology accessible to all. That became the cornerstone of my motivation. Our mission was to simplify business communications, and our first slogan was to “help every business – regardless of size – feel and operate like a Fortune 500 company,” and we’ve backed this up with a powerful platform, easy to use products, and amazing service. We want to make a difference and leave a mark by empowering businesses around the world through innovative technology. When I look at today’s entrepreneurial culture, I see that many young people forget to build a business in the process of chasing financial outcomes. The culture, the way you treat your employees, the atmosphere in the office, providing opportunities for your employees to shine – that’s where the heart of the business is and exactly why I never focused on an exit strategy, despite selling and buying businesses and taking them public.

COMPANY BRIEF Nextiva (nextiva.com) powers billions of conversations every year across cloud business phone systems, text and team messaging, video meetings, and more. From one powerful communication hub, Nextiva is transforming the way businesses engage with their customers. Nextiva’s Amazing Service® and customer-centric philosophies have been the foundation of the company for 15 years. Founded in 2008, and headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Nextiva raised $200 million from Goldman Sachs Asset Management in its firstever funding round at a $2.7 billion valuation in late 2021.

Will you highlight your career journey?

When I was a young boy growing up in communist Poland, at the age of seven I already knew that I wanted to come to America. My exposure to America was through movies and books. By the time I was a teenager I had already started a couple of businesses while attending college in Germany, so my desire for entrepreneurship was always there.

I took the next step in 1996, when I moved to Los Angeles two months before graduating to help a friend start a website hosting business, after he seemed impressed by what I was doing in Germany. He couldn’t afford to pay me and offered to give me equity instead. I saw

What was your vision for creating Nextiva?

I grew up during the computer revolution and developed my career in the year DOS transitioned to Windows. I developed a

How do you define Nextiva’s mission and purpose?

Every relationship starts – and grows –through conversation. Nextiva unifies every conversation channel. Every relationship starts – and

“You need to be willing to think outside the box, challenge the status quo and not only ‘imagine’ a better way – but take action.”

“Our mission was to simplify business communications, and our first slogan was to ‘help every business – regardless of size – feel and operate like a Fortune 500 company,’ and we’ve backed this up with a powerful platform, easy to use products, and amazing service.”

grows – through conversation. Nextiva unifies every conversation channel. This aligns with my general viewpoint that we are living in the era of the customer, where expectations have soared to unprecedented heights. While businesses are undoubtedly hearing more from their customers, they often find themselves understanding less. Having experienced the pain of using computers during the early days of the PC, I wanted Nextiva to empower businesses, especially those less technically inclined, to level the playing field against larger enterprises. We believe meaningful connections generate better outcomes for all. We are constantly looking around the corner because we are in the business of change. We are in the business of future-proofing our software, our technology, and delivering the greatest customer experience.

Where do you see the greatest opportunities for growth for Nextiva?

At Nextiva, we created a culture around continuously evolving. You need to be willing to think outside the box, challenge the status quo and not only “imagine” a better way –but take action. I see our biggest chances for growth in the constantly changing world of communication channels. As technology keeps advancing, we’re well-positioned to come up with innovative solutions that match the ever-shifting needs of businesses. By proactively staying at the forefront of technological advancements and understanding evolving communication preferences, we are delivering valuable products that set us apart.

That being said, our objective is not merely to address present requirements, but to anticipate future trends, equipping businesses with the necessary tools to thrive in a dynamic and competitive environment.

Will you discuss Nextiva’s focus on talent and investment in its workforce?

If there is one thing I did right, it was embracing great people. I learned that through

the adversity I faced when coming over to the U.S. – I was just another foreigner who didn’t know the language. But you cannot build a business by yourself – you need the support of other people and together, you can achieve any goal. To this day, my closest partners are the same people I have been working with for the past 10 or 20 years. Of course, we are always on the lookout for promising individuals. Nextiva prides itself on being in line with the sign of the times. Culture forms the backbone of every company.

What do you see as Nextiva’s responsibility to be engaged in the communities it serves and to be a force for good in society?

Giving back to society is one of the driving principles of our identity, which is why we have

a philanthropic branch set up – Nextiva Cares. Each month, we team up with local nonprofits to lend a helping hand. Whether it’s time, funds, or resources, we’re in it together to make a positive impact. It’s about creating change, spreading kindness, and building a better community, because we believe success is meaningful when shared. So far, we have supported more than 50 organizations, with 650+ volunteers working diligently to be a true force for good in our society.

Did you always know that you had an entrepreneurial spirit and desire to build your own business?

Absolutely. I already started a few companies while I was studying in Germany, first of them at the age of 16. When the opportunity came knocking, I took it and continued building businesses in America. I always wanted to make a meaningful difference and leave a mark. Even if you make mistakes, learn from it and move on. Remember, past mistakes don’t dictate the future.

What advice do you offer to young entrepreneurs beginning their careers?

I typically share three pieces of advice with aspiring young entrepreneurs – look for a gap in the market, offer more value than your customer is paying for, and focus on building a business, not financials. This may sound abstract, but even if you have an amazing idea, you have to assess whether people are willing to pay for it. Creating a product that offers great value for money gives you one of the most important tools in marketing – word of mouth, it gets you referrals and builds the potential for your future customers to stay longer with you. Also, work with good people – don’t waste your time being stressed working with people you don’t like. Reflecting on and analyzing past experiences helps avoid repeating mistakes. •

“But you cannot build a business by yourself – you need the support of other people and together, you can achieve any goal. To this day, my closest partners are the same people I have been working with for the past 10 or 20 years. “

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Shaping The Future Of Business And Technology

An Interview with Stuart Henderson, Market Unit Lead – U.S. Northeast, Accenture

EDITORS’ NOTE Stuart Henderson is Accenture’s Market Unit lead for U.S. Northeast and responsible for clients, people, offices, community involvement, and financial performance across the region. Leading more than 10,000 people in the Northeast – spanning Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont – Henderson focuses on bringing continuous innovation to clients, attracting and retaining top talent and strengthening Accenture’s impact in the local communities. He also is a member of Accenture’s Global Management Committee and North America Leadership Team. Prior to his Northeast role, Henderson was Accenture’s client account lead, responsible for building and growing relationships with the worlds’ leading companies operating in the United States and Canada to drive client value and co-innovation. Henderson was also Accenture’s global industry lead for Life Sciences – guiding the strategies, offerings, and thought leadership to help pharma, biotech, medical technology, distributor, and consumer health companies reshape the future of medicine and care. Before joining Accenture, Henderson worked in corporate strategy and development, heading up R&D strategy at AstraZeneca and leading life sciences strategy and transformation at IBM Global Business Services. Henderson joined Accenture in 2014. He earned a BS degree in information technology from De Montfort University.

has proven to be both challenging and very rewarding. I’m responsible for clients, people, community engagement, and financial performance, leading more than 10,000 people across Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

My focus is, and continues to be, to work with our clients on their reinvention journey, while at the same time, retaining and developing top talent and strengthening Accenture’s impact in local communities. As a member of Accenture’s Global Management Committee and our North America Leadership Team, I have the opportunity to understand our business and our impact through both a macro and micro lens – it’s a very inspiring vantage point.

Prior to my Northeast role, I was Accenture’s North America Client Account Lead, responsible for building and growing relationships with the worlds’ leading companies operating in the United States and Canada to drive client value and innovation.

In addition, I was Accenture’s global industry lead for Life Sciences – guiding the strategies, offerings, and thought leadership to help pharma, biotech, medical technology, distributor and consumer health companies reshape the future of medicine and care.

How do you describe Accenture’s culture and purpose?

Our people are all in, working together with clients to enhance the organization’s technology and streamlining processes for greater efficiency. We collaborated to integrate their fundraising and other business-critical systems for their clients, donors, volunteers, and administrators. While these improved systems have delivered measurable results for Share My Meals – including increasing the volume of meals shared with the community by more than 400 percent in the next two years –the innovation is scalable and has the potential to improve organizations like theirs throughout the country and beyond, and that’s good for everyone.

At the end of the day, we are incredibly thankful for our people who care so deeply about the work we do and the impact on our clients, our communities, and each other.

What have been the keys to Accenture’s industry leadership and how do you define the Accenture advantage?

Accenture sets the bar in many ways – an important differentiator is our research, which helps to shape the future of business and technology. We know that Gen AI is unlike any technology change we have seen in the digital age. We believe that leaders need to have a deep understanding and ensure their employees do as well so that they can leverage this technology as a catalyst for reinvention.

COMPANY BRIEF Accenture (accenture.com) is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments, and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth, and enhance citizen services – creating tangible value at speed and scale. Accenture is a talent- and innovation-led company with approximately 743,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and Accenture is one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change.

Will you discuss your role as Market Unit

Lead for U.S. Northeast and how you will focus your efforts in the role?

Approaching the two-year mark as the Market Unit Lead for U.S. Northeast, this journey

At Accenture, our goal is to create 360-degree value for our stakeholders – our clients, our people, partners, and communities. We measure our success by how well we are achieving this goal.

Diving into our culture and purpose, we are deeply committed to giving back to the community. We all have the responsibility to strive each day to live our values of equity, respect, inclusion and belonging for all people.

One effort I’m particularly proud of is Share My Meals, a New Jersey-based non-profit. Their mission is clear: provide greater access to healthy food while eliminating food waste. Share My Meals collects surplus meals from food service providers and distributes them directly to local families at their homes or through a network of community partners. Local food donors provide a crucial role, providing high quality, nutritious food on a flexible basis.

One of our reports, released at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, revealed Generative AI has become a fundamental business lever for business reinvention as disruption continues to rise globally. In fact, the rate of change affecting business has risen sharply; by 183 percentage points since 2019 and 33 percentage points in 2023 alone, with 88 percent of C-suite executives anticipating an even faster rate of change in 2024.

This report, “Reinvention in the age of Generative AI,” highlights five key imperatives that need to be addressed to execute a successful reinvention strategy:

1. Be value-led in developing end-to-end capabilities, powered and reinvented with Gen AI.

2. Develop an AI-enabled, secure digital core.

3. Set and guide a vision for how to reinvent work and prepare workers for a Gen AI world.

4. Make responsible AI pervasive, systematic, and enterprise-wide.

5. Splice continuous reinvention into organizational DNA, blending technology like Gen AI with people’s ingenuity to capture long-term value and build lasting resilience.

Stuart Henderson

“Gen AI offers a trio of opportunities – it can accelerate economic value and drive business growth while also fostering more creative and meaningful work for people.”

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership during times of accelerated change?

At Accenture, we talk about essential qualities of leadership. What we’re looking for is for people to lead with excellence, confidence, and humility. We do the right thing – always. And we exemplify client centricity while we care deeply for our people. Inclusion and diversity are not just principles but lived values, and we embrace the courage to drive change.

For me, these are not just “words.” This is how we show up every day for our people and our clients.

During periods of accelerated change – as we have seen in recent years and ahead – leaders need to be agile and navigate uncertainty willingly – table stakes at Accenture.

What are the key issues facing C-suite executives today and how is Accenture helping to address these issues?

C-suite executives who I work with are talking about Gen AI – where to start, how to prepare their ecosystem, and how to leverage its potential. Last year we saw a lot of very exciting experimentation; even the shift from GPT 3.5 to 4 and the recent Gemini version are huge steps forward. C-suites today are focused on how to scale and how to drive value from this Gen AI revolution.

Beyond that, digital literacy is essential – not just for leaders, but for everyone. As our research shows, continuous reinvention is achieved only with a very deep understanding of advances in transformative technologies like Gen AI that have the potential to transform every part of the enterprise.

And we don’t just counsel our clients about the need for ongoing training; this is what we practice with all our employees, in the Northeast and throughout the world. TQ – it stands for Technology Quotient – is a curriculum of basic technology skills in key areas – we believe that this understanding is critical for success for all of our people. As a company, we spend about $1 billion a year, an average of 40 hours per person, on training. That helps us both from an overall performance perspective, and it helps us recruit top talent.

Will you discuss Accenture’s investment in technology and how important it is to not lose the human touch that Accenture is known for with the focus on technology?

Accenture’s investment in technology is significant by any benchmark. Last year, the company announced an unprecedented $3 billion investment over three years to help clients across all industries rapidly and responsibly advance and use AI to achieve greater growth, efficiency, and resilience. This investment built on Accenture’s decades-plus leadership in AI, including more than 1,450 patents and pending patent applications.

As it has been said, AI will be a mega-trend, transforming industries, companies, and the way we live and work. Gen AI is democratizing business process redesign, giving everyone – from assembly workers and customer service agents to lab scientists – the power to reshape how they work. But this transformation can only happen if there is trust that organizations will integrate the technology in ways that protect and prepare workers. Approaching this integration through a people-centric lens has the potential to create more than $10 trillion in economic value. This was reflected in recent research, “Work, Workforce and Workers,” from Ellyn Shook, Accenture’s Chief Leadership and Human Resources Officer and Paul Daughtery, Group Chief Executive, Accenture Technology.

Gen AI offers a trio of opportunities – it can accelerate economic value and drive business growth while also fostering more creative and meaningful work for people.

How critical is it for Accenture to build a diverse and inclusive workforce to bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the table when addressing client needs?

Diversity drives innovation – it’s at the heart of who we are and what we do at Accenture. Diversity and inclusion are in our DNA. You can only have a culture of equality if you start with the belief that diversity matters, that it’s not only the right thing to do, but that it’s an important part of your business.

We are committed to helping our people thrive, which includes advancing inclusion and diversity – and we treat inclusion and diversity like every other business priority. We set goals, share them publicly, and collect data to measure our progress and continuously improve. As leaders, we’re accountable for ensuring we have the most innovative and talented people in our industry. This approach is a key driver of our success.

What do you see as the responsibility that leading companies have to being engaged in the communities they serve and to be a force for good in society?

We promote equality and foster employment and advancement for under-represented communities, both globally and locally. We actively collaborate to address specific challenges and advocate for meaningful change.

A great example of this is our apprenticeship program – an innovative, year-long, learn-andearn model. This initiative provides apprentices with market-based wages and comprehensive benefits while equipping them with skills essential for a successful career. Since we established the apprenticeship program in 2016, Accenture has hired more than 2,000 apprentices. The vast majority joined the company without a fouryear degree.

We continue to expand our program to give more people access to digital economy jobs. This program has lifted not only the lives of our apprentices, but their families and communities as well. And our ambition for this program goes beyond Accenture – we’re helping other employers, including our clients, create professional apprenticeship programs based on best practices we’ve established. We’ve launched 10 local Apprentice Networks convening over 200 employers with talent and other key partners. We’ve even published a playbook to help companies jumpstart their own apprenticeship programs.

What advice do you offer to young people beginning their careers?

Three things: Be a steward of the talent following you. Be a constant learner – the world is moving faster and faster and you must invest in learning every day to remain relevant. Finally, cultivate connections.

When I speak to people interested in building their careers, I emphasize the value of cultivating connections – whether with clients, teams, or peers. People are at the heart and center of our business. Also, continuous learning is paramount to our success in the market. As we’ve discussed, change is constant – and opportunities don’t happen, you have to create them.

If people are interested in a career in a business like ours, it’s helpful to combine a strong understanding and background in technology with a passion for what’s new. As for me, I’m inspired by our “new joiners” – our term for new employees – they bring fresh ideas, new life experiences, and diverse perspectives to our company.•

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SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Creating A Healthier Future For All

An Interview with Dr. Peter M. Fleischut, Senior Vice President and Chief Information and Transformation Officer, NewYork-Presbyterian

EDITORS’ NOTE Dr. Peter Fleischut is Senior Vice President and Chief Information and Transformation Officer at NewYork-Presbyterian. Most recently, Fleischut served as NewYorkPresbyterian’s Chief Innovation Officer, where he led the development of NYP OnDemand, NewYork-Presbyterian’s comprehensive digital health program that offers a suite of services including Second Opinion, Urgent Care and Express Care. Fleischut joined NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in 2006 and has held many roles since then, including: Medical Director of the Operating Rooms, Deputy Quality Patient Safety Officer, Founding Director of the Center for Perioperative Outcomes, Chief Medical Information Officer, Chief Medical Operating Officer, and Vice Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine. Fleischut retains his appointment as Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine. He has received numerous awards and honors, including NewYork-Presbyterian’s Physician of the Year, the David A. Leach Award for Innovation in Quality from the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education, and the Weill Cornell Medical College (now Weill Cornell Medicine) Healthcare Leadership Award. In 2016 and 2017, he led NewYork-Presbyterian to CIO100 recognition, the InformationWeek Elite 100 and the President’s Award from the American Telehealth Association for healthcare redesign for the release of NYP OnDemand. A graduate of Jefferson Medical College and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Fleischut completed his residency training in anesthesiology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. He distinguished himself by becoming one of the founding members formed to improve patient care and safety by creating a culture that promotes greater house staff participation, and served as resident quality and patient safety officer for NewYork-Presbyterian.

in patient care, education, research, and community service at ten hospital campuses: NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health Center, NewYorkPresbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester in Bronxville, NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, NewYorkPresbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital, and NewYork-Presbyterian Queens.

How do you describe NewYork-Presbyterian’s culture and values?

At NewYork-Presbyterian, our culture and values are shaped by the diverse communities we serve. We are deeply committed to representing, understanding and serving the needs of the community and keeping people healthy through convenient, accessible, and equitable patient care. As a nonprofit institution, we exist for the public good – and the public good is a single standard of care for every patient who walks through our doors.

We also have a strong culture of innovation at NewYork-Presbyterian. Our purpose is deeply engrained in nurturing and growing our team of world-class medical experts, investing in cutting-edge research and innovation, and prioritizing health justice.

Our values of respect, integrity, empathy, teamwork and innovation guide our decisions as we do our work to advance medicine, research and education to create a healthier future for all.

What have been the keys to NewYorkPresbyterian’s industry leadership?

An area I’m most passionate about is our use of data, technology, and innovation to deliver a more modern, seamless, and empathetic patient experience to each of our patients. We have a team that is devoted to uncovering new disease areas in which technology and AI can help identify devastating conditions in patients sooner. In fact, we have around 120 AI initiatives underway across clinical and nonclinical use cases.

We are steadfast in our journey to activate a wide range of AI programs to reduce the burden of disease through diagnosis and treatment. One example is the groundbreaking work our cardiologists are doing with data scientists to develop an algorithm that can help diagnose heart conditions such as structural heart disease during a routine, inexpensive EKG. A cardiologist cannot identify structural heart disease by reading an EKG alone, but by running the EKG through the AI model, the model can indicate to the cardiologist to consider ordering an echocardiogram for further evaluation. Early detection and intervention are critical to improve patients’ lives and outcomes.

The ability to apply breakthrough AI innovations to diagnose structural heart disease within minutes, and then extend the science to other disciplines such as oncology and neurology, will be game-changing.

Academic medical centers like NewYorkPresbyterian also play a critical role in training the top clinicians of the future. The depth, breadth and talent within our training programs is unparalleled – in fact it’s one of the largest training programs in the country, training nearly one in 70 physicians.

Will you provide an overview of your role and areas of focus?

INSTITUTION BRIEF Located in New York City, NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP.org) is affiliated with two of the nation’s leading medical colleges, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. NewYork-Presbyterian provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory, and preventive care in all areas of medicine, and is committed to excellence

NewYork-Presbyterian is one of the only integrated academic healthcare systems in the country affiliated with two world-class medical schools  – Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Weill Cornell Medicine. This collaboration means patients have access to the country’s leading clinical experts, the most advanced, innovative treatments, and the latest clinical trials. We have a long legacy of medical breakthroughs and innovation that advance medicine to continue helping patients live amazing lives.

On paper, my role as Chief Information and Transformation Officer is to oversee the strategic vision and management of enterprise information technology, lab operations, pharmacy operations, innovation, data and analytics, artificial intelligence, telemedicine, and cybersecurity. But this doesn’t scratch the surface of what I do day-to-day.

There are the tech implementations that help our front lines – from robots delivering food and linens, to virtual pharmacists, to the integration of a single Epic EHR instance across our 10 hospitals. In the short term, if we can reduce friction, it’s impactful for our front lines, making it easier for them to do their jobs and

Dr. Peter M. Fleischut

spend more time with patients. And in the long term, we want to reduce the burden of disease.

To do so, we need to highlight the problem we are trying to solve, and how technology is going to support solving that problem. As one example, I’m on a constant mission to discover new disease areas where AI can help identify devastating conditions in patients earlier as well as reduce friction for patients and providers along the care journey.

Will you discuss NewYork-Presbyterian’s investment and leadership in technology?

At NewYork-Presbyterian, we are eager for faster adoption of AI and want to lead the country in reducing the burden of disease. Closer collaboration between data scientists and physicians will help us crack the code on some of the unsolvable questions the healthcare industry is currently grappling with – whether it’s what causes cardiac death, how can we predict a pregnant woman’s risk of developing postpartum depression, or detecting neonatal hypoxia to improve outcomes.

The hospital is also investing heavily in robotics. We have a growing specialty pharmacy business to both support our pharmacy operations and enhance patient safety, which leverages state-of-the-art automated systems. We’ve implemented 24/7 robots that pick up every pill, ointment and cream in real time and then put them into packets that are either manually delivered to a floor, or delivered via robots to the bedside of the patient.

It’s just another example of reducing friction for our employees, since now we can have more people spending time at the bedside with the patients as opposed to picking up pills. Nurses love it, patients love it, and our pharmacists love it – it’s a win-win across the board. We really strive to make sure that technology is not interfering with the bedside relationship, and instead enhancing it.

We aim to be not just high tech, but also provide compassionate care. Our medical and technological innovations are guided by the needs and experiences of the doctors and patients using them. And the power of this technology is only as strong as the talent, expertise and data infrastructure behind it. We are always working to build the best culture behind the technology – which is driven by our people.

Will you highlight NewYork-Presbyterian’s award-winning digital health services?

NewYork-Presbyterian’s award-winning digital health team is redefining the intersection of technology and healthcare. We use the latest technology to provide the very best care, achieve optimal treatment outcomes for our patients – both in-person and virtually –and offer seamless peer-to-peer access for our physicians across the entire enterprise. These advances allow us to extend care beyond our walls and set a new standard for what hospitals can do.

For example, to help address the healthrelated social needs that affect patient health outcomes, NewYork-Presbyterian implemented the Epic Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) screening in departments and practices across our organization. Healthrelated social needs, such as food insecurity, unstable housing, lack of transportation, and inability to pay for utilities, increase the risk of developing chronic conditions and reduce individuals’ ability to manage these conditions. These conditions are associated with increased emergency department visits and inpatient hospital admissions. At NewYorkPresbyterian, our teams are screening for SDoH in all of our inpatient settings, in seven emergency departments, as well as in several outpatient clinics, screening more

than 23,000 patients per month. When SDoH needs are identified, NYP team members can help connect patients with resources in the community. For example, in our Emergency Departments, physicians refer patients who are not well connected to care to our Patient Navigators, who offer culturally sensitive education and support, connect patients to financial resources and follow-up appointments, and connect patients with identified social needs to resources to address those needs.

How will new technology, data analytics, and AI impact the way hospitals operate in the future?

The hospital of the future blends forwardlooking research and cutting-edge technology with innovation in how care is delivered to all communities, including the most vulnerable and underserved. We’re essentially using AI to try to detect disease earlier and make a dent in the burden of human disease.

As the pace of implementation in the healthcare industry accelerates, a big focus will be on preventing AI from worsening disparities. This is done by designing algorithms that are fair, equitable, and reflect the diversity of the patients who will benefit most –as there are many underdiagnosed diseases that AI can help predict before they become life-threatening.

My goal is to make NewYork-Presbyterian the most accessible of any health system in the country. I’d like us to rethink the care model platform so disease can be identified earlier, faster, and in the best way possible for quaternary care.

You joined NewYork-Presbyterian over 18 years ago. What has made the experience so special for you?

To me, NewYork-Presbyterian’s commitment to our mission of providing excellent care to all the communities we serve has made coming to work each day special.

At its core, healthcare is very complex, and as leaders we have an incredible commitment to our patients and employees. It’s truly exciting, with some of the advancements that are out there from a technology perspective – but it’s not the only thing. You need to really have solid governance and communication, and an extremely strong team in order to achieve the goals that we’re trying to achieve. A former leader of mine used to say it’s 80 percent people, 15 percent process, and 5 percent technology.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in pursuing a career in medicine?

Medicine is constantly changing. The healthcare industry today is far different than what I experienced when I began my career. And it will only continue to evolve and advance in the years to come.

My biggest piece of advice to anyone pursuing medicine is to remain curious and never stop learning. And most important, find an institution that will not only embrace change, but lead it.•

NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Revolutionizing Digital Operations

An Interview with Eric Johnson, Chief Information Officer, PagerDuty, Inc.

EDITORS’ NOTE Eric Johnson joined PagerDuty from SurveyMonkey where he served as CIO for the past four years At SurveyMonkey, Johnson was responsible for establishing a culture of technical excellence and business impact, and was functionally responsible for business systems, collaboration infrastructure, enterprise data and security. Previous to this, Johnson served as CIO and senior vice president at both DocuSign and Talend. He spent 12 years at Informatica driving the vision and strategy for global offshore support and delivery, and architecting the support required for the company’s migration to a SaaS platform.

disrupting the industry. Having served as a Chief Information Officer at four other organizations, I’ve learned a lot about the impact technology leaders can make when a company is willing and eager to embrace innovation. PagerDuty is one of those companies that has always been forward-looking and ready to use data and new strategies like automation to continually improve the product and drive more value for customers. The desire to experiment, learn and improve that defines the company is also very much a part of my leadership ethos.

How do you describe PagerDuty’s culture and values?

enterprises compete and succeed as modern digital businesses. Our technology uses AI and automation to detect and diagnose high-impact events, and mobilize the right team members to respond – improving efficiency and reducing unnecessary toil  – with automated response workflows teams that can resolve incidents quickly with minimal downtime and focus on more complex challenges. PagerDuty goes beyond incident response by offering proactive capabilities for preventing disruptions through analytics and reporting, which allows organizations to address underlying problems before they escalate.

COMPANY BRIEF PagerDuty, Inc. (pagerduty.com) is a global leader in digital operations management. The PagerDuty Operations Cloud revolutionizes how critical work gets done, and powers the agility that drives digital transformation. Customers rely on the PagerDuty Operations Cloud to compress costs, accelerate productivity, win revenue, sustain seamless digital experiences, and earn customer trust. More than half of the Fortune 500 and more than two thirds of the Fortune 100 trust PagerDuty including Cisco, Cox Automotive, DoorDash, Electronic Arts, Genentech, Shopify, Zoom, and more.

What excited you about the opportunity to join PagerDuty and made you feel it was the right fit?

I was excited to join PagerDuty because of its people, platform, and visionary approach to

Our mission at PagerDuty is to revolutionize operations and build customer trust by anticipating the unexpected in an unpredictable world. To achieve this, we’ve cultivated a culture where our people can rely on one another, bring their authentic selves, and have the support to innovate and fail forward. I firmly believe an organization’s success hinges on its culture, and PagerDuty’s industry leadership is in no small part due to the fact that we stay obsessively focused on the people who build and use our platform. No matter how hard you push to develop a great product, it’s hard to be successful as a company in the long-term without a healthy work environment based on support, accountability, and execution.

Will you provide an overview of PagerDuty’s services and capabilities?

PagerDuty’s Operations Cloud is essential infrastructure for revolutionizing digital operations. We help scaling startups and Fortune 500

With more than 700 integrations across the software ecosystem, we help our customers modernize the way they operate by not only addressing the technology debt in their own ecosystem, but by being able to handle and manage unstructured, time sensitive and mission critical work.

What have been the keys to PagerDuty’s industry leadership?

Our people-centric approach defines our success in the industry. We’re constantly learning from users and partners to ensure our technology directly addresses the fastevolving needs of the digital operations space. By developing a holistic platform solution with the PagerDuty Operations Cloud, we learn from every area of the business to not only solve challenges in the moment but predict and prevent issues, helping our customer win the future since 2009. Through my career I’ve learned data is the most important asset a company has, and we’re in a position to use massive amounts of information from every kind of use case to continuously improve our offerings.

“PagerDuty is one of those companies that has always been forwardlooking and ready to use data and new strategies like automation to continually improve the product and drive more value for customers.”

Eric Johnson

“Our mission at PagerDuty is to revolutionize operations and build customer trust by anticipating the unexpected in an unpredictable world.”

How do you define the role of the CIO and what are the keys to being effective in the role?

The role of the CIO has become more important today than it’s ever been before. I’ve witnessed three phases in the evolution of the CIO’s remit during my career. In the beginning, technology leaders were relegated to put out the fires and fix tech when it broke. Then, as digital transformation turned from a pipe dream to an imperative, CIOs were invited as experts into more and more business conversations. Today, CIOs have the opportunity to strategically move entire organizations forward because of technology’s role giving any business a competitive edge.

The key to being effective in this position is helping other leaders ask the right questions about digital initiatives and how they connect to business goals. For example, “How can we use tools to better identify new customers?” and “How can we find opportunities to expand our market share with new cutting-edge offerings?” The CIO has a unique opportunity to both lead these conversations and implement resulting initiatives.

What are the key questions executives need to ask when approaching enterprise AI, and how important is it to get organizational buy-in to leverage AI?

I am constantly asking my team how any given initiative ladders back to our business goals. It’s the same with implementing AI. Every organization must do the work to determine which workflows will drive the business forward most effectively – whether that’s automating incident response, augmenting developer productivity, building on marketing or content capacity – and start there. We’re still in

the early stages of enterprise-wide AI deployment, so I urge leaders to consider where they can experiment with low risk to gather insights and learn quickly.

As a next step, it’s critical to get buy-in from leaders across the organization to make new technology initiatives successful. Without a shared vision it will be very difficult to pilot and adopt innovation that sticks around long enough to deliver ROI for the business. Impactful deployment of AI also depends upon alignment of multiple functions like data management, security, and governance to ensure you’re using the technology in a way that doesn’t incur risks to company information or brand reputation.

How critical is it for PagerDuty to build a diverse and inclusive workforce to bring diverse perspectives and experience to the table when addressing client needs?

Our team understands that the best ideas and innovations come from teams with diverse backgrounds and experiences. From the beginning, PagerDuty has prioritized building a diverse board, leadership team, and employee base to ensure we’re taking into account a spectrum of perspectives, experiences, and problemsolving approaches.

As our CEO Jennifer Tejada says, diversity and inclusive leadership is a business imperative, not just an ethical imperative. Putting this into practice means developing a programmatic focus on inclusion, diversity, and equity with consistent funding and company-wide buy-in. This enables us not only to better engage and retain our employees and partners, but allows us to create more useful, user-friendly products and achieve a better understanding of the customer ecosystem we serve.

What do you see as the responsibility that leading companies have to being engaged in the communities they serve and to be a force for good in society?

Leading companies, particularly in the technology industry, have an opportunity to use innovative frameworks to solve the complex issues we face as a society. I’m proud to lead within a company that prioritizes positive systemic change through and beyond our everyday operations.

At PagerDuty that looks like applying a “levers of change” approach to serve all our stakeholders: our employees, customers, communities, investors, and the planet. The levers we’ve identified to affect change include our products, philanthropic funding, employee expertise, and responsible business practices. I think it’s important to identify the ways any given organization can maximize its impact by serving the community in a way that aligns with the strengths of the business. For example, last year PagerDuty donated $1.25 million in our two portfolio areas of Time-Critical Health and Climate Equity and established Impact Pricing on our platform to support the important work of nonprofits and B Corps.

What advice do you offer to young people beginning their careers?

Some of the best advice I’ve received in my career is to not just focus on the result, but how you get the results. Process is important. We spend a lot of time in the technology world finding ways to streamline and create efficiency, but there are some parts of work and life where you can’t take shortcuts. Building relationships is a good example. Spending time getting to know your team and identifying mentors is a crucial investment for a fulfilling and successful professional journey.•

“PagerDuty’s Operations Cloud is essential infrastructure for revolutionizing digital operations. We help scaling startups and Fortune 500 enterprises compete and succeed as modern digital businesses.”

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

People, Process, Technology, And Culture

EDITORS’ NOTE Pierre Gentin is McKinsey’s Chief Legal Officer. He leads the legal and public affairs functions and advises the firm’s management team and board. Gentin is the first non-consultant elected a senior partner in McKinsey’s history. In 2022, the Financial Times named him one of the top 20 general counsel worldwide. Gentin joined McKinsey in 2019 with nearly 30 years’ experience in business, law, government, and academia. He was previously a partner in the law firm of Cahill Gordon & Reindel and a senior legal and risk officer at Credit Suisse. Gentin also served in the U.S. Department of Justice as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He has been recognized as a leading lawyer by Bloomberg, The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, Brunswick Review, Law360, LawDragon, Legal500, and others. He regularly advises general counsel and other executives on the design and management of corporate functions.

technologies to help organizations innovate more sustainably, achieve lasting gains in performance, and build workforces that will thrive for this generation and the next.

What have been the keys to McKinsey’s industry leadership and how do you describe the McKinsey difference?

We work across industries worldwide to help create resilient businesses that can withstand, grow, and thrive in today’s volatile macroeconomic environment, and through nearly a century of this service to our clients, we’re uniquely trusted to help CEOs and other business leaders meet complex and changing demands. As a firm, we focus on three values: adhering to the highest professional standards, improving our clients’ performance significantly, and creating an unrivalled environment for exceptional people. It’s that mix of professionalism – but also passion for what we do – that allows us to lead in this industry.

What excited you about the opportunity to join McKinsey and made you feel it was the right fit?

Of course, I knew McKinsey by reputation, but when I met leadership, it was clear that this was a firm with a remarkably storied history and distinctive people who are advising on some of the world’s most difficult problems. The more I learned about the firm, its people, and the work, the more interested I became.

Will you provide an overview of your role and areas of focus?

I’m a Senior Partner and serve as the firm’s Chief Legal Officer where I lead the legal and public affairs teams. I’m a member of the firm’s global leadership team and the first Senior Partner not to have served as a management consultant in the firm’s 98-year history.

McKinsey’s legal and public affairs function is an extraordinary group of nearly 300 colleagues in 66 locations worldwide. While each day is different, my broad focus has been transforming our professional function and fostering an ethos of solution orientation that will stand the test of time.

FIRM BRIEF McKinsey & Company (mckinsey. com) is a global management consulting firm committed to helping organizations accelerate sustainable and inclusive growth. It works with clients across the private, public, and social sectors to solve complex problems and create positive change for all its stakeholders. The firm combines bold strategies and transformative

One of my favorite quotes is from John Lennon who said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” As a law firm partner, I was approached about various general counsel roles but wasn’t interested in pursuing them. The McKinsey role got my attention as this was the first time in the firm’s history that it was hiring a GC.

I want a community of aspirational professionals who combine professional excellence and passion. The professionalism is expressed through responsiveness to our internal business clients, protecting our firm, and developing relationships of trust. The passion is about what excites and inspires our people. I believe there is an appropriate and joyful way to bring into our work life things that energize us personally – music, athletics, external speakers, yoga, volunteerism, teaching at universities, mentorship. McKinsey Legal’s blog on cutting-edge issues, In The Balance , goes out to 5 million people on mckinsey.com – that sort of thing.

“As a firm, we focus on three values: adhering to the highest professional standards, improving our clients’ performance significantly, and creating an unrivalled environment for exceptional people.”

Pierre M. Gentin

An Interview with Pierre M. Gentin, Senior Partner and Chief Legal Officer, McKinsey & Company

“We continue to invest in transforming the way our firm makes decisions and manages risk across the four dimensions of people, process, technology, and culture.”

How critical is it for the legal function to be engaged in business strategy?

Legal can help with business strategy in two ways. Legal considerations, such as regulatory requirements and associated costs and timing, can be integral to the effective implementation of business strategy. Strong lawyers can also offer a dispassionate and realistic assessment of opportunities that can be a helpful dose of reality sometimes. Lawyers can also provide input that identifies strategic opportunities that businesspeople don’t always see.

How is McKinsey reshaping decision-making and risk management across people, process, technology, and culture?

We continue to invest in transforming the way our firm makes decisions and manages risk across the four dimensions of people, process, technology, and culture.

Since 2018, we’ve invested nearly $700 million to upgrade our governance and risk management capabilities. We’ve built teams of world-class experts and are working to give them the influence they need. That includes adding senior executive professionals with strong, diverse backgrounds and deep external experience – for example, from top-tier law and accounting firms.

We also continue to invest in new technologies and platforms to implement policies and drive compliance more effectively. I’ve established a Technology Council within McKinsey Legal to integrate AI into our work and ensure alignment with our practices on legal support for our firm’s technology efforts for clients.

Last, but probably most important, is culture change. The quantity and quality of internal dialogue on risk awareness has increased meaningfully in our firm. Practically, this means honest discussion within the partnership about how we can continue to drive client impact in ways that will make us proud now and in the future.

Will you discuss McKinsey’s commitment to build a diverse and inclusive workforce?

Two thirds of McKinsey Legal colleagues are women. My leadership team includes senior women leaders in key roles like public affairs, strategy, and global operations. Our tech lawyers are an all-star team of predominantly women. So, it’s a major priority for me to have leaders from diverse backgrounds on my team. McKinsey Legal’s “inclusion and impact” initiative and our focus on “operationalizing respect” for every one of our colleagues worldwide are distinctive and continuous elements for us.

Our firm’s commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce is integral to our dual mission – to help our clients make substantial, lasting performance improvements and to build a firm that attracts, develops, excites, and retains exceptional people. We believe in developing our talent base, seeking candidates based on their potential, and the desire to continuously learn.

What do you see as McKinsey’s responsibility to be engaged in the communities it serves and to be a force for good in society?

As a firm, McKinsey has committed $2 billion to social responsibility efforts by 2030.

Our research on empowering those in need guides our giving and pro bono programs, and we’re maximizing our impact by partnering with nonprofits. This includes efforts we’re scaling, such as our Forward program that equips young talent in over 70 countries with the skills to succeed, and our partnership with Generation, a global nonprofit that has trained over 100,000 people for new jobs.

We believe that the capabilities and expertise of our people are our greatest resource. We engage colleagues through volunteering and giving and support them in serving their local communities. Individually, our colleagues invest significant time volunteering, serving on boards, and supporting pro bono engagements.

What advice do you offer to young people beginning their careers?

My sense is that younger people want more from their careers than conventional understandings of professional success. When you talk to young people about music, poetry, yoga, spiritual life – the reactions never cease to inspire and energize me. They are often trying to figure out, and answer the question, “How can I have not just a meaningful career, but a meaningful life?”

My advice is to boldly pursue both – a meaningful career and a meaningful life. It means always pushing yourself to develop and strengthen your expertise, whatever your field. And it means bringing your whole human self to work – your interests, your passions, your values – because all of these things inform the way you think, and ultimately, the way you solve problems and help others.•

“McKinsey’s legal and public affairs function is an extraordinary group of nearly 300 colleagues in 66 locations worldwide. While each day is different, my broad focus has been transforming our professional function and fostering an ethos of solution orientation that will stand the test of time.”

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

A First Mover

EDITORS’ NOTE Kevin Jackson is the National Managing Partner –Tax at KPMG US. Together with the Vice Chair – Tax, he oversees a team of more than 10,000 partners and professionals across all tax disciplines, including federal, international, state, and local, as well as specialty practices such as mergers and acquisitions, economic and valuation services and global mobility services. Prior to this role, Jackson served as the Tax Practice Leader for Markets, overseeing 11 tax business units and working with local leadership to drive the firm’s tax strategy and go-tomarket efforts across service lines and geographies. He also led the national Tax Operations team and the onshore and offshore Shared Service Centers, improving operational efficiency. As lead partner to several high-profile financial service companies, Jackson has more than 25 years of experience structuring transactions for companies of all sizes and providing tax due diligence and other compliance services. A majority of his career has been focused on multinational and domestic alternative investment funds. Jackson previously served as co-leader of the KPMG Passthrough Services group and as partner-in-charge of the Asset Management Tax Technology team and the Dallas-Denver business unit. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting from Texas Tech University.

FIRM BRIEF KPMG LLP (kpmg.com) is the U.S. firm of the KPMG global organization of independent professional services firms providing audit, tax, and advisory services. The KPMG global organization operates in 143 countries and territories and has more than 265,000 people working in member firms around the world. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. KPMG International Limited is a private English company limited by guarantee. KPMG International Limited and its related entities do not provide services to clients. KPMG is widely recognized for being a great place to work and build a career. The firm’s people share a sense of purpose in the work they do, and a strong commitment to community service, inclusion and diversity, and eradicating childhood illiteracy.

How do you describe KPMG’s culture and values?

I define our culture with four critical words: integrity, quality, collaboration, and inclusion. We are committed to these values in our interactions with our colleagues, clients, and communities alike. Within KPMG Tax specifically, we’re driven by a shared sense of purpose that enables us to continuously grow

and provide an excellent, differentiated experience to our people.

What have been the keys to KPMG’s leadership in the profession?

Our global network has played a big role in our success. It allows us to seamlessly deliver exceptional services and tailored solutions to our clients across the world. Because of the global network, we’re able to provide deep industry knowledge and comprehensive insights to our clients across multiple sectors, assembling teams with the right skills for the engagement no matter where they reside in the world. This clientcentric approach extends to our functions and cross-functional collaborations so the mindset of doing what makes sense for our clients leads the way. Another point worth noting is our alwayson commitment to and investment in advanced technology. The U.S. firm recently established the AI and Digital Innovation Group, which aims to accelerate innovation at the firm, and reimagine the way we work and the services we offer our clients. As an organization, we’ve long recognized the importance of investing and doubling down on innovation to unlock the next phase of growth for KPMG and our clients.

What has made KPMG so effective at building client loyalty and long-standing client relationships?

Simply put, our clients are at the core of everything we do. From the earliest conversations

“The U.S. firm recently established the AI and Digital Innovation Group, which aims to accelerate innovation at the firm, and reimagine the way we work and the services we offer our clients. As an organization, we’ve long recognized the importance of investing and doubling down on innovation to unlock the next phase of growth for KPMG and our clients.”

Kevin Jackson

An Interview with Kevin Jackson, National Managing Partner-Tax, KPMG US

“I define our culture with four critical words: integrity, quality, collaboration, and inclusion. We are committed to these values in our interactions with our colleagues, clients, and communities alike.”

with prospective clients to the ongoing strategic counsel and value we provide our longstanding ones, we are continually putting their needs first and leveraging our tools and technologies – which are unparalleled in the profession – to provide them best-in-class service. I firmly believe it’s this mindset that not only sets us apart from our competition, but also drives our client loyalty. Being truly client-centric means we’re thinking cross-functionally to anticipate client needs and to offer customized strategies and solutions. Clients recognize this, and they value this way of working across KPMG.

How critical is innovation to KPMG’s continued success?

For any business, innovation is perhaps the most critical element to success today. At KPMG, we not only make it a priority to adapt and keep pace with the rapidly evolving landscape, but we also make a concerted effort to be a first mover – and it’s safe to say we have been a first mover when it comes to AI and generative AI. Last summer, KPMG announced a $2 billion investment in Microsoft Cloud and AI services over the next five years, underscoring our commitment to innovation and our continued goal to help our people succeed. Because of this commitment, we’re looking to unlock a potential incremental growth opportunity of over $12 billion for the firm. In Tax, as part of this investment, we’ve layered generative AI on top of our

cloud-based Digital Gateway platform to give our clients better access to their data in a more transparent, digestible way, so they can take more of a holistic approach to their tax function.

Where is innovation taking place at the firm?

The answer is simple – everywhere. There’s not a corner of the firm that’s being left behind as we move forward and focus on accelerating innovation. As a tangible example, we’re rolling out our own Tax GPT tool to select clients. It’s already available internally across our Tax practice but by bringing clients under the tent, they’ll be able to experiment and co-innovate alongside KPMG in our safe and secure cloud environment as they kickstart their use of generative AI.

We’re also using Azure OpenAI Service to infuse AI into the ESG space and help companies realize significant efficiencies in their Tax ESG initiatives. The custom solution, built on KPMG Digital Gateway, is helping us assess data relationships to pull and predict the right tax data and type, reducing risk factors and increasing confidence in making tax contributions publicly. It’s all about helping clients make data-driven, forward-looking decisions that add tremendous value to their overall organizations.

What impact is new technology and AI having on the tax profession?

I don’t think we can underemphasize the impact that new technology and AI will have

across the tax profession. In a recent KPMG survey with 500 C-suite respondents – primarily CFOs, chief tax officers and CEOs – at companies with an annual revenue of $1 billion+, we found that almost all (99 percent) of C-suite leaders agreed AI was the “next frontier” for corporate tax departments. And they were willing to bet big. Nearly three quarters (70 percent) said they planned to invest $1 million or more in AI capabilities for their tax function in the next 12 months. Included in this majority were 40 percent that said they planned to invest $10 million or more. These are pretty significant numbers when we’re talking about technology specific to a tax function, indicating confidence in the technology and its future.

What is one thing you would tell someone pursuing a career in accounting?

I would counsel them to continuously develop and enhance their technology, data and analytical skills. Accounting will always involve analyzing data, identifying anomalies, and making informed decisions based on the information available – and this is true even with AI in the picture. Leveraging technology to your advantage, and using it to work smarter, will also be crucial to remaining competitive in our field. By honing these skills, new Tax professionals can excel in their careers and contribute to the success of their organizations.•

“At KPMG, we not only make it a priority to adapt and keep pace with the rapidly evolving landscape, but we also make a concerted effort to be a first mover –and it’s safe to say we have been a first mover when it comes to AI and generative AI.”

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SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Backing Maniacs On A Mission

An Interview with John McCormick, Founder, and Jamie Lee, Managing Partner, Tamarack Global

EDITORS’ NOTE John McCormick is the founder of Tamarack Global. He began his career in banking and hedge funds investing in global markets. Early in his career, it became obvious to McCormick that technology was having a profound impact on markets. The potential in finding insight in the data exhaust of the growing digital economy was alluring. What became clear was huge knowledge gaps existed, and in these gaps became the early investments of Tamarack Global.

Jamie Lee started his career in Goldman Sachs’ derivatives business, invested in technology while at Coatue Management, and most recently advised technology companies while at JPMorgan. He earned a BA degree in economics from Williams College and an MBA from Columbia Business School where he also graduated from the school’s deep value investing program.

FIRM BRIEF Tamarack Global (tamarackglobal.com) is an early stage venture capital firm that invests across “atoms and bits” (hardware and software). Having invested and executed successfully across both, Tamarack has found that the line between software and hardware is becoming increasingly blurred. Rapid advancements in software, simulation, and compute are collapsing cost curves in large physical industries like defense, aerospace, manufacturing et al. We are experiencing a technological non-linearity, these changes are at the heart of very large and fundamental changes in the composition of global economies, the industrial landscape, national security and more. The opportunity ahead is growing faster and will be larger than most realize as technology accesses more areas of industry and the economy.

What was the vision for creating Tamarack Global and how do you define its mission?

Tamarack Global was founded to back “Maniacs on a Mission,” who we define as the visionary founders focused on building the generational technology companies in the largest markets in the world that will collectively shape our future for the better. We aim to capture and capitalize on the momentum we were and are observing thematically across both “Atoms & Bits.” The largest opportunities on (and off) earth are going to take hardware to solve, however, the new face of hardware is software defined. The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, compute and advanced simulation are dramatically dropping cost curves in physical industries. These themes are touching energy transition (electrification, nuclear), defense and national security, space, manufacturing, robotics, and so on.

What are the key characteristics that Tamarack Global looks for when evaluating an investment opportunity?

We are hyper-focused on the people and teams that we are backing – we believe that people can be a power in and of themselves. The entrepreneur and builder can often lead our path into new areas of opportunities. They have identified a pain point to be solved, or see the potential for an entirely new market that no one can see yet. We then focus our resources and network to help those founders succeed. The greatest compounding effect we have observed is helping other people succeed.

What’s not lost on us is that the best talent and those with the biggest visions tend to tackle the largest markets and control as much of their destiny as possible. This can include fully vertically integrated businesses or “full stack” startups.

Will you highlight Tamarack Global’s investments?

Figure AI: Robotic Humanoids. Brett Adcock is a third time founder, with two previous exits and a best-in-class team, $42 trillion TAM. They have relentless focus on engineering and G2M. $100 billion+ opportunity.

Impulse Space: In-space logistics. Tom Mueller, founder, was employee #1 and co-founder of SpaceX. $50 billion+ opportunity.

CHAOS Industries: Defense. Co-founded by John Tenet, Gavin Wood, Bo Marr, Brett Cummings. John and his co-founders previously built a $1.5 billion+ defense tech company. CHAOS is AI + sensor data and detection for defense, oil and gas, and supply chain. $10 billion+ opportunity.

“Tamarack Global was founded to back 'Maniacs on a Mission,' who we define as the visionary founders focused on building the generational technology companies in the largest markets in the world that will collectively shape our future for the better.”

John McCormick

Jamie Lee

“We are hyper-focused on the people and teams that we are backing – we believe that people can be a power in and of themselves. The entrepreneur and builder can often lead our path into new areas of opportunities.”

Moxion Power: Energy Transition.

Co-founded by Paul Huelskamp and Alex Meek. The world’s first 100 percent electric mobile power and storage system. One of fastest companies ever to hit $100 million in booked revenue. Major strategic investors include Amazon, Microsoft, Enterprise Rentals, Sunbelt Rentals, etc.

Fuse: Pulsed-power nuclear fusion company. Founded by JC Btaiche, Fuse is the first ever fusion company to generate revenue from their first SBIR contract with the U.S. Air Force. Fusion companies have raised $5 billion in the last few years. Fuse separates itself with an early focus on delivering nuclear effects testing capabilities that are designed to advance operators tactical survivability and adaptability, this unlocks early commercial partnerships on the way to fusion energy.

How do you both focus your time and efforts leading Tamarack Global?

We consider ourselves to be interchangeable and we make all our big decisions together, one of the benefits of knowing each other for 20 years. This also creates a 1+1=3 dynamic because we share our wins together and we prop each other up on the losses. It is with great intention that we don’t split names or coverage sectors. We’ve seen too many of our peers fall victim to this dynamic where one partner “owned” a certain investment or sector that didn’t pan out and can then feel like they let down the team.

What has made the working relationship between the two of you work so well?

Our relationship goes back 20 years. We’ve been great friends who have had the opportunity to be put in a foxhole together. We consider that

“pressure is a privilege,” because when the stakes are high, it means we’ve done something right; we’ve navigated ourselves as a young brand to some of the biggest tables in the world with titans of industry. With those high stakes often comes difficulty, naturally, and differences of opinion. But because our relationship has its foundation built into a 20-year-long bedrock of trust, respect, and friendship, we are able to see and hear each other clearly and ultimately make decisions with a united front. We also have a great deal of fun doing it, and neither of us consider it a “job.” Business can be fun if you cultivate your relationships with positivity, confidence, and optimism, and guess what – it’s infectious, and people tend to gravitate to your orbit.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership and how do you describe your management styles?

We lead by example. There’s no better training set than watching leadership tackling problems head on, both big and small. That means negotiating big deals all the way to menial tasks. Treat others how you would like to be treated, always. That means administrative assistants, CEOs, security guards, and everyone in between. Always, and I mean always, be 100 percent intellectually honest. That means having the courage to say: “I don’t know,” even when you think you’re supposed to know the answer. People are attracted to leaders who have the courage and strength to show vulnerability. It builds trust with our investors and founders, and comfort and harmony amongst our team internally. Lastly, there is no substitute for hard

work. If you’re willing to go the extra mile, you can outlast the competition.

What advice do you offer to young people beginning their careers?

Do not wait for permission – the linear paths of career progression of old have changed. If you know what you want to do, figure out a way and start doing it. For us it started by doing very small deals. If you don’t know what you want to do, action produces information and focusing on growth versus goals can be very powerful. The job or role that you have to take for now doesn’t limit your future – learn and grow and keep moving.

With the success that Tamarack Global has achieved, are you able to enjoy the process and take moments to celebrate the wins?

We often say internally about our business, “the highs are high, and the lows, well, they’re low.” You have to have the resilience and confidence in your ability to manage the lows, and not let the wins go to your head. We celebrate our wins, sure, but there is no excuse for resting on laurels. Probably unsurprisingly, the wins often compel us to drive harder and faster for the next one, and the same is true for the losses. That all said, we all share one common set of DNA in that family comes first –always. If someone needs to be at their kids’ game or dance recital, that takes precedence above all else, and it is never questioned by the team. Life is to be lived and celebrated and Tamarack Global is just one of the many mechanisms that allow us to do so.•

“Business can be fun if you cultivate your relationships with positivity, confidence, and optimism, and guess what – it’s infectious, and people tend to gravitate to your orbit.”

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Inspiring Global Change

An Interview with Adam Umhoefer, Executive, CAA Foundation

EDITORS’ NOTE Adam Umhoefer is an Executive at the CAA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Umhoefer works in the Los Angeles office and serves as a strategic advisor to actors, writers, directors, athletes, executives, and corporations on their philanthropic and pro-social initiatives. He leads the company’s climate and sustainability work, providing opportunities for action and helping inspire a global network of climate activists. Umhoefer has been instrumental in organizing efforts around climate storytelling, building partnerships with NRDC, the Black List, and the Redford Center for the Climate Storytelling Fellowship which supports screenwriters with grants of $20,000 and six months of mentorship. He also helped launch Good Energy’s Climate Storytelling Playbook which empowers writers by giving backstory into climate science and accountability, in depth tools for climate storytelling, and resources for artistic health and partner opportunities. Umhoefer serves on the Advisory Board of the Hollywood Climate Summit, an annual multiday conference that creates a community space for thousands of filmmakers, executives, artists, activists, climate organizations, scientists, and other experts for interactive programming and opportunities to take action on climate. In 2023, Forbes listed Umhoefer as one of the top climate leaders changing the film and TV industry. Umhoefer began his career in nonprofit education, and later worked on President Obama’s 2008 campaign. Following the 2008 election, he became a leader in the LGBTQ+ equality movement, serving as Executive Director of the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER). Under his leadership, AFER successfully defeated Proposition 8, California’s ban on marriage for gay and lesbian citizens. This historic effort paved the way for full federal marriage equality. Following several years of independent consulting for leading nonprofit organizations, Umhoefer joined CAA in 2019. He graduated from Boston College with a BA degree.

FOUNDATION BRIEF

partnerships, encouraging volunteerism, granting financial contributions, stimulating public awareness, and providing in-kind donations.

Since launching in 1995, the CAA Foundation has become a leader in the entertainment community on education, the environment, and health and social issues. Employee involvement is at the heart of the Foundation’s mission. Over the years, CAA employees have volunteered in schools, helped communities rebuild following natural disasters, served on nonprofit boards, and donated generously to service organizations around the world.

Will you provide an overview of the CAA Foundation and how you define its mission?

Founded in 1995, the CAA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA). The Foundation continuously works to activate the power and reach of the entertainment, media, and sports industries to create systemic social change for a more equitable

and optimistic future. Our company ethos is: “If we take good care of each other, good things happen.” The CAA Foundation is that in action.

Will you discuss your role and areas of focus?

While we all wear many hats, my two primary areas of focus are leading our work on LGBTQ+ issues, along with our work on climate and sustainability. In the LGBTQ+ space, I work to ensure our colleagues and clients feel that they are employed or represented by a company that will support and celebrate them. CAA recently achieved a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, which measures policies, procedures, and benefits affecting LGBTQ+ employees. We are also engaged deeply in climate and sustainability.

How is CAA addressing climate concerns and sustainability?

CAA has actively worked on sustainability issues for decades, and our facilities team strives to make our operation as climate friendly as possible. Our new headquarters, currently under construction, will be among the most sustainable office buildings ever built. We

The CAA Foundation (caa.com/foundation) harnesses the power and reach of the entertainment industry to create positive social change by forging strategic

Adam Umhoefer

Adam Umhoefer with colleagues at CAA’s Tree People event

also work on initiatives within Hollywood to accelerate the transition to sustainable production practices and to better represent climate in the onscreen stories we tell. We focus on supporting the many existing efforts to do this work, and bring our resources, network, and convening power to amplify their efforts.

How is CAA helping inspire a global network of climate activists?

CAA clients in film, TV, books, podcasts, digital media, music, and sports reach a global audience. By helping our clients channel their personal passions for our planet into action, we can inspire global change. We uplift organizations and networks doing incredible things to help save our planet. We host the Indigenous Imaginarium, an initiative to bring international Indigenous filmmakers to Hollywood, and share experiences from within their lens to re-imagine our collective climate future. CAA is also a proud sponsor of the Hollywood Climate Summit, a multi-day conference that creates a community space for thousands of cross-sector entertainment and media professionals to take action on climate.

Will you highlight CAA’s focus on building partnerships in its efforts around climate storytelling?

We know that stories have the power to shape hearts and minds, and with respect to climate, help inspire action. We support a great number of efforts to tell more and better climate stories, forging partnerships with leading organizations who bring together creatives and climate experts. Last year, we supported Popshift: The People vs Climate Change, a convening of people from around the world whose lives have been drastically affected by climate change to meet with 50 of Hollywood’s leading writers in a series of private meetings. In partnership with The Black List and The Redford Center, we

also support the NRDC Climate Screenwriting Fellowship, a program to support writers in developing compelling, constructive and inclusive climate stories.

What was the vision for launching Good Energy’s Climate Storytelling Playbook and how has this initiative progressed?

A brilliant storyteller and strategist, Anna Jane Joyner, created and is the driving force behind the Climate Storytelling Playbook

through her organization Good Energy. The CAA Foundation believed in her vision, and partnered with Good Energy to bring our resources to help amplify the initiative. We wanted to make sure our network of creatives had access to the incredible tools and resources Anna Jane and her team were able to build.

How important are metrics to measure the impact of the CAA Foundation’s work?

We are always working to measure the impact of our work. In the climate space, we have partnerships with universities and research institutions like USC’s Norman Lear Center that track and provide us with compelling data on our work. Within our walls, we closely track employee engagement and strive to achieve 100 percent participation from our colleagues in Foundation efforts.

Will you discuss the engagement of CAA’s workforce in the work of the CAA Foundation?

Our work is not possible without the support of our colleagues. Their commitment to a more optimistic tomorrow is what drives our culture and actions. This commitment has enabled us to build out a robust employee engagement program which ranges from volunteer opportunities to Board service.

The CAA Task Force is led by our amazing assistants and staff across the globe who lead many of our community volunteer opportunities. In addition to fulfilling and impactful projects with schools and other educational settings, our Task Force has led a wide variety of environmental projects, including beach cleanups and tree planting. In April, our offices across the globe will engage in Earth Month volunteer opportunities.•

Adam Umhoefer with colleagues planting trees at CAA’s Tree People event

Adam Umhoefer attends the 2023 Hollywood Climate Summit with founders Ali Weinstein (center), Allison Begalman (right), and CAA client Kat Coiro (left)

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Protecting And Improving Palm Beach

An Interview with Mary Robosson, President and Chief Operating Officer, Palm Beach Civic Association

EDITORS’ NOTE In 2019, Mary Robosson became the first woman to lead the Palm Beach Civic Association as President and Chief Operating Officer. She serves as one of four officers, including Michael Pucillo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; Michele Kessler, Vice Chair; and Michael Ainslie, Treasurer. Robosson joined the nonprofit organization in 2017 as Vice President, overseeing the organization’s fundraising and membership growth. With a mission of engaging residents, town leaders and stakeholders to protect and improve Palm Beach, she manages the day-today operations of the organization and the strategic planning for its future success. She collaborates with 17 Executive Committee members, 140 directors, 2,000 residential and corporate members, 15 volunteer committees and a staff of eight professionals. In 2018, she helped establish The Stanley M. Rumbough, Jr. Legacy Society, an endowment fund which serves as a catalyst to educate Palm Beach’s citizens, through organized forums and symposiums, in perpetuity. Robosson has enhanced and expanded the civic association’s communications initiatives, both written and video, which reaches close to 5,000 email subscribers. She has lived and worked in the greater Palm Beach community for more than 30 years. Robosson formerly served as Vice President for the Suzanne Wright Foundation and director of philanthropy for Autism Speaks and Vice President of Philanthropy for Palm Healthcare Foundation. She was the principal of Philanthropy|Strategic Marketing, a consulting firm that specialized in fundraising, which included restoration works of the Vatican Museums. Her previous positions include Senior Director of Development for Palm Beach Opera from 2004 to 2007, and for the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts from its grand opening in 1992 through 2004. Robosson also served as the Marketing Manager for the PGA of America’s Seniors’ Championship. Originally from Pittsburgh, Robosson is an accomplished golfer and played collegiate golf at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

ORGANIZATION BRIEF

Will you highlight the history of Palm Beach Civic Association and how you define its mission?

The Palm Beach Civic Association was founded in 1944 by a handful of civic-minded residents who wished to preserve, protect, and enhance the special qualities of their amazing island. Under the leadership of Alexander H. Rutherford, first Civic Association President; Joseph F. Gunster, Vice President and the namesake of the first law firm in

Palm Beach; Page Hufty, Vice President; and famous Palm Beach architect John Volk, Civic Association secretary, the association quickly grew its membership to more than 300 members in the first two years. Today, the membership has grown to more than 2,200 men and women in a town of more than 9,000 year-round residents.

As the Civic Association commemorates 80 years, the mission remains the same: to protect and improve the quality of life in the Town of Palm Beach by taking proactive stands on civic affairs; informing, educating, and engaging

“For 80 years, this organization has worked cooperatively and constructively with the town government to enhance the quality of life in Palm Beach.”

The mission of the Palm Beach Civic Association (palmbeachcivic.org) is to protect and improve the quality of life in the town of Palm Beach by taking proactive stands on civic affairs; informing, educating, and engaging residents on key town issues; working with local government; and encouraging citizen involvement in the community.

Michael Pucillo, Palm Beach Civic Association Chairman and CEO Palm Beach Civic Association President & COO Mary Robosson, Philanthropist and Environmentalist David Rockefeller Jr., and Palm Beach Civic Association Chairman & CEO Michael Pucillo at the 2024 Signature Series on February 27, 2024

Mary Robosson

“This year has marked a landmark celebration, as we honored the past while embracing a dynamic future through our ongoing educational engagement with the community and the work of our 15 standing committees. I believe our founders would be extremely proud of the extraordinary commitment of our directors and members.”

Mary Robosson, Palm Beach Civic Association President & COO, on the 80th anniversary

residents on key town issues; working with local government; and encouraging citizen involvement in the community.

What have been the keys to the strength and impact of Palm Beach Civic Association?

The Civic Association’s willingness and ability to listen to the residents of the community and understand the issues that are important to them. Our committees, made up of volunteers in 15 key areas, are a vital part of this process. New challenges face the Town of Palm Beach as the population evolves and new families move onto the island.

The Civic Association uses its many educational initiatives to stay on top of the important town issues and share the information through Palm Beach TV, our weekly newscast; Studio 33480, featuring one-on-one interviews with the town’s newsmakers; Our Town by William Kelly print articles; and our digital newsletter, The Civic . These are distributed to close to 5,000 recipients via our Constant Contact email list.

We are grateful for the overwhelming generosity of the family of the late Stanley M. Rumbough, Jr. for establishing the Stanley M. Rumbough, Jr. Legacy Society and its growing endowment, which serves as a catalyst to educate our citizens through organized forums and symposiums into the future.

Will you provide an overview of Palm Beach Civic Association’s programs and forums?

Each season, the Civic Association delivers an informative and captivating array of speakers and forums focused on issues that relate to life on the island. In November, we kicked off the season with a “Welcome Back Community Forum” featuring the town’s zoning consultant, Sean Suder, who examined ways in which zoning code reform will shape Palm Beach’s future.

Our Signature Series presentations are an important part of the educational component of our nonprofit organization. This season, we

featured U.S. Senator Jack Reed, investment manager Paul Tudor Jones II, and conservationist David Rockefeller, Jr. as keynote speakers.

The Civic Association’s Community Service Award Breakfast is our only annual fundraiser, and the recipient of this year’s William J. “Bill” Brooks service award was our Chairman Emeritus, Bob Wright. Bob served as the Civic Association’s Chairman and CEO from 2010 through April 2023. He was the president and CEO of NBC and chairman and CEO of NBC Universal until 2007. NBC News’ Chief Political Analyst Chuck Todd was the keynote speaker at this season’s award breakfast.

The season culminates in our Annual Meeting, including the mayor’s State of the Town Address on April 8, which is the 80th

anniversary of the start of the Civic Association and a wonderful milestone to celebrate.

How important is it for Palm Beach Civic Association to have a strong working relationship with local government?

It’s extremely important for the Civic Association to have a strong working relationship with local government as part of our mission to educate and engage residents on key town issues, to encourage citizen involvement in the community, and to take proactive stands on civic affairs.

How valuable is it to have such an engaged and committed board of directors?

The vital work of the Civic Association is carried out by our directors who bring a rich tapestry of highly accomplished and diverse backgrounds to our organization. Many of our directors sit on our standing committees which

Palm Beach Civic Association Director Thomas Peterffy, Palm Beach Civic Association Director Hillie Mahoney, and Palm Beach Civic Association Chairman Emeritus Bob Wright at the Visionary Leader Luncheon at Cafe L’Europe on April 27, 2017

“We’re a remarkable organization. We have 140 directors who are leaders from all over the world. They want to be engaged. We have built a relationship with these leaders that enables us to study the issues the town is facing –including water quality, public safety, taxation, and finance – and offer advice. That’s why it’s fun to be a director. It’s exciting work.”

Michael

Ainslie, Palm Beach Civic Association Treasurer

bring expertise to many issues of concern to the town’s residents, including healthcare, public safety, transportation, the environment, and water quality to name a few.

As of this writing, we have 140 Directors, three Chairmen Emeriti, three Honorary Directors and two Liaison Directors, each of whom helps make it possible for the Civic Association to fulfill our mission to protect and enhance the special quality of life in the Town of Palm Beach. In addition, our four officers, 17 executive committee members and our highly qualified staff of eight professionals helps guide us into the future.

What excited you about the opportunity to lead Palm Beach Civic Association and what do you enjoy most about the role?

I am so pleased and honored to be the first woman to represent the Civic Association as president and chief operating officer. I welcome the opportunity to carry the torch as we further our mission of bringing people together as conveners on the issues that we face. The Civic Association is highly effective because we have exceptional leaders who serve our organization, and the greater community, through their role as Civic Association directors or members. It’s a brilliant group of people, individually and collectively.

As Palm Beach Civic Association celebrates its 80th Anniversary, how important is it to take time to reflect on the important work of the Association over eight decades?

It’s incredibly important to take time out to reflect on what’s been accomplished and identify the key areas where the Civic Association can have the biggest impact going forward. We were very proud to see a turnout of more than 200 people in a standing room only capacity for our February 19 Candidates’ Forum. It was an opportunity for town voters to ask questions and hear from the two candidates vying for an opening on the Town Council, and a key part of our service as a civic organization.

What are your priorities for Palm Beach Civic Association as you look to the future?

We want to continue to foster the relationship with our members and see our membership grow over time. We aim to continue to strengthen our news initiatives and the vital work of our standing committees. We also seek to heighten our community engagement and education initiatives by building upon our Stanley M. Rumbough, Jr. Legacy Society endowment.•

27, 2022

Palm Beach Civic Association Treasurer Michael Ainslie and Palm Beach Civic Association Director James Patterson, Keynote Speaker at the Palm Beach Civic Association Annual Community Award Breakfast at The Breakers on March 22, 2023

Palm Beach Civic Association Vice Chair Michele Kessler, Willie Geist, Anchor, NBC’s Sunday Today, and Howard Kessler at the Annual Award VIP Reception on February

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Revolutionizing Wealth Management In Canada

An Interview with Shaun Hauser, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Wellington-Altus Financial Inc. and Senior Wealth Advisor, Wellington-Altus Private Wealth Inc.

EDITORS’ NOTE

A successful Investment Advisor in Winnipeg, Canada, Shaun Hauser has worked in the field since 1998. He is a trailblazer who has transformed the management and organization of various departments and companies in the wealth management industry. In 2017, Hauser co-founded Wellington-Altus, where he is vital in technology innovation within the firm and oversees the selective, high-caliber recruitment strategy to attract top talent. Hauser also worked for Wellington West, where he managed operations and sales for the asset management subsidiary. Recently, he served on the executive committee of NBF Wealth Management, where he was Vice President of Advisor Strategy and Support. Hauser serves as a Director of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and as a Foundation Investment Committee Member of The Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg. He earned a bachelor of commerce degree from the University of Manitoba.

COMPANY BRIEF

Wellington-Altus Insurance Inc., Wellington-Altus Group Solutions Inc., Wellington-Altus Asset Management Inc., and Wellington-Altus Private Wealth Inc. – the top-rated wealth advisory company (Investment Executive 2021 Brokerage Report Card) in Canada and one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies. With more than CA$25 billion in assets under administration and offices across the country, Wellington-Altus identifies with successful entrepreneurial advisors and portfolio managers and their high-net-worth clients.

What was your vision for creating WellingtonAltus Financial and how do you define its mission?

Because we treat them like the absolute best clients we ever had, they like working here. They appreciate our innovative culture and the unrestrained flexibility and freedom that brings. So, when they talk to their peers, they tell them how great it is here and suggest they join us as well, which is one of the reasons we’ve grown so fast in such a short amount of time.

Will you provide an overview of Wellington-Altus’ business?

Founded in 2017, WellingtonAltus Financial Inc. (wellington-altus.ca) is the parent company to Wellington-Altus Private Counsel Inc., Wellington-Altus USA Inc.,

A great mission statement is easy to say but hard to realize, and our mission is really very simple. We want to make a difference in people’s lives. Specifically, the lives of advisors and their clients. We’ve been very fortunate in building a great business of more than $25 billion in just six years and we have done that by treating advisors like they are our most important clients. Most banks and independent firms get that piece wrong by thinking that advisors work for them. We know that we work for advisors.

We are headquartered in Canada, where the wealth management industry, with a few minor differences, is very similar to the U.S. We have a registered investment advisor (RIA) business and a wirehouse business due to Canadian regulatory requirements. But the most important thing to understand about Wellington-Altus is that we look, walk, and talk like entrepreneurs and that mindset is pervasive throughout every fabric of our business. With over 100 advisor teams, 850 employees and 50+ offices across the country, in just seven years we have revolutionized wealth management in Canada.

What have been the keys to WellingtonAltus’ growth and leadership, and how do you describe the Wellington-Altus difference?

I wish I could say we have some secret formula that is the Wellington-Altus difference but, in reality, it comes down to the people

“But the most important thing to understand about Wellington-Altus is that we look, walk, and talk like entrepreneurs and that mindset is pervasive throughout every fabric of our business. With over 100 advisor teams, 850 employees and 50+ offices across the country, in just seven years we have revolutionized wealth management in Canada.”

Shaun Hauser

“We have a coast-to-coast presence in Canada and are making strong inroads in the U.S., and our commitment to advisors extends to making a difference in the communities where they live and work. The types of advisors who choose to join Wellington-Altus are typically natural-born leaders who are giving back to their communities, giving back to their branches, and are woven into the social fabric of the areas they live in.”

we have attracted. What we look for in our partners and advisors is something very basic but incredibly meaningful – we look for highquality human beings.

I’m not going to try and define high-quality human beings other than to say that you can tell if you are talking to one in about 10 seconds. And they typically make the best advisors because they truly care about other people. Needless to say, these advisors also typically have the best books of business.

What we do is ambitiously look for exceptional humans who wish to surround themselves with like-minded people, and then we look for others just like that and we continue to grow.

What are your views on the state of private equity investments in the North American wealth management industry?

I can only speak from Wellington-Altus’ perspective, but private equity partnership has been absolutely critical to our success up until now. It is true that private equity as a form of financing for a business is unequivocally the most expensive way to finance your growth. However, we believe the upside outweighs the down because access to private equity affords a business entity an opportunity that no other form of financing will allow, which is to play the long game – and we are in it for the long haul.

When you reflect on any of the fantastic business success stories you hear, it invariably comes down to a long-term vision and long-term plans. We are no different – we have both. We plan to work with private equity partners who commit long-standing capital that allows us to realize our vision. Then when there’s something negative like a pandemic or a bear market, all of which we’ve witnessed in the last seven years, we have sufficient capital to stay on path and stick to our plan. We couldn’t be happier with our private equity partners.

What do you see as Wellington-Altus’ responsibility to be engaged in the communities it serves and to be a force for good in society?

We have a coast-to-coast presence in Canada and are making strong inroads in the U.S., and our commitment to advisors extends to making a difference in the communities where they live and work. The types of advisors who choose to join Wellington-Altus are typically natural-born leaders who are giving back to their communities, giving back to their branches, and are woven into the social fabric of the areas they live in. Those are all positive attributes that I think make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

It all goes back to the importance of looking for the right things and the right people at the start. Meaningful things like community involvement are by-products that come from starting with great people. That’s a recipe that we’re not going to stray from.

Did you always know that you had an entrepreneurial spirit and desire to build your own firm?

I was raised by an entrepreneurial father. This is really all I know how to do. And although I have always had an entrepreneurial drive, I didn’t always work for myself. Early in my career, I had the great fortune of working with some amazing people in non-entrepreneurial organizations. Those were valuable experiences, and I learned a lot from them, but I find there’s something just absolutely addictive and electric in owning your own problems and creating your own solutions.

I’m sure it would be the equivalent of why people become addicted to climbing mountains or competing in triathlons. You know, there’s just the satisfaction that you get looking in the mirror and telling the person looking back at you that, yes, I did that. That is a level of satisfaction that has nothing to do with money or typical measures of success. There is a level of

personal gratification and satisfaction that words don’t do justice to because it’s immeasurable. I’ll probably always be entrepreneurial. It’s an affliction.

What do you see as the keys to effective leadership?

I think at the end of the day, great leaders serve the people that they work for. My attitude is that I either work with people or I work for people, but people sure as heck don’t work for me. I feel part of my job is to lift up all these super smart people who have chosen to work with us. It is up to me to try and empower them and then get myself out of the way. I have tried to create a culture of dynamic electric happiness where people love coming to work because what many people don’t consciously realize is that over the course of your life, you are going to spend more time with your job and career than with your family. So, you better love your work and it better love you back. We are conscious of that fact here and we want to make great environments for great people to work within – and we think we’ve been lucky enough to accomplish that.

What are your priorities for WellingtonAltus as you look to the future?

We just want to rinse and repeat a very basic strategy of growth. We have an active corporate development team that is looking for exceptional people who want to be associated with other great folks under a servitude, leadership style. We want to attract advisors where we can make a difference in their lives, and they can make a positive difference for their clients and communities. I wish I could make it sound more mathematical and scientific in its ingredients, but the truth is, it isn’t. It’s about relationships.

We intend to remain steadfast in what we know has been successful and instrumental to our growth as we target C$50 billion AUA over the coming years.•

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Mission And Margin

An Interview with

EDITORS’ NOTE Akram Boutros is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Akram Boutros Companies (akramboutros.com) which helps organizations fuse purpose and profitability by launching, building, and scaling exceptional companies that irradicate barriers to health. The company assists a variety of organizations such as technology companies, healthcare architectural and construction firms, and insurance companies, among others. As one of the top operating executives in the healthcare sector, Boutros has spent his career building high performing, mission-driven organizations that help people grow and perform at their best. He is an expert in leading strategic inflection points; reorientations and recreations; and building cultures that align and amplify frontline efficacy. Boutros was the chief executive officer of The MetroHealth System for nearly 10 years, where he helped expand the number of patients served by three times, revenues by two times, and operating income by ten times. During his tenure, MetroHealth was recognized as the top performing safety net Accountable Care Organization in the country. He has founded multiple novel care delivery companies powered by technology, including CLE Care, Select Assurance, Spry, Spry Senior, Lobesity, Lumina, and Ovatient. Boutros is also Co-Founder and CEO of Nightingale Bedside, a nurse-centric company that partners with hospitals to improve nurse and patient satisfaction, and patient outcomes under the direction of the hospital’s Nurse Executives. Nightingale Bedside offers the only dedicated team of hybrid, permanently placed nurses for inpatient nursing. It has innovated care, workforce, scheduling, workflow, and technology models to create a comprehensive solution that partners with nursing leadership on a selfcontained innovation unit. This nurse-driven approach breathes new life into nursing and can simultaneously deliver millions in annual savings per 30-bed unit.

Boutros, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Akram Boutros Companies

family’s business from the age of 12. The decision about whether to attend medical school or go directly into business was a difficult one. Going to medical school and completing my residency training provided me with an understanding of healthcare that few, if any, people who come from a business-only background possess. Combining my medical and business school training along with an entrepreneurial spirit has helped me make an impact on healthcare.

As I was completing my chief residency in internal medicine, it became increasingly clear that while I was good at providing medical care, my real talent and calling was helping others to deliver superior healthcare. I ultimately became the youngest Chief Medical Officer of any large teaching hospital in the U.S. at the age of 35.

For the last 27 years, I have focused on improving the health of various populations, rather than on individual patient care.

How did you turnaround MetroHealth from a challenged health system to one of the most admired public health systems in the nation?

When I first arrived at MetroHealth, it was clear that though the incumbent staff were highly skilled and passionate, they were disempowered. To combat this, through every communication and at every meeting, I reinforced my belief in the abilities of the staff and offered reassurance. For any organization, a unified mission, vision, and values that are developed with active staff participation are critical to both set the direction for the organization and to change policies and procedures. During the first six weeks of my tenure at MetroHealth, my team and I established the mission, vision, and values that would guide all decisions around hiring, strategy, business development, capital expenditure, and partnerships going forward.

Another important shift was to focus our strategy on being our best, rather than

Will you discuss your career journey and what has made the healthcare sector so special for you?

Though math and science were always my favorite subjects, I had the opportunity to hone my entrepreneurial skills by working in my

Akram Boutros

Akram

The opening of Via Sana, affordable apartments in Cleveland, Ohio, developed in partnership with MetroHealth

“For any organization, a unified mission, vision, and values that are developed with active staff participation are critical to both set the direction for the organization and to change policies and procedures.”

comparing ourselves to our market competitors. We set our sights on becoming the most admired public health system in the nation. To accomplish that goal, we relentlessly reinforced that doing good for our patients and community was good business. We repeatedly demonstrated that we could care for a disadvantaged patient population while achieving financial success.

We rooted out the real causes of healthcare disparities and focused on correcting their underlying causes. We developed the Institute for H.O.P.E. (Health, Opportunity, Partnership, Empowerment) to address all social drivers of healthcare. We opened the first high school inside a hospital in the nation and provided free training to our neighbors with guaranteed job placement once they completed their certification. We developed, in partnership, 72 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom townhomes in an affordable housing complex to directly combat housing insecurity.

Simultaneously, my team and I also concentrated on organizational realignment for faster decision-making, agile design, rolling budgets, transparent financial communication with all employees, aligned rewards, streamlined metrics, and frequent celebrations of real accomplishments.

What do you see as the key challenges facing the healthcare industry?

The key challenges include the financial model, technology adoption, and fragmented care models. In addition, there has been another stark and impactful change from 2020 to 2022. During the COVID pandemic, healthcare workers were celebrated heroes. Stories of their dedication were frontpage news as communities across the nation offered their support. Fast forward to today and those same healthcare workers are consistently being disrespected as evidenced by the exponential increase in violent attacks against them.

In my view, the most important crisis we face as a nation is the inpatient nursing shortage. Today, we have a shortage of 500,000 nurses, and that will increase to at least one million nurses by 2030. There is no greater threat to the stability or quality of healthcare than this, and all current market offerings are temporary solutions

to a permanent problem. Over the last 12 months, I have focused my energy on building a company with a mission to solve this crisis.

Will you highlight Nightingale Bedside and how you define its mission?

Over the last 45 years, I have been hospitalized more than a dozen times for trauma, orthopedic surgery, and other procedures. My firsthand experience as a patient, coupled with my time as a practicing physician and tenure as a health system CEO, has not only heightened my appreciation for the importance of inpatient nursing, but also provides a unique perspective on its critical nature to the entire healthcare system.

When patients and families are at their worst and feeling the most vulnerable, nurses must be at their best, providing both care and comfort. The toll taken on nurses is illustrated in a recent McKinsey study that showed that 31 percent of nurses indicate that they may leave their current direct care positions in the next year, and the percentage of nurses extremely satisfied with their job decreased from 47 percent in 2015 to 33 percent in 2023.

Temporary and agency nurses are not a permanent solution because they don’t add efficiencies and just shift current professionals from one location to another. Current technologies have been built by non-nursing experts with little input from frontline nurses. By focusing on nurses who are at the core of our company, we have successfully addressed the top 10 dissatisfiers of nurses by providing a new model of nursing care that cares for nurses.

How do you balance fulfilling your mission with the need to maximize revenue?

There’s a saying in healthcare, “no margin, no mission.” Sadly, this sets up a false prioritization of profit over mission and refocuses important conversations on maximizing revenue and resultant profit margin. In my experience, when we insist on both mission and margin, we have succeeded in both areas. Take MetroHealth, for example. When I arrived, the revenues were $785 million, and when I left 10 years later revenues were $1.6 billion. Operating income increased from $10 million to consistently over $100 million. All of this

was accomplished while increasing community benefit from $140 million per year to $240 million. We followed the mission and the money followed proving that margin and mission are not mutually exclusive.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership and how do you describe your management style?

The central tenet of my leadership philosophy is to treat every team member as if they are a loved one. As one would expect, people respond positively to sincere care and concern. In 2016, I highlighted this principle in a ten-minute TEDx talk.

My office was situated on the first floor of the hospital near the main entrance. A symbolic but important gesture was to always keep the shades in my office up. I am convinced that it provided a level of comfort for the staff to see me hard at work; they were not doing this alone. I received lots of waves and smiles, and it motivated me to focus on our collective success even during the most difficult times. During the COVID pandemic, my team and I were present and visible at the facilities seven days a week. Unlike many system executives throughout the country, we did not work remotely. Being on site allowed us to meet daily with frontline teams and leaders and to quickly respond to uncharted spaces. We received immediate feedback to further refine our solutions. It was by far the most exceptional and effective team effort in which I have had the opportunity to participate.

One of the actions we took during the COVID pandemic provides a clear example of this concept. While almost every healthcare system furloughed staff and reduced salaries in 2020 in response to the COVID lockdown, we gave raises and did not furlough anyone. This approach helped us end the year with an 18.1 percent EBIDA. Both mission and margin were achieved.

The essential role of a CEO is to create an environment where each of his or her direct reports can reach their maximum potential and have the greatest impact. Equally important is reinforcing the necessity for all direct reports to function as a team. To reinforce the team concept, I revamped the executive incentive program to be heavily weighted on collective wins, rather than individual achievements. •

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Telling The Great Stories Of The Greatest Generation

An Interview with Steven C. Barber, Chief Executive Officer, Vanilla Fire Productions

EDITORS’ NOTE Steven Barber is a writer and filmmaker living in Santa Monica, California. He was born in Syracuse, New York in 1961, and is the great nephew of Edith Wharton, the first female writer to win the Pulitzer Prize. After a three-year stint at Augusta Military Academy in Ft. Defiance, Virginia in the late 1970s and then graduating from Western Kentucky University, Barber headed west to give his writing and acting chops a workout. Having worked on many films and a series of television shows in the early 1980s, he took a break from Hollywood and found work and adventure on 19 cruise ships in the 1980s and early 1990s that would take him to many countries and over 10,000,000 nautical miles. His first novel, Below the Waterline, a fictional and whimsical tale of love on the high seas, is a big seller on Amazon.com. Upon returning to Hollywood in the mid-1990s, Barber found some success on a series of reality shows and, after a falling out with a large corporation he had been working with, decided to bankroll everything he had with $50,000 worth of camera equipment and give documentary filmmaking a shot. This fortuitous and serendipitous action paid off in a big way. Barber’s first film, Return to Tarawa, is an award-winning documentary that has been able to get congressional legislation passed in Congress to bring home MIAs from World War II. Barber’s second film, Unbeaten, is a magical story about 31 paraplegics who take on the world’s most grueling road race and push their wheelchairs 267 miles in six days between Fairbanks and Anchorage.

Barber’s mission is to raise the profile of the disabled athlete and the disabled American. The success of Unbeaten and Return to Tarawa has allowed Vanilla Fire Productions (vanillafire.org) to grow into a full-service documentary and commercial video production house.

Will you discuss your career journey?

My career started when I moved to Los Angeles to become an actor, and after about three months of that, I realized that I could not be beholden to others to get their approval and to see if I had talent. I spent the next 12 years on 19 cruise ships during which time I traveled the world and saw 83 countries and then ended up in Los Angeles.

I took a serendipitous mountain bike ride one day in 1997 and ran into the actor, Eddie Albert, famous for his role in the Green Acres television show. However, he was much, much more than that, as he was one of the main heroes of the battle of Tarawa in 1943 where 1,200 Marines were killed, and thousands of Japanese were killed. This was the first American full-frontal amphibious attack of a Japanese stronghold. This incredible meeting put me on a journey to be a documentary filmmaker now with nine feature documentaries and three films that have gone to the Oscar shortlist to my credit.

Will you provide an overview of Vanilla Fire Productions and how you define its mission?

The mission of Vanilla Fire Productions is to be the most noble film company in America that shines the light on American exceptionalism at

“Our newest project is called Into The Light about a holocaust survivor who survived seven Nazi death camps with the help of a pencil as the camp artist.”

the highest level. We’ve been fortunate to work with Ed Harris, Kelsey Grammer, Josh Brolin, Dan Aykroyd, John Savage, Joe Mantegna, and Jacqueline Bisset, just to name a few.

What is the focus of your movies, and will you highlight your past projects?

The focus of Vanilla Fire Productions had been telling the great stories of the greatest generation – World War II veterans. Since most have now passed, we are focusing in on stories that really make a difference. Our newest project is called Into The Light about a holocaust survivor who survived seven Nazi death camps with the help of a pencil as the camp artist. We had the late great Norman Lear as one of our producers and have more than two hours of footage of him, as well as film of the holocaust survivor and the artist, Kalman Aron, meeting for the first time, which is unbelievable. In my heart, I believe this film will not only get nominated for an Oscar, but there’s a very, very good chance we will win.

Future projects include documentaries on the building of the Mario Andretti and the Joe Namath

Steven C. Barber

Steven Barber and the Apollo 11 Monument (above and opposite page)

“The mission of Vanilla Fire Productions is to be the most noble film company in America that shines the light on American exceptionalism at the highest level.”

monuments. We also have a Vietnam documentary, called Saving Sergeant Stewart, about a lost airman in Vietnam. We recently finished our Apollo 11 movie called, We Must Be Bold, about the building of the Apollo 11 monument and the history of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.

What led to your interest in pursuing monuments, and will you discuss this work?

The Apollo 11 monument came to me, once again, quite divinely, as I had a documentary all cued up with Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon, which fell apart for a number of reasons. Because of that, I took yet another bike ride, and on that bike ride I envisioned the Apollo 11 monument at the NASA Space Flight Center at Cape Kennedy, and I made it come to fruition. No one had ever built a monument commemorating Apollo 11, the greatest story in the history of the world, which was a bit shocking. However, I was able to get it done.

Sometimes in life, success sneaks in through the back door disguised as failure, and this was one of those moments. Being able to

build the monument to the greatest story in the history of mankind was certainly my proudest moment, and included working with America’s greatest sculptors, the Lundeen brothers out of Loveland, Colorado.

After the Apollo 11 monument, I was able to envision an Apollo 13 monument at Space Center Houston which I was able to accomplish working with Captain Jim Lovell, Commander of Apollo 13. I was then able to envision a Sally Ride monument honoring the first American woman in space at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in New York, and then I was able to build another Sally Ride Monument at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. It was unveiled on July 4 in front of her 99-year-old mother and her family along with 5,000 patriots and worldwide media. It was a wonderful day to be an American.

Altogether, I have raised over $5 million from some great patriots, from Dan Gilbert, the CEO of Rocket Mortgage, to David Grainger, the CEO of the Grainger Corporation. Some amazing women came on board as well including Sherry Lansing, former Paramount chief, and then activist Gloria

Steinem, as well as Maria Shriver, the former First Lady of California, and Gretchen Carlson, former Fox News anchor.

I’m now working on building the first African-American, NASA astronaut monument in history, and the first Hispanic female NASA astronaut monument in history, as well as monuments for the great Joe Namath and Mario Andretti.

What do you feel are the keys to effective leadership?

To me, the most effective leadership is not based on just having a vision, but instead on executing. Without execution, there is no leadership. There is absolutely nothing. You can have all the great ideas in the world, and if you don’t write them down, and you don’t execute them, it’s all for not. Execution – that is the key.

How did your experience in the military shape your management style?

The military affected my management style by teaching me to be very succinct and to delegate tasks to others who are much better at that task than I am. If you don’t care who gets the credit, a great deal can be accomplished.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have been able to go into battle situations on Blackhawks and Shonooks in Afghanistan, and I was also able to live on the Carl Vinson, a nuclear aircraft carrier, for one week, and I had one carrier landing, which is beyond a bucket list opportunity. Being in those situations and observing the men and women of the military completely changed the way I delegate authority.

If it were not for the men and the women of the United States military, the world would be thrust into darkness.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in pursuing a career in filmmaking?

My advice to young people getting into film is very, very simple. Go buy a camera. Start shooting. Shoot every day. Shoot what you love. Shoot what you don’t love, but just keep shooting.

I never went to film school. I never read a book on making films. I bought a camera and I just started shooting and working with people that were better than I was, and that has served me well.

This is the greatest time in the history of film and to be a filmmaker as there are literally 700 shows being streamed around the world as we speak, and that number is growing exponentially. There is so much work for new filmmakers that didn’t exist when I started. It is absolutely remarkable.•

SHAPING THE FUTURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

The Future Of Communications

An Interview with Robert L. Dilenschneider, Founder, The Dilenschneider Group, Inc.

EDITORS’ NOTE Robert Dilenschneider is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Dilenschneider Group, a strategic counseling and public relations consulting firm. He is considered one of the world’s foremost communications experts and is frequently called upon by the media for commentary on major news stories. He is the author of several books, including The Ultimate Guide to Power and Influence and 50 Plus! – Critical Career Decisions for the Rest of Your Life

FIRM BRIEF

The Dilenschneider Group (dilenschneider.com) provides access to CEOs and their communications professionals in fields ranging from mergers and acquisitions to marketing, government affairs and international media. The Firm’s objectives are to bring clients a level of communications counsel, creativity and exposure to networks and contacts not available elsewhere.

What do you see the future bringing in the world of communications?

Let me begin my answer with a line attributed to Yogi Berra that is one of the great insights of all time: “It’s hard to make predictions, especially about the future.”

Nevertheless, as with all forecasts, we have to start with what we know right now, and two developments come immediately to mind: The rise of artificial intelligence and the decline of American news-gathering organizations, especially local newspapers. The first opens up a vast array of possibilities. So, too, does the second, but in a deeply concerning way. According to a recent report, an average of five local papers are closing every two weeks, leaving more than half of all American counties as what are called “news deserts.”

It’s not just local news that’s suffering, either. Major papers, driven by declines in advertising, circulation and profits have made extensive cutbacks in their reporting and editing staffs, including The Wall Street Journal , Los Angeles Times , The Washington Post, and New York Daily News . And it’s not just the newspaper business that’s suffering. According to a recent report, “Of 1,100 public radio stations and affiliates, only about one in five is producing local journalism.”

What role do you see artificial intelligence playing in the news business?

There are those who think AI with its incredible ability to consume, analyze and formalize information is the solution to the shrinking of traditional media. In theory, yes. In the real world, no. AI may be able to process data-based news such as the weather or stock market results, but it cannot gather news. It can’t grab a pad and pen and head out to press conferences, trials, crime scenes, fires, natural disasters, war zones and all the many other places where so much news is made. That takes reporters who, in the late Jimmy Breslin’s memorable phrase, “climb the stairs.”

“AI may be able to process data-based news such as the weather or stock market results, but it cannot gather news.”

I don’t doubt that attempts will be made to apply artificial intelligence to the news business, and some of it will be valid and successful. But one of the dangers I see is a future in which many organizations will present us with AI-produced packages that have all the earmarks of news, but are, well . . . artificial – rewrites of corporate press releases, summaries of politicians’ speeches, official pronouncements – with no real reporting, no in-person interviews, no eyewitness accounts, no digging, investigating, exposing malfeasance.

We get a good idea of how wrong that can go when we look at the way news is handled in present-day China. The rulers in Beijing don’t want anything reported that might reflect poorly on the regime. Period. Even before the advent of AI, an army of bureaucrats used cutting-edge technology to

identify and suppress anything that was unwelcome. One consequence was the coverup of what was going on in the city of Hunan in late 2019 and early 2020. When a doctor there warned that a lethal virus was spreading, he was charged with “disrupting public order” and silenced. A news blackout quickly followed. We now know, of course, that the virus was COVID-19 and that Beijing’s determination to cover up the facts led to a worldwide lockdown with disastrous economic and social effects and more than 1 million deaths in the U.S. alone.

If we do indeed wind up in a world where “news” is produced by AI programs – and if those programs are designed to put a smiley face on everything – we’re in obvious danger.

Do you feel that artificial intelligence is a dangerous development?

I certainly don’t mean to suggest AI will be nothing but trouble. Consider this positive assessment from OnPassive, a technology company that develops AI for marketing purposes: “AI has made communication more accessible in several ways, from virtual assistants and Chatbots to language translation and personalized communications. By breaking down language barriers, improving accessibility, and automating routine tasks, AI is helping to create a more connected and efficient world.”

The challenge, as is true with every important innovation in human history, is to maximize the positive contributions while defending as best we can against the abuses.

In the midst of all these unpredictable developments, are there any certainties about the future of communications?

Some things are certain. More people and organizations will be involved in communications. The stakes will be higher than ever before. There will be a tremendous amount of disinformation, so we will all need to find ways to get to the truth. And totally new means and methods for getting messages out will shape the future.

The challenge, of course, will be for both the professionals and their clients to keep up with a constantly changing marketplace as well as evolving technology. The content of the messages – which frequently just boils down to “take a look at what we have to offer” – will stay much the same. But as we are already seeing, the audience can be global in nature, which means not only dealing with a variety of languages, but also many different cultures, different values, different needs. Developing a winning message will be as crucial as ever, but more than ever in a complex future, so will be understanding public attitudes.•

Robert L. Dilenschneider

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About CGCC

Founded in 2005, China General Chamber of Commerce - USA (“CGCC”) has been recognized as the largest and most impactful non-profit organization representing Chinese enterprises in the U.S. As an independent, non-partisan, non-governmental chamber of commerce, CGCC provides a broad range of programs, services, and resources to over a thousand multinational members across the U.S., with a mission to create value, generate economic growth, and enhance cooperation between the U.S. and Chinese business communities.

About CGCC Foundation

Established in 2014, CGCC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. The mission of CGCC Foundation is to deepen mutual understanding and cooperation between the U.S. and China through research, public charity, and engagement in economic, cultural, and social exchanges.

Celebrating “Together Towards Tomorrow” at the China General Chamber of Commerce-USA Lunar New Year Gala

NEW YORK, NY – On Thursday, January 18th, 2024, China General Chamber of Commerce – USA (CGCC) and CGCC Foundation, the largest and most impactful non-profit, non-governmental, non-partisan organization representing Chinese enterprises in the United States, hosted its 2024 Lunar New Year of the Dragon Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan.

With the theme of “Together Towards Tomorrow,” the gala gathered about 400 of the uppermost business leaders, government officials, and representatives from the U.S. and Chinese business communities to celebrate influential American and Chinese business leaders and companies in recognition of their cross-border cooperation and contributions to local communities.

The official program began with an elegant opening performance of “Passacaglia” by Handel-Halvorsen by two talented musicians from The Philadelphia Orchestra, an emblem of people-to-people exchange between the U.S. and China. In 1973, The Philadelphia Orchestra became the first American orchestra to perform in China. Since that first visit, the Orchestra has returned to China multiple times, continuing its long-term relationship with the Chinese people in concert halls and educational institutions.

The opening performance was followed by remarks from Chairman of CGCC, President and CEO of Bank of China U.S.A., Wei HU.

Hundreds from the U.S.-China business communities come together to celebrate cross-border cooperation and contributions to local communities

Throughout his remarks, Chairman HU reflected on the 45th anniversary of the establishment of U.S.- China relations and its significance in CGCC’s journey as an organization whose role is integral in the growth and development of the bilateral relationship.

“Reflecting on our journey, we see a tapestry of resilience and progress, woven through decades of shared efforts and mutual understanding. The theme of our Gala, ‘Together Towards Tomorrow,’ resonates profoundly as we commemorate this milestone. It symbolizes our enduring commitment to forging a future where our people can continue to thrive, fostering peace, stability and prosperity for our nations and the entire world,” said HU.

Minister Xueyuan XU, Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States, was invited to deliver a keynote speech. On behalf of the Chinese Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Feng XIE, Minister Xueyuan XU first congratulated the Chamber on another successful event and extended her warmest greetings for the Lunar New Year of the Dragon to guests.

During her remarks, Minister XU expressed a positive sentiment for the future of the bilateral relationship. “We look forward to working closely with the U.S. side to follow up on the significant outcomes achieved at the summit [San Francisco Summit] and restore China-U.S. relations to the track of sound and stable development so that enterprises of both countries can do business at ease and prosper together,” said XU.

Introduced by Ray Dalio, the CGCC 2022 Gala Principle Award Honoree and Founder, CIO Mentor, and Member of the Bridgewater Board, Raj Subramaniam, President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx, was honored with the International Leadership Award. With over three decades of experience, Mr. Subramaniam’s insights and commitment to globalization have left an indelible mark on the global business landscape. His visionary leadership and profound contributions to global commerce have not only elevated FedEx to new heights but have also served as a beacon of innovation in the transportation and logistics industry.

During his remarks, Subramaniam spoke about the importance of bringing people together.

“No matter our industry, ideals, or cause, we can all commit ourselves to the greater good — to finding a purpose and leading with purpose, to closing chasms that separate us, and acting collectively for progress and change,” Subramaniam said. “That is the essence of leadership — and it is not reserved for CEOs, presidents, and executives — it is within all of us.”

Subramaniam’s remarks were followed by special remarks from Ambassador R. Nicholas Burns, Ambassador of the United States of America to the People’s Republic of China and Minister Wentao WANG, Minister of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China.

Introduced by Vice-Chairman of CGCC and President of Wanxiang America Corporation, Pin NI, R. Nicholas Burns, Ambassador of the United States of America to the People’s Republic of China, began his remarks by taking a moment to acknowledge the great impact of the late Dr. Henry Kissinger, the CGCC 2023 Gala Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree, 56th U.S. Secretary of State and pivotal figure in the normalization of U.S.- China relations.

Ambassador Burns continued his remarks emphasizing the improved communication between the U.S. and China, citing the success of meetings between government officials and the encouragement of people-to-people exchange with the restarting of more frequent flights between the two countries.

“I report to you this evening that the U.S.- China relationship has notably stabilized, there is certainly better communication between our governments than was the case 8 or 9 months ago. “We’ve agreed to promote and strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the U.S. and China in a number of fields including artificial intelligence, counter drug cooperation…,” said Burns.

Minister Wentao WANG, Minister of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, also gave special remarks where he expressed his best wishes for the event and spoke on the committed efforts of the Ministry of Commerce.

“In 2024, to deliver on the important consensus of the two presidents, the Ministry of Commerce will work hard with all the stakeholders including the Chinese and U.S. business communities to foster enabling conditions for trade and economic exchanges at all levels,” said WANG.

Following the acceptance remarks was an energetic dance performance by the Brooklynettes Dancers, the official dance

the Brooklyn Nets.

Presented by Ping HUANG, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in New York, the Outstanding Community Contribution Award was jointly awarded to Las Vegas Sands and BSE Global in recognition of their unwavering dedication to community prosperity and global networks.

team of

Above: Robert G. Goldstein, Chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands, accepts the Outstanding Community Contribution Award on behalf of Las Vegas Sands.

Left and Top: Raj Subramaniam, President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx, accepts the International Leadership Award.

Bottom Left: Sam Zussman, CEO of BSE Global, accepts the Outstanding Community Contribution Award on behalf of BSE Global.

Bottom Right: Ping HUANG, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in New York, presents the Outstanding Community Contribution Award.

Michael J. Franco, President and CFO of Vornado Realty Trust, helped close the event program by introducing the last speaker of the night, Kate Barton, EY Global Vice-Chair Emeritus, who reflected on her participation in “CGCC Women in Business” program and recognized CGCC’s continuous efforts in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

CGCC and CGCC Foundation express their sincerest appreciation to all the 2024 Gala speakers, honorees, sponsors, and attendees for being a vital part of this special occasion and contributing to its success. CGCC wishes everyone a Happy Lunar New Year of the Dragon and looks forward to connecting people, building trust, and expanding cooperation between the U.S.- Chinese business communities in the new year.

Special Thanks: Bank of China USA, Aland Health Holding & International Vitamin Corporation, Ernst & Young LLP, China Construction America, Las Vegas Sands, China Mobile International (USA) Inc., SCG America, State Grid US Representative Office, Vornado Realty Trust, SL Green Realty Corp, Citigroup, Inc., Fedex, ICBC US Region Management Committee, Loop Capital, HNA Trust Management, J.P. Morgan, CLB Management, China Merchants Bank New York Branch, Dorsey & Whitney, King & Wood Mallesons, JN fibers, Inc, Shineharmony Holdings, Inc, Fuyao Group North America, Agricultural Bank of China New York Branch, COSCO SHIPPING (North America) Inc., CICC US Securities, Inc., China Construction Bank New York Branch, The Related Companies, Chubb Group, Starr Foundation, China Unicom Americas, Fosun International Limited,BSE Global, Delta Air Lines, GOIP Globalnet Solutions LLC, PetroChina International America Inc., Eccom Network (USA), Inc., Beijing Duck Restaurant, Hongdou New York Inc, Gemdale USA Corporation, Chinatex Oriental USA Inc, Hylant, Unicorn Tire Corporation, Bank of Communications New York Branch, Waitex Group of Companies, Jersey City Medical Center/RWJ Barnabas Health, Jemstone Management LLC, The Moinian Group, Tiffany

HOSPITALITY HOSPITALITY

180 Degrees From Ordinary

An Interview with Christopher Prelog, President, Windstar Cruises

EDITORS’ NOTE Chris Prelog has firsthand knowledge that working aboard cruise ships is hard work. As a young 20-something, he called his dad to tell him he wasn’t cut out for his cruise line job as a waiter, but his dad told him he needed to follow it through. He did, and eventually he got in the groove and loved working as part of a crew. That he’s now president of the cruise line that owns that first ship he worked aboard is no surprise. With more than 20 years in the industry, he knows the ins and outs of how a cruise line works. Originally from Austria, Prelog earned a bachelor’s degree from the Higher Tourism Institute in Austria along with several tourism and accounting certificates from U.S. colleges. He joined Windstar in 2017 and loves the supportive family-like atmosphere. He’s a member of the Culinary Institute of America’s invitation-only Society of Fellows.

Austria, and many senior executives have visited that school or been educated there. I learned everything about hospitality in the program, not just service and cooking, but the whole administrative part and financial side, the marketing and sales side – everything you need to know about the business of hospitality, which is what the cruise industry is really about.

I worked in hotels for a while, but felt like I wanted to do something else. Friends from school had talked about cruising and how it was an exciting industry if you wanted to see the world. I found that intriguing. When I boarded my first ship, my world turned upside down. I could feel the ship moving while it was moored to the pier. My knees got wobbly and being on a boat just didn’t seem right. It can happen when you join the cruise industry; you don’t know what you’ve signed up for. You get thrown into everything

so quickly. It’s very busy and you need to learn many disciplines. On top of that, the ship moves. I got seasick and didn’t feel that great. Then, I was demoted from head waiter to waiter. The system aboard a ship compared to regular restaurant operations is very different, and my English wasn’t that good. There was also a bit of a cultural gap – we don’t eat English muffins in Austria and I’d never seen one before. So here I was polishing cutlery and learning the “cruise industry trade” from the very baseline, and now I am hugely grateful that I was able to get this experience.

You need a little time to get used to cruising, but you’re joining a family and you develop friendships. It took a little while to establish myself, but eventually I made headway and became head waiter and maître d’hotel, some of the most difficult jobs on the ship. I think that’s what drew me to cruising as well, because you work with people who have different nationalities, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and so forth,

COMPANY BRIEF Windstar Cruises operates a fleet of six boutique all-suite and sailing yachts carrying 148-342 guests. Small ship cruises sail throughout Europe, the Caribbean, Costa Rica and the Panama Canal, Asia, New England and Eastern Canada, the Middle East, and the South Pacific, including a ship year-round in Tahiti. Windstar (windstarcruises.com) launched the $250 Million Star Plus Initiative to transform the three all-suite Star Plus Class yachts with new suites, restaurants, and a world-class spa and fitness center. The award-winning line is known for immersive experiences, destination authenticity, port-intensive itineraries, exceptional service, and an innovative culinary program.

Did you know at an early age that you had a passion for the cruise industry and what has made the industry so special for you?

I grew up in the service industry. My dad owned a number of businesses. He ran grocery stores, ice cream shops, food and beverage stands at trade shows. So, I’ve grown up in service-oriented surroundings, and Austria is well respected around the world for their hospitality and the hospitality business, as well as their hospitality education. My dad and my mother encouraged me to go to the Tourism Institute in Bad Gleichenberg. It’s a well-known, established hospitality management school in

Christopher Prelog

Windstar operates a fleet of six ships: three with motorized sails and three all-suite power yachts

and everyone works in harmony on the ship. That’s a pretty cool thing, and then if you want to see the world and learn about other cultures, you do.

I was about to become hotel manager when life threw me a curveball. My daughter was born in Austria. It’s hard when you have a baby and have to leave for four months. I didn’t want to leave my family at home, but I didn’t want to leave my family at sea, either. I returned to the ship and the senior management of Seabourn surprised me and asked if I wanted to move to the head office in Miami. Four months later my family and I arrived in Miami, which was a turning point. It was then I decided that cruising and I were going to get serious. I was going to expand my horizon and learn, learn, learn.

You are very focused as a leader on company culture. How do you describe Windstar Cruises’ culture and how critical is maintaining culture to the success of the company?

One thing that really stands out about Windstar is that our leadership learned the ropes and rose through the ranks – literally. I started out as a waiter on a small cruise ship (now Windstar’s Star Legend), and other top Windstar executives also worked as servers, band leaders, and even captains on ships – many began on the bottom of the ladder and earned their way to the top. That experience is rare in today’s corporate world and brings with it knowledge and know-how, plus a deep appreciation for service and attention to detail that can’t be taught in school – or on land.

We also have a culture that’s devoted to gender equality, which extends to our onboard leadership as well, where we’re proud to have an array of female leaders. One remarkable example is Captain Belinda Bennett, who holds the distinction of being the world’s first Black female cruise ship captain. Her presence on board our ships is not only inspiring, but

also symbolic of the broader shifts happening in the industry.

And of course, our crew and our service are what make Windstar such a different cruise line. With one of the highest crew-topassenger ratios in the industry, Windstar ships provide a level of personalized service few competitors do. We also have an incredibly high return rate of our crew members (above 90 percent), which translates to success across a variety of platforms from sheer productivity and mastery of tasks to sustained and meaningful interactions with repeat guests over the years.

Our crew is warm, inviting, and comfortable – without ever being stuffy. They know your drink preferences and how you take your morning coffee, but you also get to dance with them at the deck barbecue or see them perform in the crew talent show – you get to know them as individuals. You see them enjoying the ports on their down time. That is a wildly different culture and setup than most cruise lines where you may not ever even see your cabin steward, much less know their name. Our crew and guests have formed lasting bonds, and that’s something you can’t just manufacture. You build that culture over time.

What have been the keys to Windstar Cruises’ industry leadership and how do you define the Windstar difference?

Windstar Cruises is truly unique in that it is a small ship line that’s casually elegant and 180 degrees from ordinary. We provide relaxation at its best, and we’re known for our immersive excursions, port-intensive itineraries (often with late nights and overnights), exceptional award-winning service, and innovative culinary programs.

Our guests leave the crowds behind on small, elegant ships which accommodate

A Windstar balcony room

between 148 to 342 guests, feeling more like a private yacht than a commercial cruise ship. This intimacy provides guests with the luxuries of time, space, and freedom to immerse themselves in the destination.

Our Watersports Platform lets you swim off the back of the yacht directly into the ocean and enjoy activities such as stand-up paddle boarding right off the ship. I like to say that the ocean is our infinity pool on Windstar. We also maintain an “Open Bridge” policy which allows guests to visit the Bridge to see where the captain charts their course. Guests can learn about the navigation equipment and catch a behind-the-scenes look into the ship over a cup of coffee or tea. It’s that kind of intimacy and access that makes such a difference.

Will you provide an overview of Windstar Cruises’ ships and how Windstar is continuing to redesign and renovate its fleet?

Windstar Cruises operates a six-ship fleet. Three are iconic sailing yachts, which we call the Wind Class, and three are all-suite luxury yachts, our Star Plus Class. All explore the hidden harbors and secluded coves of the world’s most treasured destinations.

We recently undertook a $250 million project to stretch and renovate the Star Plus Class yachts, and now we’re embarking on a multimillion-dollar initiative to redesign and update the Wind Class ships. The project encompasses a full redesign of all public spaces with new layouts, furniture, wall and floor coverings, lighting, and custom art. The Owner’s Suites are being redesigned including new furniture and all staterooms will receive new décor and interactive televisions. Look for a new pool and hot tub, expanded bar areas, as well as a redesigned spa and gym with state-of-the-art equipment. Our guests are going to love it.

How has Windstar Cruises approached its restaurant/food and beverage offerings?

On Windstar there is no wait list to dine, no multiple seatings to force into your schedule, no upsell for specialty restaurants, plus, complimentary 24-hour room service. Local seafood, aged spirits, fresh produce and seafood purchased from local markets by Windstar chefs (often with guests in tow), and even homemade family recipes from the crew are all on the menu as we cater to all palates and culinary interests.

Windstar is the Official Cruise Line of the James Beard Foundation, and next year we’ll be celebrating ten years of partnership. It’s all part of an ongoing commitment to unique epicurean experiences at sea, and Windstar recently announced the addition of curated wines to some of the line’s most unique itineraries in 2024. Award-winning, small-lot wines will be featured on five Windstar sail dates this year, several coinciding with Windstar’s existing James Beard Foundation themed culinary cruises. On each sailing guests will have the opportunity to partake in wine tasting events tailored to discovering wines that are available exclusively at the winery and to wine club members.

So much of what we offer is prepared a la minute (cooked to order), so that certainly sets us apart from many of the larger cruise lines who simply can’t do that based on capacity. We’re also really adept at dealing with dietary issues and restrictions – we’re able to speak with the guest in advance and make a plan.

Windstar also recently created a new vegan menu for all six of the line’s yachts in partnership with the National Health Association. The offerings are not only plant-based, but also prepared without added salt, oil, sugar, and flour. A full themed cruise serving

only plant-based meals both on board and during shore excursions was recently added in Tahiti for 2025. The cruise is already sold out, and additional plant-based themed cruises are being planned.

To sum it up, we know people have a wide range of preferences in what they eat. We take a highly customized approach to dining, but our overall mantra is to make it local whenever possible, make it delicious, and make it special.

What are the traits you look for when hiring talent at Windstar?

We are looking for people with an uplifting outlook on life – specifically positive energy traits, and a commitment not just to a company but the industry as a whole. People who have the grit, endurance, and commitment to travel and cruise for a living. I always look for fun in a person – the world is serious enough. Having the ability to “let your hair down” is important too.

What are your views on the future of cruising and how is Windstar positioned to adapt and evolve to meet the future needs of its guests?

Cruising is a hospitality and service industry, and my background in hospitality helps to position Windstar as the leader in smallyacht cruising. I like to always look through two lenses when touching the brand: the lens of our guests – what they will experience – and the lens of our crew on how to deliver it. I think I am very fortunate that I have had both experiences, which helps tremendously working onboard to understand how that gets delivered. It’s also important that we do a good job of telling the story of how cruising is a highly adaptable industry and a fantastic vacation option. We have adapted to a number of crises and each time have come out of it stronger.

What do you see as the keys to effective leadership and how do you describe your management style?

My management style centers around collaboration, communication, and coordination, but at the heart of everything is strong involvement of the frontline team members as we adapt to change together. I am keenly focused on our teams both ashore and onboard. Without their great work we would not be where we are today. My mantra is that I will always make time for my employees and enter each interaction as an opportunity to learn and change.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in a career in the cruise industry?

The cruise industry allows you to see the world, join the family-like hospitality industry, and make great friends from every walk of life. It’s an incredible business comprised of a very diverse group of passionate people. The cruise industry will broaden your horizons, and you will learn so much; however, if you aren’t open to change, it may not be for you. The cruise industry is a highly adaptable industry and environment, and if you’re open to new ways of doing things and seeing change as an opportunity, well, welcome aboard.•

One of three Windstar all-suite power yachts

The Masa Way

An Interview with

EDITORS’ NOTE Masayoshi Takayama’s appreciation for food started at a young age, growing up working for his family’s fish market in a town of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. From his early years of delivering fresh sashimi to neighbors on his bicycle, to prepping and grilling hundreds of fish courses to cater weddings in high school, his relationship with food has always been a way of life. Chef Masa is also chef/ owner of Bar Masa (located next door to Masa), and is the chef at Kappo Masa (located at 976 Madison Avenue) in partnership with famed art gallerist Larry Gagosian. Chef Masa’s newest venture, Sushi by Masa located in Harrods in London, was opened in 2023.

RESTAURANT BRIEF

Refined beauty that isn’t affected by time or social changes. Shibui is never complicated or contrived. Purity of being, of living, of sensing is inherent in all elements of the Masa (masanyc.com) experience. The sushi counter made of a solid piece of Hinoki, Japanese Cypress, is sanded daily to a soft, porous state providing both visual and sensual satisfaction the moment one enters. The branches of seasonal plants are arranged daily to highlight the beautiful imperfections mother nature produces, offering a unique perspective from all angles. The otherwise simple decor is intentionally sparse to act as a blank canvas on which the food will be allotted space to shine. The courses build on seasonal properties utilized only in their freshest most delicious state. Each dish is composed to ensure that the most basic, innate character of the ingredients persists. A fundamental respect of the distinctiveness, which is naturally occurring, is observed with each act of slicing, shaving, and sprinkling. The food is prepared quickly, and plated for guests as soon as ready to preserve the idea that each dish is still in a living, being state. In essence, with essence, is essence – Masa is shibui.

Where did you develop your appreciation for food?

I developed my appreciation for food in the home. My mother was the main cook for our family, but my parents owned a fish market and catering business so often my father would go to Tsukiji Market in Tokyo and come home

with my favorites like clam and Uni. All five siblings would sit at a table with my mother and father and watch them make sushi for us. This gave us such great memories because I remember how much fun we had and the camaraderie of the family.

Did you know at an early age that you wanted to pursue a career as a chef?

When I was young, every kid was helping out in their family business. No one was forced to do it, but it was assumed you would help your parents. I don’t know what impact working in a fish shop had on my career because at the time it was just something I did. It was only after high school when I was studying at university that I started thinking about my career. At first, I thought I would be a doctor, but by the second year, I changed my mind and my brother took me to Tokyo and introduced me to the restaurant where I would end up working for so long. My brother was a chef, so I think it just made sense to see how restaurants worked.

What was your vison for creating Masa and how do you describe the Masa experience?

In California, I was able to have my own restaurant for the very first time after leaving my apprenticeship and time in Tokyo. I first opened Saba Ya, then Ginza (which later moved to Beverly Hills). What some people don’t know is I also opened a wine bar across the street from the first location of Ginza, called California Vine House. It had this oval counter where I served wine from the Napa Valley and grilled foods. It was there for a year or year and a half, but I think the concept was still too new for people at the time. This is all to say that when Chef Thomas Keller approached me to open a restaurant in New York, I knew it was time for a change.

I approached the opening of Masa the same way I approached opening Ginza in Los Angeles. The style and flavor of Japanese food was more American because I was working with the palates of the guests who were used to stronger flavors. That’s when I created the Toro Caviar dish – the mix of fat from the tuna and the saltiness of the caviar is something we never would have done in Tokyo, but for the American palate, it really worked.

Masayoshi Takayama

Masayoshi Takayama, Chef/Owner, Masa

Kappo Masa (top); Bar Masa (above)

The Masa experience is really about the Japanese idiom Ichi-go ichi-e, which is the concept of the unrepeatable nature of a moment. Every season highlights a different fish and every season we want people to have a unique experience. I like to have people enjoying the meal when they come and it’s the intimacy they have with the chef that makes it. I always write down what each guest had and we keep a file that goes back to when we opened in 2004. The next time the guest comes in, we go back to their previous menu and make sure it’s never the same. But it doesn’t only go one way – maybe the first time, but each visit you can talk to the customer, get to know them, and then develop the menu to their tastes and likes.

What have been the keys to Masa’s leadership in the industry?

I’m not going to do trendy stuff. The only thing that is comfortable to me is enjoying real good food. I don’t follow fads and I am always trying to make dishes a little better and better. The ingredients we use can be manipulated in so many ways. I love the versatility of tuna, that it can be in a salad, grilled, as sushi or a roll. And Uni – of course, delicious in its purest form but also can be a sauce, roasted, steamed, or even stewed.

One of our most popular dishes is the Uni papaya, a dish that definitely doesn’t seem like it would be a natural pairing, but it works so beautifully. We use Hawaiian papaya and then make a uni sauce and roast them together and it’s incredible. The sweet against the brine is just perfect. That dish came together as I was traveling, and back in New York I kept working

on it until it reminded me of that papaya I ate. I like to create dishes based on my food memories.

For me, I don’t like the idea of making a cookbook – after a year or even ten years –a written down recipe is dead to me. Food is always changing like the generations change and I want to keep changing the Masa experience. It’s the way I like to keep up.

How did Kappo Masa and your partnership with Larry Gagosian develop?

Larry is very charming, and he has a very strict, sharp eye. He can tell immediately if something is good or not and he has good taste. So when Ron Lauder came to my restaurant in Beverly Hills and brought Larry, it started a friendship and we decided to form a partnership in 2013 for Kappo. The one thing he disagreed with me about was opening the restaurant on the basement level. He said no restaurant has ever been successful in the basement, but I knew it would create a bit of mystery and privacy for our customers. And soon, he told me I was right.

I like working with him because he respects me as an artist and I find it very comfortable to work with him.

Will you discuss the opening of Sushi by Masa in Harrods in London and what guests may expect from this new offering?

Harrods came to us because they wanted to showcase a premiere chef in their dining hall space. At first I wanted a stand-alone restaurant, but once I visited the space and saw the energy and history of the room, I knew that’s where we wanted to have our location. It’s a 40-seat oval space that is right in the center of

the dining hall and inside we have all the chefs slicing fish, plating dishes, and engaging with the customers, which is what I wanted to bring to the London market. Sushi by Masa really isn’t trying to replicate what we have in New York –it really is about introducing the London market to the Masa flavor and allowing the guest to have a fun and memorable experience in such a historic place.

How important has it been to build the Masa team, and will you highlight the talent and expertise of your team?

When it comes to hiring people, I’m always looking for, not talent, but who they are. In the food industry, personality is very important. If one’s personality is not good enough, one cannot make good food. I believe that talent is from the inside of a person’s spirit and heart. Personality is very important. Personality creates lots of great stuff. Those people care about the customer and their fellow workers, and that’s the kind of team I try to build up.

You enjoy being in the kitchen and creating dishes. How do you balance your time being a chef with the pressures of running a business?

I don’t feel any pressure. I’m very much enjoying the everyday as long as my team is doing things right. What is right to me? Working properly, cleanly, and making sure the ingredients are handled well. That’s always my first priority – clean. If the procedures I set in place are not being followed, I’m upset.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in pursuing a career as a chef?

Don’t think to grow too fast – every single day is ordinary stuff but it’s years later you will see how you grow. Today, there is so much information from YouTube and social media, and young people get confused about whether what they are doing is right. Am I in fashion? Am I trendy? If you follow the trend, you’re going to get mixed up. You have to have strong conviction and a point of view – believe in yourself and what you do. You must be confident every step to get more confident.

Masa has received many awards and accolades since its opening. Do you take time to reflect and appreciate what you have accomplished?

I always want to be better and better and look forward. I don’t want to stay the same all the time – I always want to be moving and doing something different. Otherwise, I get bored. Every day I am at the restaurant thinking of how I can change or improve something. What if we cut the fish this way, salt differently, or change a sauce? I have worked on our soy sauce until I made a clear sauce – it’s also gluten free. This one isn’t covered in soy sauce flavor that only shows the saltiness – it’s lighter and customers can taste the ingredients. This is what I mean – I didn’t like the dark color of our soy sauce, so I found a way to create clear and better sauce. It’s the constant evolution that I always strive for in my business and restaurant.•

Toro Tartare with Osetra Caviar

Ohmi Beef Tataki with Shaved Truffles

HOSPITALITY HOSPITALITY

A Platform For Change

An Interview with Bernd Pichler, Area Managing Director, 1 Hotels

EDITORS’ NOTE Bernd Pichler has more than two decades of hospitality expertise gained from various hotel brands across the United States and abroad. Having joined SH Hotels & Resorts in 2019 at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge and later at 1 Hotel Central Park, Pichler was recently appointed to Area Managing Director of 1 Hotels, New York City, overseeing the operation and development of the portfolio in New York City and its greater area. Prior to his tenure at 1 Hotels, Pichler held a series of prominent positions at top-tier properties, including the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe and Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego. For over the course of the decade, he held various roles at additional Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, San Francisco, Sonoma and Pittsburgh. Pichler previously served on the team that opened The Langham London and held diverse Sales and Marketing positions at The Chelsea Toronto in Canada and The Leading Hotels of the World, where he represented the United Kingdom and the Nordic region. A native of Austria, Pichler is a certified sommelier and fluent in English, German, and Spanish. His academic accolades include a degree in international hospitality and tourism management and continued education at universities in Canada, Spain, and the U.S., most recently finishing the asset management program at Cornell University.

COMPANY BRIEF

As a mission driven luxury lifestyle hotel brand inspired by nature, 1 Hotels (1hotels.com) cultivates the best of sustainable design and architecture, together with extraordinary comfort and an unrivaled level of service. 1 Hotels – which launched in 2015 with the opening of exclusive properties in Miami’s South Beach and Manhattan’s Central Park which were followed by Brooklyn, located on the East River, in February 2017; West Hollywood, on Sunset Boulevard, in June 2019; Sanya (China) in 2020; Toronto in 2021; San Francisco and Nashville in 2022; and in 2023, the Hanalei Bay

flagship property and Mayfair (London), the brand’s first European property – is inspired by a simple idea: those that travel the world should also care about it. It is, after all, 1 world. 1 Hotels upholds this vision by channeling nature through design and culinary partnerships while connecting with the local community and taking sustainable steps to make a big difference. The brand is expanding with properties under development in Austin, Cabo San Lucas, Paris, Copenhagen, Elounda Hills (Crete), Riyadh, Melbourne, Seattle, and San Miguel de Allende.

Will you discuss your career journey in the hospitality industry?

I was born in the Alps of Austria and my childhood dream was always to be a hotel manager and travel the world. Following my studies at Tourismusschulen Bad Gleichenberg, I worked in sales and marketing at The Chelsea, Toronto, Canada’s largest hotel. The Chelsea had 1700 rooms and provided me with a great understanding of divisional structures and volume. After that, I had the opportunity to open Langham’s flagship hotel in London, and following Langham, I joined The Leading Hotels of the World overseeing sales for the Nordic countries.

I have always had a passion for food and beverage. My next stop was Valencia, Spain where I operated the restaurant SEB in El Carmen, the city’s entertainment district, welcoming Formula 1 and the America’s Cup during my tenure. I loved my time in Valencia, but wanted to broaden my horizons at an international organization. I joined Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in Abu Dhabi to open their second location in the region. Several Fairmont Hotel locations followed and I was able to sharpen my skills and gain valuable experiences around the world: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, San Diego, and Sonoma. After 10 great years, it was time for a change and I joined The Ritz-Carlton at Lake Tahoe, a beautiful mountain resort allowing me to reconnect with my passion for nature.

Since 2019, I’ve been with SH Hotels & Resorts (Baccarat, 1 Hotels, and Treehouse), where I currently oversee all 1 Hotels operations and developments in New York City and the greater New York area.

What excited you about the opportunity to join 1 Hotels?

I get this question a lot and love answering it. I treasure my journey and the opportunities large corporations – Accor, Marriott – have given me over the years, however, 1 Hotels offered an opportunity to apply my entrepreneurial skills and be part of the growth of an extraordinary brand from the beginning. 1 Hotels’ ethos – we are a mission driven brand inspired by nature, with sustainability at our core. We see ourselves as a platform for change, doing all the good we can, which aligns with my personal values.

I believe the modern traveler searches for unique experiences in luxury but is much more environmentally aware and genuinely cares about the impact they have on our planet. At 1 Hotels, we don’t have all the answers and we never preach, but we are always striving to do better and inspire our guests in subtle ways. As our founder, Barry Sternlicht, adequately says: “We have one planet, we all need to take care of it.”

How is 1 Hotels positioned in the market and how do you describe the 1 Hotels difference?

Bernd Pichler

As the first mission-driven lifestyle hotel brand inspired by nature, 1 Hotels uniquely combines biophilic design and sustainable practices with extraordinary levels of comfort and service. We are a leader in the purpose-driven luxury and lifestyle hotel segment. We practice sustainability in all aspects of what we do without sacrificing design, functionality or luxury. All decisions are made through this lens, always in harmony with nature, with the goal of moving our mission, the industry, and the world forward.

We believe our customer is seeking an ecofriendly approach and our success is exemplified by the brand’s extraordinary growth. In 2023, we opened our flagship property in Hanalei Bay, Kauai along with our European flagship, 1 Hotel Mayfair. We are currently embarking on a significant worldwide expansion with properties set to open in Melbourne, Elounda Hills (Crete), Cabo, Paris, Austin, Copenhagen, Riyadh, Seattle, and San Miguel de Allende.

Will you provide an overview of 1 Hotels’ properties and where you see opportunities for growth for the brand?

1 Hotels launched in 2015 with properties in South Beach and Manhattan (Central Park). The portfolio now includes Brooklyn Bridge, West Hollywood, Sanya (China), Toronto, San Francisco, and Nashville along with the two flagship properties in Hanalei Bay and Mayfair.

We believe we are shaping the future of hospitality by creating transformative spaces that truly resonate with our guests. As I mentioned above, we are expanding globally and we are actively looking at additional opportunities in major markets from Asia Pacific to Europe to here in the United States.

How has 1 Hotels approached its food and beverage offerings and what are the keys to being successful in this part of the business?

Guided by our sustainable approach, our food and beverage venues offer seasonal menus and day and night experiences that nourish our bodies, uplift the community, and honor nature. We always celebrate local ingredients with the guiding philosophy that the closer things are to home, the better they taste, and we strive to work with as many local producers and artisans as possible.

Our restaurants and day/nightlife concepts are built to be destinations for the community, not just an amenity to the hotel. We engage our guests and the community by finding ways to connect them with people at the forefront of our shared mission. For example, we have brand-wide programs such as A Supper That Sustains Us, a zero-waste on-going dinner event series that gives our local vendors and partners a platform to share their insight on sustainable methods and goals.

Additionally, our food and beverage programs at all our properties are dedicated to zero-waste. Our culinary and beverage teams focus on reducing food waste with the goal of minimizing overall carbon and climate impact. We’re currently working towards our shortterm goal of 70 percent waste diversion from landfills and incinerators, with a focus on our long-term target of 90 percent or greater total waste diversion in accordance with USGBC’s (U.S. Green Building Council) TRUE Zero Waste certification.

We believe that our success comes from creating truly unique food and beverage experiences throughout the entire guest journey that provide a thoughtful, immersive, and delicious experience.

Will you highlight 1 Hotels’ commitment to its workforce and investment in training?

1 Hotels is committed to our team members’ growth and overall well-being. We do this through various programs including:

• Pay It Forward – We provide our team members with a paid day off to do community service. We also host events throughout the year, with team member participation, for causes that benefit the local communities and the local environment.

• In 2023, we created a bespoke sustainability training on our custom learning platform, SH University, to ensure that all team members understand the basics of sustainability, why it matters, and how we bring it to life.

• We provide growth and development opportunities for our team members by creating clear paths for promotion, creating a Management in Training program, launching a mentorship program for high potential team members, and working to provide international visa/transfer opportunities between the various countries we are located in.

How do you define a true luxury hospitality experience today?

Luxury in today’s world has evolved and become a much broader concept. What was thought of as an exceptional experience 10 years ago is considered standard these days. Information and inspiration are at travelers’ fingertips and the desire for highly curated, individual, and bespoke experiences is in the forefront. Formality is less relevant than an approachable, authentic interaction allowing guests to truly immerse themselves into the culture and surroundings.

Technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing the overall experience by leveraging cutting-edge innovations to streamline interactions, removing barriers (check-in or services), and integrating personalized preferences from room controls to digital movements. Independent convenience wins.

The upper luxury demands are adding another layer by pursuing experiences that are not only personal and authentic, but are once-ina-lifetime, one-of-a-kind, or very limited access moments. Private members clubs are on the rise as individuals look beyond the social element alone, focusing on total exclusivity and accessibility – that which no one else can have.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in pursuing a career in the hotel industry?

Do it! If you have a dream or a vision of what your journey can look like, pursue it. You are in the driver’s seat of your own life. You can’t do it all alone, but you must take the first step. There will always be someone who opens a door, makes an introduction, believes in you, and gives you an opportunity; it’s part of the journey. Surround yourself with people from whom you can learn, the good and the bad – it will tailor who you’ll become as you progress in your career. Be humble, but ambitious. And whenever you can, don’t be afraid of making decisions or jumping into the unknown; it will make you stronger.

A hotel is filled with constant movement and energy. It’s a place of fun, beauty, growth, and exceptional moments, the ones we give; and the ones we receive. If you embrace it, it can be a very fulfilling and beautiful path in your life.•

1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, Kauai

HOSPITALITY HOSPITALITY

A Storied History

An Interview with Dant Hirsch, President and Managing Director, Ocean House Collection

EDITORS’ NOTE Dant Hirsch joined Ocean House Collection from Six Senses Hotels Resorts and Spas where he was General Manager of the New York property, leading the development of luxury guest rooms, condominiums, a membership club and food and beverage concepts. With extensive experience in luxury, Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond properties, Hirsch served as General Manager at The Dominick in New York, Faena Miami Beach and Regional General Manager of the Americas for COMO Hotels and Resorts. Earlier in his career, he was Hotel Manager and Director of Operations for St. Regis Hotels and Resorts in Miami and Kauai. In addition, he served in leadership positions at the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota and Tigh-NaMara Seaside Resort in British Colombia. Hirsch received his bachelor’s degree from Penn State University, where he was a Schreyer Scholar. He also holds a higher education certificate from Cornell University.

PROPERTY BRIEF

Ocean worthy of its pedigree and positioning in the region. The storied history of this iconic building and its signature yellow façade dates back to 1868 when it first started welcoming wealthy northeasterners wishing to summer by the beach. By the early 1900s, it established itself as the quintessential summer home for distinguished guests and their families. In fact, Ocean House was immortalized in the silent film American Aristocracy starring Douglas Fairbanks in 1916, which resulted in the resort expanding its footprint. The resort continued to welcome guests for 135 years, but over time neglect took its toll on the property and the hotel closed in 2003. A year later, a new structure replicating the original exterior was conceived and over 5,000 artifacts from the original building were lovingly salvaged and incorporated into its rebirth when it reopened in 2010 as the Ocean House of today.

Will you provide an overview of the suite product at Ocean House and do you see the suite offering as a differentiator for the property?

Nearly half of our accommodations are suites, which is unique in the industry and a standout product offering. What’s more, each suite has its own look and feel but all are reflective of Rhode Island’s nautical, seaside nature. Guests will enjoy luxury appointments as well as conveniences that make any length of stay seamless, including in-suite washers and dryers and fully equipped kitchens which are ideal for family travelers. Couples staying with us for romantic getaways will enjoy fireplaces, deep soaking tubs, expansive ocean views, and personalized amenities. Suite guests will also have a personal butler available to them throughout their stay to ensure no detail is left to chance.

Perched high on the bluffs of Watch Hill, Rhode Island, Ocean House (oceanhouseri.com) is an iconic New England seaside resort, and the first and only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five-Star hotel in the state. Ocean House’s Ocean & Harvest Spa and COAST restaurant are also Forbes Five-Star rated, making Ocean House a triple Five-Star resort, one of only 14 resorts in the world with this honor. This Rhode Island luxury hotel was meticulously reconstructed to pay tribute to its storied past and offer exceptional personal experiences for guests, members, and residents. The beautiful grounds of Ocean House have made it a premier luxury wedding destination for those seeking an unforgettable experience. Open yearround, Ocean House’s celebrated hotel and residential accommodations, uncompromising service, beachfront location and world-class amenities pay homage to New England’s golden age of hospitality with timeless elegance and renewed civility.

Will you discuss the history of Ocean House and how the property has evolved?

Ocean House is the beloved “Grand Dame” of Watch Hill, with a towering presence atop an expansive bluff overlooking the Atlantic

With 49 guestrooms, 20 Signature Suites, and a growing Cottage Collection, Ocean House’s evolution continues. We continue to honor the traditions of the original building while ensuring we remain relevant with the next generation of luxury travelers. So many of our guests have strong emotional attachments to and personal histories with Ocean House. This is humbling and very special. But in order to truly pay homage to our past, we must evolve and innovate in the future.

Our newest suite is the Bemelmans Ocean View Suite, a first-of-its-kind accommodation featuring more than 12 works from legendary artist Ludwig Bemelmans. These iconic pieces are accompanied by the works of Tug Rice, a later-day Bemelmans in his own right whose original work and decorative pillows bring the characters of Watch Hill to life. This suite is the perfect complement to the hotel’s recently added Bemelmans Gallery which showcases the world’s largest private collection of Bemelmans’ works on public display.

Our most exclusive suite is our Penthouse Suite, and it also happens to be our most

Dant Hirsch

spacious of our Signature Suite Collection. It is a popular choice for families as it features three bedrooms, several living and dining areas, and an open-style, well-appointed kitchen. My favorite feature of this suite is its expansive outdoor deck with an outdoor kitchen, bathroom, and “three-seasons” room with a temperature-controlled floor. And, of course, the views are spectacular.

What was the vision for creating The Cottage Collection and will you highlight this product?

Renting a “cottage” or summer house has always been a treasured tradition for vacationers visiting Watch Hill. Ocean House’s Cottage Collection is one way of preserving this tradition, as we are able to provide guests with the privacy, spaciousness, and convenience of a stand-alone cottage while also enjoying access to all that Ocean House has to offer. The collection includes eight cottages in total, ranging from two-bedroom cozy bungalows to our newest and most exclusive Oceanic cottage featuring nine bedrooms, ocean views, and a private pool. The extensive amenities, services, and unparalleled experiences at Ocean House that are available to all cottage guests while in-residence include private members club privileges as well as beach access and dining. A dedicated Cottage concierge is on-hand to assist with scheduling activities, making reservations, coordinating transportation arrangements and more.

How has Ocean House approached its restaurant/food and beverage offerings?

As a Relais and Chateaux property, guests expect our culinary offering to be elevated and aligned with what one would find at a premier dining establishment. We pride ourselves not just on the quality of our dining options, but the variety as well. In addition to The Bistro and the Five-Star COAST restaurant, we offer five inspired seasonal dining outlets. From Frenchinspired cuisine in winter’s whimsical Gondola Village, to classic New England seafood at The Verandah Raw Bar, to a traditional Mexicaninspired menu at Dalia, there’s something for everyone.

Another signature food and beverage offering are the hotel’s popular themed dinners on our private white sand beach. These include traditional Lobster Boils and inventive Mediterranean Night Markets. We also have a Center for Wine and Culinary Arts Education on-property where guests can interact with and learn from our culinary and beverage team. The complimentary In the Kitchen Series teaches guests how to cook holiday-themed dishes and dinner options, while the Vine to Wine series has our sommelier team conducting wine tastings and pairings.

Will you discuss Ocean House’s focus on health and wellness?

Yes, this is so important for many of our guests and we offer many services and amenities that allow them to maintain their healthy lifestyle when traveling. These include daily morning yoga and pilates classes offered complimentary, and our Forbes Five-Star

Ocean and Harvest Spa with its extensive menu of therapeutic treatments. A recent addition to the adjacent state-of-the-art fitness center is upgraded equipment with Technogym’s premier ARTIS product line now available. We also offer a movement studio with personal trainers available on request. When it’s time to venture outdoors, the white sand beach located just steps from the hotel provides the perfect backdrop for long walks or a quick jog. What’s more, wellness enthusiasts will appreciate the variety of healthy menu selections offered in all dining outlets, enhanced by the region’s freshest, organic ingredients.

How do you define a true luxury hotel experience?

Luxury hotels should provide a flawless experience from beginning to end. This means that guests receive what they want, when they want it, and how they want it. It may sound simple, but it is not. If it were, every hotel would be Five Star. We know that there are thousands of luxury hotels in the world executing at varying levels, and many of them have an exceptional rooms product, amazing locations, standout spas, sophisticated design elements, top-tier amenities, and other opulent offerings. But the best of the best focus on what really creates a true luxury hotel experience, which is connecting with guests on an emotional level. This is achieved by building strong work cultures where employees are trained and inspired to go above and beyond, connect with guests on an emotional level, and take initiative with every guest interaction to personalize their stay in a way that they will appreciate and remember. Luxury is in the details, and this is the sweet spot that makes guests remember how you made them feel.

Did you always know that the hotel business was where you wanted to spend your career?

To be honest, not really. From the age of three and all through high school, I grew up living in an upscale resort that my parents built on Vancouver Island. I spent many summers working at the resort but when I went off to college at Penn State University, I thought I was going to go to law school. After graduation from college, I took a year off to work for my family as the resort’s Assistant General Manager. It wasn’t until I held this leadership position that I came to understand my true calling was the hotel industry. Up until this point, I learned the “functions” of

many operational roles, including housekeeping, front desk, banquet server, stewarding, catering coordinator, maintenance, reservations, and PBX attendant. I guess you could say this was my equivalent of a paper route because from the age of 12, I earned money by doing all of these line-level jobs after school and during the summer. But once I shifted into a leadership role after graduation, I realized I loved the resort business. One year later, my parents’ investment partners approached me about taking over as the General Manager. My mother retired and, at the age of 26, I took over and led an executive committee much older and more experienced than I was. I used my intuition, work ethic, and enthusiastic drive to gain respect and build trust, and I had a great time running the resort over the next four years. We even earned several awards, including the Vancouver Island Hospitality Company of the Year. I knew I was never going to law school. Instead, I found myself enjoying the recognition and striving to be the best I could be. This is when I attended Cornell University’s Executive Development program for General Managers and met a seasoned Ritz-Carlton General Manager who saw something in me. He was surprised to learn about all the initiatives I had put in place at my family’s resort without any formal training or experience with a company like Four Seasons or Ritz-Carlton. He invited me to his resort, and I immediately recognized how much I loved the luxury hotel space. He then convinced me to take a role on the Executive Committee of The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota and my life in luxury hotels took off.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in pursuing a career in hospitality?

I often get this question and I always stress the importance of being willing to “learn” the business and prove yourself. Opportunities present themselves to those who shine in their roles. So whatever role you start out in, do it great and give 110 percent of yourself. I have promoted hundreds – if not thousands – of employees, supervisors and managers over the years. Opportunities come to those who are fully engaged at work and show they care. Demonstrate that you are committed and passionate about the hotel business and your coworkers and guests, and your professional growth opportunities are endless. At the same time, be willing to take and learn from feedback. And practice emotional intelligence which is much more important in the hospitality business than almost any other industry. Build your own “brand DNA.” Our industry may seem big, but it is not. In fact, it is quite small. It’s very likely that you will become known in the industry and it’s important that you start and finish every position with the same effort, strong integrity, and good character. Eventually, if you build a strong “brand” for yourself, new opportunities will come to you, and you won’t have to look for them. But be mindful that the opposite is also true if you don’t conduct yourself this way.•

HOSPITALITY HOSPITALITY

The Warwick Experience

An Interview with Ghassan El Hindi, Chief Operating Officer, Warwick Hotels & Resorts - MENA Region

EDITORS’ NOTE Ghassan El Hindi has over 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Warwick Hotels & Resorts - MENA Region. Prior to this role, he served as the Group Regional Operation/Development Manager MENA. El Hindi also has extensive experience as a General Manager, having worked at Al Khozama Banqueting & Conference Center, Grand Hills 5-star Hotel, Coral International, Mohd Abdul Aziz Al-Rajhi Establishment, Movenpick Hotel, Sharjah Grand 5-star Hotel, and InterContinental Hotels Group. In these positions, he was responsible for various aspects of hotel management, including overseeing operations, sales, marketing, and budgeting. El Hindi earned his BBA degree at the University of Toledo, majoring in marketing and hotel management.

COMPANY BRIEF

Are there certain characteristics that define a Warwick property?

A Warwick property is distinguished by its unwavering commitment to personalized guest experiences, cultural sensitivity, strategic locations celebrating local heritage, and a seamless blend of international standards with regional charm.

Will you provide an overview of Warwick Hotels & Resorts’ properties?

Nestled amidst the rich tapestry of the MENA region, Warwick Hotels & Resorts invites guests to discover a collection of dazzling gems, each radiating with distinct cultural charm and modern-day luxury. From the vibrant souks of Lebanon to the breathtaking landscapes of Turkey, our portfolio of 4- and 5-star hotels unveils the essence of this captivating corner of the world.

positioned to cater to both leisure and business travelers, offering a gateway to vibrant cities like Riyadh and Jeddah, as well as the awe-inspiring landscapes of the Red Sea.

At Warwick Hotels & Resorts, luxury goes beyond opulent settings. We are dedicated to delivering personalized hospitality that anticipates your every need. Our commitment to innovative amenities ensures a seamless and effortless experience, whether you’re on a business trip, a cultural exploration, or a relaxing escape.

What are your views on Warwick Hotels & Resorts’ growth opportunities in the Middle East?

Founded in 1980 by Richard Chiu, Warwick Hotels and Resorts (warwickhotels.com) represents a collection of distinct, upscale hotels and resorts known for quality throughout the world with over 40 hotels on five continents. As a collection, Warwick hotels are renowned for their exceptional locations and remarkable stories.

What have been the keys to the strength and leadership of Warwick Hotels & Resorts in the MENA region?

Warwick Hotels & Resorts’ strength and leadership in the MENA region are fueled by our unwavering commitment to exceptional hospitality, strategic location embracing diverse cultures, and a culture of adaptability. Our flexibility in customizing guest experiences and leveraging innovative technology ensures seamless operations, setting us apart in delivering unforgettable stays.

At Warwick Hotels & Resorts, our unwavering commitment to excellence in hospitality has been a cornerstone of our success and leadership. In the dynamic and diverse landscape of the MENA region, we pride ourselves on the following key factors that contribute to our strength:

1. Exceptional Hospitality Culture

2. Flexibility and Adaptability

3. Strategic Locations and Cultural Sensitivity

4. Operational Excellence

5. Innovated Technology Integration

Warwick Hotels & Resorts boasts a strategic presence across Lebanon, Turkey, Qatar, and most notably, Saudi Arabia. Each location is meticulously chosen to immerse guests in the unique tapestry of the region. Saudi Arabia, a land of rich heritage and boundless potential, holds a special place in Warwick’s MENA collection. Our hotels here are strategically

Warwick Hotels & Resorts sees significant growth opportunities in the Middle East, driven by the region’s dynamic hospitality landscape. With our strategic presence in key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Turkey, and Qatar, we aim to capitalize on emerging travel trends, increasing tourism, and the region’s economic development. Our commitment to blending luxury with local cultural experiences aligns with the preferences of discerning travelers in the Middle East. We are poised to further enhance our footprint, exploring new partnerships and innovative offerings, ensuring Warwick remains a top choice for those seeking

Ghassan El Hindi

Warwick Doha, Qatar

exceptional hospitality in this thriving market. Looking ahead, Warwick’s ambitions in the Middle East remain steadfast, planning to further expand the portfolio in countries like Dubai, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, capitalizing on the region’s potential for sustained growth. With its keen understanding of the market and unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional experiences, Warwick Hotels & Resorts is poised to remain a prominent player in the ever-evolving landscape of Middle Eastern hospitality.

What key initiatives and innovations is Warwick Hotels & Resorts planning to implement in alignment with the evolving hospitality landscape outlined in the MENA Vision 2030?

Warwick Hotels & Resorts is committed to aligning with the dynamic hospitality landscape outlined in the MENA Vision 2030, and to achieve this, several key initiatives and innovations are in the pipeline. Our focus is on incorporating sustainable practices, embracing technological advancements, and enhancing guest experiences. In summary, Warwick Hotels & Resorts is strategically advancing key initiatives and innovations to align with the MENA Vision 2030, ensuring that our hospitality offerings contribute to the overall objectives of sustainable development, technological progress, cultural enrichment, workforce empowerment, and community engagement. Here are some examples of Warwick Hotels & Resorts’ actions:

Enhancing Guest Experience: Culture Immersion Programs: Warwick Hotels & Resorts is actively promoting cultural enrichment through programs that showcase local traditions, arts, and heritage, providing guests with authentic and immersive experiences.

Community Engagement: Collaborating with local communities for mutually beneficial partnerships, supporting local businesses, and organizing community events to foster positive relationships.

Wellness Initiatives: Invest in wellness amenities and services, including state-of-the-art fitness facilities, spa services, and healthy dining options to prioritize guest well-being.

Embracing Technologies:

Smart Room Technologies: Warwick Hotels & Resorts is incorporating cutting-edge smart room technologies, enabling guests to control room amenities through mobile apps, ensuring a seamless and personalized experience.

Contactless Services: Introducing contactless check-in/check-out processes, mobile room keys, and touchless payment options to prioritize guest safety and convenience.

Data Analysis For Efficiency: Leveraging data analytics to optimize hotel operations, enhance guest services, and streamline resource allocation based on real-time insights.

Will you highlight Warwick Hotels & Resorts’ investment in its workforce and commitment to training?

We prioritize our workforce’s development, viewing them as our most valuable asset. Our commitment to training is evident through continuous investment in professional development programs, ensuring our team members are equipped with the latest skills and industry knowledge. This investment fosters a culture of excellence, empowering our staff to deliver exceptional service and uphold the high standards that define the Warwick experience. Our dedication to the growth and well-being of our workforce reflects our belief that a skilled and motivated team is fundamental to our success in the competitive hospitality industry. Concrete areas that exemplify Warwick’s commitment

to training include comprehensive training programs, career development opportunities, technology enhancement, and innovation.

How do you focus your efforts as COO of Warwick Hotels & Resorts?

As the COO of Warwick Hotels & Resorts, my focus is on operational excellence and strategic growth. I lead efforts to streamline operations, enhance guest experiences, and ensure seamless coordination across our diverse portfolio. By leveraging innovation and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, I aim to drive the company’s success in a dynamic and competitive hospitality landscape. Additionally, I prioritize sustainable practices and strategic partnerships to position Warwick as a leader in the global hospitality industry.

As financial performance, optimizing costs, driving revenue, and ensuring profitability are crucial, I delve into data analytics, implement strategic budgeting, and lead revenue management efforts to ensure financial stability and support growth initiatives.

Maintaining Warwick’s distinct identity amid fierce competition is critical. I champion initiatives that showcase our commitment to cultural experiences, local immersion, and personalized service, differentiating us from cookie-cutter hotel chains.

I believe in pushing boundaries and embracing responsible practices. I spearhead the development of innovative amenities, sustainable initiatives, and technological advancements that enhance guest experiences while minimizing environmental impact.•

Warwick Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Warwick Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

HOSPITALITY HOSPITALITY

Inspiring Life’s Greatest Stories

EDITORS’ NOTE Born in 1973 in Saint-Chamond, France, as the son of renowned French fashion entrepreneur, Roger Zannier, Arnaud Zannier started his career in the fashion industry as International Business Developer for Kickers in London. In 2001, he launched a luxury shoe company, n.d.c. made by hand, with shoes designed and crafted in Europe by artisans working in family ateliers, made with leathers selected from the finest tanneries in Tuscany, England, and America. The brand was distributed in more than 350 of the world’s finest boutiques, including n.d.c. stores in Brussels and Paris. In 2011, he took steps to realize a personal dream and entered the hospitality industry with Zannier Hotels. He bought Michelin-starred restaurant La Ferme de mon Père, from chef Marc Veyrat, and launched Zannier Hotels Le Chalet in Megève (France), the first boutique hotel of the group. Since then, he opened four more hotels: Zannier Hotels Phum Baitang, Cambodia; Zannier Hotels Omaanda, Namibia; Zannier Hotels Sonop, Namibia; Zannier Hotels Bãi San Hô, Vietnam; and the newest property, Ile de Bendor, is scheduled to open in 2026.

to join the hospitality industry and fulfill an old dream. It started with an opportunity to purchase the threestar Michelin restaurant, La Ferme de mon Père, in Megève, France, that we turned into Zannier Hotels Le Chalet. We added other hotels to the collection, and our group’s vision can now be defined by: “Zannier Hotels aims to inspire life’s greatest stories,” and our mission: “each one-of-a-kind stay is curated to empower a meaningful and lifelong connection to the local culture and community in every place we touch.”

Will you provide an overview of Zannier Hotels’ properties and where you see the greatest opportunities for growth?

Our collection is currently composed of five out-of-the-ordinary hotels in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Last year, we also launched Zannier Private Estates, now composed of eight properties, which are curated villas from Saint-Tropez

to Menorca including Portugal and Mauritius, offering remarkable homes for short-term and long-term rentals.

Our journey and desire to share unforgettable moments continues with three projects in Europe opening by 2026. We now aim to continue our progression favoring management contracts to grow the brand even further. With Zannier Hotels Bendor to be launched in spring 2026, we aim to build our European flagship property and increase our presence in Europe. In parallel, I still have in my mind the desire to expand to the States and Latin America in order to be present on every continent. Of course, we will pursue in parallel the development of the Nonna Bazaar concept (under a franchise model) and Zannier Private Estates. We are regularly approached by investors and we are discussing potential projects that we cannot yet reveal but might be announced soon. Between us, I hope to have the chance to open a city hotel in the next decade too.

COMPANY BRIEF Zannier Hotels (zannierhotels.com) creates one-of-a-kind stays and experiences, united by a desire to inspire Life’s Greatest Stories. Its hotels celebrate the beauty of simplicity, the return to simple pleasures and appreciation of adventure, gastronomy and nature. Echoing the spirit of their surroundings, each new destination enraptures every sense, inviting guests to experience enriching exchanges with local traditions, cultures and communities. Today, Zannier Hotels is comprised of a collection of five hotels and eight private estates in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

What was your vision for creating Zannier Hotels and how do you define the company’s mission?

Since my early days, thanks to my family and to my previous working experiences, I had the chance to take some wonderful trips around the world, but I felt a lack of authenticity and simplicity when traveling. Therefore, I decided

Arnaud Zannier

An Interview with Arnaud Zannier, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Zannier Hotels

Zannier Hotels Le Chalet nestled in the pristine white peaks of the Mont Blanc mountain range, surrounding Megève, France

Our current Zannier Hotels:

• At Zannier Hotels Le Chalet, the essence of purity and simplicity throughout the design and experience flows effortlessly into the pristine white peaks of the Mont Blanc mountain range, surrounding Megève. Interiors are pared back, and the atmosphere is unhurried.

• Khmer for “green village,” Zannier Hotels Phum Baitang is set within eight hectares (20 acres) of lush gardens and rice paddies near Siem Reap – the threshold to UNESCO World Heritage Site Angkor Wat. The 25 terrace villas and 20 pool villas capture the essence of traditional stilted Khmer homes.

• Zannier Hotels Omaanda is a 15-hut Owambo-style lodge, just half-an-hour from Windhoek, Namibia. Elevated views stretch across savannahs to the Khomas Hochland Plateau beyond. African antiques continue the cultural context of the rush-thatched round huts, each with their own sunken bathtub and panoramic terrace.

• The thrill of adventure is omnipresent at Zannier Hotels Sonop; a ten tented-suite lodge constructed on top of granite boulders in authentic 1920s British colonial style. Set within 5,600 hectares (13,800 acres) of untouched desert wilderness, the lodge captures the restorative essence of the surroundings. From the reception room to the partially walled bathroom with vintage bathtubs, and private terrace, all tents focus on the desert’s richness and aweinspiring views with explorer-style antiques.

• Zannier Hotels Bã i San Hô is perched on a secluded peninsula of Phu Yen, uniting ancient rice paddy fields, verdant hilltops and a kilometer-long beach on 98 hectares (245 acres). The resort promotes an immersion into Vietnam’s rich culture. Three restaurants range from Bà Hai authentic regional cooking, fresh seafood at Làng Chài, to all-day Southeast-Asian casual dining at Nhà o.

While Zannier Hotels has created one of-a-kind hotels around the world, are there common characteristics that tie the properties together?

All our properties share a sense of the aesthetic, somehow very simple, often defined by timeless, authentic design with activities that allow excitement and discovery. A return to life’s simple pleasures in a sense. We look at every detail to create a pared back, unhurried atmosphere that will embrace this “emotion” I felt when I visited the place for the first time, and way of life beyond design,

promoting a sense of inner balance and harmony for our guests. We could summarize it by saying hotels with a philosophy of local authenticity, promoting elegant yet understated luxury.

How have you approached food and beverage offerings at the properties and what are the keys to being successful in this part of the business?

With interior design, bespoke experiences, and sustainability, gastronomy is the fourth essential pillar of our brand. In our eyes, you get to know a culture by living like locals, and food and beverage is part of this. Since the beginning, I wanted gastronomy to play an important role in our guests’ journey. This is why I asked my childhood friend, Julien Burlat, a former Michelin-awarded chef, to work with us and develop new F&B concepts. In every property, we work with fresh and local ingredients, basing our menus on local recipes. Here again, there is a deep respect for traditions. No matter their size, all our properties have at least a restaurant and a bar, also open to external guests, in order to share our vision of gastronomy: it should be simple, local and convivial. For us, a strong F&B offering is not only important, but essential, as it completes the overall guest experience. This is why it goes beyond breakfast, lunch or dinner. A little delicacy at the turndown, a small grab in the wellness center, a sweet surprise for special events, a nice refreshment in the car, or healthy snacks on the go are examples of sweet moments we value. While the recipes are undeniably important, the fit with the overall concept, interior decoration, presentation, and service is crucial to tell a complete story and create a memorable experience for our guests.

Zannier Hotels Omaanda is a 15-hut Owambo-style lodge just half-an-hour from Windhoek, Namibia

Khmer for “green village,” Zannier Hotels Phum Baitang near Siem Reap – the threshold to UNESCO World Heritage Site Angkor Wat

How important has it been to build the Zannier Hotels’ team, and will you highlight Zannier Hotels’ commitment and investment in its workforce?

I am pretty lucky. Zannier Hotels has a very strong, dedicated, passionate and loyal team. For the industry, our turnover is pretty low. I see it as an illustration of the passion shared within all our properties. For me, finding the right personalities is key. More than an expertise, guests will remember a personality, a genuine smile. This is why I mainly work with professionals that I enjoy being with, and who share a similar vision of luxury hospitality. I like collaborating with people that I admire, and I believe in leading by example. We operate a diverse and inclusive company culture around the world, and we strive to be a great workplace, not only for working, but also for growing. This is why we put an emphasis on training – we offer cross-property rotations, and we provide free language lessons in our Asian resorts.

How do you define a true luxury hospitality experience?

A true luxury hospitality experience goes beyond a beautiful and comfortable accommodation for us; it involves creating a journey that one will remember, involving all senses. Today, the definitions and expectations of luxury are changing within travel. Travelers are looking for human-scale properties, with a sustainable approach and immersive experiences – exactly what comprises Zannier Hotels’ DNA. Making sure to offer a service that surpasses expectations, providing guests with a sense of exclusivity, personalization, and understanding of the local environment in a genuine and humble way – this is true luxury.

Did you always know that you had an entrepreneurial spirit and desire to build your own business?

I think I always had this entrepreneurial spirit, maybe thanks to my father who is an entrepreneur himself, but the desire grew in

me even more when I first started to work in the fashion industry. I rapidly decided to launch my own business, starting with a luxury shoe company, n.d.c. made by hand, that I led for 18 years. I had to travel and explore places, restaurants and hotels. Because I noticed a lack of authenticity, I grew a desire to enter the hospitality industry and create Zannier Hotels to fit my vision. I am obsessed with the search for simplicity and timelessness in every project I work on. Some may describe me as inspiring or visionary, but I prefer to say that I am passionate. I like to start projects from a blank page and bring something new. I have consistently followed my own intuitions, prioritizing independence and authenticity.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in pursuing a career in hospitality?

Make sure you’re passionate about the environment that you will be evolving in. The passion for hospitality is contagious, but to last in this industry, you must find the right balance between adapting yourself and expressing your uniqueness. You are more than the product that you are representing, so make sure to have an environment of work that is aligned with your vision of travel, and deliver a service that can bring an emotion to guests.

With all that Zannier Hotels has achieved, are you able to enjoy the process and take moments to reflect on what you have created?

I am very much involved in the construction of our brand, working from the very beginning of a hotel until its completion, though I now mainly work on the design aspects. I am a workaholic, but I definitely do enjoy every day of this extraordinary journey. This is never repetitive, as we are working on very different projects in different places across the globe in a multicultural and ever-changing industry. I can never be bored of it. It is true that when you are too much into your daily figures, occupied with operational details of a current project, or even planning the next one, you might forget to step back. But speaking to others – whether they are guests, friends, family members, partners, or journalists like you – all those interactions help me realize the achievements of Zannier Hotels. Sometimes, it is hard to realize how far you have come or what you have already achieved until someone reminds you. I am incredibly grateful for the incredible encounters I’ve had over the past 12 years and for this hospitality journey that let me explore parts of the world – and of myself – I did not know.•

Zannier Hotels Bãi San Hô is perched on a secluded peninsula of Phu Yen, Vietnam

Zannier Hotels Sonop, Namibia, a ten tented-suite lodge constructed on top of granite boulders in 1920s British colonial style

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House Of Baccarat

An Interview with Rick Corcoran, General Manager, Baccarat Hotel New York

EDITORS’ NOTE Rick Corcoran is General Manager of the Forbes FiveStar AAA Five Diamond Baccarat Hotel New York. Prior to joining Baccarat Hotel, Corcoran was the General Manager of 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. His passion efforts during his tenure at the lauded property earned him the SH Hotels & Resorts General Manager of the Year Award in 2022. Throughout his notable career, Corcoran held various General Manager positions with esteemed luxury hospitality brands in the United States, Canada, and the Middle East. These include Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa and the Fairmont Hotel Dubai. Stateside, he helmed the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. He was also the Food and Beverage Director at the Fairmont San Francisco and Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, and Hotel Manager at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver during the city’s 2010 Olympic games. In his earlier leadership roles, Corcoran served as a Hotel Manager and Director of Food and Beverage for various Fairmont properties. A native of Quebec City, Corcoran is fluent in French and English and graduated with a diploma in culinary and hospitality management from Institut Du Tourisme Et D’hotellerie Du Quebec.

Will you provide an overview of Baccarat Hotel New York and how the property is positioned in the market?

When Baccarat Hotel New York opened in 2015, it reimagined the elegance and perfection of the legendary French crystal maker into a luxury lifestyle hospitality brand. The hotel’s mission is to offer perfection of service that matches Baccarat’s perfection in the production of crystal. To this end, this commitment to fine craftsmanship is woven into every element of service and design detail of the hotel. In New York City’s very competitive luxury hotel landscape, there is no shortage of world-class properties, but none are associated with a storied luxury brand like Baccarat, whose artisans have produced custom designs since King Louis XV founded the company in 1764. Our guests are surrounded by one of a kind artistic works, or pieces from Baccarat’s crystal

factory, making the hotel as much a celebration as master craftsmanship as the Baccarat brand itself. This, combined with the highest level of personalized and caring service, creates a singular stay experience that cannot be replicated anywhere else.

How valuable is it to have such a strong suite product and do you see this as a differentiator for Baccarat Hotel New York?

Our suites, which are residential refuges of exceptional style and unparalleled sophistication, are essential for attracting top-tier travelers from around the globe. The hotel’s premier accommodation, the Baccarat Suite, features a series of salon-like spaces with soft seating that encourages long conversations over glasses of champagne. It’s en-suite bar and Baccarat crystal glassware make for effortless entertaining. This is French hospitality at its finest. It all starts with a glass of champagne and spirited gatherings and ends with the perfect night sleep in the most elegant and comfortable surroundings.

PROPERTY BRIEF Baccarat Hotel New York (baccarathotels.com) is the first hotel and global flagship for the more than a quarter centuriesold Baccarat crystal brand. Directly across the street from the Museum of Modern Art and steps away from Fifth Avenue’s legendary shopping, the 114 exquisitely appointed guest rooms and suites designed by Paris-based, luxury design team Gilles & Boissier delight the senses with lavish finishes and artisanal attention to detail. Generous amenities include stunning salon-style spaces showcasing an all-day dining menu created by two Michelinstarred Culinary Director Gabriel Kreuther in partnership with Executive Chef/Director of Food and Beverage Ashfer Biju. Guests will also enjoy a beautiful barrel-vaulted bar featuring a kaleidoscope of Baccarat crystal stemware; a soothing Spa de La Mer, the first of its kind in the United States; and a 55-foot sunken marble swimming pool complete with day beds reminiscent of La Côte d’Azur. Baccarat Hotel New York has earned the prestigious Forbes Five Star and AAA (American Automobile Association) Five Diamond Awards.

Rick Corcoran

How has Baccarat Hotel New York approached its restaurant/food and beverage offering, and what are the keys to being effective in this part of the business?

The hotel’s Culinary Director is twoMichelin starred Chef Gabriel Kreuther, who works in close partnership with Executive Chef/ Director of Food and Beverage Ashfer Biju. In the glamorous Grand Salon, elevated all-day dining and our signature afternoon tea service can be enjoyed amidst cascading customdesigned Baccarat chandeliers and red rose accents.

The hotel’s bar, inspired by the stables of Versailles, serves hand-crafted cocktails, aperitifs, fine wines, and light fare. Guests can also enjoy gathering on the adjacent seasonal Le Jardin terrace overlooking MoMA. These sparkling dining and “cocktailing” venues are a celebration of joie de vivre brought to life in part due to the sparkling crystal at every turn and an atmosphere of refined elegance.

Will you discuss Baccarat Hotel New York’s focus on offering personalized service and a customized guest experience?

What we have done here is created this modern day “House of Baccarat” and taken this brand which has for centuries stood for perfection in crystal, and has never been compromised, and created its first luxury lifestyle hotel masterpiece. In this vein, we refer to our team members as service artisans who ensure that this commitment to fine craftsmanship is woven into every element of a guests stay. They consistently put forth all effort necessary to meet all of our guests’ very particular requests and are constantly striving to anticipate their specific needs.

How critical is it for Baccarat Hotel New York to build a diverse and inclusive workforce to mirror the diversity of the guests it serves?

It is quite imperative actually and you can really tell when you achieve this, as point-ofviews are shared from a diverse perspective. For example, in a light-hearted way, I refer to our Executive Committee as the G8. It is comprised of more women than men, and we come from different parts of the world. There are so many more nuances and subtilities to any decision being made when you have this type of diversity. As for the inclusive component, I have always felt that the people more entrenched in the operation have most of the answers. But most importantly, everybody has a say, and in this way, all are engaged with an understanding that they contribute to our overall success.

How do you define the role of the general manager and what are the keys to being effective in the role?

The role of the GM is to be a generalist while also surrounding himself/herself with incredibly capable specialists. The key is to not micromanage but instead let the people around you apply their own approach to how work gets done and then re-align them if and when needed. But most importantly, my role is to take care of team members. This has been the only constant in my career, and it has helped me tremendously in running

very successful hotels. If you show your team that you genuinely care, they will go that much further for you. Another important component for success is to be visible and present throughout the operation. When team members or the guests see you frequently, they become quickly comfortable telling you what’s working well and what isn’t. This has always provided me with opportunities to fix issues and build trust among the team and our guests, demonstrating that I “have their back” and am listening to their concerns. What’s more, I have learned that the real benefit to taking good care of team members is that they tend to apply this same approach to our guests.

What excited you about the opportunity to lead Baccarat Hotel New York and made you feel it was the right fit?

Who would not want to run the best hotel in New York City? I’ve always been attracted to luxury. I truly feel that with our intimate footprint and size, we can really achieve a very high level of personalization through great service. Baccarat Hotel is a true oasis for our guests, and we work very hard to maintain this. The design is impeccable, and the property’s layout is very conducive to exclusiveness and privacy. I know I can thrive and strive for greatness in this space and truly make a marked difference with our guests and team members.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in building a career in the hotel industry?

When I am asked this question, my initial answer is always “You have to love people.” It sounds cliché but if you don’t, the hotel business is not for you. I also love the fact that not one day is the same. For me personally, I feel the most blessed that my role allows me to make a positive impact on people’s lives. What a privilege this is. I must also caution, however, that a career in hospitality is not for everybody. We tend to work when people are off and having fun, which often means working weekends and evenings. But I have found that working in this industry has given me so much fulfillment. I’ve literally been paid to discover the world and learn many varied ways to do things while meeting a lot of like-minded people that have become friends along the way.•

Baccarat Suite (above); The Grand Salon offers all-day dining (below)

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A Culinary Journey Of The Senses

An Interview with Moe Issa, Founder, Brooklyn Fare Kitchens & Markets and Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare

EDITORS’ NOTE Founded in 2009 in downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Fare (brooklynfare.com) is the vision of Moe Issa, who was raised in the Park Slope neighborhood just around the corner. Issa realized that the borough was in need of a quality grocer while driving a Pepsi truck route in the area in the 1980s and ’90s. With his commitment to bringing an outstanding selection at affordable prices to the community, he opened his first store at the corner of Schermerhorn and Hoyt in downtown Brooklyn. In addition to groceries, the Brooklyn store also housed the celebrated tasting menu restaurant, Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare, which became the borough’s only Michelin three-star restaurant before it relocated to Brooklyn Fare’s first Manhattan location in 2016. Family owned and operated,

Brooklyn Fare merges Issa’s vision of providing high-quality foods with familiar products in a convenient and approachable shopping experience. The concept took hold, and he successfully opened his first Manhattan location at 431 West 37th Street in the Hudson Yards neighborhood followed by a second at 666 Greenwich Street in the historic Archive Building. The third Manhattan location at 75 West End Avenue opened in 2021 and is the company’s first store on the Upper West Side. The addition of Cherry Street, opening later this year, will be the fourth Manhattan location and Brooklyn Fare’s first on the East Side. Issa is also pleased to work alongside his son, Brandon, who serves as the company’s Regional Manager, and his nephew, Mike, who is instrumental in providing high- level service.

What was the vision for creating Brooklyn Fare?

We wanted to mimic that of an oldfashioned neighborhood market relying on providing an unrivaled selection of highquality produce, hard-to-find ingredients, and everyday essentials, all while offering topnotch customer service in a friendly and laidback environment. It was equally important to offer high-quality prepared foods made from scratch in our on-site kitchen and commissary, and to embellish our grocery selection that blends the new and upcoming with beloved classics. Of course, we’ve had to evolve and adapt to the needs of our communities, but so far it has all worked out.

Will you provide an overview of the Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare experience?

The experience of the Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare is to provide the highest quality in every aspect that a restaurant could offer. I’m talking the most luxurious and rare ingredients, the pinnacle of wine selections, adorned by the best of the best creature comforts for our guests. As soon as you step foot into the kitchen, which is of course where you will be dining, you will witness Chef Max Natmessnig and Chef Marco Prins and their culinary team of professionals prepare only the finest of ingredients in a symphony and perfect harmony of what will become a 12-course tasting menu, although I like to think of it as a culinary journey of the senses because it is truly a visceral experience, hands down. To enjoy this melody of unique foods flown in from all over the world paired with some of the most exquisite and soughtafter wines that are hand-picked by our Head Sommelier, Peter Joung, is a transcendental experience. That is our goal, to knock the ball out of the park with every last detail.

Moe Issa

Brooklyn Fare’s culinary creations made from the most luxurious and rare ingredients

How important is it for Brooklyn Fare to continue to evolve and adapt its menu?

Extremely important – it’s our highest priority. We want our customers to experience only the best-of-the-best of what is available. With that considered, there are times where the ingredients we want are not the best that day, so we have to be able to adapt to what is available. That’s just part and parcel of being a world-class restaurant. It’s what we do.

Will you discuss Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare’s wine program?

The focus of the program always has been wines of the Old World. We appreciate winemakers’ long history, the wines’ specific terroirs, and their craftsmanship. We also believe that each bottle has its own story. Our wine program is a journey through time, offering guests both classic and trending styles of wine. Whether it’s the rare gems or the

hidden gems, our collection aims to surprise guests at every price point.

Will you highlight the talent and expertise of the chefs at Brooklyn Fare?

Chef Max and Chef Marco are, in my opinion, two of the most talented artists in the culinary world. From their upbringings in Europe sprouted their love affair and affinity for cooking, and the two have traveled the world learning from some of the very best teachers, respectively. They have worked for me in the past and I understand their unique capabilities and individual strengths. It is an honor to have them at the helm on this incredible journey 13 years in the making, and to have them be a part of our restaurant’s story, or in this case, history.

What do you feel are the keys to a fine dining experience?

A fine dining experience takes into account the entire picture. Like I said earlier, it’s visceral, not just tangible or taste – it’s about the overall aesthetic and feel. Everything that guests interact with has to be perfect and unique. It’s about them, not us. The guests always come first. That’s the golden rule of hospitality, and in fine dining it’s no different. From the food, to the music, to the cutlery, to the stemware, to the napkins – everything is picked with the utmost care and intent.

How do you focus your efforts leading Brooklyn Fare?

By encouraging our team to set high standards and goals for themselves in their work and personal lives. My life has had many ups and downs, but the one thing that kept me going was the belief I had in myself and visions of achievement in every aspect of my life.

Did you always know you had an entrepreneurial spirit and desire to build your own business?

Yes, I became self-employed at 18 years old. In the ’80s and ’90s, I drove a delivery truck for Pepsi in Brooklyn, calling on many neighborhood businesses, from the large chain supermarkets to the bodegas. It was a passion of mine serving my community and I realized that what downtown Brooklyn needed was a true born and bred market, something the locals could call their own. That’s when the seed which would eventually become Brooklyn Fare was planted. I opened my first store at the corner of Hoyt and Schermerhorn Streets in downtown Brooklyn in 2009. That’s where the Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare was born before it relocated to its current space at our West 37th Street location in 2016. Since the company’s founding, we’ve opened three stores in Manhattan and are eagerly anticipating the opening of our fourth store on the Lower East Side later this year. It’s been a wild ride, to say the least, but it’s been awesome to see a dream come to fruition.

What are your priorities for Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare as you look to the future?

To be the pinnacle of fine dining, a goal which we have reached for the past 13 years. I know it’s possible – we’ve done it many times before. We are building a strong team, tightening up our core, and are ready to welcome the world back as we take center stage. We hope you’ll join us at the Chef’s Table.•

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Built On The Nostalgia Of A Family

An Interview with Eric Mourkakos, Managing Partner, Cali Mykonos

EDITORS’ NOTE

Cali Mykonos is family-owned and operated, with Managing Partner, Eric Mourkakos, at the helm. Mourkakos manages year-round operations and dayto-day management on-site during the season. For the last eight years, Mourkakos and his family have been dedicated to creating something new for travelers to Mykonos, all of which stemmed from an idea on a family vacation years ago. Cali Mykonos represents an extension of his home and family, inspired by the many summers spent in Greece growing up. Mourkakos is New York-born and a graduate of Columbia University.

PROPERTY BRIEF

Cali Mykonos (calimykonos.com) is one of the island of Mykonos’ newest exclusive resorts, located on the south east coast of the island. Forty pavilion-style luxury suites and villas cascade down a mountain leading to a 130-meter seawater infinity pool and an exclusive sand beach. Cali Mykonos’ location in Kalafati – the picturesque and emerging region of the island – inspired the vision for this family-owned property: a place where discreet luxury, privacy, and comfort blend with the natural surroundings. The property’s culinary offerings are no exception, with the signature Mediterranean restaurant offering traditional Greek cuisine using locally sourced seafood and ingredients; The Lounge, which serves sushi with the bounty of the day; traditional cooking classes on property; and event spaces with unmatched panoramic views of the Aegean. A new spa, padel courts, and fitness programs underscore the team’s commitment to creating a holistic haven for those looking to escape from the buzz of the island. A few steps from the pool are a fleet of luxury boats, waiting to whisk guests to famous beach clubs and restaurants, and neighboring islands alike.

Will you highlight the history of Cali Mykonos?

The history of Cali Mykonos is rooted in nostalgia and the traditions that my family has created in Greece over the years. Growing up, we spent our summers in Mani, a region of southern Greece where my father is from. However, about eight years ago while on a vacation in Mykonos, we fell in love with a plot

of waterfront mountain land tucked away from town, which was reminiscent of Mani’s untouched landscape. This special plot of land transported us back to summers growing up where the mountains were behind us – with fields of oregano, olive trees, and vegetables – and in front was the sea –abundant with octopus, sea urchin, and fish. Together, we began talking and dreaming about how it was a beautiful location where we could build a few villas on and host throughout the summer – a gathering place for all of our friends and family to connect. Later, when we received approvals for a hotel, our initial intention was simply magnified and together we agreed that we would host friends and strangers alike, who would inevitably become family.

How valuable is it for Cali Mykonos to have such a strong suite and villa product?

We want our guests to feel as if they are home in Mykonos, and the variety in our villa and suite product allows for a unique and tailored experience with each visit. From couples seeking privacy in our Cali Suite, to groups of friends and families wishing to stay in one place like the four-bedroom Villa Calliope, we offer a wide variety in sizes and configurations that comfortably accommodate our guests and their specific needs. In total, we have 40 luxury suites and villas, each with unobstructed sunrise and sea views, heated seawater pools, and a spacious terrace for experiences such as private yoga or a private chef dinner. The expansive suites and villas effectively become their very own home with the flavors, culture, and lifestyle of Greece.

How has Cali Mykonos approached its restaurant/food and beverage offerings?

My summers in Mani consisted of exploring the mountains and sea with cousins and uncles,

Eric Mourkakos

Cali Mykonos

where I learned how to harvest from the surroundings. From picking and drying oregano from the fields, to cooking fresh catch like octopus, these memories and traditions have become the root of our food and beverage offerings at Cali. Guests will find herb-planted roofs on their villas, which give off scents of oregano and thyme and rosemary as the wind blows, just as I remember as a kid in Greece, but also complements our dishes and cocktails. Since opening, we have been committed to enhancing our food and beverage offering each year to meet the varying needs of our guests. Mykonos has amazing restaurants of varying cuisines, so it was important for us to ensure that The Restaurant at Cali provided our guests the very best, traditional Greek food on their trip, leaning on local catch, produce, and ingredients grown in our gardens and caught from the sea before us while still accommodating various dietary needs, including vegan, gluten free, allergies, and more. We are also opening a new lounge that will provide sushi, featuring fresh catch from local fishermen, a dedicated cocktail menu, and live music. Finally, we look forward to introducing new cooking classes and a kosher kitchen this season.

Will you discuss Cali Mykonos’ focus on health and wellness?

Although Mykonos is known for its vibrant energy, beach clubs, and nightlife, we know that travelers are seeking a more well-rounded experience that incorporates their health and wellness practices into their time on the island. Since opening, we have offered premier yoga and pilates instruction, a state of the art fitness facility and in-villa spa treatments, but we’re excited to complement and enhance those wellness offerings with the first phase of our new spa in the 2024 season. This will feature a cold

plunge and infrared sauna contrast suite, as well as two treatment rooms with a menu of restorative treatments. Additionally, with the rise in popularity of padel, we can’t wait to debut our new padel courts, which have an incredible backdrop of the Aegean Sea as guests play.

With Cali Mykonos’ location on the Eastern edge of the island, we already provide a tranquility that is unmatched. We are able to be a perfect fit for all guests wherever they are in their wellness journey – whether looking to

focus on health and relaxation while in Greece, or simply to weave in a few experiences within their overall itinerary. Our waterfront location gives guests even more to explore, like watersports, snorkeling, and uninterrupted morning swims in the sea.

What do you feel are the keys to a true luxury hotel experience today?

For me, it all comes down to the service and the authenticity of what the guest experiences. I want Cali to stick with our guests long after they return home – to feel that nostalgia and wish to return and experience what was special to them while here. People may come to Cali Mykonos with one intention but, knowingly or unknowingly, will experience something entirely different, because beneath the surface is a team that’s driven by the hospitality for which Greece has been renowned for centuries.

How Important is it for Cali Mykonos to maintain a family culture?

Cali Mykonos was built on the nostalgia of a family who truly loves Greece and her culture, and is motivated by sharing our country and our home with others. In the end, the resort that we’ve built and the team that we’ve assembled represents an extension of my home and my family, always willing to welcome people with open arms. I want our guests to be nostalgic for their time at Cali Mykonos, just as my family was when we saw this land and it brought us back to our summers. We want to continue creating and re-creating memories and traditions with our guests.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in pursuing a career in the hospitality industry?

Be open to anything. The places the work takes you, the people you meet along the way –it’s the greatest way to learn and improve.•

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A Home With History

An Interview with Reginald Archambault, General Manager, The Rittenhouse

EDITORS’ NOTE Reginald Archambault started his career in the hospitality industry in 1991 serving as restaurant manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island in Florida. He quickly moved up the ranks of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, holding senior leadership positions at The Ritz-Carlton’s San Francisco and Cleveland hotels. In 1998, Archambault made the move to Philadelphia, serving as Assistant Director of Food and Beverage for two years at the former Four Seasons Philadelphia hotel. He went on to serve as Director of Food and Beverage at Four Seasons Hotels in Nevis, Aviara, San Diego, California and Toronto. After eight years with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Archambault held hotel manager positions at Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel and Hotel Bel-Air, both in Los Angeles. He made the move back to Philadelphia in 2012 to assume his current role as general manager of The Rittenhouse. Archambault earned his BA degree in English from the University of Rhode Island.

PROPERTY BRIEF

generations of young Philadelphians were educated. In the late 1960s, architect Donald Reiff drew up the angled design of the current building, which has offered stunning views of the Square and the city for the maximum number of guests since opening its doors in 1989. Today, it remains one of the most historic hotels in Philadelphia with much of the charm of the hotel’s original design still reflected amongst striking and modern upgrades that have been made by way of renovations that took place in 2012 and 2018.

Will you provide an overview of the suite product at The Rittenhouse, and do you see the suite offering as a differentiator for the property?

of Rittenhouse Square and proximity to the key sights of the city. Each of our suites boasts separate living and sleeping areas and stunning views of either the city or the park with ample natural light that makes you truly feel at home. Uniquely, we can work with our guests to combine our suites into configurations that work best for their stay. For example, guests can choose to reserve all of our third-floor suites to create a private four-room wing, which includes three King One Bedroom Park Suites and our Premier Park Suite, perfect for families or larger groups.

How has The Rittenhouse approached its restaurant/food and beverage offerings and what are the keys to being successful in this part of the business?

The Rittenhouse (rittenhouse hotel.com) is a Forbes Five-Star, Independent Collection® Hotels & Resorts property and member of The Leading Hotels of the World. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the property is a standout among luxury hotels in Philadelphia’s Center City, offering visitors a Forbes Five-Star experience with well-appointed rooms and suites, world-class service, and the most desirable location in town. From food and beverage experiences at the award-winning Lacroix and Scarpetta to the Library Bar and Bar 210 to the urban wellness oasis that is The Rittenhouse Spa & Club, the property offers personalized experiences and provides the perfect balance of sophistication and relaxation.

Will you discuss the history of The Rittenhouse and how the property has evolved?

We like to say that The Rittenhouse is a home with history because it’s had many incarnations over the years. That’s part of what makes the hotel a real part of the fabric of its community, Rittenhouse Square, which was named after celebrated Philadelphian David Rittenhouse. The property on which The Rittenhouse now stands was first a mansion owned by Pennsylvania Railroad magnate A.J. Cassatt before being sold to the Episcopal Church of Pennsylvania, which established the Academy of Notre Dame, where

Of our 118 guestrooms, The Rittenhouse boasts an impressive 24 suites ranging from 650 to 1729 square feet, many of which have been recently updated to reflect the timeless elegance of the hotel while maintaining a relaxed, homelike feel. The unique configurations and generous size of our suites are a clear differentiator for The Rittenhouse, as is our appointment on the edge

In a food-obsessed city like Philadelphia, it’s been important for us to continue to evolve our food and beverage offerings while staying true to our roots. Our fine-dining outpost, Lacroix, debuted in 2002 under the leadership of culinary visionary, chef Jean-Marie LaCroix. Over 20 years later, his sophisticated approach to serving up local, seasonal, and fresh ingredients with meticulous presentation still guides the ethos of the restaurant under the leadership

Reginald Archambault

Lacroix

of our executive chef Eric Leveillee, who also oversees the culinary programming for the hotel. His exceptional and innovative menus, including our famed 6-7 course Carte Blanche and Sunday Brunch spread, served alongside unique cocktails and robust selection of beer and wine, honor the Lacroix legacy. In the lobby, The Library Bar, which opened in 2013 as a refined hideaway for a cozy cocktail for those “in the know,” has become a true destination for those seeking innovative concoctions served in an intimate setting. Afternoon Tea at the Mary Cassatt Tea Room, named in honor of Philadelphia impressionist Mary Cassatt, also debuted in 2013 with an elevated menu of custom blended teas and inventive sweet and savory dishes to complement. Today, both The Library Bar and Mary Cassatt Tea Room have become must-do Philadelphia experiences for locals and visitors alike. To round out our culinary experiences, Scarpetta opened its doors in 2016 bringing LDV Hospitality’s approach to modern-Italian cooking to Philadelphia. Guests can enjoy casually elegant Italian fare from the second-floor dining room overlooking the Square or a few light bites and beverages during happy hour at the bar. Within all of our dining outlets, we continue to seek new ways to reach our customers through timely and authentic events and activations, whether that’s a stunning floral installation in honor of Philadelphia’s famous Flower Show in The Library Bar or our monthly chef collaboration dinners at Lacroix, where chef Leveillee invites peers from around the city and beyond into his kitchen for an evening of fun.

How do you define a true luxury hotel experience and how important is it to provide personalized service and a customized guest experience?

In 2024, The Rittenhouse was once again honored to receive the prestigious Forbes Travel

Guide Five-Star rating. We are also the first and only independent Forbes Five-Star hotel in Philadelphia for two consecutive years, which is a clear testament to our unwavering commitment to luxury hospitality. While our luxury amenities certainly set us apart, it’s the authentic Philadelphia experience and memorable moments we create for our guests that make us shine. We define a true luxury hotel experience as one that starts even before you walk through our doors and we pride ourselves on offering our guests the utmost attention to detail and unparalleled service. Our staff goes the extra mile to attend to guests’

needs, from overnight shoe shining and to-go coffee to luxury Jaguar driver service and complimentary in-room amenities for our young guests, like in-room movies and popcorn and child-sized bathrobes at turndown time.

Did you always know that the hotel business was where you wanted to spend your career?

I had no intention of getting into hospitality early on. I earned a BA degree in English with the idea that I would become a teacher and, throughout school, held various jobs in food and beverage, starting as a dishwasher/ busser/prep cook before moving to serving and bartending. A fellow server and good friend of mine graduated college ahead of me and got a job as a sales manager with the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida. I visited him and was struck by how well orchestrated service was at that hotel and the level of professionalism and warmth in service. At the time, they were interviewing for the opening of the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island and I was offered a job as an assistant cafe manager. I took it, thinking it would be a good experience for a year or two. I have been managing luxury hotels ever since.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in pursuing a career in hospitality?

The best advice I can give to anyone who is just starting out in any career is to discover what you truly enjoy doing and commit to yourself being the best you can be at that. When you love what you do, it really doesn’t feel like work and the relationships you make and experiences you have will open one door after the other. I am very fortunate to work in an environment where we are able to impact people’s lives positively every day. This goes for co-workers as well as our guests. People never forget their experiences at great hotels and to play a part in delivering those memories is a gift.•

The Library

HOSPITALITY HOSPITALITY

A Place Where The Unusual Is Not A Surprise

An Interview with Willis Loughhead, General Manager, The Algonquin Hotel

EDITORS’ NOTE

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in film production from Boston University, Willis Loughhead began his hospitality journey as a chef in esteemed restaurants in Southern California, Florida and the Northeast. He worked as the Executive Chef at the Palm Grill restaurants in Key West and Miami, both of which received the title of “Best New Restaurant” by Miami Metro Magazine. Loughhead went on to become the Executive Chef at Tantra Restaurant and Lounge where he was voted Rising Star Chef by Ocean Drive Magazine. In the early 2000s, his career transitioned to hotels, where he opened The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami. He relocated to New York City in 2004 to open The Modern’s Bar Room at the Museum of Modern Art, which was awarded a Michelin Star and rated three stars by T he New York Times . Soon after, he was selected by celebrity Chef Geoffrey Zakarian to operate all food and beverage concepts at lauded Country Restaurant at the Carlton Hotel, a 3-star New York Times and 1 Michelin Star operation with a Wine Spectator Award winning wine list. In 2010, Loughhead became the Executive Chef at the illustrious Plaza Hotel, designing the hotel restaurant to meet the desires of its elite patrons. Loughhead has been brought on to spearhead major operational overhauls to a multitude of service visions, including the private Union League Club of New York, the remodeled Intercontinental New York Barclay Hotel and the Crowne Plaza Times Square, host hotel for Dick Clark’s New Years Eve experiences. Today, Willis serves as the General Manager for The Algonquin Hotel, Autograph Collection where he has reinvigorated the hotel’s reputation as an epicenter for the city’s cultural scene by hosting performances by Broadway stars, literary events, and curating a variety of art exhibits. Loughhead spearheaded its recent renovations, unveiled new menus for the Blue Bar Restaurant & Lounge, and is constantly engaging the hotels literary locals and tourists alike by paying homage to The Algonquin’s esteemed history while providing innovative twists on modern tastes and industry trends.

PROPERTY BRIEF

The Algonquin

Hotel (algonquinhotel.com) is located on a quiet block in the heart of the city, close to Bryant Park and the renowned shopping on Fifth Avenue, making it the perfect launchpad for a New York City experience. Since its inception in 1902, The Algonquin has been a cultural phenomenon, standing as one of New York City’s greatest storied hotels most notably known for The Round Table, one of the literary world’s most famous gathering spots. The hotel is a historical jewel that emphasizes the importance of making unique, storied experiences. Today, the distinguished Round Table Restaurant and Blue Bar offer tasteful dining inclusions and curated cocktails alongside an exciting lineup of outstanding Broadway partnerships, art shows, musical performances, cabarets, and more. Each of this boutique hotel’s 181 guest rooms and suites features a comfortable well-lit work desk, complimentary WiFi, and a sleek and stylish decor that reflects the hotel’s art deco heritage. A longtime champion of women, The Algonquin Hotel was also the first to welcome solo female guests.

Will you discuss the history of The Algonquin Hotel?

The Algonquin Hotel is the oldest operating hotel in New York City. The land for the hotel was purchased in 1901 for $180,000 and in just under a year and at a cost of $500,000, The Algonquin Hotel was built and opened on November 22, 1902. When we welcomed our first guests, and I must sound like Jack Nicholson in The Shining when I say this because I most certainly was not here at the time, a room with a bath cost $2 per night.

From opening day to re-opening after the pandemic, which is where I stepped into the story as the General Manager of the property, The Algonquin has maintained close ties to the arts community. Early residents included the brilliant Broadway star John Barrymore, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks. Novelists, playwrights, humorists, and critics as well as the editors of both fact and the fictions around the facts converged at The Algonquin Hotel in the decade between 1919 and 1929, founding the legendary Round Table and the Vicious Circle.

As Hollywood beckoned and The Algonquin became the first hotel to welcome unaccompanied

Willis Loughhead

The

women travelers, the writers ventured west, and the hotel became an infamous haven for quiet, sometimes not so quiet, debauchery in the music world and the spark jumped from The New Yorker to the city of New York itself.

Maya Angelou, Norman Mailer, Ralph Ellison, Ella Fitzgerald, James Baldwin paved the way for the Rock and Roll and Film set of the 1970s. William Friedkin celebrated the wrap of The French Connection over cocktails in our lounge and Lou Reed never took off his shades but was known to smile at a good story by the oldest bartender in the city at the time.

What excited you about the opportunity to lead The Algonquin Hotel and made you feel it was the right fit?

I am attracted to legends and comeback stories. Removing the pandemic related shackles on the doors and allowing the property to step out of the past with a wink and a nod to The Algonquin Hotel’s history was a challenge that I could not pass up. I am probably the only Film School graduate who then built for decades a Michelin starred Executive Chef life, then to leave it and branch into the Executive Leadership and Hotel General Manager role, so the level of appeal was extraordinary. To enliven a cultural institution and create a salon for a new time with a long tenured and legendary service staff was impossible to ignore.

What have been the keys to The Algonquin Hotel’s leadership in New York City?

I like to think of The Algonquin Hotel as a déjà vu experience, not entirely new, unusual in its familiarity and comfort; a place where the unusual is not a surprise. Leading that experience, it is my job to steer well clear of the triedand-true traditions of other hotels. My goal is to allow breathing room for the irreverence and natural personality of our property. The staff, managers and guests should all hum along as loudly or as quietly as they like inside an atmosphere of hospitality.

How did you balance keeping some of the history and traditions of The Algonquin Hotel with the focus on bringing a modern and current feel?

The Algonquin Hotel has been on the tip of the tongue of New York City’s tastemakers for over a century. Looking back at an epoch other than founding of the Round Table is important –in 1988 and 1989, the scene may have been across the street at The Royalton, but the fun was at The Algonquin Hotel.

I look back at the ’20s and want to lift the spirit and attitude, but life is not a costume party. It should feel authentically 2020s. In the past year I have hosted events with close friends in the arts community such as legendary musician Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth, James Ijames, who celebrated his Tony nomination for his play Fat Ham upstairs, and both Colson Whitehead and Richard Hell have read passages of their recent work.

Will you provide an overview of the suite product at The Algonquin Hotel?

We have 24 suites, all with a pre-war residential feel, and they sell out quickly. Literary quotes, quips, and barbs are framed on every door and the suites are all named after the residents who either lived or created inside them. William Faulkner wrote a Pulitzer acceptance speech inside one and of course the Dorothy Parker suite is incredibly popular. Some say that since she was interred properly by The Dorothy Parker Society and given a proper burial and gravestone that she no longer haunts that suite, but the guests say otherwise. We receive frequent reports of mischievous spirits, and they are not all the product of extended hours in the Blue Bar.

How has The Algonquin Hotel approached its restaurant/food and beverage offerings?

It is important to accentuate the positive reputation we have for running the Blue Bar for over a century. New York City cocktail culture from

the Copa to the Stork to the 21 Club is legendary. In a nod to that ambiance, we run a lively literary bar with locally sourced food rather than the other way around. The cabaret element is critical to our ambiance and history, so I spend a great deal of time working with producers and their cast members who are fine-tuning their work. More than a few legends have been discovered at The Algonquin Hotel and I would bank on listening to a future star on any random night right now in the Blue Bar.

Will you discuss The Algonquin Hotel’s focus on offering personalized service and a customized guest experience?

Without venturing too far down the road of discussing celebrity amenities and the whims of the creative elite, I will say that I can think of no other hotel business center that contains a well-tuned practice piano as well as Dorothy Parker’s original writing desk. We foster an atmosphere of respect for the creative process. I encourage anyone to take time in the hotel and the city at large to access their creativity and we customize the experience for all guests of all ages around the idea of open encouragement.

My team and I have relationships that extend all over the city and into the waters around it. I recently took a diehard music fan to a small record release event at Rough Trade Records. Custom is our wheelhouse. The best guest experiences are built over an early afternoon cup of tea together in the Blue Bar.

How do you define the keys to providing a true luxury hotel experience today?

Leading luxury is fueling the freedom not to think, but to create.

What are the keys to being effective in the general manager role?

Perhaps it is the years of therapy and many mistakes I have made on my leadership journey, but I believe that we function best and glean the most with a genuinely humble and mindful stance. The purpose of leadership is to be present, in and outside of the workplace. Remember, our hired guests and visiting guests both select us as stewards of their journey and in doing so, they choose to share a portion of their lives.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in pursuing a career in hospitality?

My advice is to clearly identify the difference between function and purpose. Our purpose is to engage, build a community and create significant emotional memories. If you apply your purpose to each one of your functions, keeping your eyes open to the larger picture, you will never feel part of, nor get lost in the machine.

I advise you to be patient, listen and learn the property before attempting to problem-solve. What worked in one operation may not work at another.

And finally, if you do not show the property, your team, and yourself the patience and respect of working for a minimum of a year then you have not fed your purpose – you have only applied yourself to the function.•

Each room and suite at The Algonquin has a well-lit work desk

Family, Place, And Craft

EDITORS’ NOTE As President and CEO, Steve Lohr is responsible for the overall management and strategic planning of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, with a particular focus on sales and finance. In 1972, at the age of 10, Lohr helped his father, Jerry, plant the family’s first vineyards in Greenfield, in what was to become the Arroyo Seco appellation of Monterey County. From that point through high school, he often spent weekends working with his father in the vineyards and learning about wine growing, which fostered his lifelong passion for the industry. After graduating from Stanford University with degrees in civil engineering and economics, Lohr split his time between wine growing, and designing and building high-end custom homes on the San Francisco Peninsula. In 2003, Lohr wrapped up his flourishing custom home building career at the height of the building boom to devote his full energy to J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines as the company’s Vice President of Planning and Development. In 2009, Lohr was named Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for J. Lohr Vineyards, and for the next four years oversaw the management and development of J. Lohr’s vineyards in Paso Robles, Monterey County, and St. Helena. In 2013, he was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of J. Lohr Winery and added the title of company President in 2021. Lohr completed a three-term chairmanship of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance in 2009 and continues to advocate on behalf of the appellation and its 200+ wineries; in 2018, the Alliance named him its Wine Industry Person of the Year. Recognizing the importance of sustainability to a multigenerational family business, Lohr chairs J. Lohr’s internal Sustainability Committee, and sits on the Board (and was the Chairman from 2016-18) of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, which promotes the adoption of sustainable practices throughout California’s vineyards and wineries.

WINERY BRIEF

Fifty years ago, the California Central Coast had not yet emerged as one of North America’s worldclass wine-growing regions. With little history or viticultural precedent, planting on the Central Coast was a gamble. One of a handful of early pioneers, Jerry Lohr, was among the first to realize the inherent potential of Monterey and Paso Robles for growing high-quality grapes and producing superb wines. J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines (jlohr.com) now includes more than 1,400 acres of cool-climate estate vineyards in the Arroyo Seco and Santa Lucia Highlands regions of Monterey County, with an emphasis on Chardonnay, Riesling, Valdiguié, and Pinot Noir. J. Lohr farms over 2,700 acres of vineyards in Paso Robles, now recognized as one of the world’s best spots for Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux and Rhone varietals. Nearly all the red wines in the J. Lohr portfolio come from there, affirming the foresight of Jerry Lohr’s original vision. The winery also owns 30+ acres in Napa Valley at its spectacular Carol’s Vineyard, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. J. Lohr has state-of-the art winemaking facilities in Greenfield and Paso Robles. The J. Lohr Wine Centers in San Jose and Paso Robles host thousands of visitors and fans each year.

Will you discuss the history of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines?

Half a century ago, my father, Jerry Lohr, played a significant role in putting the Paso Robles and Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco regions on the wine map – establishing himself, and J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, as a leading proprietor of discovery and innovation in California’s Central Coast. In the early 1970s, Jerry chose the Arroyo Seco for his initial vineyard plantings of 280 acres. I was fortunate enough to help plant those vineyards as a little boy. Jerry and his team soon discovered that the Arroyo Seco’s windy climate and rocky soils were ideal for cool-climate varieties. Today, the Arroyo Seco AVA is known for producing complex Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with trademark fruit intensity and balancing acidity. Jerry also recognized early on the potential of Paso Robles for growing the traditional Bordeaux varieties, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1986, the J. Lohr team began planting Cabernet Sauvignon in Paso Robles to harness the area’s diverse soils and take advantage of its ideal diurnal temperature swings. The J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines’ Paso Robles winery and production facility soon followed in 1988.

Today, J. Lohr is still family-owned and operated by my two siblings, Cynthia and

A longtime Board member of Wine Institute, he served as an officer of the organization for five years, and was its Chairman in 2017-18, bringing together the resources of 1,000 wineries and affiliated businesses to support legislative and regulatory advocacy, international market development, media relations, scientific research, and education programs that benefit the entire California wine industry.

Steve Lohr

An Interview with Steve Lohr, President and Chief Executive Officer, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines

J. Lohr Winery (above and opposite page) and the Lohr family (top)

Lawrence, and me. Our motto, “Family, Place, and Craft,” illustrates our family and team’s passion for every step of the winegrowing process, from soil to bottle.

Will you provide an overview of J. Lohr’s offerings?

Today, J. Lohr owns more than 1,400 acres of estate vineyards in Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco and Santa Lucia Highlands regions, growing Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, White Riesling, Valdiguié, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc. In Paso Robles, the company farms over 2,800 acres of vineyards, specializing in Cabernet Sauvignon and the other Bordeaux varieties and several Rhône cultivars. J. Lohr also owns 30+ acres in Napa Valley, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.

J. Lohr has achieved Jerry’s founding vision of crafting a selection of tiered wines that deliver exceptional quality and value. Our wines are strong expressions of the Central Coast’s vineyards, climate, and terroir, are approachable yet sophisticated, and are the perfect complement to most any meal.

What can guests expect to experience when visiting the J. Lohr winery?

Nestled amidst picturesque vineyards in a captivating farmhouse setting, guests will embark on an extraordinary journey upon arrival at the J. Lohr Paso Robles Wine Center, where they’ll be presented with a diverse array of immersive tasting experiences. Additionally, guests are welcome at the J. Lohr San Jose Wine Center, an urban oasis gracing historic downtown San Jose.

Guests can enjoy an array of offerings at both locations including tastings, wine and food pairings, and exclusive club events, all carefully curated to elevate your senses and deepen your appreciation for the world of wine.

What have been the keys to the strength and leadership of J. Lohr for over five decades?

As with many companies, our people are our greatest asset. Many of our folks have been with us for 20 to 30+ years and are leaders in their fields. Owning and managing our own vineyards allows us to produce wines of exceptional quality with incredible consistency and value from vintage to vintage. Whereas we do buy some grapes from other top growers, the great majority of the grapes in any bottle of J. Lohr wine come from our own vineyards, and all the wine is produced by us. We are fortunate to be financially strong and stable so that we can make the correct decisions for the long term and the health of our brand.

California Association of Winegrape Growers; marketing and technical groups such as Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance and Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association; and sustainability organizations such as California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and the Vineyard Team.

The industry and public have been good to us, so we have responded by providing thought and financial leadership to the University of California, Davis, with the world’s first LEED Platinum certified winery. In addition, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo now has state of the art winemaking facilities at their Lohr Family Winery.

in the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices Self-Assessment Workbook, J. Lohr has maintained its process certification for all its vineyards and wineries every year.

In 2020, J. Lohr received the ultimate sustainability award in the grape and wine industry, the Green Medal Leader Award from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance for balancing environmental, economic, and social goals and integrating sustainability into every aspect of its business. Today, 28 individual J. Lohr wines carry the Certified California Sustainable seal (product certification) on our back labels.

Will you discuss J. Lohr’s commitment to sustainability?

J. Lohr was an early adopter of sustainable practices, contributing to the development of industry-wide green methods and certifications. Sustainability at J. Lohr is a fundamental company-wide value embraced by the Lohr family and incorporated into every department’s operations.

J. Lohr integrates three pillars of sustainability – social equity, environmental responsibility, and economic feasibility –into every aspect of our family’s company operations.

What has made the wine industry so special for you?

The wine industry includes some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. Although it is extremely competitive with over 5,000 wineries in California and another 5,000 wineries in the 49 other states, no one will have your exact same soil or climate, so the industry shares a lot of ideas and thrives on half science and half art, both of which are better when they are shared. Our sole reason for being is to make people happy – to add enjoyment to their celebrations as well as a weeknight dinner.

I love variety in my daily work. With planning and oversight needed for vineyards, production, sales, marketing, finance, and hospitality, no two days are the same and there is plenty to keep me focused. I also really enjoy the fact that there is not another agricultural product in which the decisions you make can so profoundly affect the ultimate quality of what you are producing, in this case a wine grape or a bottle of wine.

It is also a sheer joy to be able to work so closely with my father Jerry (Founder and CFO), sister Cynthia (Chief Brand Officer), and brother Lawrence, (President and COO, J. Lohr Vineyards, Inc.), along with 260 of the best and brightest on our J. Lohr team.

As J. Lohr celebrates its 50th anniversary, are you able to take moments to reflect on J. Lohr’s legacy and the impact that J. Lohr has made in the industry?

When you plant a vineyard, you are making decisions that will impact your business for the next 25-30+ years; wineries are very capital intensive with their specialized structures, presses, stainless steel tanks, and oak barrels. Thus, you want to protect and grow that investment by actively shaping industry policy, and we have served on the boards and chaired organizations such as Wine Institute and

We planted J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines’ first estate vineyards in Paso Robles using sustainable practices in 1986. In 2008, I established an internal Sustainability Committee, and in 2010, J. Lohr became one of the first 17 vineyards and wineries in the state to receive the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing distinction from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA). By diligently adhering to the rigorous, audited 249 best practices and 101 prerequisites

We have worked hard to bring the Central Coast of California to prominence, particularly Paso Robles and Monterey. Several years ago when Wine Enthusiast magazine honored our father with the very rare American Wine Legend award, they noted that “Jerry Lohr is to the Central Coast what Robert Mondavi was to Napa Valley,” It’s so important to us that we continue to advance the state of grape growing and winemaking knowledge not only within J. Lohr, but throughout the industry, so that current and future generations can benefit from what we have been able to learn and achieve over these first 50 years.•

EDITORS’ NOTE

Having Your Family Name On The Bottle

An Interview with Vitalie Taittinger, President, Champagne Taittinger

Vitalie Taittinger is the eldest daughter of PierreEmmanuel Taittinger, the owner of Champagne Taittinger. She has always been passionate about drawing, painting, and design and has a degree from the Emile Cohl School of Design in Lyon. She formed her own business promoting clients in the Champagne and gastronomy sectors, then joined Taittinger in 2007. At Champagne Taittinger, her mission is to develop and reinforce the image of the Champagne House. She embodies the unique style of the Taittinger Champagne House and pursues those everyday moments of joy.

elegant to perfectly accompany foods. This delicate and refined Champagne highlights the grapes’ natural flavors and has become our signature style. Today, we continue to build upon that legacy as an elegant Champagne that suits all of life’s pleasures, especially gastronomy. This passion is one that all generations of Taittinger have shared, which led to the creation of the Le Taittinger Prix Culinaire in 1968. It is an annual international culinary contest hosted by Champagne Taittinger for rising star chefs competing at the highest level. We’ve just hosted the 56th annual competition in Paris, crowning the newest generation of young chefs and marking another testament to our legacy.

our region, but also to all the visitors who come to discover it.

How important has it been for Champagne Taittinger to maintain a family feel as the company has grown in size and scale?

COMPANY BRIEF Champagne Taittinger (taittinger.com ) is one of the last remaining major marque Champagne Houses, both owned and actively managed by the family named on the label. Champagne Taittinger is the second largest vineyard or domaine owner in the region, providing ultimate control of quality from vine to bottle. The Champagnes are Chardonnay dominant, which gives them their signature elegance, delicacy and finesse. Champagne Taittinger is widely distributed around the world in 140 countries.

Will you highlight the history and heritage of Champagne Taittinger?

Champagne Taittinger is among the last remaining major marque Champagne Houses still owned and actively managed by its founding family. There is a lot of responsibility when your name is on the label, but we love the challenge and are passionate about what this entails. Our history in Champagne begins with my greatgrandfather, Pierre Taittinger. During World War I, he was stationed in Reims at the Château de la Marquetterie, an iconic manor in the French countryside with a rich history in Champagne. He fell in love with it at first sight and pledged to buy the Château de la Marquetterie after the war. Seventeen years later, he kept that promise and purchased the property with its surrounding vineyards, creating the foundation of the Champagne house we are today.

My great-grandfather is also responsible for setting the foundation of our gastronomic focus. He was a lover of the culinary arts, so he saw that as an opportunity to cultivate our niche for a unique style of Champagne that is light and

What have been the keys to Champagne Taittinger’s industry leadership, and how do you define the Champagne Taittinger difference?

We credit our leadership in the industry to our product, which results from our commitment to delivering the highest quality Champagne that we can craft. From the beginning, we’ve stood apart by focusing on the Chardonnay grape, which now represents more than a third of the 288 hectares in our family estate. We are now the second-largest Champagne house by surface area and one of the largest producers utilizing mostly our estate-grown grapes. This allows us the greatest control over the end product – a luxurious Champagne perfect for every occasion. This is what sets us further apart from our neighbors, as we firmly believe Champagne should not be reserved for only the “big moments” in life – we must embrace luxury every day and toast to life’s little moments, too.

How do you describe Champagne Taittinger’s culture and values?

We are building on long-term perspective and are even more engaged to make choices that are less financially driven and are coming from the heart. It also means restraining one’s ego in the interests of building something based on a set of values that can be transmitted to the next generation.

My main objective is to continue to enhance the reputation and progress of our company. We are fortunate to have an exceptional heritage that includes the remains of Saint-Nicaise Abbey dating back to the 13th century, as well as Gallo-Roman cellars buried 18 meters below ground. It’s a heritage that we want to preserve and perpetuate so that we can pass it on to the people who live in

It is essential. My family has managed the Champagne house for nearly a century, and we’ve always pursued excellence. Having our family name on the bottle places considerable demands and responsibilities on us to ensure high-quality production. Our name on the label conveys our skills and knowledge from the past, while making our commitment to the future. For me it was very important to continue the way my father was leading the company, being attached to the human adventure that we all share at Taittinger. Only three months after I took the presidency, we had to close the doors to adapt all the processes to the COVID situation and protect our employees. I think that for me it has been a big test, and it forces us to take our responsibility at once. Changing the organization of each task in the company made me realize that it was possible to improve, to make big progress. Now we work on the structure more and have changed our own habits. Sharing the strategy and the vision of the company, being able to give to each of us a clear place, clear objectives, and clear feedback is very important to make people feel good and develop themselves. It also means restraining one’s ego and to only focus on the interest of the company and its development. It allows us to build on a set of values, on harmony, to build a healthy company that can be transmitted to the next generation.

Will you provide an overview of Champagne Taittinger’s offerings?

Our Champagnes are unique because we only use the highest quality grapes and a higher proportion of Chardonnay grapes in our blends than other large houses. We also take extreme care throughout the production of our wines, devoting extra time for aging and exceeding the minimum requirements for all cuvées.

Allow me to walk you through some of our portfolio starting with our most accessible, the nonvintage Champagne Taittinger Brut La Française, which is made from 40 percent Chardonnay, 35 percent Pinot Noir, and 25 percent Pinot Meunier. This subtle blend uses

Vitalie Taittinger

perfectly matured grapes harvested from more than 35 different vineyards and results in a light, elegant, and balanced Champagne that is perfect for sipping with a meal.

Another beautiful wine we make is the Prestige Rosé. It stands out for its intense color thanks to its composition and delicate formulation. Around 14 percent of the blend is, in fact, a still red wine from the best Pinot Noir grapes of the Montagne de Reims, giving this cuvée its unique color and its sweet, intense taste. The high proportion of Chardonnay (30 percent) completes the blend and creates the elegance and sophistication that our customers can expect from our Champagnes.

Then, we have the crown jewel of Champagne Taittinger – the Comtes de Champagne Grands Crus Blanc de Blancs and Comtes de Champagne Rosé – the quintessential house style. The Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs is the finest example of our Taittinger house style and is always a vintage cuvée. It is made with 100 percent white grapes from the five villages with a Grands Crus classification for the Chardonnay grape (Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Oger, Mesnil-sur-Oger).

The Rosé, which is always vintage, is only made when the year has been exceptional. It is made from 40 percent Chardonnay Grands Crus from the prestigious Côte des Blancs region and 60 percent Pinot Noir from the Grands Crus from the Montagne de Reims region. The Comtes de Champagne Rosé owes the secret of its uniqueness to the 14 percent still red wine added to the blend. It is the Champagne house’s rarest cuvée.

Aside from these, we also produce the Prélude Grands Crus and Brut Millésimé, which are exceptional in quality and flavor.

Will you discuss your role leading Champagne Taittinger and how you focus your efforts?

When you are in this kind of family company, change would be a renouncement, so my aim when I came into leadership was not to change;

the aim was to go further into every detail of the elaboration of this Champagne. I think that today, with the challenge of global warming and climate change, we continue to improve our way, to be very careful with the environment, and to always think about how we can produce qualitative grapes that create the quality of our Champagne.

How critical is sustainability to Champagne Taittinger, and will you highlight some of Champagne Taittinger’s sustainability initiatives?

Sustainability is at the core of our beliefs because it is a promise to the future. Stewardship of the land that breathes life into vines and grapes ensures that the family name, exceptional terroir, and surrounding ecosystem are preserved for future generations. It’s also a testament to our promise and pursuit of excellence since healthy land produces healthy grapes, which is essential for excellent quality wines.

In 2017, we received two environmental accreditations: the Viticulture Durable en Champagne (sustainable vine-growing in Champagne) and the Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE – High Environmental Sustainability). This approach also includes the responsible management of water, limited use of fertilizers, and control of waste to preserve the biodiversity of the fauna and flora across the terroir and in the vineyards. Because we own such a high percentage of our contributing vineyards, we can control what is used to treat the vines and soil. We also mitigate our need for herbicides with innovative practices like planting our vineyards with grass and using horses to plow the fields.

Outside of this, we’re also a pioneer in our bottling. The whole appellation is working toward a lighter bottle where 80 percent of the glass comes from recycled materials; at Taittinger, we are at 94 percent, exceeding that standard. We are doing our best to weave sustainability throughout our production process.

Did you always know that you would pursue a career in the family business, and what has made the family dynamic work so well?

It was not my idea to join the business in the beginning as my background is art. My father had been working in Champagne for 30 years and lots of the family were also in the industry, but there was no pressure for me to join. In 2006, the business left our family for a short time; my father fought so hard to buy it back and make sure it stayed within the family. This is when I realized how strongly I felt about the business and is when I asked my father if I could join him. My background in art meant I could bring something different to what we were doing.

What advice do you offer to young people interested in pursuing a career in the wine and spirits industry?

Learn how to dare. It is always challneging to try something you have never seen or experienced. It is important to assume who you are and what you want to do with your life. Do not project yourself onto others’ judgments. Learn from your failure and continue to move forward. This is very important.•

The caves of Champagne Tattinger (above); Château de la Marquetterie (top)

Bringing A Vision To Life

EDITORS’ NOTE In 1999, Massimo Piccin was working in Vittorio Veneto as an engineer in the family construction company when he decided to follow the great passion that he always carried, a love of gastronomy and wine. At the root of his love was a strong determination and a respect for the earth and his surrounding environment. He pursued a dream project, attainable with perseverance and tenacity. Like a mosaic, the path was paved one stone at a time. The first step was the search for a potential real estate investment in a cellar. Piccin included his father, Dario, who not only listened enthusiastically to his son’s project, but also supported him alongside business partner and family friend, Roy Bernard. The search led them to Tuscany, in Bolgheri. The Piccin and Bernard families decided to acquire a property that was at that time a small, sharecropping farm, mainly cultivated on arable lands, with few rows of vines.

WINERY BRIEF Sapaio (sapaio.com) was born in 1999 in Castagneto Carducci, Bolgheri in Italy, from the will of Massimo Piccin, a Venetian engineer moved by a grand passion for wine. A courageous and visionary choice was to invest in a property in Bolgheri, where there was already a small farm, managed by sharecropping of principally arable lands, with few rows of vines. This became an example of how a great passion can bring about the realization of a prestigious project with the intent to grow and pursue excellence in an unparalleled territory, home of a grape designation celebrated all over the world. Today, the winery boasts more than 25 hectares of vineyards and the production of two labels: Sapaio and Volpolo.

Will you discuss the history of Sapaio?

Sapaio’s journey began in 1999, born from a blend of passion for wine and the desire to invest in a dream project. In those years, I embarked on a quest to find the perfect location to bring my vision to life. After exploring various winemaking regions in Italy, my encounter with Bolgheri was serendipitous. What captivated me about this corner of Tuscany were its light, welcoming atmosphere – akin to a maternal embrace, the rolling dunes, and the nearby sea. It felt like the ideal place to call home. Thus,

in 1999, I acquired our first property, started planting in 2000, and by 2002, I had relocated from Veneto to Sapaio.

Will you provide an overview of Sapaio’s winery and wines?

Sapaio’s winery and wines have evolved significantly since the initial purchase of 8 hectares of vineyards in 1999. Today, our estate spans 40 hectares, with 27 dedicated to viticulture. From the outset, our goal has been to follow the path laid by the pioneers of Bolgheri’s exceptional wines. We focus on just two wines, each a unique expression of Cabernet Sauvignon blends. Volpolo Doc embodies the essence of Bolgheri, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. Sapaio IGT Toscana Rosso, on the other hand, represents the convergence of two territories,

Bolgheri and Bibbona, blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.

What have been the keys to Sapaio’s industry leadership?

At the heart of Sapaio’s industry leadership lies our commitment to remaining a small, artisanal operation. We believe that meticulous care and attention to every aspect, both in the vineyard and the cellar, are paramount. For us, agriculture isn’t merely a mechanical action, but a conscious dialogue with the land.

How critical is innovation to Sapaio’s culture?

Innovation is ingrained in our daily ethos, a constant drive to evolve and explore new horizons. This innovative spirit inevitably shapes our approach to business, challenging conventional market norms.

How has Sapaio balanced the use of new technologies in its winemaking with its focus on the human touch?

While we keenly embrace new technologies and the latest scientific advancements in enology, we adhere to a winemaking philosophy that prioritizes simplicity and sensitivity. Winemaking, as we see it, is a process intimately connected to nature, requiring a delicate touch rather than excessive technological intervention.

Sapaio has a major commitment to sustainability. Will you discuss this focus and how it is ingrained in Sapaio’s values?

Our deep commitment to sustainability reflects our acknowledgment of the pressing climate crisis and its impact on agriculture and our lives. We implement sustainable practices aimed at reducing CO2 emissions and mitigating damage to the planet, though I question whether these efforts alone are sufficient. In viticulture, the introduction of resilient grape varieties and adaptive strategies represents a response to climate change. However, I believe that addressing the climate crisis necessitates a fundamental shift in our relationship with the environment – moving away from exploitative and destructive attitudes towards harmony, respect, and balance.

Where did your passion for the wine business develop?

As for my passion for the wine business, it’s less about the business itself and more about the wine. Growing up in the Prosecco region, wine has always been a joyful part of daily life for many of us.•

Massimo Piccin

An Interview with Massimo Piccin, Founder, Sapaio

The village of Castagneto Carducci, Italy, home to Sapaio

Telling Sicily’s Diverse Essence

EDITORS’ NOTE In 2004, Roberto Magnisi began his career in wine with the historic Florio Marsala winery. In 2009, he was appointed Director of Research & Development for the Duca di Salaparuta Group. Since then, the Reina family entrusted Magnisi to establish a state-of-the-art microbiologicalchemical laboratory to support the winemaking team’s professional know-how. Research and development allow for continuous control from the vine to the winery so that each step can take place in its natural element and allow the resulting wine to be the highest expression of its territory. This is fundamental to Magnisi’s contemporary winemaking style.

WINERY BRIEF

Will you provide an overview of the history of Duca di Salaparuta?

Our journey, celebrating 200 years in 2024, has been marked by a commitment to winemaking and remarkable achievements. Established in 1824, Duca di Salaparuta continues to grow and succeed fueled by its love for Sicily and an irreverent spirit that has characterized the company and its people throughout the centuries. With solid and vibrant roots, we draw inspiration from our heritage to continually seek to do better, without ever stopping.

Will you highlight Duca di Salaparuta’s winery and wines?

How crucial is innovation to Duca di Salaparuta’s culture, and where do you see innovation driving the business?

The Duca di Salaparuta Group (duca.it/en) owns three historic wine brands that represent Sicily and Italy worldwide: Corvo and Duca di Salaparuta, founded in 1824, and Florio, launched in 1833. Gathered into one group by the Reina family, the two companies together constitute the largest private wine group in Sicily. They express the island’s history and its land through their suggestive Estates and the historic Marsala and Casteldaccia Wine Cellars, but above all through their wines.

Situated overlooking the sea in Casteldaccia, a few kilometers from Palermo, our wineries are located in a breathtaking territory, rich in nature and culture, that has inspired artists and poets alike. Our wines tell Sicily’s diverse essence, from the volcanic wines crafted at Tenuta di Vajasindi nestled at the foot of Mount Etna, to the heart of the island at Tenuta di Suor Marchesa, where we cultivate our Nero d’Avola.

What do you consider to be the keys to Duca di Salaparuta’s industry leadership?

Our industry leadership stems from a desire to showcase an incredible territory and history while maintaining a forward-looking approach, constantly seeking new challenges to face.

Innovation is integral to our philosophy and manifests in many different forms. Duca di Salaparuta has consistently prioritized sustainability and meticulous production practices, ensuring unparalleled quality from vineyard to bottle for those who select our wines.

Will you discuss Duca di Salaparuta’s investment in technology?

The quality of our enological creative supply chain is crucial for expressing our character and showcasing our Sicily. From the vineyard to cellar operations, we prioritize attention to detail, with consistent investments in precision and governance technology. I’m particularly proud of the technological advancements we’ve implemented to seamlessly integrate our cellar and bottling activities. Bottling, being a critical phase for wine, directly impacts its sensory profile and longevity. By using mechanical and computer technology, we’ve transformed our bottling process from discontinuous to continuous, ensuring a dynamic operational flow and effective oxygen management.

Duca di Salaparuta is committed to sustainability. Will you discuss this focus and its integration into the company’s values?

We have always worked with the aim of safeguarding environmental, social, and economic sustainability to ensure the quality of our wines, preserve the land, and foster social culture. This commitment has led us to strive for two important certifications, making us the first in Sicily to achieve them – VIVA and Equalitas. However, our commitment goes beyond this; each day, we work not only to maintain the standards we’ve established, but also to enhance them continuously, for example supporting the development of cultural initiatives within the region.

Where did your passion for the wine industry originate?

My passion for the wine industry began during my university years while researching for my chemistry thesis. It was a moment that initiated my lifelong dedication to the world of wine.•

Roberto Magnisi

An Interview with Roberto Magnisi, Director, Duca di Salaparuta Group

Duca di Salaparuta in Sicily, Italy

Complexity And Scalability

An Interview with Mark Reynier, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Waterford Whisky and Renegade Rum

EDITORS’ NOTE Mark Reynier has over 40 years’ experience in the drinks industry – 20 years in wine, and 20 years in spirits. A maverick entrepreneur who has brought terroir to the spirits world, he began his career in the London wine trade in 1980, formed La Réserve – one of London’s premier wine and spirit merchants – before resurrecting the mothballed Bruichladdich Distillery in 2000. The distillery was sold to Rémy Cointreau in 2012. Reynier then bought the former Guinness brewery in Waterford in 2014, transforming a state-of-the-art brewery into a modern distillery, and in July 2018 commenced building the game-changing $30 million Renegade Rum Distillery in Grenada.

the French vineyards at Châteauneufdu-Pape, Alsace and Burgundy. I ran the cellars of my father’s wine company before he sold it to a West Country brewer – Eldridge Pope, one of the last standing traditional brewers in Thomas Hardy country. As well as brewing, my first whisky experience was the preparation and bottling of the brewery’s own label whisky blend. The heady aromas of decanting and vatting butts of Highland Park in a dark, dank cellar was a formative experience. I started my own wine company in 1985, importing and retailing principally Burgundy wines. Burgundy – and other French vineyards – were undergoing a renaissance.

My first foray was renovating and developing the Islay distillery of Bruichladdich, creating Botanist gin, Octomore and Port Charlotte. Remy Cointreau acquired that business in 2012, so following the barley, I moved 240 miles south to Waterford on Ireland’s south coast – almost the same latitude as London.

What was your vision for founding Waterford Whisky and Renegade Rum and how are the brands positioned in the market?

COMPANY BRIEF Waterford Whisky (water fordwhisky.com) is on a quest to unearth whisky’s most natural flavors. Unashamedly influenced by the world’s greatest winemakers, Waterford Distillery brings the same intellectual drive, methodology, and rigor to unearth the nuances that make Waterford Whisky the most profound single malt ever created. Across southern Ireland, warmed by the Gulf Stream, temperate, moist air crosses fertile soils to produce a verdant landscape and the world’s finest barley. Since barley is the source of malt whisky’s complex flavors, it makes abundant sense to focus on where and how the barley is cultivated. Those flavors are shaped by place, by the soils that nourish its roots, and by the microclimate in which it ripens. By terroir, Waterford is a whisky of the world, born of Irish barley. Renegade Rum (renegaderum.com) is a game-changing rum distillery located in Grenada, using fresh sugar cane juice rather than generic molasses (a by-product of sugar production), grown on the diverse terroirs of Grenada in the Caribbean. Renegade Rum began producing its first spirit in the autumn of 2020. The cane plant, rum’s primary raw ingredient, is the natural source of its flavor. Thus, the land on which it grows and its microclimate determines its character.

Will you discuss your career journey in the wine and spirits industry?

My first job was to bottle and label a Cotes de Blaye in September 1980, having spent a year in

After WW2, European wines had rather lost their way, their soul, terroir, thanks to a calamitous combination of poor weather, cooperative wine making, excessive agrochemical use, lack of investment and arcane techniques which favored volume over quality.

Following the humiliation of the Judgement of Paris, the 1980s saw a new generation taking back control of the vineyards having learnt the science of winemaking in California and Australia, and the importance of modern technology and equipment. Modern winemaking, historic terroirs and lower yields saw a renaissance that I witnessed firsthand: in the cellar temperature control, stainless steel, pneumatic presses and wood integration; in the vineyard new viticulture principles, organics, and biodynamics.

The origin of the flavor is the plant, the vine, influenced by its nurture – the microclimate, soil, topography of what we know as terroir. It struck me that as wine starts with the vineyard and the grape, whisky starts with the barley field and the grain. Why not apply the same principles to barley, the most flavorsome cereal in the world, the very origin of whisky’s identity?

I am a natural flavor seeker. Of the 2,000 barley flavor compounds that are the taste of whisky, 60 percent are influenced by terroir. Greatly inspired by the legendary grand vins of Bordeaux, the sensual grand marques of Champagne, and their principle of isolating terroir-derived flavor then to assemble creatively for maximum complexity – why not for single malt or rum?

Both Waterford and Renegade share that same DNA, the principle of liberating natural flavor, farm by farm, via modern fermentation and considered distillation, that can be layered to create the most compelling, textured and profound taste experience possible. It means going back to the farm, our base unit, and setting up the logistics required to track the terroir and trace the transparency.

From there, using those base units – the building blocks – we have brought forth a core range of Cuvée Concepts. For single malt: The Waterford – Cuvée Koffi; along with cuvées

Mark Reynier

Waterford Whisky

made up of Organic barley (Gaia) and Peated barley (Fumo). For rum, this is expressed as both Single Farm Cuvées (for we can assemble the components from within the farm) as well as Cuvée Nova, our All-Island flavor extravaganza.

Both brands are built around the Cuvée Concept at one end, giving us complexity and scalability; and terroir-driven precision at the other. We can run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.

How do you define the Waterford Whisky and Renegade Rum difference in their respective categories?

The rules for whisky production are well established, which is not at all the case for rum, where anything goes.

Whether it’s a dram or a drum, we are not trying to make the cheapest liter, but the most naturally flavorsome. Waterford is double distilled single malt, more associated with Scotch whisky. It appears to me the whisky world, fixated on the cheapest liter possible, has painted itself into a qualitative cul-de-sac that’s all about the finish. Waterford turns this on its head: it’s not the remedial “finish” we’re interested in, but the very start: barley. We are the biggest distiller of organic and biodynamic whisky – we are intrigued by natural flavor to the extent we resurrect ancient, long lost barley varieties to explore their originality. Via our back label TÉIREOIR code and QR code we are able to demonstrate agricultural produce over manufactured products. The same level of provenance is provided via the Renegade Rum CaneCode, where reliable authenticity and demonstrable authority in the rum world are in woefully short supply.

Will you provide an overview of the Waterford Whisky and Renegade Rum distilleries?

Waterford Distillery is located in the Viking city of Waterford, in the South East of Ireland, right in the key barley growing region. It was a former Guinness brewery – indeed it has been a brewery in some form since 1792 – that we transformed into a single malt distillery via the addition of two pot stills I had previously liberated from the defunct Inverleven facility in Dumbarton many years ago. We were up and running in 2016. We have distilled circa 35 Single Farm Origins per year, 110+ distinct Single Farm Origins to date, some organic, some biodynamic, some growing heritage barley. Some of the farms we have peated using real Irish peat for the first time in generations. Principles I learned by fine winemaking are applied to whisky: farm by farm for individuality; pneumatic pressing for purity; week-long (twice industry standard), temperature-controlled, malolactic fermentation for intensity; and the best French and American oak from diverse sources for harmony. We are able to bottle Single Farm Origins, which offer precision of place; or we can bring these component building blocks together to create complex and compelling cuvées.

Renegade Rum, in the Caribbean island of Grenada, is a different distillery entirely, a radical new-build distillery on the north eastern coast designed around environmental

sensitivities and to do one thing: to distill fresh sugar cane terroir by terroir, field by field. We are interested only in sugar cane – pure cane, just juice – for that is the source of rum’s natural flavor. But there’s more: in Grenada we run our own farming operation, CaneCo, across over a dozen farms along the island’s coast: different cane varieties that had been propagated from fresh material, grown across a vast array of distinct terroirs. Some of the fields begin from the distillery’s own doorstep. We then harvest fresh sugar cane ourselves, then mill, ferment, distill and mature the rum all at the distillery – which is sustainably powered by its own biomass boiler – combining stateof-the-art skill from around the world, and the knowledge I had learned at Bruichladdich and Waterford, to produce an array of the most compelling and flavorsome rums possible. We can celebrate rum made from a single field of cane – our MicrOrigins – or, like Waterford, like the Grand Vins of Bordeaux, bring them together in cuvées for the ultimate complexity.

Where do you see the greatest opportunities for growth for Waterford Whisky and Renegade Rum?

Both Waterford and Renegade are unashamedly for the gastronome and the gourmet; the connoisseur and the curious; people who rejoice in natural flavor and for whom life is simply too short for disappointment. As the bon viveur (and famous British war time leader) once said, “my tastes are simple. I am easily satisfied with the best.” These are gamechanger brands, taking single malt and real rum to a new level by going back to basics, to the literal roots of barley and cane.

How important is the focus on sustainability for Waterford Whisky and Renegade Rum?

It seems that many forget that at its heart single malt and cane rum are agricultural produce, so responsible farming methods with strict agronomy – regenerative, organics and biodynamics – are pivotal. They are not newfangled ideas. Before the advent of the agrochemical industry from repurposing munitions and the Haber-Bosch synthesis around the time of WW1, all agriculture was organic, as far back as the last ice age, for 16,000 years everything was biodynamic. We farm our primary raw ingredient locally; we alone list the ingredients on the back label: barley, yeast and water. Our waste streams undergo a five-part treatment process, the solids feeding pigs or being composted for fertilizer. In Grenada, ash, with vinasse and bagasse, are composted, wastewater is phytoremediation by soil microbes and plant roots end up as fish food. Excess steam, derived from biomass combustion of milled cane, produces distillery electricity from an Organic Rankine Cycle turbine.

Did you always know that you had an entrepreneurial spirit and desire to build your own brands?

Not really, until I was about 25. Explaining entrepreneurialism to my son I used an analogy that on life’s pathway one comes across closed doors that bar one’s passage. Every now and then a door, an opportunity, will open up. Some will have the courage or indeed madness to go through that door and exploit the chance; others will rationalize every reason why they should not. The first “door” I came to, I hesitated, scared to jump, it took a shove from my brother-in-law to push me through it.

One needs to be a disruptor, maverick, iconoclast – all of which I take as a compliment – to go against the proverbial grain. Bringing to life an idea, nurturing a concept, spreading a vision is what it’s all about. And that’s painful. The risk, the frustrations – the ups and downs, wins and losses –creating something special that hopefully, one day, will give enormous pleasure both across the world and over decades. And just perhaps, someone, somewhere, will raise a glass to how it all started.

With all that you have achieved during your more than 40 years in the industry, are you able to enjoy the process and take moments to reflect on your accomplishments?

No, not really. There was a moment recently at Renegade, after the COVID nightmare, when we couldn’t commission the newly built distillery – all the blood, sweat, toil, and tears – when for the first time I poured myself an inaugural bottling, a Renegade “MicrOrigin.” Despite having tasted the rums many, many times in the lab and the warehouse, I realized I had never actually simply sat down and enjoyed the rum in its own right, for the hell of it, as anyone else would do. That was quite some moment as it dawns on you just what one has given birth to, just how special it is.

Seeing Bruichladdich, under Remy’s stewardship, going from strength to strength, and quietly thinking to one’s self: “I did that.”•

Renegade Rum

A Rich Tradition Of Winemaking

An Interview with Federico De Cerchio, De Cerchio Family Wine Group

EDITORS’ NOTE

Federico De Cerchio is the fourth generation of wine growers within the De Cerchio family. After achieving a degree in business and administration in 2012, split between Sweden and Germany, he returned back to Italy where he was poised to continue the family’s rich tradition of winemaking. However, De Cerchio took a different path by venturing into his own business: he established one of the country’s pioneering wine e-commerce companies. Continuing his trailblazing tendencies, from 2014 to 2016, he secured a total of €2.5 million from a combination of investors and venture capitalists, ultimately selling the e-commerce platform in 2018. With that revenue, he bought Torre Zambra, his family winery. De Cerchio wasted no time in converting the family business to an all organic and certified sustainable operation. During the implications of COVID-19, he took this change in pace as an opportunity to further expand his influence in the industry and keep innovating, by founding the Famiglia De Cerchio wine group. Today, the group owns five properties across Abruzzo, Puglia, and Sicily, and is among the leaders in producing certified organic and sustainable wines. De Cerchio is also restoring the old Zambra Tower in Abruzzo with an ambitious hospitality project.

my great-grandfather, Vincenzo, took a long ride with his dogcart to Naples to meet a doctor in order to cure himself. While in the waiting room, he met Baron Zambra, descendant of a Milanese noble family and owner of properties spread all over Southern Italy. They started chatting, and that’s how my great-grandpa figured out the Baron owned a beautiful piece of land in Villamagna, his hometown in the Abruzzo region. He was a smart man but with no money down, merely a farmer cultivating his small farm, he realized the Baron had nothing to do with this property and persuaded him to sell it. He must have had very good negotiation skills because he acquired this land of around 20 hectares (38 acres), including a lookout tower named Torre Zambra, and convinced the Baron to let him pay in small installments, without the need to get a bank loan which was very hard at the time. That’s how it all started, by pure coincidence.

WINERY BRIEF The De Cerchio (famigliadecerchio.it) family has more than a century old tradition as winegrowers in Italy. In 1910, great-grandfather Vincenzo De Cerchio bought a plot of about twenty hectares of land in Abruzzo from the Zambra family and planted the first Montepulciano and Trebbiano vines in the region, which unfortunately were destroyed during the first world war. His son Laurentino De Cerchio, a soldier during the second world war, came home to Abruzzo in 1947 starting his tireless commitment to winemaking, replanting the vineyards and starting the construction of the first cellar. In 1961, the first “Torre Zambra” vintage was bottled, and the winery went on to become one of the most venerable in Abruzzo.

Will you discuss the history of De Cerchio Family Wine Group?

Our family has been involved in wine since 1910. It all started by coincidence when

My great-grandfather planted the first vineyards of Montepulciano and Trebbiano in the region but actually he never produced wine – he cultivated grapes and sold them bulk. Then, after 30 years, the war broke through. He had a few relatives and many friends from our hometown, Villamagna, who emigrated to the U.S. during the 1920s and ’30s. When he understood that Italy was getting involved in the conflict, he took his wife and younger son, Verino, and moved to the United States. His older son, my grandpa Laurentino, was 24 years old in 1939 and he could not leave for the States because he was called on duty by the Italian army. When Italy signed the armistice in 1943, he was made a prisoner in Lubljiana and then moved to Wroclaw, Poland, by the Nazis. When the conflict finished in 1945, Eastern Europe was occupied by the Russians who didn’t release all the prisoners right away, like the Allies did. They kept him in prison until 1947, when he came back to Villamagna by foot. I know it sounds like a dramatic movie, and my grandma had tears in her eyes when she was telling us this story over and over when me and my sisters were kids.

During the war, all the family properties were destroyed, including the vineyards and the tower. There was nobody in Villamagna when that happened. My grandma believes the tower was destroyed in 1943 during a battle between British and Nazi soldiers.

Back in Villamagna, my grandfather Laurentino was lucky that he had his father Vincenzo in the U.S. who, in the meantime, was working in the car industry in Detroit. He sent him money regularly, which my grandfather used smartly to replant the vineyards and started the construction of the winery, which took 15 years. When it was finished, he decided to name it Torre Zambra, in honor of that old tower destroyed during the war. That’s how in 1961 the first bottle of Montepulciano Torre Zambra was bottled.

During the years of the war, my grandpa made friends with many soldiers from Southern Italy, with whom he kept contact after the war and visited regularly. That’s how, over the years, he had the chance to buy a few plots of land in Apulia and Sicily. Unfortunately, my grandfather passed away in 1983 and I didn’t have the chance to know him.

My father, Riccardo, took over the winery in the early ’80s. He consolidated and took Torre Zambra to another level in terms of quality and image and decided to start cultivating grapes also in the other regions, but stayed loyal to Abruzzo in terms of wine production: he just produced wine there and sold grapes bulk in other regions. He is a Montepulciano lover and knows everything about this unique Italian grape and concentrated all his efforts on the estate of Torre Zambra. Then, in 2010, to cheer for the 100-year anniversary of the family in the wine industry, he founded Idi Di Marzo, our second estate in Abruzzo. While Torre Zambra is very, very traditional in what it does, he wanted a new project where he could be more playful, experimenting with new grapes and new blends. At that time, we were not yet

Federico De Cerchio

a wine group. We were a family owning two small wineries and a few vineyards in other Italian regions.

I got involved in the family business in 2018. After graduating with a degree in business and management in Sweden in 2012, I decided to follow my path and founded a wine e-commerce platform in Rome, which back in those days was something innovative. I had the chance to raise around €2.5 million from angel investors and venture capital firms and gained a lot of business experience. I moved to the Italian Capital for five years and when, in 2018, I had the chance to sell this company, I felt it was time to go back and take care of the family affairs. Because of that sale and with the help of a bank who lent me money, I had the chance to buy the estates of Torre Zambra and Idi Di Marzo, together with the rest of the vineyards outside of the Abruzzo region. At the beginning, my father wasn’t very happy about it, but he came to understand that a successful project needs strong leadership and a concentrated ownership. That’s what I had in mind when I did this move. While 2018 is just six years ago, a lot of things have happened. When I took over the wineries we had a great production team –my father is an experienced wine producer – but we had no sales structure which meant we started from zero. We had to build our brands both in Italy and around the world.

I was taking care of sales and promotion –frankly speaking, I could not afford an export manager at the time – and started traveling like crazy around the world. In 2018 and 2019, I traveled over 200 days a year all over the world. This gave me the experience to understand what was working and what was missing in the wine industry. That’s how I decided to officially found Famiglia De Cerchio Wine Group in 2020, bringing all the family estates under one roof and, especially, by bottling the

wine made from the vineyards we had in the other regions. Then COVID hit. At the beginning, we were very worried and a bit in panic, but I can say that it was a period that helped us a lot because we had the time to reorganize ourselves and carefully decide what would be our next steps.

Nowadays, Famiglia De Cerchio manages five estates in three different Italian regions. We are officially certified sustainable, we farm our vineyards organically, and all our wines are certified vegan – we don’t use any kind of animal product in the production process. We export 92 percent of our wines in more than 40 countries around the world and over 50 percent of our sales are concentrated in the U.S. and Canada.

What have been the keys to De Cerchio Family Wine Group’s ability to remain relevant and grow for over a century?

That’s a complicated question for me to answer because we always produced great wines, but the critics didn’t notice them until recently. I think this is because my father is the classic wine producer who prefers to spend his days in the winery, refining his wines rather than traveling and showing to the press what he is able to do. Therefore, I think we have always been relevant in what we were doing by giving everything for the quality of our wines, never accepting a compromise, but the growth was very, very slow until recently. We basically had great wines which nobody knew.

How critical is innovation to Famiglia De Cerchio and where is innovation taking place in the business?

I started my career in a startup; therefore, I take innovation very seriously. Looking at our production, we are very innovative and experiment a lot on our whites and rosés, while we are very, very traditional in our reds. Then, we use software to monitor and control the production and we are in the early stage of experimenting with the use of drones in the vineyards.

Will you discuss Famiglia De Cerchio’s focus and commitment to sustainability?

What I get asked many times, including from my colleagues, is: what did you have to do in order to be sustainable certified? What did you have to change? My answer is: we just had to fill out some paperwork. I’ll explain: first of all, we are sustainable in our private life. Since I was a kid, my mom taught me to differentiate wastes correctly. My father was an active environmentalist, fighting for each tree that got cut. My family always made me live very close to nature and, consequently, to take care of it. Now, how does this translate into our Wine Group? When I say “we are sustainable,” it means we embrace three different principles. First, a proactive approach to CO2 reduction. For example, we

De Cerchio vineyards (above) and aging barrels (below)

are constantly reducing the glass weight of our wines to lower emissions during production and transport. Overall, less than 15 percent of our wines are bottled in heavy bottles – it was 35 percent just six years ago. Secondly, we have an equal treatment of our workforce and pay people properly, according to their skills. We are known as those who raised the bar of wages for seasonal workers and set a new standard in our area.

Lastly, we empower local communities, meaning that we hire people who live near our wineries. But on this point, I would say something more. There are many smart and skilled youngsters from our little village who left Italy looking for better job opportunities in Switzerland, the U.K., Australia, and other countries. We already have many coworkers who decided to come back from abroad to work with us, and this makes me really proud and happy. My goal for the next few years is to increase this trend and give the chance to all those emigrants to come back to their beloved villages, where they can find a job they like and which has a direct impact on their territory.

You are also restoring the old Zambra Tower in Abruzzo with an ambitious hospitality project. What interested you in this effort?

We actually have two monster projects we are working on. Apart from rebuilding the old tower – I use this verb because it was destroyed to the ground, so it isn’t a restoration but a reconstruction from scratch, using the original bricks – we are also building a new winery for Torre Zambra. Both these projects are focused on hospitality. Why? Well, I always believe that it is key to have direct contact with the final consumer – make people come to the winery, giving them the chance to sleep there, live the experience, and spend time in the

place where the wine they love is made. For wine lovers this is magic, but I believe even if you are not very keen on wine it is a nice experience. A winery is always a nice place for guests to spend time and, in Italy, very few give you this opportunity. Our hospitality project, rebuilding the tower of Torre Zambra together with an old farmhouse at a beautiful location of around one acre, will have an “a la carte” restaurant, a wine bar, four guestrooms, and two suites – one inside the tower – and a swimming pool surrounded by three-centuryold olive trees overlooking the vineyards. You go down the valley, one quarter of a mile away, and you’ll see the new winery of Torre

Zambra. One floor is underground where the wine will be produced and there will be one above-ground floor with two restaurants overlooking the vineyards, one with capacity of 100 people and one of 300, in between our barrel rooms. My dream is to give the chance for our aficionados to celebrate their events, weddings, or any kind of important moments inside our most iconic winery, Torre Zambra.

Where did your passion for the wine business develop?

I wasn’t drinking wine until I was 21 or 22 years old, and I wasn’t interested in it at all. When I was a teenager, I wasn’t a proper “student model” and was more interested in motorbikes and cars. I was working in Torre Zambra only during the summer so I could buy branded clothes and I said to myself: I won’t just be another winemaker. My family was sort of pressuring me because they saw no interest in the winery from my side. I hated that. Like a typical rebel, the more they were trying to get my attention directed to wine, the more it was moving away.

Then, I started university and I moved to Padova, a city very close to Venice, to work on my bachelor’s degree. Being away from my hills, from my hometown, and my family gave me a different perspective and made me understand what was important for me. Then, between my Italian bachelor’s degree and my Swedish master’s degree, I had a year break and I took my first sommelier course. That’s where the passion started. I learned about the different Italian, French, and worldwide appellations and I started to study wine on my own, both from a production and a business perspective. Then, my e-commerce startup gave me the chance to meet very talented wine producers and entrepreneurs from all around Italy, from whom I learned even more. Nowadays, I dedicate my career, and basically my life, to wine. I never thought about that when I was 18.•

De Cerchio wines (above and below)

European Style Wines

EDITORS’ NOTE Arman Pahlavan was born in Tehran, Iran and moved with his family to the U.S. He graduated with a BA degree from U.C. Berkeley and attended U.C. Hastings College of the Law from 1988 to 1991. His last job before graduating from college was as a maître d’ at Stars Restaurant in San Francisco. He is a Partner at Perkins Coie, focusing his legal career in venture capital and private equity. He purchased the vineyards at his estate in Geyserville, California in 2001 and founded Starlite Vineyards in 2003.

WINERY BRIEF Starlite Vineyards (starlite vineyards.com) is an ultra-premium boutique winery and estate located in Sonoma County’s famed Alexander Valley that produces European style wines. Starlite commenced its winemaking journey with the Zinfandel that was already planted in the estate’s vineyards. Its elegant and soft yet well-balanced style of Zinfandel had its inaugural vintage in 2003, and has maintained a consistent quality and character with subsequent vintages. In 2007, the winery expanded its offering to include Viognier and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Viognier has received acclaim as one of the most beautiful expressions of this varietal from California. Starlite Vineyards’ Cabernet Sauvignon was released in 2011, and has been hailed as an elegant, Europeanstyle wine. Starlite also began producing a Rosé in 2019 that is known for its complexity and depth as the result of an artisanal crafted blend of estate fruit.

Will you discuss your vision for creating Starlite Vineyards?

I came to it through my love of wines. It was a passion that grew when I was younger. I was working my way through college and landed a great opportunity with Stars Restaurant in San Francisco. Stars was where the socialites would come in the ’80s, and it started catering to the community in Napa. We would go to these amazing venues for hosting Stars catering events that were popping up in Napa and it led me to aspire to someday own a vineyard.

When the opportunity presented itself many years later, we bought this property in the Healdsburg area on Highway 128. It had a farmhouse built in 1912 and we put our flag down

with the aspiration of learning what it means to be in the wine business. I paired with a magnificent woman winemaker who launched the brand for us with our Zinfandel.

The vision was to create an ultrapremium boutique winery, and the largest production we have done has been 1,200 cases of one vintage which shows our commitment to quality, not quantity. We do it almost as an art form in the wine business. The labels for our Cabernet bottles have images of my art collection of classic contemporary artists, which makes the wines even more special.

What have been the keys to Starlite Vineyards’ strength over two decades?

The strength of the brand has changed from being a focused brand in the wholesale and restaurant markets to a brand that is much more in the consumer market. We shifted our focus more toward consumer marketing and sales so we’re putting less effort into promotion in the wholesale market than we are in the direct-to-consumer market today.

That is the difference we have from the wineries that have unlimited resources or have large financial partners behind them where they can spark capital and conduct marketing efforts. We have to figure out where to concentrate our efforts that will give us the biggest bang for our buck. Direct-to-consumer provides us a channel to get the largest margin for the products so, from a financial perspective, it is the most cautious and reasonable method of managing the finances of the business.

Will you highlight the guest experience when visiting Starlite Vineyards?

The truth of the wines only becomes apparent when people come to visit us because, for the direct-to-market and direct-to-consumer business, the only way to develop a following is for people to come sit with us at our facilities and enjoy the wines onsite. There is no other way to differentiate ourselves through any other method of direct-to-consumer marketing.

What we do is unique. Few wineries in California do what we do in creating a European style of wine. It will be hard to find someone who says they create handcrafted European style wines at any other winery.

Arman Pahlavan

An Interview with Arman Pahlavan, Proprietor/Executive Manager, Starlite Vineyards

Starlite Vineyards in Geyserville, California (above and opposite page)

Producing European style wine means that we have softer tannic structure and a willingness to try blends like the Spanish and Italians. For example, our Cabernet has a blend with tempranillo. It’s not a normal blend. I have recently heard that others are doing it, but I didn’t know that when we started; it just sounded right to me. Also, I have only worked with women winemakers and the woman’s touch to winemaking also has something to do with the softer style of our wines. Women generally have more patience and the elegance of their work shines through with our wines.

There also aren’t many producing Viognier. In 2007, we started with this varietal in the Alexander Valley. No one was doing that at the time and there are still only a handful of wineries doing it. The Viognier we produce is completely European in style. We utilize the barrel-fermented winemaking technique. I don’t know if anyone else is doing this, but it’s not something that many people aspire to do.

Is the Alexander Valley region wellunderstood for its leadership in winemaking?

The region is not as well-understood as it deserves. There are a lot of great wineries there. For the past 20-plus years that we have been doing this, there has been a great deal of attention on the town of Healdsburg and the Alexander Valley and it has been developing as a destination. People can taste the wines produced in the Valley and gain an appreciation of what we do.

What have been the keys to producing such a consistently high-quality product year after year?

Consistency is key, and we have remained consistent by limiting what we’re producing. Once you expand what you do, you will run afoul with quality controls. I may be a contrarian in this respect, but I believe this philosophy is true. There are a lot of fantastic winemakers that produce 10,000-15,000 cases of wine, but even for them, their darling wine is a vineyard designate that produces less than 500 cases.

Consistency comes from having the vineyards being from our estate, as opposed to going and buying fruits; it comes from having proprietors involved continuously in overseeing all operations including the farming, vinification, branding, and marketing as well as being directly involved with the sales of the wine to the consumers at the winery; it comes from caring about the vision as opposed to changing it based on the financial ups and downs of the markets.

Are you able to enjoy the journey and reflect on what you have built?

One of the wonderful things about Starlite is that I have a home on the premises, and when I have an opportunity to visit and interact with guests at our tasting room or enjoy the amazing scenery, it provides an opportunity to reflect and appreciate what we have built. It has been an amazing journey, and I am excited for the future. •

Capturing The Essence Of The Terroir

An Interview with Emilia Marinig, Head of Marketing and Communications, Querciabella

EDITORS’ NOTE Emilia Marinig brings over 20 years of international experience in managing Italian Fine Wines to her role at Querciabella. With a Master’s Degree in Wine Business Administration, Marinig combines creativity with analytical skills, helping shape Querciabella’s trajectory towards unprecedented heights. As a Certified Vinitaly International Ambassador and Educator, she shares her extensive knowledge and passion for Italy’s viticulture heritage with enthusiasts around the world. Marinig is well-versed in digital strategies, keeping up-to-date with all the new developments and leveraging her expertise to enhance engagement with consumers in the digital sphere.

in the hamlet of Ruffoli – a farmhouse surrounded by a few vineyards. From these modest beginnings, Querciabella blossomed fast, becoming one of the most appraised wineries in Chianti. Under the leadership of Castiglioni’s son, Sebastiano, who assumed the reins in the late 1990s, the estate expanded through strategic acquisitions in the Chianti Classico region and the establishment of a coastal estate in Maremma, Alberese, south of Grosseto.

young and very talented winemaker from South Africa. Our portfolio has thrived since then, producing wines renowned for their elegance and terroir expression. Nowadays, the estate boasts 94 hectares of thriving vineyards in Chianti Classico and Maremma. The different qualities of each vineyard are skillfully brought to life and blended to perfection to craft excellent wines sought after for their beautiful poise and rare complexity.

Will you elaborate on Querciabella’s approach to biodynamic viticulture?

WINERY BRIEF In 1974, Giuseppe (Pepito) Castiglioni – an industrial entrepreneur and lifelong wine lover – bought a single hectare of vineyard on a Tuscan hillside and set about creating an estate that would soon span the breadth of the region. He dreamed of producing elegant, rich wines, made not only from native Sangiovese grapes, but also from those of his beloved Bordeaux and Burgundy –Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc, to name a few. Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni – Pepito’s son and an investor and entrepreneur in his own right – converted the estate to organic viticulture in 1988, making Querciabella (querciabella.com) one of the first wineries in Italy to employ this practice. Today, that single hectare in Tuscany is just a small part of the 94 hectares of the Querciabella vineyards.

Will you discuss the history of Querciabella?

Querciabella might not have a centurylong tradition like other celebrated Tuscan estates, but our history is certainly one of passion, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of excellence in winemaking. Founded in 1974 by Giuseppe (Pepito) Castiglioni, a visionary with a deep appreciation for fine wines, the estate was born amidst the rolling hills of Greve in Chianti. Castiglioni’s ambition was clear: to produce wines that could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the finest bottlings in his vast collection.

Our journey towards greatness began humbly with the acquisition of a small estate

Sebastiano’s leadership heralded a purpose-driven, innovative, and sustainable approach to winemaking. The estate embraced organic farming as early as 1988, preceding formal certif ication. In 2000, Sebastiano introduced biodynamics, and in 2010, he made another pivotal move by converting all operations to plant-based, embracing a vegan ethos that resonated deeply with our core values of ethical integrity and uncompromising quality.

In the same year, under the guidance of Luca Currado, Querciabella hired Manfred Ing, a

At Querciabella, our philosophy centers on balance. We recognize vineyards as dynamic ecosystems intimately connected to nature’s rhythms. Since 2000, biodynamic practices have been integral to our winemaking approach, guiding every aspect of vineyard management.

While we embrace the holistic concept of harmony, we eschew the more spiritual elements, instead adopting a pragmatic approach that integrates techniques such as cover crops, herbal preparations, and meticulously planned viticultural interventions to foster biodiversity, soil health, and vine vitality, imbuing our wines with a profound sense of terroir and vitality.

Emilia Marinig

Harvesting grapes from a Querciabella vineyard

Our transition to plant-based operations signifies a pioneering venture into low-impact viticulture. Beyond simply excluding animalderived products from our vineyard and cellar practices, our vegan ethos reflects a deeper reverence for the interconnectedness of all life forms. Stripping away pesticides, additives, and unnecessary manipulations, we truly honor the sanctity of the environment, promote sustainable agriculture, and craft wines that resonate with purity, authenticity, and a profound sense of harmony with nature.

Will you provide an overview of Querciabella’s estate and wines?

Querciabella’s estate sprawls across 94 meticulously tended hectares of vineyards, nestled in the enchanting hills of Chianti and along the wild coastal beauty of Maremma. Our diverse portfolio is a living tribute to the unique microclimate, soil composition, and practices that define each of our vineyards.

From the sought-after elegance of Batàr, an epic Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc blend

cherished by the world’s finest collectors, to the captivating Camartina and Palafreno, our most iconic wines exemplify precision winemaking with exquisite poise and complexity. Meanwhile, the Maremma range offers wines characterized by crispness, pleasant aromatics, and a velvety mouthfeel.

Central to what we do, of course, is the Chianti Classico DOCG range, a manifestation of meticulous craftsmanship and a deep respect for tradition. With 52 hectares of vines gracing Greve, Radda, and Lamole, Sangiovese reigns supreme, constituting nearly 60 percent of our crop. Our single-site approach, introduced in 2007, pays homage to the intrinsic qualities of this noble grape, culminating in the Querciabella Gran Selezione – a wine deeply rooted in a high-altitude vineyard above our cellars in Ruffoli.

With an unwavering focus on tension and fruit purity, each of our wines reflects the culmination of our dedication to the terroir.

What have been the keys to Querciabella’s industry leadership?

At the core of our vision is a profound commitment to sustainability, extending beyond environmental preservation to encompass financial stability, employment fairness, and virtuous interaction with the local community. The other pillar is continuous innovation, embracing change while upholding the craftsmanship in winemaking. Through investment in research and development, we always figure out new ways to improve quality, explore new techniques, and adapt to evolving consumer preferences and environmental challenges. Our ultimate goal is to achieve excellence in every aspect by paying meticulous attention to detail, maintaining the highest quality standards, and relentlessly pursuing perfection. This commitment results in wines of exceptional quality and distinction, reinforcing our position as an industry leader.

Beyond environmental stewardship, our sustainability initiatives extend to social and economic dimensions. We prioritize fair labor practices by providing equitable wages and safe working conditions for all our employees, who mostly live locally. Furthermore, we actively engage with our community, supporting initiatives that promote education, cultural enrichment, and social empowerment.

In terms of viticulture and winemaking, we have more than demonstrated our commitment to minimizing our environmental impact across all aspects of our operations. For over 30 years, by avoiding the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, we prioritize natural solutions that promote soil health and biodiversity, thus contributing to the overall health of our vineyards and surrounding ecosystems. We have also introduced lighter materials for our bottles and packaging, which are chemical-free and easy to recycle.

We are putting our best efforts into lowimpact winemaking, and our crowning achievement will be the new state-of-the-art cellar. It will employ energy-efficient technologies and help us reduce our reliance on non-renewable

resources while streamlining logistics and further offsetting our carbon footprint. Moreover, it will help cut down on heavy commercial traffic through the town center, thus enhancing the quality of life for the citizens of Greve.

Where did your passion for the wine business develop?

My endeavor in the world of wine is a rich blend of my deep-rooted passion for wine and food, academic pursuits, and dynamic personality. Hailing from a rustic enclave in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, my fascination with wine took root early on. As a student, I was captivated by its extraordinary ability to capture the essence of the terroir. It spoke to my appreciation for the diverse landscapes and cultures that shape our world.

For me, wine serves as a conduit to engage both my analytical mind and my creativity. My background in marketing equips me with the capability to analyze invaluable insights into consumer behavior, market trends, and effective communication strategies – skills that proved instrumental in this competitive industry. Mostly, though, I consider wine as a catalyst for connection and conviviality. Its sensory allure fosters meaningful conversations, strengthens relationships, and creates enduring memories.

After more than two decades of international experience, wine continues to inspire and enrich my journey through life: the narrative behind each bottle leads me every time to discover a tapestry of human ingenuity, craftsmanship, and perseverance. Moreover, it has drawn me to the heart of Chianti Classico, where I assumed the role of overseeing marketing and communications at Querciabella, a prestigious winery celebrated for its unwavering commitment to quality and sustainability. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have embarked on such a special journey.• Querciabella cellars

House Of The Unconventional

EDITORS’ NOTE Forty-year-old Alessandro Pasqua is President of Pasqua USA. He has been in charge of Sales and Marketing for the North American market and Canada since 2016. Pasqua previously gained experience at Bain & Company in projects in Italy and Japan.

An

WINERY BRIEF Pasqua Wines (pasqua.it) is a historic Veronese winery, owned by the Pasqua family. Founded in 1925, the winery is recognized worldwide as a producer and ambassador of prestigious Veneto wines. The company’s ambition is to take the winemaking experience it has gained over 100 years of history into the future with renewed stylistic codes. This is possible by combining its century of experience and deep understanding of the potential of the Valpolicella terroir with innovation in winemaking style.

Will you discuss the history of Pasqua Wines?

Pasqua Wines was founded in 1925 in Verona by my grandfather and his brothers. Originally, they were making wines in Southeast Italy, but in 1955 the winery was officially founded. Recognizing the tremendous potential of the Veneto region, my grandfather and his brothers had the foresight to establish their winery there. In the 1940s, our family pioneered the development of an automatic bottling system, revolutionizing production and contributing significantly to our growth in the region. The foresight of my grandfather and his brothers was to go to an up-and-coming wine region like Veneto because the potential was huge. In the 1940s, when my family became the first to come up with an automatic bottling system for the wines, it helped with production immensely, growing the business in the region. As of today, the winery is still run by my family. My father, Umberto, is the President, my brother, Riccardo, is the CEO, and I am the President of Pasqua USA –three generations of passionate winemakers. Pasqua Wines are distributed in many countries around the world, and we are proud to have just received the Wine Enthusiast’s Innovators of the Year Award.

Will you provide an overview of Pasqua’s winery and wines?

Pasqua is located in Italy’s Veneto region, nestled in the heart of Verona. We are recognized worldwide as a producer of prestigious Venetian wines, and we are committed to innovation in the vineyards and winemaking, which is why we came up with our tagline, “Pasqua: House of the Unconventional.” We like to challenge ourselves with unconventional projects. Pasqua Wines is leading the way in quality and innovative winemaking with icons such as 11 Minutes Rosé, Hey French! You Could Have Made This But You Didn’t, and the Mai Dire Mai line. 11 Minutes Rosè is a rare, if not unique, blend created from two grapes native to Veneto, Corvina and Trebbiano di Lugana, and two international varieties, Syrah and Carmenere.

Hey French You Could Have Made This but You Didn’t can be considered our bravest and boldest creation, as it’s made from four different vintages and aims at embodying the terroir

identity and the winery’s style which emerges beyond the single vintage. Finally, the iconic Mai Dire Mai line conveys the excellence of the Valpolicella wine region, representing our most powerful and radical expression among the different interpretations of Valpolicella wines we produce.

Alessandro Pasqua

Interview with Alessandro Pasqua, President, Pasqua USA LLC

Pasqua barrell room

What have been the keys to Pasqua’s industry leadership?

The key to Pasqua’s industry leadership is our commitment to innovation in grape growing and winemaking. With a long history behind us dating back to 1925, we have always embraced innovation as a key element first in the vineyard, then in the cellar, and, finally, within wine communication. We are deeply rooted in the territory and strongly projected into the future. For us, winemaking is deeply intertwined with wine-reinventing and this has become even more important with the third generation, which is now leading the winery. The company’s ambition is to bring all our grape growing and winemaking experience, which we have developed over a century, into the future through renewed stylistic codes in order to honor the interests of the consumers, especially when it comes to the next generation. This is why we have also presented the “Pasqua: House of the Unconventional” Manifesto which describes our vision to be a research laboratory and a creative hub. The aim is to combine our century-old experience and full understanding of the potential of the Valpolicella terroir with innovation in winemaking style and communication strategies.

Will you provide an overview of Pasqua USA?

Pasqua USA is a project that started with my brother, Riccardo, back in 2010 and has continued with me taking over in 2016. Since then I have been in charge of sales and marketing in North America for Pasqua Wines where I coordinate a team of dedicated professionals with expansive knowledge of the market. Each year, we try our best to be innovative and break glass ceilings by doing things never done before. For example, Pasqua Wines is the first Italian winery ever to be nominated and win Wine Enthusiast’s Innovator of the Year Wine Star Award. That is something we would not have been able to achieve without the success of the North American market.

What have been the keys to Pasqua Wines growth in the North American market?

The key to our growth in the North American market is, first of all, the quality we are offering and the innovation we are bringing, which starts from the vineyards and goes all the way up to our tone of voice and communication. We also have a young team with strong vertical sales experience that allows us to have a stronger presence in the market and to target the right audience. Consumers looking for something valuable come to us because they know they can have a great sensory and esthetic experience, and this has been particularly true with the younger generations, Millennials and Gen Z. Some research we have conducted with Toluna, a market research company, confirms the direction

of our strategy where creativity and innovation from the vineyard to the winery to communication are central. Both profiles show a growing attention for the world of wine and its denominations and confirm to us how Italy is one of the reference countries of the global wine culture, able to attract the consumers of the future with its many diverse wines and stories.

Will you highlight Pasqua Wines study on the relation between wine, Millennials and Gen Z, and how to make wine more relatable to younger generations?

Millennials and Gen Z have very different buying habits from their parents. In order to explore these consumers, early last year we partnered with Toluna to investigate these two categories in three different markets: Italy, the U.S., and U.K., interviewing over 800 people in each country. The results have highlighted how sustainability is a crucial value for both these groups when buying wine, with Gen Z paying huge attention also to inclusion. Gen Z is also very keen on the intersection between art, digital art, and products they buy. They want the wine to be relevant to their other interests. Also, young generations look for brands which they can trust and which are able to offer quality and innovation. By Pasqua Wines focusing on art and sustainability, we make the wine more approachable to the younger generation.

Where did your passion for the wine business develop?

Pasqua Wines has been in my family for generations. I grew up around wine and the business, and over time, they became second nature to me. I am inspired every day by my family’s commitment to wine and innovation. We are constantly learning how to navigate new challenges and embrace new opportunities. In a way, I suppose I have always had a passion for it.•

Pasqua vineyards in Italy

Pasqua Winery

The Story Of A Family Business

EDITORS’ NOTE

An Interview

Alberto Tasca is the owner of Tasca d’Almerita, one of the Sicilian wineries leading the island viticulture and winemaking Renaissance. Tasca is also the Chairman of SOStain Sicily, an initiative which promotes ethical and sustainable development in the Sicilian wine sector, accompanying and directing wineries towards the constant measurement and reduction of the impact that agricultural practices have on the territory.

WINERY BRIEF

For eight generations and nearly 200 years, the Tasca d’Almerita family has spearheaded Sicilian agriculture and winemaking through passion, innovation, and perseverance, emphasizing minimal winemaking intervention to preserve individual varietal characteristics. The winery (tascadalmerita.it) owns five different estates all over the island – from Tenuta Regaleali, a green oasis in the center of Sicily in the county of Sclafani, to Tenuta Tascante on the slopes of Mount Etna, from Tenuta di Capofaro whose Malvasia vineyards overlook the sea, to Sallier de La Tour Estate near Palermo where they focus on Syrah, along with a very unique project, that of the Whitaker project on the island of Mozia, where vineyards are located within an archeological park.

Will you discuss the history of Tasca d’Almerita?

The story of the Tasca d’Almerita family is written in the land they cultivate, guard, and have passed down for eight generations. It is the story of a family business, projected into the future, an interpreter of that combination of quality and identity that has led Sicily to be recognized as one of the most fascinating and varied wine regions in the world.

Everything began in 1830 at Regaleali, from the Arabic “Rahl Alì” (Ali’s farmhouse), 1200 hectares in the heart of Sicily on the border between the province of Palermo and that of Caltanissetta. Here the impact of the landscape stuns and excites, among lakes and fields of wheat and olive trees, and today Tenuta Regaleali has an extension of almost 600 hectares with 12 different types of soils, 6 hills located between 450 and 900 meters above sea level, and is understood as “an island” in itself, a real monopoly, a unique territory in the Sicilian wine scene. It was here that at the end of the ’70s, Count Giuseppe Tasca d’Almerita first demonstrated, with the Rosso del Conte, that Sicily could

produce wines of international level, able to compete with the best vintages from Europe and the New World.

Then it was Lucio Tasca’s turn, who with his vision experimented with the first international varieties, tracing a path then followed by many. In 2001, Lucio’s son, Alberto, continued in the furrow of his father’s experience preserving the spirit for research and quality with a passion for innovation that the family has in itself and a strong attention to sustainability. With a clear agricultural and wine project, in search of the most suitable native varieties and in order to enhance the territories in their uniqueness, and with a look towards an increasingly sustainable future, over the years four other estates have been added, selected and desired for their pedoclimatic characteristics, and because each one carries its own identity and distinctive oenological vocation.

Tasca d’Almerita was also one of the founding fathers of SOStain, the first program in Italy for sustainability in the wine sector, which provides for respect for a series of 360-degree sustainability requirements. This commitment led Tasca d’Almerita to receive the award as “European Winery of the Year” from Wine Enthusiast and the prestigious Green Emblem from Robert Parker Wine Advocate. In 2023, Tasca d’Almerita, already a Benefit company, obtained the B Corp certification, becoming part of a global movement of companies that respect high standards of social and environmental impact.

Will you provide an overview of Tasca d’Almerita estates and wines?

At Regaleali Estate, an altitude that goes from 350 to 900 meters, the particular climatic conditions and the great variety of different areas for microclimate, soil composition, and exposure allow a full expressiveness to many vines elsewhere not suitable for the warm viticulture of the island. The white wines offer a wide aromatic spectrum, accompanied by an unusual freshness and brightness in Sicilian production. The red wines are full and fruity, but anything but soft or alcoholic –on the contrary, they are supported by a robust acidic and tannic backbone which makes them long-lived like few other island wines. The characters of the classic grapes of the island – catarratto, inzolia, grillo, perricone, nero d’Avola – are enhanced and shaped in directions unknown to the rest of the region; those of international varieties – cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay – take on

original aromatic and taste nuances. The Regaleali Estate has always been appreciated as a model company for the continuous experiments, for the ability to introduce innovative cultivation and winemaking techniques, for having been able to introduce international varieties, while at the same time for the careful enhancement of native vines.

At the Tascante Estate, on Etna, on the eastern coast of Sicily, everything exudes magnetism. It’s a place where the rich history, the vibrant nature, and the profound cultural heritage come together to create a truly captivating atmosphere. More than 200 dry-stone walls, over 100 terraces, 7 hectares of chestnut trees, and olive trees create the unique heritage of the Tascante Estate in the different areas of the Pianodario, Sciaranuova, Rampante, and Grasà districts. The history of Tasca and that of Mount Etna came together more than 10 years ago and the Tascante project (Tasca and Etna) was born. Mount Etna is a force of nature in its purest, most primordial state. In each contrada, the altitude, soil composition, exposure, and the typology and morphology of the lava tongues create four distinct scenarios. On the Tascante Estate, the native vines of Nerello Mascalese, Carricante, and Nerello Cappuccio coexist on the northern side of the mountain, between Castiglione di Sicilia and Randazzo. Each wine shows its own strong personality. Nerello Mascalese grapes tell different stories in Pianodario, Rampante, and Sciaranuova. In Sciaranuova, an old vineyard has given life to a small production called Sciaranuova “VV.”

The Capofaro Estate is located in Salina, in the Aeolian Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here one of the finest expressions of the typical wine of the area, Malvasia delle Lipari, is produced. The charm of a vineyard more than 30 years old, illuminated by the historical lighthouse on the promontory, enchanted the Tasca d’Almerita family

Alberto Tasca

with Alberto Tasca, Owner, Tasca d’Almerita

who in 2001 decided to buy Capofaro, replanting a large part of the vineyard, but preserving the historical plant material. Today, Tasca d’Almerita compares its vineyards to others in various fertile areas of Salina, in the upper part of Valdichiesa, and studies the expressiveness of Malvasia on another island, nearby Vulcano, from which “Vigna di Paola” was born. Relais & Châteaux, the organization that brings together 580 of the most prestigious properties and hotels in the world, has awarded the 2020 “Sustainability Trophy” to Capofaro Locanda and Malvasia. This victory recognizes the Tasca d’Almerita family’s great commitment to reducing its impact on the environment, and to stimulating knowledge and awareness in the local community in terms of sustainability and protection of natural resources and the sea.

The Sallier de La Tour Estate is located in Alto Belice, a few kilometers from Palermo, in the Monreale DOC wine area. The Estate belonged to the Sallier de La Tour family, Princes of Camporeale, since the mid-nineteenth century. The La Monaca winery was built in 1909 and takes its name from the hill behind the Estate. The soil is fertile, mostly clayey, with the presence of limestone, sand, and silt. The morphology of the land is gently undulating, with wide flat areas where the soils, very deep and fresh, mix with materials of alluvial origin. Numerous natural springs contribute to maintaining the vines’ water reserves, making the Syrah variety perfectly suited to this area where the hot-humid microclimate and fresh soil allow the grapes to ripen constantly.

Mozia-Tasca d’Almerita|Whitaker Estate: In the 8th century B.C., the Phoenicians established a thriving settlement in Mozia. Due to its being a small island in the Stagnone di Marsala lagoon, surrounded by shallow waters, it was easy to defend against enemy attacks and offered a safe harbor for ships. Its 40 hectares of land soon became one of the richest colonies in the Mediterranean. Today, Mozia is one of the bestpreserved Phoenician archaeological sites in the world. The island, still uninhabited today, boasts a microclimate in which the Grillo grape expresses all its vital force. The vineyard is in a beautiful location, surrounded by archaeological sites and near a salty pond, a place where the vine has long played an essential role. Here the destinies of two

families – the Whitakers and the Tasca d’Almerita –have intertwined in a unique ecosystem, where the charm of archaeology accompanies a wine rich in history. In 2007, the Whitaker Foundation entrusted Tasca d’Almerita with a project for the promotion and restoration of the historic vineyards of Grillo on the island of Mozia, with the ambitious idea of bringing the “Wine of the Phoenicians” back to life. Today, in Mozia, 12.7 hectares of vineyards are in production in a place that has neither electricity nor fresh water for irrigation; in fact, it is in the middle of a salty pond among the windiest in the Mediterranean.

Will you discuss Tasca d’Almerita’s commitment to sustainability?

Tasca d’Almerita is a family agricultural company that has always dedicated the same attention and care to the land as it does to a family member. Since 1830, even before sustainability became a trend, Tasca was a company with a strong orientation towards sustainability. What does it mean? It has always chosen not to use chemical agents that could be harmful to the environment, to the soil, but also to the workers and the surrounding territory. It has always favored manual labor, non-harmful defense methods, such as the use of organic fertilizers, green manure with legumes, etc. Since 2010, thanks to SOStain, a sustainability program for Sicilian viticulture recognized by the Ministry of the Environment, Tasca has started a scientific path that allows to measure and reduce the impact of our activities in the vineyard, in the cellar and throughout the organization. The SOStain regulation is based on 10 minimum sustainability requirements that wineries must have to obtain certification, by an independent third party, and to use the SOStain brand. Among these requirements is also the calculation of the four indicators of VIVA, the sustainability program in viticulture promoted by the Ministry of the Environment: Water, Air, Vineyard, and Territory. SOStain starts from the assumption that the impacts of agricultural activities go beyond the boundaries of the fields that are cultivated, as they also concern the wellbeing of workers and the health of consumers, the involvement of local communities, the enhancement of the surrounding territory, and the conservation of natural resources. For this reason, the aspects that are taken into consideration by the regulation are multiple and range from the measurement of water consumption and the carbon footprint to the control of the weight of the bottle; from the measurement of flora-fauna biodiversity to the enhancement of territorial capital; from the measurement and reduction of energy consumption to the evaluation of the health of farmers and consumers.

are now creating, but which Tasca d’Almerita has been voluntarily producing for 12 years. The goal is to show, through scientific data, the winery’s progress as well as areas for improvement.

The 12th edition of the Sustainability Report, in reference to 2022, is available to download from our website, www.tascadalmerita.it. The key elements of the document are defined as “the ten ingredients of sustainability” and are based on the requirements defined by the SOStain and VIVA programs. Some of the most significant results from last year are the following:

• In terms of biodiversity protection, Tasca d’Almerita has dedicated 71 percent of the total land area of the estates to viticulture, while 29 percent is dedicated to pastures, arable land, olive groves, woods, lakes, streams, and uncultivated areas. In 2022, there was a 7.55 percent increase in natural areas compared to 2020.

• Since 2016, Tasca d’Almerita has calculated the VIVA program’s indices on a company scale: Carbon Footprint, Water Footprint, Vineyard, and Territory. It met all the program’s requirements, including saving 6,193,000 liters of water compared to 2017 numbers.

• At every Tenuta, the consumption of electricity per liter of wine processed remained lower than the limit defined by SOStain Regulations. Compared to 2017, 609,170 kW of electricity was saved thanks to the use of solar panels.

• To help reduce emissions, 32 percent more bottles are a lighter weight than in 2020, well below the SOStain benchmark.

• The absence of herbicides, the use of recyclable and environmentally friendly materials in the vineyard, the total absence of residue in the wines, and a sulfite content lower than the limits set by organic farming have also been confirmed.

• The grapes are grown locally, and 50 percent of the suppliers of raw materials for wine production are located in Sicily, supporting the local community and reducing transportation emissions.

• A reduction of 754 tons of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere from 2016 to 2023.

Thanks to SOStain, Tasca d’Almerita has reduced its impact in many areas. All concrete measures implemented in terms of environmental and social responsibility are contained in our Sustainability Report, a document that many wineries

• The impact of Tasca’s integrated defense strategy on the environment, farmers, and consumers is either lower or equivalent to what would be achieved with an organic defense approach.

In 2023, Tasca d’Almerita became a certified B Corp company. Tasca d’Almerita is the first Sicilian winery to achieve this milestone, recognizing a great commitment to the development of sustainable viticulture which is mindful of the planet and the community. This is a significant achievement, since the standards adopted by B Corp are today considered to be the strictest worldwide: out of more than 240,000 companies that underwent the B Impact Assessment – the evaluation process necessary to become a B Corp – only 3 percent has obtained certification from the international organization B Lab. With this recognition, Tasca d’Almerita, formerly a Società Benefit, has officially become part of a global movement of companies committed to a fair and regenerative economy which restores value to the environment and society.•

Tasca d’Almerita in Sicily, Italy

Nemacolin: The Grand Lodge Penthouse Suite

In 1987, Joseph A. Hardy III, founder of the 84 Lumber Company, set out to buy a few acres near a lake or stream for his daughter, Maggie Hardy, who loved fishing, but instead he fell in love with Nemacolin and purchased a large portion of land. What began as a thoughtful gift for his daughter turned into a lifetime project they would share, building something truly magical together. Mr. Hardy has since moved into his next life, yet his accomplishments and spirit are celebrated across the resort.

Since 2002, Maggie, now joined by her son, PJ Magerko Liquorice, has continued to lead the way and expand the vision of Nemacolin (nemacolin.com), offering guests and members a truly extraordinary resort experience. With a proud humility and excitement for what’s to come, the Hardy family looks ahead to the next chapter of Nemacolin magic.

The Penthouse Suite is The Grand Lodge’s most over-the-top suite, featuring a primary bedroom with a king bed, a second bedroom with two queen beds, two bathrooms, and a private Juliet balcony. Whether you’re traveling with a large party or you simply demand the most spacious, most luxurious, and most unforgettable stay in the land, there’s no substitute for Nemacolin’s Penthouse Suite at The Grand Lodge.•

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