Spring Break
A Night to Remember
The Young President's Organization Dinner
Alex Godden (OJ), Viewpoints Editor
Issue date: 2/19/08 Section: Viewpoints & Humor
An annual event, some would say institution, that I attended mainly because someone last year told me about the afterparty which involved Jell-O shots and an airplane bathroom. I felt it was my duty to investigate…
So what, you may ask, is the Young President's Organization? Even they themselves seem a little fuzzy on the exact specifications, which also appear to have changed recently, but the general gist is you have to be the CEO (or other role with no direct boss) of a big company (the criteria involve revenue, market cap, total payroll and number of employees) before the age of 40ish. You also have to be invited to join by two current members, and agree to attend a certain proportion of meetings.
One of the events they organize for their members is a short MBA refresher/networking course at HBS, and while they are here they work with the Entrepreneurship Club and host a series of small dinners around the city, followed by a party (the one with Jell-O shots and an airplane bathroom. More about that later).
Our very own Professor Nabil El-Hage is a member of this prestigious group, and kicked off the proceedings with a frank and humorous description of how he became involved with the YPO, some of his and his family's experiences, and why he felt the organization was so valuable. The main argument seems to be that once you are in a position like this, you have very few true peers in your social group, and so very few people to talk to about the unique pressures and challenges of earning a six figure salary, being responsible for the livelihoods of hundreds of people and making the kind of decisions we have to say we'd make when cold-called, but that they actually have to follow through on. Plus, you probably want to make sure your kids grow up hanging out with the kids of other Young Presidents, so they when they all bump into each other at their private schools they'll have some common history.
On with the story. My dinner was held at the Harvard Club, which has probably the best views, the best service and the best seafood risotto in Boston. It helps that we had a private room, some truly excellent wine and somebody else paying. This pretty much clinched things for me: I am convinced that this exclusive group is one I'd like to join, or maybe marry into.
So what, you may ask, is the Young President's Organization? Even they themselves seem a little fuzzy on the exact specifications, which also appear to have changed recently, but the general gist is you have to be the CEO (or other role with no direct boss) of a big company (the criteria involve revenue, market cap, total payroll and number of employees) before the age of 40ish. You also have to be invited to join by two current members, and agree to attend a certain proportion of meetings.
One of the events they organize for their members is a short MBA refresher/networking course at HBS, and while they are here they work with the Entrepreneurship Club and host a series of small dinners around the city, followed by a party (the one with Jell-O shots and an airplane bathroom. More about that later).
Our very own Professor Nabil El-Hage is a member of this prestigious group, and kicked off the proceedings with a frank and humorous description of how he became involved with the YPO, some of his and his family's experiences, and why he felt the organization was so valuable. The main argument seems to be that once you are in a position like this, you have very few true peers in your social group, and so very few people to talk to about the unique pressures and challenges of earning a six figure salary, being responsible for the livelihoods of hundreds of people and making the kind of decisions we have to say we'd make when cold-called, but that they actually have to follow through on. Plus, you probably want to make sure your kids grow up hanging out with the kids of other Young Presidents, so they when they all bump into each other at their private schools they'll have some common history.
On with the story. My dinner was held at the Harvard Club, which has probably the best views, the best service and the best seafood risotto in Boston. It helps that we had a private room, some truly excellent wine and somebody else paying. This pretty much clinched things for me: I am convinced that this exclusive group is one I'd like to join, or maybe marry into.
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