2008-2009 Trips
Below are the trips that we have made this academic year. Please feel free to browse through these trips and those from past years as some of the stops may be of particular interest to your future career.
OmahaMarch 27, 2009
This spring, selected members of the Student Finance Association had the unique opportunity to meet with Warren Buffett, chairman and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway, in Omaha, Nebraska. Buffett is known for his value investing philosophy, charitable donations, and financial success. Students had a question-and-answer session with him, as well as lunch and tours of Borsheim’s jewelry store and Nebraska Furniture Mart, both Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries. This trip was a rewarding experience for not only the Student Finance Association, but for the university as well, and is hoped to become an annual event for the organization.
Memorable quotes...
Everyone has 400 horsepower engines in them. Some people get out 350 while others only get out 100.
The most satisfying investment I have made is my marriage license. It is hugely important who you associate with.
In investing you're looking for easy decisions, in philanthropy you're looking for tough decisions.
On leverage: If you're smart you don't need it and if you're dumb, you have no business using it.
What do the members have to say?
Meeting Warren Buffett was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will cherish forever. He's down to earth for being the second richest man in the world and gave great advice, both for investing and for life in general. The picture I took with him will definitely be framed and put in my first office.
- Grace Hnizdil
Meeting with Warren Buffett was truly a remarkable experience. We not only listened to him share his knowledge but also saw who he was as a person- kind, humorous, and of course intelligent.
– Lindsey Stiles
The advice we received from Warren Buffett will impact not just my perspective on the world of finance, but also my outlook on a more personal level and the integrity I will uphold for myself. This trip is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Besides, select few people can say they have met, let alone kissed the cheek of the second richest man in the world!
- Hailey Berry
- New York City - February 25-March 1, 2009
Twelve students were able to visit NYC finance professionals as well as the NYSE. Students also had the opportunity to go to CNBC's Fast Money show on Friday. Stops during the trip included:
- Keefe, Bruyette and Woods, an investment bank that specializes in financial services firms, to discuss fixed income securities and capital markets.
- Gates Capital Management to meet with K- State alumnus, FAB member and trip sponsor Jeff Gates. The discussion focused primarily on hedge funds and investment management.
- Meeting with Joseph Searles, III in Harlem to discuss real estate investing and diversity issues. Mr. Searles is a K-State alumnus, and was the first African-American member of the New York Stock Exchange.
- Alumni/Student/Faculty Dinner at the Vice Versa Restaurant.
- ConocoPhillips Investor Relations to meet with Gary Russell, General Manager of Investor Relations for ConocoPhillips, to discuss how corporations interact with Wall Street analysts.
- Abel/Noser, an agency broker to institutional investors, to meet with their President, Jamie Noser.
- New York Stock Exchange floor, breaking up into groups of four to observe trading .
- Deloitte Global Mergers and Acquisitions to hold a discussion about Deloitte and global M&A by K-State alumnus and FAB member Steve Butters.
- CNBC’s Fast Money at the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square to view a taping of the show.
- Barclays Capital Equity Strategies to discuss the credit crisis and Wall Street implosion with K-State alumnus and FAB member Darin Batchman.
- Denver - October 16-17, 2008
Students visited Denver, Colorado to meet with representatives of three different companies. Stops during the trip included:
- George K. Baum to meet with Bob Dalton, Vice Chairman of their Municipal Division, and Analyst group.
- Independence Capital Asset Partners
- Intrinsic Capital Partners, an investment and research firm based in Boulder, Colorado, to talk with Mark Yost and a partner of his.
- Koch Industries - September 19, 2008
SFA had the unique opportunity to visit Koch Industries Corporate offices in Wichita, KS by traveling on a charter bus provided by Koch. We were welcomed with a warm introduction and overview of the Koch companies by D.R. Leach. We were given a valuable opportunity to ask questions about Koch industries and participate in a hands-on activity led by Mr. Leach. We then had the opportunity to eat in the wonderful Koch Cafeteria and meet with some leaders in each of Koch's businesses, including K-State alum Mark Soucie. Lunch was followed by an Excel workshop put on by Lee Bakker, also a K-State alum, who walked us through some of the features Excel offers to manipulate data. The Koch trip was an excellent hands-on learning experience for SFA students here in our own backyard!