During the first week of Spring Break (3/5/06 – 3/11/06), twelve School of Management students, interested in the areas of public service and politics, engaged in the 2nd Annual Washington, DC Study Trip. The students’ primary focus was to meet with high-level decision makers in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Led by Kevin Giordano ’06, Austin Clark ’07, Spencer Hutchins ’07, and Brandon Linton ‘07, the week-long excursion included over twenty meetings, three school-based gatherings, and a number of tours and organized events.

This first trip was originally conceived by Marty DiMarzio ’05, when he recognized a need and desire by students to sit down with successful and well-established leaders, in order to glean as much as possible from their vast set of experiences. Not only would these sessions allow the students to better grasp the planned and unplanned nature of professional paths, but it would also serve the dual-goal of having the students gain insights into the politics and complex dynamics of organizations. DiMarzio’s hopes were realized last year during the 1st Annual Washington, DC Study Trip, and were certainly continued this year.

To say that the caliber and quality of the speaker list for the trip was of the highest order, would be an immense understatement. From private meetings with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove and FBI Direct Robert Mueller, to a tour of the American Red Cross Disaster Operations Center and a personal viewing of NPR studios, the trip’s connections far surpassed any and all expectations. Additionally, perpetuating the spirit of the trip, plans are already being processed for the 3rd Annual Washington, DC Study Trip in March of 2007.

For additional information on the trip or further details concerning past, present and future plans, please contact Austin Clark.


Born into Brothers
On Saturday, Oct. 15, nearly 40 Yale and SOM graduates gathered in Denver to see the Award-winning documentary Born Into Brothels. Nicole Beinstein Strait (Yale SOM '98), Director of Development for Kids with Cameras, provided the film for this special evening event.


Denver University Club Event - Feb. 11
On February 11, 2005, ten SOM alumni and over fifty other Yale alumni gathered at Denver’s University Club to hear a lecture by SOM Professor Barry Nalebuff. The evening included a visit from Pat St. Germain, SOM’s new Alumni Director, who is traveling to many SOM alumni chapters throughout the U.S. to provide support and ideas. During his lecture, Barry shared key points from his new book Why Not? How to Use Everyday Ingenuity to Solve Problems. He described different techniques for creative problem solving in everyday life and in the business world. Barry also talked about his company, Honest Tea, and how it has succeeded by filling a unique niche in the beverage industry. The reception and lecture were followed by dinner, which provided SOM alumni a chance to talk further with Pat and Barry.


Many of these events are made possible in part by support from SOMAA and your alumni dues


New York SOMAA Deloitte Media Thought Leaders Symposium

On Sept 21, SOM was the sponsoring b-school of the Deloitte Media Thought Leaders Symposium. Jim Rosenthal, President of New Line Television (creators of the reality show, Amish In The City) was the featured speaker. Managers from the Deloitte Media & Technology Group moderated the 2-hour session.

Mark Walton (SOM '79), President of the Onyx Media Group International, Inc., represented SOMAA in setting up this event and Cecilia Oh (SOM '04) helped connect SOM alums. Special thanks to both of them and to Rita Chepulis and her team at the Yale SOM Alumni Relations office for assembling the alumni list and creating an electronic e-mail invitation on very short notice.

Stay tuned for future events.


David Cromwell Engages Alumni in Manhattan
David Cromwell, Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Yale since 1995, and winner of numerous student-nominated teaching awards, delighted 65 New York area alumni on Friday evening, October 1, in a talk hosted by the national board of Yale SOM Alumni Association (SOMAA). David’s talk, entitled, “How to Get Rich and Famous By Starting Your Own Business,” was a welcome refresher for former students as well as a humorous and fact-filled outline for SOM grads not lucky enough to have had a class with him. After 30 years on Wall Street, Cromwell has had a second career teaching and, simultaneously, a third career investing in and advising innumerable growing businesses. He sees many patterns for entrepreneurs to succeed – or fail. He reminded the crowd that very few new businesses are technology-related and that women have been disproportionately successful in developing small (and growing) businesses.


New York Cares Spring Clean-up Day
On May 1, the SOMAA-NY team raked, planted, weeded and painted the Children's Garden and other parts of Highland Park. All enjoyed the terrific weather and our work made a tremendous difference to the park.


Dinner with Dick Wittink in Colorado

On May 1, our group of nearly twenty SOM alumni and guests gathered at the Boulder Cork restaurant to join in a dialogue with SOM Marketing Prof. Dick Wittink, who was in Colorado to speak at a conference.  Prof. Wittink shared an interesting overview about SOM, including statistics on the student body, faculty appointments, Centers and Programs of Excellence, financials, fundraising and Executive Education. Two representatives from the Colorado Yale Association Board also joined the group. SOM alumni enjoyed having a chance to meet other SOM folks, hear some SOM scoop from the Professor, and enjoy an evening out in beautiful Boulder, Colorado.

Next event:  Happy Hour during the summer in Denver. Date and location to be announced soon!


Yale in California Alumni Gala

The second annual Yale in California Alumni Gala was held at the Millenium Biltmore in Los Angeles this year.  More than 150 Yale alumni, along with their friends and families, gathered together for a memorable evening.  The highlight of the event was the keynote speech by Peter Salovey '86 Ph.D., the current Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and recently appointed Dean of Yale College (starting July 1, 2004).  To sum it all up, this year's Gala truly brought Yale alumni together and, most importantly, created a stronger presence in the greater Los Angeles area.