2011 UNICEF Children's Champion Award Event

Last week my wife, Alli, and I helped to co-chair a UNICEF fundraising event along with two other couples. At this gathering, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF presented singer/musician Sting and UNICEF UK Ambassador Trudie Styler with its annual Children's Champion Award. Both Sting and Styler have been very active in UNICEF causes. The event last week raised a reported $1.15M for UNICEF's global child survival programs, which was announced as a record-breaking amount.

The UNICEF USA website has a news release describing the event, as well as further details on the grim plight of children suffering around the world and the heroic work UNICEF does to help them. I cannot speak highly enough of the good work this organization performs, and I know Alli feels passionately about UNICEF's mission. We both urge anyone who feels so inclined to contact UNICEF and learn more about its great humanitarian efforts.

• UNICEF USA News Release on the 2011 Children's Champion Award event
• Small Flickr set of photos from the event
• Larger set of photos at the website of photographer Bill Brett

Margot Rogers, former Chief of Staff to the U.S. Secretary of Education, joins Parthenon

It's a distinct privilege to be able to welcome Margot Rogers to The Parthenon Group. Please see the press release below for all the elaboration.

http://www.parthenon.com/GetFile.aspx?u=%2fLists%2fPressReleases%2fAttachments%2f16%2fMargotRogersJoinsTheParthenonGroup.pdf

Not So Fast

In our view, President Obama and Chairman Bernanke have taken undeserved global grief of late. Those new, self-crowned masters of economic policy — Germany, China, Britain, and Brazil — evidently felt it time to teach the President and Chairman their course in macroeconomics. We say, not so fast. The over-arching truths are that...

http://www.parthenon.com/ThoughtLeadership/NotSoFast

Follow the link above to read our full analysis, "Not So Fast," in the latest edition of Parthenon Perspectives.

First Pitch at Fenway

Having the opportunity to throw the first pitch at the August 5th, 2010, game at Fenway was a real hoot and a half. The Sox went on to triumph over the Indians, 6 to 2. I'm not saying my pitch set the winning tone for the rest of the evening but, I mean, hey... you know. Come on. Right?

 

What is Today's Economic Outlook?

Once again our Chief Economist at Parthenon, Roger Brinner, and I team up online to offer our thoughts on the economic outlook as of May 2010. We give our analysis of the following:

• The "Great Recession" in Historical Perspective
• The Range of Opinion on the Outlook
• Global Comparison
• Facts and Myths: Consumer Behavior
• Challenges to the Recovery After 2010

 Follow the link below to our webcast, as well as a slideshow presentation in pdf.

http://www.parthenon.com/ThoughtLeadership/WebcastTheEconomicOutlookFactsVersusPunditsAnecdotes

Harvard Business Publishing Video interview

A two-part interview I gave to "Cue Ball" for the Harvard Business Publishing video series has been posted online at Blip.tv.

While I can't say precisely when the interview was uploaded, its theme syncs pretty closely with the message we presented in "Creating Hot Opportunities in a Cold Economy." The thumbnail image below links to part-one. Total running time of both parts: approx. 10 minutes. I kept it brief because I know how busy you are. You're welcome.

Creating Hot Opportunities in a Cold Economy

Everyone knows the value of turning adversity into opportunity. "When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade!" It's an inspiring credo, to be sure, but - is there any sugar left in the cupboard?

In our latest issue of "Parthenon Perspectives," the question we address is whether there is objective evidence to show companies can actually achieve this goal given the current economic environment. Our conclusion? A resounding "Yes!"

So, may we pour you an iced-cold glass of refreshing indicators? Follow the link below to read the two-part article at the Parthenon.com website. You'll also find a few tasty multimedia treats, including an hour-long webcast and a conference slideshow presentation.

http://www.parthenon.com/ThoughtLeadership/CreatingHotOpportunitiesinaColdEconomy

When the Eagles Are Silent, the Parrots Begin to Jabber

While the present economic downturn may rattle the timid, the more perceptive observers see tremendous opportunity for growth and advancement.

In a new "Parthenon Perspective," my colleague, Roger Brinner, and I offer our analysis of the current business climate. Read it here at the Parthenon.com website:

http://www.parthenon.com/ThoughtLeadership/WhentheEaglesAreSilenttheParrotsBegintoJabber

Dawn Hudson - former Pepsi-Cola President & CEO, North America - joins us at Parthenon

It is with real pleasure that I welcome Dawn Hudson to our firm. Please see the press release below for full details.

http://www.parthenon.com/GetFile.aspx?u=%2fLists%2fPressReleases%2fAttachments%2f2%2fpressRelease_Hudson.pdf

Welcome!

To all who dare venture here - thanks very much for visiting my blog!

I created this space to have a personal venue on the web to share my thoughts and opinions, independent of my position as chairman and managing partner of The Parthenon Group. Often, no doubt, I will posts links to material my colleagues and I have published on the Parthenon website and elsewhere. This is inevitable as most of my energy and focus are directed toward The Parthenon Group. But not entirely. As the blog develops, I hope my different interests will emerge clearly enough. The life motto "work hard, play hard" has always resonated strongly with me. I've tried to do both to my utmost. I intend to keep at it. On this blog I'll share both sides of those two dimensions, as I consider them complementary. And obviously everything published here is solely my own opinion.

Again, thanks for stopping by. I hope you'll become a regular visitor at Bill's Bullpen.