Lechem Oni at Textron
A few times a year I represent our union pension fund’s shareholder proposals at public companies. Basically, you attend the annual shareholder meeting at a shmancy hotel and explain why shareholders should vote for your proposal. There is a stable of reporters, a slew of investment types, and lots of refreshments. Our proposals generally have to do with good corporate governance and controlling crazy executive compensation.
I was at Textron‘s annual meeting yesterday to present a proposal to keep the company from paying executives’ income and special taxes. These meetings usually have a grand spread of food. In the most upscale hotel in the state, next to all the elegant pastries, smartly shaped butter figurines, and sparkling waters was a silver platter of matzah. I guess it was a shoutout to all the Jewish shareholders but boy was it an odd juxtaposition. Any ideas about what motivates such a move or who eats matzah during a pesach meeting?
Here is a nice article describing what I was doing there. (you can even see a picture of zt looking businessy).
The hotel that catered it probably did it for Pesach as a matter of course.
Ha Ha,
I went to a business breakfast this morning in Phoenix, AZ. The breakfast was provided by the local Jewish “Style” Deli. No matzah, in fact, no fruit or any non-chometz, just bagels and danishes.
Hmm… Time for lunch…
My company’s having a Pizza Party tomorrow. I don’t expect matzah pizza. And at some point I have to take my diversity training.
I was trying to figure out what looked different, and then I realized it was the 100% clean-shaven thing. businessy indeed.
KLP food at shareholder meetings is not unusual. Relatives of mine attend the Johnson & Johnson annual meeting, generally held at its New Brunswick NJ corporate headquarters. In those years when the meeting falls during Pesach, there are separate tables with KLP food away from the other food. I don’t know if its done under supervision, but its a nice gesture.