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John Pepper, Former Chairman & CEO, Procter & Gamble . . . had a great experience last week. Thanks again and I look forward to our paths crossing again. Many, many thanks for including me in the Summit --- 24 hours to engage and reflect on really significant issues . . . I so appreciated the "food for soul" you provided. . . You are simply the best teacher I know. It's a privilege to be a student! I very much enjoyed the session and hope that our paths cross again. It was stimulating . . . largely because of your interaction . . . and the way you had people on their toes . . . mentally preparing should they be called on to "volunteer" a perspective. It was a great conference, and I know where the producers of Larry King Live will turn once the incumbent can no longer serve. You cover quite a range of ground in the conference, which probably makes it most interesting for the participants. I enjoyed the chance to participate, appreciated the invite, and was privileged to watch you conducting the orchestra. I thought the conference was excellent. I heard several positive comments, from a cross section of guests. The test for me is would I attend again --- YES! You did a great job. Great experience! I very much enjoyed it, as I always do. Thanks again for including me and Sandler O'Neill. It means a lot to us. I greatly appreciated the frank exchange that took place during the Summit. It's always good to get away from the day to day grind and get into an environment where you can stretch your mind and focus on some topics that I otherwise would not focus on very much during a "normal" working week (whatever that is). I thought this was the best conference yet. You were very provocative in stimulating some really good discussion on the various governance and ethical topics. I did not sense any bit of guarded comments from anyone who spoke. I can tell you that for me this is very refreshing to get into a group of peers who can "let their hair down" without fear of leaking confidentiality. For me, I can't wait to go to the next session. It WAS a terrific summit, and I thank you. Once again, a masterful performance! Thanks for thinking of me (again). It was a good session and it always is worthwhile for "sharpening the saw". See you next time! Rick Goings, Chairman & CEO, Tupperware Normally I don't enjoy these kind of meetings. Participants are either guarded or self promoting. This one however was quite the opposite because of your style. You are just provocative enough to draw people out and have a way of moving the subject along. There was an air of honesty you just don't see. This was more surprising to me because everyone knew they were being taped. I hope you invite me back. Happy to be part of the program. If I can be helpful in the future, let me know. I just want to say what a top notch experience the 2 day summit was. I had high expectations, and they were surpassed. Jeff, I think you have some very special talents to draw on almost everyone, be provocative in an appropriate way and be able to synthesize the various points of views and themes. You done good! I almost feel silly writing you (again!!) over what a great program it was in NYC last week. Congratulations on another triumph of substance and active engagement with a significant audience. You are remarkable and should count me as a lifelong enthusiast. Great conference. The Corporate Governance session was spectacular, and helpful in real time regarding a corporate governance committee which I chair. As usual, it was great to be with you and the other participants. Other conferences you go to only if you have to; this is the one you go to if you really want to learn. I don’t know how many conferences I go to a year, but it’s quite a few. I have never seen a session with this kind of CEO participation in a relaxed thought-provoking current setting. The moderating at this event and the knowledge in the room was the best I’ve ever seen. Count me in for the next one. Great job once again. Excellent topics, exceptional CEOs, and rich candid discussions. Let me know how I can help with any of your future programs. Masterful facilitation, amazing participants. This is truly the next generation of executive education --- the real article, not the pretense most schools offer for the rank and file manager, calling it executive education. When the chips are down, that weaker sort of exec ed is NOT heeded within companies. Everything from the pre-conference materials you sent out, through the impeccably chosen speakers, to the wonderfully prepared meals and events, was all so brilliantly planned and executed. Without exaggeration, it was one of the greatest conferences I have ever attended and I’m certain that everyone else present felt the same. I wish that other conferences I attend could be even half as informative and productive as yours. I intend to tell everyone I know what a great success it was, and also let them know how lucky they will be if they get a confirmed reservation for the next event. The conference was great. You guys put together a fantastic crowd. Great discussions; great networking; and even great food! Thanks a ton for inviting me. I am definitely interested in coming to these in the future. Thanks again for including me . . . The events were outstanding. Everytime I participate I marvel at the extraordinary group of people that you assemble and the excellent discussions and contacts. I always come away with great, new ideas and new ways of thinking about the issues. I enjoyed the event tremendously. I got a great deal of value out of the program and would appreciate it if you would keep me in mind for upcoming events. Thanks again and congratulations on a job well done. As always it was a special learning experience to share in your CEO Leadership Institute in NYC. I am wiser for having been with you as always. You did a very skillful job of exploiting the backgrounds and expertise of the attendees. You reminded me of Professor Arthur Miller of Harvard Law School in those "town meetings" on PBS television. I am always in awe of your skill in handling a group of 200+ senior executives and engaging them in a dialogue as if everyone was involved and that his/her views received due consideration. I also liked the idea of inviting a group of academic scholars to participate in the discussions. I really marvel at the way you get as many as 120 high-powered people to engage in debate that seems to yield rich insights every time. The participants were a fascinating, intelligent, successful group of men and women. Your semi-Socratic method of developing a dialogue is extremely effective for the group . . . No one can accuse you of being an unfocused academic lacking "real" world understanding or knowledge. The CEO College was a spectacular combination of great idea sharing and camaraderie. You are without peer as a host, moderator, and provocateur. Running something like that takes lots of work and careful preparation, and you had obviously done your homework. Congratulations! You have a great knack for asking the right questions and provoking thoughtful answers . . . It was a great pleasure to be involved. . . I really enjoyed and was immensely stimulated by the CLCS-sponsored CEO Leadership Workshop . . . I applaud you for the obvious preparation and for the sheer mental agility and intelligence to keep the program moving without a single misstep. . . . you provided a gathering of lucky business leaders with a full measure of timely wisdom, useful ideas and fresh inspiration. Not only is the subject matter of the CEO Leadership Workshop a unique offering to its would-be constituency but so, also, is the methodology through which its benefits are conveyed. Your command of the meetings and many summaries of each and every person and their thoughts along with very provocative yet very diplomatically placed questions was a stirring performance that was very valuable. There is no question that you are a true teacher and stimulator of thought that Emory is very lucky to have. . . . what you do is incredible . . . absolutely astounding! I've been attending similar events all my life and none is better than yours. Your ability to bring together such a powerful group, and provide the vehicle for sharing ideas in an atmosphere of candor and trust is truly awesome. My first experience of the Center for Leadership & Career Studies was a smashing success. Also, I found myself impressed with your expertise as a facilitator. Your CEO Leadership Workshop V was absolutely outstanding . . . You are clearly providing a very exciting and dynamic forum for the exchange of CEO ideas and challenges. . . . I commend you on the openness of the participants and, of course, more importantly, the quality of executives that you were able to assemble. . . . [I] compliment you and your team for putting together an outstanding program at the CEO Leadership Workshop. It was a most satisfying and rewarding experience for me, and I had the sense that most other participants felt the same. It was a wonderful opportunity to be a part of your CEO Leadership Workshop in Atlanta. . .the opportunity to participate was something that I had really looked forward to. On reflection, I'm delighted that I took the two days as I learned a great deal from listening to the opinions and dialogue of the people that you had assembled. You managed to compress a lot of important information into a short period of time . . . The candor, breadth and depth of the discussions make the time commitment more than worthwhile. If I could only attend one executive level conference a year, it would be yours hands down! It's refreshing and energizing to participate in the openness that you somehow engender in what might normally be a very guarded audience. It was a most rewarding experience . . . There was a true sharing of experiences, especially in the afternoon breakout session; perhaps this could set the stage for similarly smaller group sessions in the future . . . The total experience was great - and this note of thanks cannot do justice to what I feel is due you and Emory! The best accolade I can offer is that the workshop is real - - - real issues, real people, real dialogue. I enjoyed the CEO Leadership Workshop and how stimulating I found the respective discussions . . . The long trip was highly worthwhile. My take is extremely positive on both dimensions: substance and format. The subjects were on point; richly discussed at the proper level; and in a forum which allowed active participation and dialogue. Very few, if any, competing forums capture all of these success drivers. It was most stimulating, and I agree with your observation that not enough attention is paid to the issues of leadership transition and organizational transformation. . . . a real opportunity to hear some of the nation's most prominent CEOs and their views of competitive issues facing American business today . . . I very much look forward to future meetings of this nature. The day was great and very worthwhile. Can't wait for the next one. Bernard Marcus, Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, The Home Depot . . . It was a great privilege for me to observe the thinking process of such a notable group of individuals from around the nation. The outstanding group of participants you assembled would have been valuable and informative without a program. The outstanding program with the complement of participants was extraordinary. The conference was excellent, one of the best organized I've attended. The people in attendance were people who had very meaningful experiences and who were willing to share. While it takes great guests to make a great party, it is the host that makes it happen. Jeff, you're a hell of a host. I was delighted to be included among the distinguished attendees. The dialogue was stimulating, provocative and informative. Not bad for twenty-four hours. The ease with which we all approached the issues and each other was prompted by your incredible capacity for valuing and affirming every person in the room . . . Thank you, Jeff, for having the vision and the courage to structure such a learning experience for those of us who assume "we know," and for having the charisma that brings together such willing supporters. Many thanks again for the invitation to your conference. As I told you, I had trepidations when I got on the plane in New York but they ended up being ill founded. I very much enjoyed the day and, in fact, wish it could have been longer. I enjoyed it immensely and found it helpful to hear what is on the minds of accomplished and important people. An important experience. The CEOs represented here brought to the discussion insights reinforcing some of my experiences and presented some new thoughts . . . The discussions were candid and I appreciate the willingness of the participants to show their dirty laundry. Very helpful! Thanks. . . . thank you for a delightful 24 hours . . . I not only renewed friendships with old friends, but also made several new ones. Most of all, you stretched my mind and gave me half a dozen ideas to pursue upon my return. . . I rarely attend meetings . . . I found it to be one of the most productive 24 hours that I've spent in a long time. The quality and diversity of your guests couldn't have been more rewarding. Thanks for including me in the CEO Leadership Workshop. It was a great experience. I learned a lot. You certainly do a good job of facilitating group interaction. Thanks for another fine conference. The opportunity to mix and share ideas with other CEOs is much appreciated. To design and carry off a forum like this requires smarts and a good feel for who executives are; you do that with elan. A tip of the hat to your staff and particularly to you for such a professional encounter. Thank you for including me . . . We had lots of candid discussion in the groups I participated in, and I think the entire session was very worthwhile. This conference, under your pervasive and energetic direction, provided thought-provoking, innovative, challenging avenues to be traveled by today's CEOs. Thank you for your commitment to excellence and your passion for innovation. . . . I was invigorated by my all-too-brief escape from my own problems and opportunities into the world of other peoples' problems and opportunities. The experience by itself provides a full dosage of carrots and sticks. |
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