September 2019 Newsletter
The Monthly ROR (Return on Relationship)
Welcome to the full and complete monthly newsletter! Get plugged into recent activities and upcoming ones. Get to know your community, and so much more!
Contents:
- Welcome Note
- Call for Volunteers, Members, Sponsors
- Upcoming Events
- Recent Events
- Five Questions With….
Welcome!
In July 2018, a group of about 50 Wharton alumni met at “Succotash” (courtesy of Jason Berry, WG00) for drinks, socializing, and discussion about how to reconnect ourselves to the Wharton School and to each other. From that discussion, a Steering Committee selected an interim Board of Directors and Advisory Board to set about starting a new alumni club.
On February 4, 2019, with our legal entity approved, bank account established, and a website up and running, we announced the launch of the Wharton Club of the National Capital Region (WCNCR) with a call to membership and a calendar of events.
Within our first month of operation, we welcomed over 270 new members. Over 170 came to our kickoff event hosted by WeWork and featuring Representative David Trone WG85 (Maryland 6th District and Founder of Total Wine). Our list of volunteers is growing, as is our schedule of events, including monthly “Pubs”, affinity groups for recent graduates, tech execs, and emeritus, and a fireside chat - complete with a virtual fire!
We are excited to introduce our monthly newsletter. Here you will find summaries of recent events, get acquainted with your fellow Club members, hear about upcoming activities, meet our sponsors, and find out how to get involved. Please click through the article descriptions to read more.
Get Involved
Many of you have suggested event ideas. We need more folks to take the lead in coordinating these events. If you are interested in putting together an event or a series, please click here to our volunteer page to submit your ideas.
We especially need a Volunteer Coordinator. If you are enthusiastic about corralling interested volunteers, we have a job for you!
Upcoming Events
Sun., Sept. 8 - National Museum of African American History & Culture
We have 100 tickets to visit the The National Museum of African American History and Culture! If you have tried to reserve tickets before without success or want an opportunity to return, this is your chance to visit what the NY Times called “a data-packed, engrossing, mood-swinging must-see”. Given the Museum's popularity, WCNCR members can sign up for 1 ticket each to join us. If fewer than 100 members have signed up a week before the event, members will then be invited to reserve additional tickets.
Thur., Sept. 12 - Save the Date: September Fireside Chat
Fireside Chats are intimate gatherings of 20 or less with Wharton-connected business leaders. They are an opportunity for discussion and interaction with all the attendees.
We are finalizing our second Fireside Chat speaker, so stay tuned. Check out our first ever Fireside Chat last month titled “Baseball, Sports Tech and Wharton” with Brendan Harris WEMBA'18 of SeventySix Capital.
Watch here for the speaker to be announced!
Thur., Sept. 19 - Emeritus Affinity Group
Meets quarterly at Hunter’s Grill, Potomac
The Emeritus Group is targeted towards alumni who graduated at least 45 years ago (give or take), and meets for good conversation over good food. Guests are welcome!
The Hunters Inn, 10123 River Road in Potomac is a congenial local bistro, easy to get to from all around the area. It is located at the intersection of River and Falls Road and is part of a small group of stores one in from the corner on River Road.
Thur., Sept. 19 - September Monthly Pub
Meets monthly at the Crown & Crow
Join us for a monthly happy hour on the third Thursday of every month! It is a wonderful opportunity to relax and visit with fellow alumni in a stress-free environment! Cash bar.
Sun., Sept. 22 - Penn Club of DC's 5th Annual September Brunch
Calling all Quakers - Wharton and Penn alumni, parents, and friends in the DC area are invited to join one of the Penn Club's favorite traditions! For the fifth year running, we'll gather to celebrate the end of the summer with a delicious brunch at Succotash, owned and operated by Jason Berry, WG'02.
This event always sells out, and you don't want to miss it! Plus, we're pleased to offer early bird pricing now through September 3.
Thur., Sept. 26 - DC Walnut Walk
Join us for the 5th Annual Wharton Walnut Walk in Washington, DC! Don’t miss this fun evening! All Wharton MBA and Undergrad Alumni are invited to this networking/social event. We will start at 6 pm in the exciting Shaw neighborhood of Washington, DC.
Stop by one or two bars for networking and a drink, or make an evening of it. All venues are within a few blocks of each other.
Fri., Sept. 27 - Wharton Young Alumni
We hope to see you at Clinton Hall 36 in NYC. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer, and the fun atmosphere while networking with fellow young alumni.
Recent Events
Thur., Apr. 4 - Kickoff Event
The evening of April 4, 2019, the Wharton Club of the National Capital Region had its inaugural event. Hosted by WeWork on 14th Street, the event brought together over 170 Club members and their guests to reconnect and learn more about the new club. The highlight of the event was a humorous and candid Q&A with Wharton alumnus David Trone WG85 -- founder of wine and spirits superstore Total Wine & More and newest Representative of Maryland’s 6th District to the US House. WCNCR Treasurer Geoff Hart asked David how his Wharton experience has informed his life and career. It was a great way to kick off our new club.
Tues., May 21 - Fireside Chat
Fireside Chats are designed to be intimate gatherings of 20 or less with Wharton-connected business leaders. They are an opportunity for discussion and interaction with all the attendees.
Our 1st ever Fireside Chat “Baseball, Sports Tech and Wharton” was with Brendan Harris WEMBA'18 (pictured top right ) of SeventySix Capital at the offices of Engaging Networks (Clint O’Brien WG95) on the evening of May 21st.
Brendan shared his path from player to business consultant and lessons learned along the way. The audience was engaged, asking questions plus did some mingling and networking while enjoying some refreshments.
Many interesting topics were covered, including recent national legalization of sports gambling, big data powered Moneyball version 3.0, what investments are being made in and around sports, plus how athletes are engaging in business. Also, more and more professional athletes are interested in attending Wharton for the sensational education, many special programs, and unique community like Brendan did. Awesome event and great participation from all attendees!
Thursday, June 20th was our first Young Alumni pub event at Dacha - where we had an impressive 35+ attendees! Thanks to Joanna Abousleiman for coordinating this event and for ordering the first batch of appetizers complements of the Club. She writes, “It was a good mix of recent alums, summer interns, and incoming MBA students. One attendee (class of 2019) who was not a member already joined the Club this morning!”
Pub nights occur monthly (third Thursdays of each month). Another Young Alumni event will be scheduled before summer’s end, so our summer visitors will have another chance to get together.
Thur., June 20 - Monthly Pub
Thursday, June 20th was our first Young Alumni pub event at Dacha - where we had an impressive 35+ attendees! Thanks to Joanna Abousleiman for coordinating this event and for ordering the first batch of appetizers complements of the Club. She writes, “It was a good mix of recent alums, summer interns, and incoming MBA students. One attendee (class of 2019) who was not a member already joined the Club this morning!”
Pub nights occur monthly (third Thursdays of each month). Another Young Alumni event will be scheduled before summer’s end, so our summer visitors will have another chance to get together.
Sun., June 23 - Glenstone
On Sunday, June 23rd, a group of about 25 WCNCR members and guests toured Glenstone, the private museum located in Potomac, MD. While we arrived together, people went at their own pace through the unique gallery spaces and art installments. From the Koons hobby horse made of flowers to the emotional collection by Louise Bourgeous, the art was inspiring and the experience was truly marvelous. Everyone who attended suggested making this museum tour an annual event.
Five Questions with...Board of Director members Bryan and Narges
Bryan S. Bloom
Wharton Affiliation and Class Year: WG14
Current Job and Role: Partner & CFO at ENODO Global, Inc. and WCNCR Vice President of Membership
Where do you live in the National Capital Region? Alexandria, VA
What is your favorite activity in the National Capital Region? Anything Wharton! Besides helping to plan the 200+ person WCNCR kickoff event and hosting most of the monthly Pubs, I’m always looking for new opportunities to bring in new members and share activities in this region.
Why are you volunteering to support the WCNCR? There have been many times in my career when a Wharton alum helped on a professional or personal level. I hope the WCNCR can provide more opportunities to pay that forward.
Favorite Wharton Club? As a consistent attendee of over 10 clubs while at Wharton, it is hard to choose, but hockey was probably the most unique as it was my first chance to coach a team.
Favorite Wharton Memory? My first Welcome Weekend as a Student Life Fellow – it was fantastic to talk about the Wharton experience and convince admitted students to attend the following year.
Humble Brag (tell us something about yourself that you are proud of): My job! Helping organizations understand and address social risk, especially through our School Violence Mitigation Program which works to proactively eliminate bullying, self-harm, suicide, and shootings.
Narges Zamani
Wharton Affiliation and Class Year: WG97 and G97
Current Job and Role: Chief Investment Officer focused on private investments and WCNCR President
Where do you live in the National Capital Region? McLean, VA
What is your favorite activity in the National Capital Region? Fireside chats - bringing networking, socializing, and exploring our interests into one.
Why are you volunteering to support the WCNCR? I want to recreate the Wharton feel - a community of goal-oriented helpful alumni working on common goals.
Favorite Wharton Club? Cigar club- “what was I thinking?”
Favorite Wharton Memory? Follies in NY, Greek Lady food truck, Great friends.
Humble Brag (tell us something about yourself that you are proud of): I’m super proud of my two children, who are smarter and more accomplished than I was, but are still probably not going to get into Wharton someday!
We Need SPACE!
One of our biggest challenges is finding donated meeting spaces where we can have large events. If you have access to a centrally located space that we can use for a nominal fee, please let us know the details! Click here to send us a message.
Sponsorships
WCNCR is planning to make sponsorships available for the upcoming 2019-2020 year. If you are interested in increasing your company’s brand awareness, or want to align with a specific venue, program, or affinity club, please contact Ellis Rosenberg for more information at [email protected].