Phew, last week was crazy busy. For starters it was the 4th of July and we drove over to visit some friends in Yakima and enjoyed a personal fireworks show the likes of which I’ve never scene, or heard for that matter. Ah yes, the youthful exuberance of a couple of grown “boys” fueled by an inner pyro and a seemingly unlimited supply of bottle rockets, roman candles, and mortars (not the military version of course).
Next on the roller coaster agenda was a wedding in Kennewick at a beautiful golf course celebrating the union of our good friends, Matt Purcell & Leanne Luehrs. An adorable couple, a sweet/simple wedding, insert gushy “awww” here.
So Friday was driving and witnessing the sky illuminated by a wide spectrum of illegal celebratory explosions, Saturday was more driving and sharing in the joy of the new Mr. & Mrs. Purcell (I confess weddings are a different experience as a married man). Which brings us to Sunday, getting up early and hoping on a flight to Houston for my first business conference for work and serving as an onsite assistant for two managers. About that…
The Worldwide Partner Conference (or WPC) which is a nearly weeklong summit of sorts for all of Microsoft’s global partners to gather for training, business updates and announcements, and to take advantage of networking opportunities was held at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX. During the day there are varies sessions and an expo hall filled with booths displaying new services and technologies. At night a veritable plethora of dining options and social activities are available at local venues with partners and coworkers alike. Needless to say managing the itineraries for two execs while ensuring we remained both nourished and hydrated (humidity is my nemesis) was challenging.
Those long naps on the airplane were well deserved.
However, the icing on the cake was the final keynote delivered Thursday morning by Dr. Yunus of the Grameen Bank and winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. Will put a plug in here that I think Al Gore’s receipt of this same honor in 2007 tarnishes the legacy, but I digress. Dr. Yunus is one of those singular human beings you meet maybe once or twice in your lifetime, and somehow inspires you to want to be a better person and instills a desire to do good. The “banker to the poor” gave the culminating keynote of the conference and shared his story of opening a bank with the exact opposite methodology of your traditional capitalist institution. Instead of loaning to the rich, he has programs setup for the poor. Yet, he doesn’t give money away, but rather empowers the debtors (who also happen to co-own the bank through the loan) to rise above their circumstances, start a business, get an education, and become responsible citizens for change in their communities. Truly amazing, engaging, and endearing.
Overall the experience was very educational as I gained a greater understanding of Microsoft’s business at the partner level including my group’s impact and exciting due to the opportunities to interact with coworkers away from the office and network with partners. WPC was my first real business trip and was a great crash course into the mayhem that precipitates and encompasses a conference of that scale.
Well, now I’m in an airplane bound for a second conference. Wish me luck!
