Parsad Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 2014 Fairfax Financial Shareholder’s Dinner The Fairfax Financial Shareholder’s Dinner we hold each year, is set for April 8, 2014 at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. We’ve always enjoyed support from Fairfax, and our last dinner was completely ridiculous, as Fairfax CEO Prem Watsa brought along 15 other executives, managers and CEO’s with him. The dinner is held in memory of JoAnn Butler, who was Prem Watsa’s executive assistant for many years. JoAnn passed away on May 12, 2009 from colon cancer, and she was instrumental in the success of our dinners each year. We raised almost $20,000 for “The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of Canada” in JoAnn’s memory last April. Fairfax Financial Shareholder’s Dinner Upper Canada Room - 18th Floor Tuesday April 8, 2014 Fairmont Royal York 100 Front Street West Toronto, Ontario (416)368-2511 Tickets are available directly if you scroll down the left side of the “Corner of Berkshire & Fairfax” website homepage at: www.cornerofberkshireandfairfax.ca Prices are the same as last year. - $75 for presentation only, and free water, coffee, tea, as well as available cash bar. - $150 for dinner and presentation. We have a limit of only 140 tickets this year, as the Fairmont Royal York did not have a lot of room available. So get your tickets early, as we will definitely be sold out by January. If anyone is interested in corporate sponsorship of prizes, or any donors for prizes, please contact me at [email protected]. Thanks very much!
NormR Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 Just got my ticket 8) As per usual, I'll organize two additional events. Provided Dr George runs his conference before the FFH Dinner, there will be a casual Ben Graham dinner the night before the FFH Dinner at a nearby restaurant for those getting into town early. In addition, that awkward time between the conference (or after work) and the FFH dinner will be filled with some light afternoon drinks. :D
Parsad Posted October 3, 2013 Author Posted October 3, 2013 Just got my ticket 8) As per usual, I'll organize two additional events. Provided Dr George runs his conference before the FFH Dinner, there will be a casual Ben Graham dinner the night before the FFH Dinner at a nearby restaurant for those getting into town early. In addition, that awkward time between the conference (or after work) and the FFH dinner will be filled with some light afternoon drinks. :D Norm, Feel free to pick the restaurant of your choice for the Ben Graham Dinner. Let's go with the private bar again for this year's pre-dinner, as we will have the same or slightly fewer attendees as last year. I'm guessing Francis will have another unusual guest or two for us again. Cheers!
NormR Posted October 4, 2013 Posted October 4, 2013 Let's go with the private bar again for this year's pre-dinner, as we will have the same or slightly fewer attendees as last year. I'm guessing Francis will have another unusual guest or two for us again. Cheers! An excellent idea! ;D
Saidal Posted October 4, 2013 Posted October 4, 2013 I'm looking forward to April and the Dinner. Does anyone have recommendations for a hotel in the city?
Parsad Posted October 4, 2013 Author Posted October 4, 2013 I'm looking forward to April and the Dinner. Does anyone have recommendations for a hotel in the city? A number of hotels in and around the events: - Fairmont Royal York - The Strathcona - Intercontinental - Westin Harbour A lot of the downtown hotels are just a short cab ride away as well. Cheers!
oddballstocks Posted October 4, 2013 Posted October 4, 2013 This intrigues me, only because it seems like it would be fun to go up there and meet board members. What's the plan for events, this shareholder dinner is the night before the Fairfax shareholder meeting correct? Would I need to be a shareholder to attend? I have no issues with buying a share so I can attend, but just curious. Is this dinner only about Fairfax, or is it a general meeting of like minds who all happen to be Fairfax shareholders? What else happens the day of this dinner? I ask because Toronto isn't that far away (less than 5 hours driving), I'm wondering if it would be feasible to just leave the morning of the meeting and then spend that night. A follow-on is what's parking like in Toronto, do they have usurious rates like NYC, or is it more reasonable?
Parsad Posted October 4, 2013 Author Posted October 4, 2013 This intrigues me, only because it seems like it would be fun to go up there and meet board members. What's the plan for events, this shareholder dinner is the night before the Fairfax shareholder meeting correct? Much of it is just people, many from here, gathering and talking about investing. There is the Ben Graham Dinner on the evening of the 7th, then usually the Ivey Value Investing Conference the morning of the 8th, the pre-dinner bar gathering that afternoon, and then our dinner on the evening of the 8th. The Fairfax AGM is the morning of the 9th. Would I need to be a shareholder to attend? I have no issues with buying a share so I can attend, but just curious. Is this dinner only about Fairfax, or is it a general meeting of like minds who all happen to be Fairfax shareholders? No, not yet anyways. But at some point in time as it gets bigger, I can see Prem having to restrict it. What else happens the day of this dinner? I ask because Toronto isn't that far away (less than 5 hours driving), I'm wondering if it would be feasible to just leave the morning of the meeting and then spend that night. A follow-on is what's parking like in Toronto, do they have usurious rates like NYC, or is it more reasonable? Parking is expensive, but probably not quite as high as NY. Once downtown, taking a cab most places would make the most sense...convenience-wise and value-wise. Cheers!
Parsad Posted October 17, 2013 Author Posted October 17, 2013 We are one-third sold out already! Get your tickets before they are gone. Cheers!
original mungerville Posted October 23, 2013 Posted October 23, 2013 I'll be there for the dinner and presentation for the first time. It will be good to finally meet many of the board members in person. Although I have not posted that much in the last few years, I remember the "lean" years well, and look forward to meeting many of the old and new members alike!
Parsad Posted October 24, 2013 Author Posted October 24, 2013 I'll be there for the dinner and presentation for the first time. It will be good to finally meet many of the board members in person. Although I have not posted that much in the last few years, I remember the "lean" years well, and look forward to meeting many of the old and new members alike! Hi Munger, You might be coming when we are in another shortened set of "lean years"! I'm sure there will be plenty of questions about the hedges, BBRY and three years of a stock market running up. Might feel like old times once the media is done putting them through the wringer. ;D Cheers!
lance2210 Posted October 30, 2013 Posted October 30, 2013 This intrigues me, only because it seems like it would be fun to go up there and meet board members. What's the plan for events, this shareholder dinner is the night before the Fairfax shareholder meeting correct? Would I need to be a shareholder to attend? I have no issues with buying a share so I can attend, but just curious. Is this dinner only about Fairfax, or is it a general meeting of like minds who all happen to be Fairfax shareholders? What else happens the day of this dinner? I ask because Toronto isn't that far away (less than 5 hours driving), I'm wondering if it would be feasible to just leave the morning of the meeting and then spend that night. A follow-on is what's parking like in Toronto, do they have usurious rates like NYC, or is it more reasonable? Hi Oddball, I went to Fairfax AGM last year and i wasn't a shareholder. More curious to see if it compared to Berkshire. Most likely this is my one and only meeting I will attend. Okay I'm from Australia, and my friends in Connecticut drove me all the way from near Hartford. We stayed midtown at the Courtyard Marriott and the carparking rate was C$32 valet or you can selfpark across the road in a garage for C$27. The day of the dinner if you are a full-on investment nut and have a few $$$$$ to spend, there is the Ivey School of Business Value Investing Conference which is at the same venue of the dinner at the Fairmont. Hereis the link http://www.bengrahaminvesting.ca/Outreach/2013_Conference.htm For myself, as a high school teacher who isn't loaded - the NHL Ice Hockey Hall of Fame was my choice and i spent three hours and had a great time with the exhibits. CN Tower and the Air Canada Centre is also nearby. In 2013, Parsad (totally awesome dude) organised with Fairfax a small bus (i think it had about 25 seats) and we visited the stores that Fairfax own for roughly a two-hour tour. One was William Ashley, which is a giftwear store. I'm a single bloke so totally out of my element here. However it had a dark chocolate section Teuscher Chocolate of Switzerland and we got this 30% gift certificate only if you spent $150. We had to pool our purchases to get the discount but it was pretty yummy. http://williamashley.com/web/ The second place we went on the tour is Sporting Life. This is a high-end clothing store mainly focused on sporting accessories like Canada Goose ski jackets. They also provided us with another discount coupon that was the same discounts as William Ashley. The dinner itself is a good feed. There is usually a charity talk from the Chrone's Foundation which is pretty worthy and then the star attraction of Prem and his managers appear. Prem gives a quick talk and then disappears to prepare for the AGM and then it is Q&A time of the various FFH managers which runs for around two hours or so. After the talk, the managers usually get bailed up individually outside the function room surrounded by eager investment minds and this can run up to midnight. AGM Day We arrived on the subway and got to the Roy Thompson Hall around 9am which was pretty busy. We just had to sign an attendance slip saying we weren't shareholders but i got to ask Prem a question at the AGM anyway. All the companies have their brochures and marketing materials. I had to leave to go to Montreal around 12pm but they were serving food back in the main foyer. The ground floor of the auditorium fills out pretty quickly but there's plenty of room on the other floors i felt. Hope this helps, as my school students would say - YOLO! (You only live once).
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