The 2019 edition of Berkshire-Hathaway’s Annual Meeting is
in the books. It was a hoot. Yesterday I posted 7
Reasons to be interested. Today’s
list includes reasons the event was not to be missed.
2011 was the last Birkshire meeting I'd attended, but am glad
I made it this year. The crowds were
enormous and the security more pronounced than I recall, but the excited vibe surrounding
Berkshire, Buffett, and Munger hadn’t changed.
Below are 7 reasons I thought it was worth the trip to
downtown Omaha to be part of the mass of humanity from around the world congregated
to hear the Oracle and his trusted partner speak into the investment universe.
First: Parking. Seriously.
A handful of folks drove their RVs into the main parking area a day
(maybe two?) in advance and camped, football tailgate style, near the event
center. Hotel rooms in the city near the
epicenter of Berky-fest are phenomenally expensive and hard to find for a B
Share guy like me. Renting an RV for a
couple days and parking it in the lot in advance is a great idea. Less expensive than a hotel. Easy walking distance. And the continental breakfast may be better.
Second: The annual
movie. It resembled a string of Super
Bowl commercials featuring Berkshire companies.
It was entertaining and informative since I hadn’t kept up on
acquisitions the past 8 years. I was
surprised at the Apple emphasis.
Overall, the film was good, but I still prefer the multiple celebrity
cameo vignettes of years gone by.
Third: The crowd,
possibly larger than ever, was eager and well-behaved. I’m not a fan of huge gobs of humans packed
into small spaces, but the behavior and shared interest of all meant it was
tolerable.
Fourth: Charlie’s
wit. It’s sharp, concise, and wickedly
accurate. It’s a great counterpoint to
Warren’s context heavy responses.
Fifth: The breadth of
knowledge and wisdom spilling forth from Warren and Charlie, elicited from question
topics across the board was impressive – as usual. From the decision process behind the pricing of
super cat insurance policies to the workings of human nature in general, the
ground was indeed covered. The Q & A
with aspiring young investors was kind and appreciated as well.
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| Flight Safety Simulators |
Sixth: Flight Safety
International’s exhibit had 10 flight simulator stations configured with
virtual reality (VR) helmets for the “pilots” and big screen displays for their
fans to watch. Captivating. Other favs included the NetJets business jet
mockup available for walk-through, BNSF’s model railroad display, and the book
store (I’m a nerd).
Seventh: Dilly
Bars. They were still only $1 and didn’t
disappoint. What a great refreshment as
I walked the exhibit hall taking in the buffet of Berkshire.
Anticipation at arrival was high. The event engaged and informed. Content satisfaction at departure provided
a nice finish.
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| Birkshire Meeting Signage |
Eighth (Bonus): After leaving I swung by Eppley Airport on the way
home to ogle the fleet of corporate flying iron arrayed across multiple FBOs
(Fixed Base Operators). It was a
gorgeous, sunny day for airplane viewing. Icing on the cake.
For so many reasons I’m glad I went to this year’s
Birkshire-Hathaway meeting. If you have
the chance to attend next year’s Buffett-fest, I recommend it. Go early if you want a good seat. The venue fills fast.
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