Wisconsin MBA students to meet with Warren Buffett

Twenty students from the full-time University of Wisconsin–Madison MBA program will travel to Omaha on Thursday, Oct. 21, to share a meal and an experience of a lifetime with Warren Buffett, chair and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway and one of the world’s most successful investors.

According to Dan Walker, a student in the Applied Security Analysis Program and the lead organizer for the Wisconsin students, every year 24 different schools from across the country are invited to send 20 students to one of four Buffett luncheons. Walker accepted essay applications to determine the final 20 students from Wisconsin.

At the Oct. 21 lunch, Wisconsin MBA students will join their peers from the University of South Dakota, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Villanova University, Pepperdine University and the University of Denver.

The day begins with a tour of Nebraska Furniture Mart, the largest home-furnishing store in North America and a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary.

Students will then travel to Buffett’s office, where they will have two hours to ask any questions — about investing or other topics — of Buffett. (Buffett refuses to see the questions in advance).

Lunch is on Buffett at one of his favorite Omaha steakhouses: Piccolo Pete’s. The day begins at Borsheim’s fine jewelry, another Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary, where students can ask any remaining questions of Buffett.

“Lots of philanthropists give of their money, but he gives of his time as well,” Walker says of Buffett.

Buffett also auctions off lunch with him to benefit charities, and most recently, a lunch with Buffett went for more than $2 million. The lunches with students, however, are free to all participants.

“The fact that we get the opportunity to ask any question we want is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Walker says.

For more information, visit http://www.bus.wisc.edu.