Obama administration now supports Fed audit

WASHINGTON - Following last-minute adjustments, a proposal to audit the Federal Reserve that the Obama administration once opposed was on the verge of passing the Senate as it attracted broad support from conservatives and liberals alike.

The administration withdrew its objections to the proposal Thursday, saying it was satisfied that the audit would not interfere with the Fed's authority to set monetary policy.

The one-time audit would focus on the Fed's emergency lending to financial institutions in the months leading up to and after the 2008 financial crisis. At its peak, at the end of 2008, the Fed's lending totaled $1.16 trillion.

The Fed has become one of the targets of public anger in the aftermath of the financial crisis, blamed for not seeing the meltdown coming and for having what some perceive as too cozy a relationship with the nation's largest institutions. The audit measure, proposed by Vermont independent Bernie Sanders, has populist support from across the political spectrum, from tea party activists to liberals and labor organizations.

The building momentum for the audit measure came after the Senate, prodded by President Barack Obama, rejected a Republican consumer protection plan that would have diluted a central element of the administration's financial regulation package.

Democrats and the president argued that the GOP proposal would have gutted consumer protections. The vote was 61-38, with two Republicans — Sens. Olympia Snowe of Maine and Charles Grassley of Iowa — joining Democrats to defeat the GOP measure.

Democrats have proposed an independent bureau within the Federal Reserve to write and enforce regulations that would police lending. The Republican proposal would create an agency within the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The FDIC would have to approve regulations and enforcement would be left to bank regulators.

Republicans said the Democratic bill overreached and would give a powerful consumer agency too big a voice in banking affairs. The Democratic version of the legislation already contained some concessions to Republicans, and Democrats showed no willingness to cede any more ground

"Alternatives that gut consumer protections and do nothing to empower the American people by cracking down on unfair and predatory practices are unacceptable," Obama said in a statement before the vote.

The sharp divisions over the consumer protection stood in contrast to the wide bipartisan support for the Federal Reserve audit.

The amendment would require Congress' investigative arm, the Government Accountability Office, to undertake a one-time audit of the Federal Reserve's emergency lending to financial institutions in the months leading up and after the financial crisis of late 2008.

The Federal Reserve and the Treasury had opposed such an audit, arguing it could interfere with the Fed's independence.

But Sanders has said the audit would focus exclusively on the Fed's short-term lending for financial institutions from December 2007 until the present. The audit would have to be completed within one year of the financial regulation legislation becoming law.

Sanders said he wants to see if there were conflicts of interest involving the institutions that received the money and members of the boards of the Fed's regional banks. Moreover, Sanders said the audit should examine whether financial institutions received no-interest loans from the Fed that they then used to buy interest-bearing government bonds.

"If that was the case, and I suspect it was, you're looking at a huge scam," Sanders said.

The amendment also would require the Fed to post on its website by Dec. 1 information regarding its lending before and after the crisis.

The Fed's short-term lending, designed to increase the liquidity of banks reeling from the crisis, grew dramatically at the height of Wall Street meltdown.

Thursday afternoon, Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin voiced the administration's opposition to the audit proposal. But hours later, following negotiations with Sanders, Wolin withdrew the opposition.

"We are confident that the revised amendment proposed by Senator Sanders strikes the appropriate balance: providing full transparency of lending programs while protecting the bedrock principle of central bank independence on monetary policy that has served our nation so well," Wolin said in a statement.

Retailers see green in ‘green’ business

CINCINNATI - Going green has become good business.

Just look at store shelves: Sales of "green" products, such as organic foods and natural personal care items, have jumped 15 percent since 2006, according to research firm Mintel International.

A wave of promotion is hitting consumers during this week's 40th anniversary Earth Day observances: Hanes says it can put you in eco-friendly underwear, Frito-Lay offers Sun Chips from a bag you can toss in a compost pile, and Target stores invite you to use their recycling bins.

Some promotions sound more like image-buffing than Earth-saving, and big companies still have a long way to go to significantly reduce their impacts on air, water and other resources. But environmentalists say the drivers of American consumer culture are starting to make real strides.

"It's a far cry from where we were," said Elizabeth Sturcken, who manages corporate partnerships for the Environmental Defense Fund. "Companies are seeing the economic value of going green."

It's not just products. Cutting lighting and heating costs, using less packaging, streamlining transportation to save gas, recycling more instead of throwing away — those all help both the environment and the bottom line.

"It would be easy to say that companies really care about the environment only in the third week of April," said Joel Makower, a consultant and executive editor of Greener World Media Inc. "But most big companies have been taking significant steps. ... The fact is, they're doing it for all the right business reasons."

Wal-Mart’s efforts
The behemoth that might drive even more serious improvements is retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc. It's urging its suppliers to reduce 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2015, on top of its own moves to build more energy-efficient stores, use more alternative fuels in its trucks, and reduce packaging.

Shopper Jim Farmer, 68, voiced his approval while looking through Earth Day-themed aisles recently at a West Chester, Ohio, Supercenter.

"I think Wal-Mart is trying to help, and that's great," Farmer said. "I have children and grandchildren, and we want to make the Earth a better place for them."

While surveys show that many consumers want to buy environmentally friendly products, the Great Recession made them reluctant to pay more for them, dampening what had been rapid sales growth.

Mintel International says sales of natural and organic foods and beverages rose 24 percent in 2006-'08, then slowed to less than 2 percent last year; sales of green personal care products jumped 18 percent in '06-'08, but only 1.2 percent last year.

Wal-Mart tells shoppers in promoting its environmental moves that the cost savings are passed on in low prices: "not just Earth-friendly, we're also being wallet-friendly." And P&G's current "Future Friendly" campaign touts both the environmental and financial benefits of products such as Tide Cold Water detergent, which curtails the toll on utility bills of heating washer water. The consumer products giant also is giving coupons for its green products, and pledges to reach 50 million households with educational information.

That's only part of a sustainability drive that P&G has made companywide. In one effort, it created a unit three years ago to find new uses for byproducts and leftovers that would otherwise go into incinerators and landfills.

So now, Clairol hair coloring ingredients help make tires shine, Duracell batteries help make bricks, and materials from Pampers diapers and Always maxi pads absorb industrial leaks and spills.

Consumer guide
Scott Burns, who heads the unit, said the program has reduced waste disposal by 30 percent, saving money and increasing recycling revenue.

One area where product makers still need to improve, activists say, is in telling consumers in detail about ingredients so they can make their own decisions.

Chris Haack, a Mintel consumer market analyst, adds that many products that claim to be green, natural or organic might have only one ingredient or material that fits the bill. And there aren't consistent standards for what qualifies as environmentally helpful.

"There is still a lot of what's called greenwashing out there," Haack said. "There are a million labels ... consumers are befuddled. They just don't know what to trust."

With the explosion in green promotional claims, the Federal Trade Commission is reviewing its guidelines for environmental marketing. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart says it has been working with suppliers to develop a "Sustainable Product Index" to help guide consumers.

Goldman's CEO and board are named in lawsuit

NEW YORK – Goldman Sachs's CEO and other top officers are accused in a pair of shareholder lawsuits of lax oversight in deals involving risky mortage-backed securities that later went bad.

The lawsuits filed Thursday in New York State Supreme Court name Lloyd Blankfein and the firm's entire board of directors as defendants.

The suits follow civil fraud charges filed last week by the Securities and Exchange Commission over the same investments.

The SEC says Goldman committed fraud by failing to disclose important information about the securities that might have scared off investors.

The two suits, filed by shareholders Robert Rosinek and Morton Spiegel, accuse Blankfein and other officers of "systematic failure" over 3 1/2 years for not properly vetting 23 mortgage-linked deals at the center of the SEC suit. Those deals, called Abacus, led to $1 billion in losses.

A Goldman spokesman declined to comment.

The suits appear to be the first shareholder cases related to the Abacus deals. If so, they may mark the start of what legal experts expect will be a flood of shareholder cases against Goldman Sachs.

The plaintiffs seek unspecified monetary damages.

The mortgage-backed securities at the heart of the lawsuits are widely blamed for worsening the financial system's troubles by allowing investors to place massive bets on the direction of the housing market. That triggered major losses at a number of financial institutions after the housing market started to crumble.

As in the SEC case, the shareholders allege that Goldman should have noted in marketing the Abacus securities that a hedge fund betting they would fall in value had helped choose the mortgages on which they were based.

Within a few months of being sold to investors, the value of the Abacus securities fell fast. The hedge fund, Paulson & Co., run by billionaire John Paulson, pocketed $1 billion in profits, the suits says.

Paulson has not been accused of wrongdoing by SEC, and is not as a defendant in the shareholder cases.

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Ron Koss & Arnie Koss: The Earth's Best Story - Author interview

Successful twin brother partners, and entrepreneurs Ron Koss and Arnie Koss, were kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about their insightful and inspirational story of their unlikely business venture The Earth's Best Story: A Bittersweet Tale of Twin Brothers Who Sparked an Organic Revolution. The authors share their entrepreneurial journey from its inception, through its troubled times, and toward its ultimate success with humor and honesty.

Thanks to Ron Koss and Arnie Koss for their interesting and informative answers. They are greatly appreciated.

What was the background to writing this book The Earth's Best Story: A Bittersweet Tale of Twin Brothers Who Sparked an Organic Revolution?

Ron and Arnie Koss: Twenty years ago this past March 30, 2010, I was essentially forced out of the company that I started with my identical twin brother Arnie. It was a dramatic and traumatic time. Somehow I knew or believed that amidst the overwhelming emotion and tumult lay a powerful, personal, and valuable cautionary entrepreneurial tale that might benefit others.

I started to write. My effort was very sporadic; sometimes disappearing for years as other life events commanded my attention. But while my writing accumulated to hundreds of pages, I realized that I alone could not tell the entire story of the founding of Earth's Best Baby Foods. I needed Arnie's side of the story and the many experiences along the way that were unique to his role in our shared venture.

Once Arnie began writing and his pages began stacking up, we got together and agreed to tell The Earth's Best Story in our two voices. Three more years of dedicated cowriting and editing has yielded this "bittersweet tale of twin brothers who sparked an organic revolution." ― Ron



Ron Koss (photo left)

What led to the creation of idea of an organic baby food company?

Ron and Arnie Koss: In 1973 Arnie and I were traveling throughout California. We were fresh out of college at the time, both having dropped out. As East Coasters, the West Coast was a marvel to us. But amidst the massive redwoods and the dramatic coastal highway that we loved exploring was a vast agricultural reality overrun by aerial pesticide spraying and tractor spray rigs. It was sickening and disheartening to us.

Rachel Carson's book,Silent Spring (published in 1962), had deeply affected us. We didn't want the spring to be silent and Arnie and I left California wondering what we could possibly do to counter this malevolent and misguided pesticide paradigm.

Our answer, envisioned in an inspiring moment in 1976, was the founding of Earth's Best Baby Foods. Arnie and I began developing it in 1984 and three years later in 1987 we produced the first jars in our own 11,000 sq. ft manufacturing facility. ― Ron

How did you arrive at the company name Earth's Best?

Ron and Arnie Koss: The name "Earth's Best" was presented to us by a Burlington graphic designer working on our first label concepts. Ron and I instantly bonded with the name because it succinctly stated what our ambition was—to create the "earth's best" baby food. It could not have been simpler or more accurate.

However, like so many things we did not anticipate, many of our potential early supporters and investors strongly objected to the name "Earth's Best." It "sounds like a dirt company" was a common theme of the dissenters. "It's hard to pronounce" was another. The pressure was on to find another name, but Ron and I knew we were starting the Earth's Best baby food company and held our ground.

Today, it seems so obvious that Earth's Best is a great name, but 25 years ago we had to battle for it. ― Arnie

What were some of the challenges you faced in the initial start-up phase?

Ron and Arnie Koss: From day one, Ron and I faced start-up challenges that came from every conceivable direction, like giant crushing waves, one after the next, after the next. Most notably, we were grossly undercapitalized within a matter of seconds. Why? Multiple equipment breakdowns and failures unexpectedly depleted our meager cash reserves. Quality control issues delayed our production for almost two months and skewered our cash flow projections. Unexpected organic ingredient shortages forced us to transport tons of apples from California to Vermont blowing again what we thought was our clever and conservative budget. Distributors and retailers pocketed introductory discounts that resulted in disastrously high retail price points.

You get the picture. There was not a moment of grace or ease. The Earth's Best start-up was an intense survival moment, "to be or not to be." Ron and I had no choice but to try to adapt to our volatile start-up environment like highly evolved chameleons. ― Arnie

How did you finance your company from the idea stage to beginning production as a company?

Ron and Arnie Koss: Our starting point was pooling together several thousand dollars of savings. Arnie and I had no access to family or friend money. But when you're smitten by an idea you're passionate about and are unwilling or unable to comprehend the obstacles or challenges ahead, you simply start by taking one step forward at a time. And you keep your overhead low…very low. We rented a space for $25 a month. Our starting point was one desk using a piece of used plywood and two saw-horses. We found two broken chairs, and one electric typewriter without a working "q."

Arnie and I networked and reconnected with a very successful local businessman we had once rented a space from. This person became our first investor. And as our business plan took shape and evolved over 2 1/2 years, we found approximately $300,000 in seed capital from angel investors to do the research and development necessary to start an organic baby food company.

This momentum led to a private placement memorandum and the raising of $500,000 of equity and $400,000 in debt, which brought us finally into production. At the time in 1987, Earth's Best was the largest start-up ever in Vermont. ― Ron

How and why did you choose your company's Vermont location?

Ron and Arnie Koss: You could say Middlebury, Vermont, chose us. You could also say Arnie and I were nuts to locate Earth's Best in Vermont rather than California, where organic foods production was most established. But we loved Vermont. It was our new, long-sought-after home, after being uprooted from our childhood home in Ellenville, New York, by our parents' sudden move to South Florida.

This was the dynamic in play for us as we ventured forward in 1984 trying to bring our Earth's Best dream to life. Arnie and I arguably resisted practicality by avoiding California, but we truly believed Vermont and the East Coast could be another center of organic foods production. Our naturally ingrained entrepreneurial optimism was magnified by our attachment to Vermont as "home," and the net of that alchemy caused us to wildly misjudge the timing of the arrival of East Coast organic agriculture. Soon we would be transporting most of our raw ingredients from California to Vermont and paying a "steep" price, in every sense of the word, to do so. ― Ron



Arnie Koss (photo left)

What lessons did you learn about marketing your product?

Ron and Arnie Koss: Many entrepreneurs believe that their product is the latest and greatest and that the marketplace will embrace them like they were the "second coming." Ron and I are examples of this predisposed entrepreneurial optimism and were convinced that all parties in the wholesale-retail distribution chain would be on our side, cheering us on ― wrong assumption!

What we learned was that no matter how good or worthy any given product is (and assuming you're not a big player with big bucks), dependence on the benevolence of others to secure shelf space and favorable distributor and retail pricing is not a given. And it's probably unlikely, so don't plan on it.

To succeed, Ron and I needed an aggressive regional and national public relations campaign that was complemented by various sales and marketing strategies that included product discounting; targeted direct mail outreach to consumers and health care professionals; and the unimaginable--guaranteeing the sale to retailers so they would pull our products through the distribution channel. ― Arnie

Did you experience some setbacks and disappointments along the way?

Ron and Arnie Koss: That's a funny question, akin to asking a sailor if they saw any water while sailing across the ocean. Yes, there were many setbacks and profound disappointments in all phases of the start-up and then later on, in the day-to-day business operations. What stands out in this regard are two biggies.

First was the difficulty in getting the natural food distribution chain (distributors and retailers) to pass on to the consumer the deep discounts we were offering to stimulate trial. In the best of circumstances, we knew many consumers were going to be hit with sticker shot when comparing our ideal retail price point of $.79 per jar to Gerber's three jars for a buck. To our great dismay, promotional discounts were often pocketed somewhere along the distribution channel and Earth's Best price points to the consumer ranged from $.99 to $1.19. This was extremely damaging to our initial sales movement and cash flow, and of course was unanticipated.

Second was the egregious way Ron and I were related to by many of venture capitalist who joined the company as investors. Instead of choosing the high road where candid and collaborative behavior was the norm, they too often opted for subterfuge, deceit, and avoidance. The results were hurtful to Ron and me, but more importantly put Earth's Best in peril. The high road, as in genuine and committed relatedness, is always an option and should never be sacrificed for expediency or personal gain. ― Arnie



Earth's Best - Logo (shown left)

What advice would you give to new entrepreneurs starting a new business venture today?

Ron and Arnie Koss: Think as grand as you like, but start as compact as possible; minimize overhead; dedicate yourself to quality, networking, and communication. Be curious, get perspective, and don't put your head down and simply try to bull your way forward.

In order to succeed, you have be or become a good adapter. You have to evolve yourself and your business as reality displaces projections and assumptions that are often erroneous. Come to terms with what you tend to avoid as soon as possible. You will need more money than you think you need. Yes, even you who think your diligence has covered every base and anticipated every contingency. Money, despite its obvious necessity, is often avoided in some fashion and the consequences are never pretty.

You don't have to be "everything" or "everyone" to your business. Few, if any, can handle production and/or products, sales and marketing, and finance with the expertise required and the joy necessary for a sustainable outcome. But you do have to understand everything that is needed and be aware of your strengths and your weaknesses and respond deliberately and accordingly.

Finally, identify what you stand for and what you mission is… and stick to it. ― Ron

What do you see for the future of organic products and environmentally based companies?

Ron and Arnie Koss: Organic and environmental products have today rooted themselves throughout the consumer marketplace, but they still represent a small percentage of overall sales and market share. High price points are putting downward pressure if not a lid on the growth of these socially responsible consumer product niches.

The future opportunity and challenge for organic products and environmentally based companies lies in reaching not just those who are upwardly mobile or with access to dollars, but also those who do not have those advantages. ― Ron

What is next for Ron and Arnie Koss?

Ron and Arnie Koss: Thanks to centuries of entrepreneurial dabbling by generations of Kosses, our DNA insists that we continue to look for ways to be independent, innovate, and make a difference.

In the near term, we will be busy trying to get the word out about our book, The Earth's Best Story. We know there are many fledgling entrepreneurial initiatives out there contemplating how to manifest their big idea. Ron and I believe our story will benefit anyone perched on the precipice of doing and contemplating what lies ahead, and that especially includes students.

For some time now, we have been developing intellectual property in the form of patents and trade secrets that focuses on using frozen dessert (ice cream) as a nutrient delivery system. There are many consumer populations that will benefit from such a product and we are actively in pursuit of finding the best way to transport this idea from fantasy to reality.

Of course, there is more but that's for another day. ― Arnie

* * * * *

My book review of The Earth's Best Story: A Bittersweet Tale of Twin Brothers Who Sparked an Organic Revolution by Ron Koss and Arnie Koss.

Ron Koss is a natural foods product innovator and executive vice president of Nutricopia Inc. Arnie Koss is managing partner at aio Food Group, a Hawaii-based development company. Cofounders of Earth's Best Baby Foods, they are coauthors of The Earth's Best Story: A Bittersweet Tale of Twin Brothers Who Sparked an Organic Revolution (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2010).

Tags: The Earth's Best Story: A Bittersweet Tale of Twin Brothers Who Sparked an Organic Revolution, Ron Koss, Arnie Koss, environmentally friendly entrepreneurship, business author interviews.

The Earth's Best Story by Ron & Arnie Koss - Book review

The Earth's Best Story

A Bittersweet Tale of Twin Brothers Who Sparked an Organic Revolution

By: Ron Koss, Arnie Koss

Published: January 26, 2010
Format: Paperback, 384 pages
ISBN: 9781603582391
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing






"Organic baby food is ubiquitous today. It can be found in glass jars, portable squeeze tubes, and frozen cubes. Once upon a time there was no organic baby food", write successful twin brother partners and entrepreneurs Ron Koss and Arnie Koss, in their insightful and inspirational story of their unlikely business venture The Earth's Best Story: A Bittersweet Tale of Twin Brothers Who Sparked an Organic Revolution. The authors share their entrepreneurial journey from its inception, through its troubled times, and toward its ultimate success with humor and honesty.



Ron Koss (photo left) and Arnie Koss share their successes and missteps on their way to building the first organic baby food company in America. The story is more than just a summary of how they moved from an idea to a successful business venture. While they describe, with unusual honesty, how the idea was formulated, to generating financial backing, to marketing their product, the story delves more deeply into the lives and aspirations of the entrepreneurs. The brothers write in detail how they believed in the critical importance of building an organic based company, that cared about the environment and the health of the babies who ate their product. This concern with larger issues than mere profit formed the philosophical basis for their company. The company had to become successful on ethical and environmental grounds.



Arnie Koss (photo left) and Ron Koss don't just describe a company. Instead, they intersperse their business analysis with their own personal journey as entrepreneurs and as human beings. Their growth as people, caring about the needs of others besides themselves, is part of their remarkable achievement. They set out to prove, whether stated explicitly or not, that an organic baby food company could succeed in a difficult and highly competitive marketplace. The brothers not only demonstrated an environmentally friendly company could achieve success in the industry, but that it could also be prosperous while located in rural Vermont, far from major cities and manufacturing centers. The commitment to their ideals and aspirations, despite numerous setbacks, speaks well of their character and their faith in their product line.

For me, the power of the book is how Arnie and Ron Koss share a fascinating and very reader friendly account of their entrepreneurial journey. The twins point out that the book is about how they built and operated the company, but they also point out how they made several serious missteps. Their open and frank discussion of their mistakes provides the reader with valuable lessons on which courses of action are best avoided. At the same time, the authors demonstrate how to maintain a working partnership that is able to overcome serious setbacks, and continues to operate effectively. They also provide powerful insights into how to run a family based company effectively and with a minimum of friction and dissension. Most of all, the book is a deeply personal one, told in alternative voices by each brother, from their own unique point of view. The personal nature of the book gives it a power that a more clinical analysis of the company would lack.

I highly recommend the fascinating and enlightening book The Earth's Best Story: A Bittersweet Tale of Twin Brothers Who Sparked an Organic Revolution by Ron and Arnie Koss, to anyone seeking a model for creating and building a successful organic and environmentally friendly company. The book demonstrates that entrepreneurs, concerned about ethics and the environment, can compete successfully in the marketplace. For environmentally oriented consumers and parents, the recognition that organic and safe products are an important part of the future of business, is exciting and reassuring.

Read the fun account of a revolutionary business The Earth's Best Story: A Bittersweet Tale of Twin Brothers Who Sparked an Organic Revolution by Arnie and Ron Koss, and discover how visionary and ethical entrepreneurs can transform the business landscape for the better. Building a better world is also good business, while creating a healthier tomorrow for everyone.

Tags: The Earth's Best Story: A Bittersweet Tale of Twin Brothers Who Sparked an Organic Revolution, Ron Koss, Arnie Koss, environmentally friendly entrepreneurship, business book reviews.

Scott R. Singer: How To Hit A Curveball - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Investment banker, Managing Director and head of media and entertainment for The Bank Street Group LLC, and author of the practical and enlightening book How to Hit a Curveball: Confront and Overcome the Unexpected in Business, Scott R. Singer, describes how unexpected changes are a part of your business and personal life. These often challenging changes, that he calls curveballs, can happen at any time and throw anyone off their game. Ge shares how to not only survive, but to thrive, when faced with uncertainty. Discover how to turn a crisis and its challenges into tremendous career and business opportunities. Learn how to look for the curveball, and hit it out of the park.

Scott R. Singer is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, April 15, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Investment banker, Managing Director and head of media and entertainment for The Bank Street Group LLC, and author of the practical and enlightening book How to Hit a Curveball: Confront and Overcome the Unexpected in Business, Scott R. Singer, describes how unexpected changes are a part of your business and personal life. You will learn:

* Why changes in society make unexpected events more frequent

* How to identify these curveballs before they happen

* How to turn unexpected problems into home run opportunities

* How to avoid striking out on curveballs in your life



Scott R. Singer (photo left) has spent the past 20 years advising companies on how to adapt to change, to embrace technological advances, and to put the best strategy in place to deal with the next big thing—essentially, teaching them how to hit curveballs.

A noted media industry expert, investment banker, and strategy consultant, Scott serves as Managing Director and Head of Media & Entertainment at The Bank Street Group LLC, a boutique investment banking firm focused on providing sophisticated advice regarding mergers & acquisitions; fairness opinions; private debt, equity, and venture capital raising; as well as bankruptcies, restructurings, and turnarounds to telecommunications, media, technology, aerospace and defense, and healthcare companies.

Prior to Bank Street, Scott held prestigious leadership positions at BMO Capital Markets, Deloitte, Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch, and TD Securities.

During his career, Scott has emerged as the change expert, focusing on corporate finance, M&A, and strategic advisory transactions totaling over $110 billion for such clients as Cablevision Systems, CBS Corporation, Charter Communications, Comcast Corporation, Discovery Communications, Hollinger International, Liberty Media, NBC Universal, News Corp., Time Warner, Viacom, and Young & Rubicam as well as many private equity and venture capital firms.

Scott is regularly called on by Bloomberg, CNBC, FOX Business, Reuters and numerous publications such as, The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, CNNMoney.com, Crain’s New York Business, and Forbes.com in addition to many other industry publications as a media expert to address various domestic and global topics.

He has served on numerous industry panels and has been a guest lecturer at both Columbia Business School and NYU’s Stern School of Business. Most recently, Scott was a member of The Paley Center for Media’s Board of Governors in Los Angeles and is a Vice Chairman of Bucknell University’s $400 million capital campaign. He was formerly Chairman of the Annual Fund at The Dalton School in New York City.

Scott received his MBA in Finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business and his BSBA in Management from Bucknell University. He is the immediate past President and Chairman of the Executive Committee of Bucknell’s Alumni Association, a Trustee (ex-officio) of the University, and was a member of the Search Committee for Bucknell’s 16th President.

He’s currently working on his second book with Mark Levine, What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid? Scott lives in New York City and Connecticut.

My book review of How to Hit a Curveball: Confront and Overcome the Unexpected in Business by Scott R. Singer with Mark Levine.

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with investment banker, Managing Director and head of media and entertainment for The Bank Street Group LLC, and author of the practical and enlightening book How to Hit a Curveball: Confront and Overcome the Unexpected in Business, Scott R. Singer, as he describes how unexpected changes are a part of your business and personal life. These often challenging changes, that he calls curveballs, can happen at any time and throw anyone off their game. Ge shares how to not only survive, but to thrive, when faced with uncertainty. Discover how to turn a crisis and its challenges into tremendous career and business opportunities. Learn how to look for the curveball, and hit it out of the park on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: How to Hit a Curveball: Confront and Overcome the Unexpected in Business, Scott R. Singer, Mark Levine, change management, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.