“Think of growth, purpose, passion. Growth is everything that we are about. If you’re not growing, you’re not making an impact. In order to grow, you have to have a sense of purpose—you have to know where you’re going. But the energy that makes it all happen is passion. What I’ve always noticed about Wharton is that you have that attitude and a special notion of what passion means, which drives you when things go well, or don’t go well. Our honorees tonight have the growth, the purpose and the passion embodied in what they do.”

With these words, Harold W. McGraw III, WG’76, Chairman of the Board of McGraw Hill Financial, and Event Chair, opened the glittering evening to attendees. The WCNY’s marquee event brought together over 200 alumni, and was held at the Metropolitan Club on 1 East 60th Street in New York City, on October 2.

Kenny Beck, WG’87, shared the Club’s purpose and accomplishments, “We in New York have the largest Wharton School alumni club, with 250 volunteers, servicing 30,000 alumni in the NY metro area, creating 200 to 300 events per year! The Club provides access from early in your career, through death — although I have come to realize that Wharton alumni don’t die — they just yield to maturity. WCNY’s principles that we embody are:
Enlightened self-interest — You need to give to get.
Tangible results — These are networking and events.
Small, interactive events are more powerful than large, passive events.
Most importantly, when a fellow alumnus calls, you should take the call.

This Winter 2014 issue profiles three of this year’s awardees: Robert Crandall, Durreen Shahnaz, and Alex Gorsky. Our Spring 2014 issue headlined the founders of Warby Parker.