David Kass, finance professor at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, brought twenty MBA and MS Finance students on a trip to Omaha, Nebraska to meet with Warren Buffett, the Chairman, President and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. The meeting happened on November 15, 2013 and students from seven other schools were also present.
Buffett, who some rank as one of the most successful investors of the 20th century, responded to 16 student questions, two from each of the eight schools, over a two hour period. A wide range of topics were discussed which included Buffett’s investment approach, career advice for students, the financial crisis, his political views, and his biggest investment mistake.
The students concluded their day with as series of guided tours of several Berkshire Hathaway-owned companies, including Nebraska Furniture Mart, Borsheim’s Jewelry, and Oriental Trading Company. In addition to the companies named above, Berkshire Hathaway wholly owns GEICO, BNSF, Lubrizol, Dairy Queen, Fruit of the Loom, Helzberg Diamonds and NetJets, owns half of Heinz, owns an undisclosed percentage of Mars, Incorporated and has significant minority holdings in American Express, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo, and IBM.