Page 209 - harryDEC12_clean.iba

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"MEETING A LEGEND"
By 5.30 p.m. we are back and go with Howie and Captain Schulz to the 58th floor where boardroom 5 is. The boardroom is big, more like a meeting room. All of New York’s AIU staff had come, about 150 persons, all dressed for the occasion. It is one of those strange gatherings, following which staff members are promoted or demoted, put on as a social event. Nervousness is reigning in the room. All seem to be aware that it is one of the few, perhaps the only, chance to see the “big boss” face-to- face, maybe even to speak with him. Only John and I are untouched by the situation. Canapés are handed out together with drinks, mostly soft drinks. John and I stay with gin and tonic; a Lloyd’s broker never breaks his habits. At 6.30 p.m. the doors open and Maurice Hank Greenberg enters the room. He is of small stature, but it is hard to escape his aura. He is one of the leading personalities in the international insurance Market, a self-made man, born like me on 4th May, in the birth year of my father, 1925. He is of Rumanian origin. After the war he had a stellar career, first as the successor of C. V. Starr, then as CEO of AIG in 1969. As usual I have read about Greenberg. He was from a Jewish family, studied at the University of Miami, was a member of the fraternity Sigma Alpha Mu, among whose prominent members were, e.g., Bob Dylan, the author Philip Roth, Bernie Madoff and Michael Milken (whom I would get to know later). He cultivated close links with the US government, first to Kissinger, later to Bush jr. - Rumor has it, that he, at his advanced age plays regular Tennis with Andre Agassi on the roof top of a New York skyscraper. Greenberg strides through the room, greets left and right people he knows, praises or criticizes the responsible section leaders – in direct speech – says to David Lynch, the man responsible for the worldwide cargo insurance
"I know who you are and your results are shit",
and turns finally to Howie –
“Well Howie, what's new - are you still getting up from your chair, when I get on the phone?”
(Somebody must have let him in on that anecdote, I think).
"Who have you got with you: Englishmen, I presume."
Howie introduces us, and Greenberg hesitates when he hears my name: „Weyrauch...?, are you Jewish by any chance?"
"No, sir - I am not - I am not religious."
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