Page 2 - The Illinois Sig - Fall 2011

McConnell, Continued from page 1

three of my four grandparents. I was familiar important in the world of finance. Investment pitch black for the second seven hours, the
with the campus and it was ranked very high banking is my field of work today. I was waves were down to two footers and it was a
in the disciplines that I was interested in with a few different firms (always focusing welcome relief.
pursuing. on middle market companies) for 20 years At the end of it all, it is sinking in that
Kappa Kappa surprised me. First, the guys and started my own firm, Halyard Capital swimming 30 miles is a big deal. At the same
were great. I immediately felt comfortable Advisors, in 2006. We really specialize in time, it comes at you in small bites, so it really
and felt like I could fit in and make close, private placements of debt and equity as well is just putting one hand in front of the other,
long term friends. There were 72 guys in the as mergers and acquisitions advisory work, 40,538 times.
house, plus a number of active members living still in the middle market. Business is good. I really got in to open water swimming
elsewhere around campus. I was proud to be Numbers play a big role in my swimming in 2004 or 2005. I was kind of tired of pool
part of that group. Of course, there were the too – I count the strokes during my long swimming, and it is different enough that it
social elements (which were plenty fun) and distance swims. was a real lift. Susan and I were at a friend’s
the crazy stuff that happened by just being at What I discovered, though, was that the house a couple of summers ago, and he
a really pivotal age and being around a lot of counting helped keep my mind engaged, and mentioned that he had always wanted to swim
close friends. also helps mark time and the English Channel. We opened another
After 30 years, though, distance. For example, bottle of wine, and by the time it was gone, we
the story that still resonates I know that it is about were headed to England. As it turns out, we
the most was the focus 1,200 strokes to a mile trained together for two years, and when this
our chapter had on grades. and about 1,750 strokes August came along, I was able to get a swim
Even as pledges, there was between feedings on a in and he was skunked by the weather – never
an environment and culture 30-minute cycle. The even had a chance to start.
that grades were important strokes per mile can vary In terms of the goals, though, one of my
and that each of us needed with conditions, but the kids really hit the nail on the head. Flying
to hold up our end. Every cycle time on the 1,750 home from London, I asked my son Gordy,
Sunday through Thursday While swimming the English Channel a is never more than 50 my 17 year old, what his takeaways were from
evening after dinner, our swimmer needs to take in 1,000-1,200 strokes off. the whole experience. He said, “Dad, it’s not
calories per hour. Doug stopped every 30
tradition was that the minutes to drink a high carbohydrate liquid Speaking of about the swim. It’s about coming up with a
pledges (and plenty of formulated especially for him. numbers, I had figured ridiculous goal, figuring out what needs to be
active brothers, too) would if conditions were really done, putting the pieces in place, and knocking
walk over to a mathematics building where we good, I could complete the swim in 11.5 – 12 it down. It really is taking something outside
would study from 7:00 to 10:00. There needed hours; if they were really bad, I had my head of your comfort zone, deciding that it is
to be a good excuse if you weren’t there. I have wrapped around 15 – 16 hours. Conditions important to complete, and just doing it. Now
told that “our fraternity was highly focused on (particularly for the first seven hours) were I know I can do my Physics homework. Every
grades” story to people for all these years and as bad as they get, so coming in at 14:18 was night. That’s what this is about.”
they can’t believe it, particularly in light of the in the strike zone. I had also thought that it
impression of fraternities that is out there. would be a 40,000 stroke swim, and I ended
Swimming was also a focus of mine. I up being right on – 40,538.
became an honored leader on the swim team, During my 13 hour swim, it’s funny,
and was top ranked in the country. I had there was never a need for a final push or extra
grown up through age-group swimming as a motivation. It never occurred to me that I
butterflyer, and after I got to college, my coach wouldn’t finish, and it never occurred to me
encouraged me to explore middle distance to climb onto the boat. The dark was a real
freestyle, and (despite my “late start” at it). experience – I had never swum in water that
I discovered that I could be very was as inky black, and I had never seen a sky
competitive at those events and just loved as endlessly dark. The far worse part of the
them. In addition to butterfly, I consistently experience was the waves that we had during
scored points for the team in the 200, 500, the first seven hours of the swim, which were The McConnell Family, pictured left to right: Mack,
Doug, Susan, Bill, Gordy, and Ashley (in front). Doug
1,000 and 1,650 yard freestyle events. has high as five feet. That was exhausting. McConnell became the 48th person over age 50 to swim
2 That same discipline and focus are very As the sun went down and we were in the the English Channel on August 21, 2011.