Thousands Flock to the Oracle of Omaha

This upcoming weekend is the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting right here in Omaha, Nebraska. This year 44,000 people are expected to come from outside of Omaha to experience what is widely regarded as one of the most popular shareholder meetings in the world. This year is the 50th anniversary of Warren Buffett's ownership of the company, which reports over $200 million of annual revenue. This weekend provides a major boost to the local Omaha economy as shareholders spend large ammounts of money at stores and restaraunts owned by Berkshire such as Borsheims, Nebraska Fruniture Mart, and Dairy Queen. Others join Buffett at his favorite restaruants like Gorat's and Piccolo's. Other Omaha businesses will likely benefit from the mass influx of people coming into the area.

What makes Berkshire weekend so special for some many people is the company's leader and master of the weekend's ceremonies, Warren Buffett. Although he is a multi-billionaire, he lives a very humble lifestyle. He lives in a nice house, but not a mansion; he dines at local steakhouses, not five-star restaraunts; and he speaks with shareholders with a folksy demeanor as if they were friends. The weekend-long meeting (or party depending on how you look at it) is set apart from other shareholder meetings is the fact that Buffett is working to make a personal connection with every shareholder that attends the meeting whether this direct communication or by his personable mannerism in his public appearances.


http://www.omaha.com/money/up-to-expected-for-berkshire-hathaway-shareholders-weekend/article_1f2eb00a-b637-52f2-95f9-a986d2a32d71.html?mode=jqm