CEMEX Day at the NYSE

One of the perks of working for CEMEX is that I get to see things I probably wouldn't get a chance to see in most other jobs.  Recently I was asked to set up and manage a booth for CEMEX Day, an annual meeting with shareholders.  This year, CEMEX Day was being held at the New York Stock Exchange, a place I've learned not just anyone gets to visit.  I had also never been to New York before this trip, so while I was excited about the experience, I was also nervous because of everything I'd heard (good AND bad) about the city.

We (me, and Kevin and Mark from NUU Group) flew from Hobby to La Guardia, and while I normally wouldn't include a detail like that I think it's important here because wow, what a difference.  I guess I've only been in nice airports, because I definitely have taken for granted things like bathrooms near the gates, restaurants and stores where you don't feel like you're blocking a narrow hallway, and ceilings taller than 6 feet.  Seriously, La Guardia needs an overhaul... and I guess it's getting one, because wow there was a lot of construction around baggage claim.

It was at baggage claim that we met "Mike," the man who would become our driver.  Nice guy, took us into New York for a reasonable fee, and told us some of the sights to see.  (Unfortunately, the one restaurant he suggested was "closed permanently" ha ha).  Our hotel was in the financial district... within walking distance of the NYSE.  Pro tip - if you ever work a booth in a city like New York, I strongly suggest you do the same thing.  Staying that close to the venue saved our butts on more than one occasion.

Before I get to the NYSE experience, I just have to say something about the people of New York.  I was shocked by how friendly everyone was.  Even the cops were nice... like one saw that we were clearly tourists and volunteered detailed instructions to our destination.  I only met one "typical New Yorker," a security guard at the NYSE who (rightfully so) was a bit gruff... and I was only called a "Knucklehead" one time.  I saw a commercial while I was there that said New York is now the "safest big city in America."  Maybe so.  It's crazy to say, but Texans could learn a thing or two from those folks... especially Texas drivers...

But I digress.  The NYSE was incredible, and surprising.  We loaded in the evening before set up day, and the building was pretty much emptied out by the time we got there.  Good thing too, because it meant we could check out the floor in jeans (normally not allowed).  I know this is what they always say, but I was blown away by how small everything was.  I've always seen the big gold doors that lead you into the exchange... except they aren't big at all.  They're tiny, so tiny that we had trouble loading stuff through them.  And then there's a long hallway with a super-tall, arched sparkly ceiling once you get inside... right?  Nope, super tight hallway, low ceilings, and a big security setup right in the middle of it.  Nothing grand here, folks.  The trading floor itself was I guess what I expected, though I didn't really know what to expect.  The NYSE guy we talked to said that there were a LOT less people on the trading floor now that more trading is automated.  I can't even imagine how cramped it must have been during its heyday.

The room we were in is called the "board room."  I learned that it was in this room that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson decided to move the capital to Washington.  And it was in that room that Alexander Hamilton came up with the idea for a stock exchange, based on the Dutch system, and that is also where the first trades were made.  In that room were the old trading floor clock, which has a special "five minute" hand because that's when trades used to happen.  And there is this urn from the last Tsar of Russia.  The story goes that Reagan brought Gorbachev into the room back in the day and Gorbachev said he wanted the urn back.  Reagan was down, but the NYSE folks weren't having it.  They said Gorbachev could have it back, IF Russia agreed to pay their debts from that era, including interest (a total in the trillions of dollars).  So there the urn sits.

I didn't see too much of the event.  We were there to support the booth presenters if they ran into technical problems or needed more swag, so we spent most of the day tucked away in a conference room (which looked like something you'd see at the UN).  Not a bad deal all-in-all, we basically got to sneak in to the boardroom and grab food/drinks whenever we wanted, and the food was awesome.  The booth drew quite a crowd, and from what I've heard it sounds like everyone was pretty happy with the experience.

We also didn't get to see as much of New York as I would have liked to, unfortunately.  The set up ran longer than we had anticipated, so by the time we got out it was already dark.  We made the most of it though... we hopped on the subway at the Oculus, which is incredible, and got off at Grand Central Station (also incredible).  From there we walked by 30 Rock, through Times Square, and eventually made our way up to Central Park.  It was in the 20s and sleeting, with 30mph+ winds, which we were NOT prepared for... so at some point we ducked into an Irish pub for a drink... but quickly made our escape as karaoke started.  We didn't venture into Central Park because it was night time and it didn't seem like there was much going on in there.  We walked by the Trump building and then found a random subway station that we hoped would take us home.

I have to say, I was surprised by the density of the buildings, the narrowness of the streets, and just how many people there were everywhere.  And the trash.  Soooo much trash.  I can't even fathom how much trash is generated by that city every day, or what it must have been like when the trash collectors went on strike.  Gross.  I don't think I could live in New York unless I was making enough money to truly live there.  Like to have to deal with all the crowds and everyone rushing everywhere all the time, just so you can go home to a closet... not really my thing.  But hey, whatever floats your boat.  Like I said everyone was friendly, and even on the subway during rush hour when it was shoulder-to-shoulder, everyone minded their own business and at no point did I ever feel threatened by the city.  I was also surprised to see that food wasn't much more expensive than what I'm used to in Houston... though drink prices were ridiculous.  We finished our trip with a victory dinner at Pier A, a restaurant recommended by the event planner at the NYSE, and then we went upstairs to a 1920s Cuban-themed bar called Black Tail, which made delicious mixed drinks.  Out the window was the Statue of Liberty.

Things we didn't get to see but wanted to: Hell's Kitchen, Little Italy, the inside of the World Trade Center (I heard the elevator ride alone is worth the price of admission), and the 9/11 museum.  We saw the Empire State Building, but not as closely as I would have liked, and I also would have liked to have seen Central Park.  Everyone said the Statue of Liberty isn't much once you get there, but that's something I feel like all Americans should see at some point in their life... the best we got was across the water while we listened to 1920s jazz at Black Tail.

I did get to make a pass around the World Trade Center reflecting pools on our last morning in New York.  I have to say, that experience was much more powerful than I thought it would be.  I didn't know anyone directly involved in 9/11, I didn't lose any friends or loved ones, but I guess I still have some anger or fear or something inside of me.  Whatever it is, it came out while I was walking around the memorial.  It was a Friday morning and there weren't a lot of people around, but I've heard that there's a real issue with young people not properly respecting that memorial.  I guess I can understand... if you weren't alive for those events, your perspective is probably a lot different than mine.  I never thought as much about Pearl Harbor as my grandfather (who fought in the war) did, and this is probably something similar.  For everyone who was alive in 2001, their lives were forever changed.  But if you weren't alive then, you wouldn't know any different.

The flight home was long, probably mostly because I couldn't wait to get back to my own house, my own coffee, my own bed.  This was an amazing trip with some great people.  I probably won't go back to New York for a while, but when I do I will feel better at least having some idea of how to get around the city, and knowing what is left to see and worth seeing.  A big thanks to CEMEX for giving me this opportunity!