It started out as a rumor on Facebook. 

Former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill was going to attend our final finance class of the semester.  Our study teams would be delivering presentations on the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy and the government’s response to the global financial crisis.  The topic was appropriate and my source was credible, but I was still skeptical.

As Financial Crisis Review Day approached, the rumor was confirmed.  We would in fact be presenting our recommendations to the 72nd Secretary of the United States Treasury.

Our class presented our findings and recommendations to Secretary O’Neill before he took the podium.  Over the next 45 minutes, he presented his perspective on the financial crisis and the government’s response.  Over lunch, we talked about his trip to Africa with Bono and his process improvement work in the medical field.  You won’t find these lessons in textbooks.

One of the hallmarks of the Executive MBA program at William & Mary has been face time with executives.  We have had cocktails with Senior Executives and dinners with Fortune 500 CEOs. 

A guest lecture and lunch with the former Treasury Secretary should not have come as a surprise.

View photos of Secretary O’Neill’s visit on Flickr.