Intern Diaries (Week 9): NYC, What Is It About You?

Week 9, and we’re feeling fine! Except, not really because the interns only have one week left, and the separation anxiety is already kicking in… If you find me weeping in the HR closet (great for staples, loose-leaf paper and a good cry), just leave me there.

This week we are floating over to another Hightower hot spot: the New York office! I’ve heard a Big Apple a day keeps the boredom away, and you’ll see it for yourself this week as we catch up with our interns on the Upper East Side (JK, the offices are in Midtown).

Shining Like the Top of the Chrysler Building

It’s hardly a hard-knock life when you’ve got views this good! Hightower recently opened a new office space in the iconic Chrysler Building, and the grand opening was quite the affair. A Champagne toast kicked off the day (nothing like a morning mimosa sans-OJ right?), and in true Hightower fashion, there was tons of swag. My personal fave was the “I <3 HT” hats in the classic “I <3 NY” style the city is famous for.

Investment Solutions Intern Sean Salamante attended the opening and had nothing but good things to say. He notes, “The 300 Madison Grand Opening was an action-packed day. The conference rooms, the standing desks, the kitchen, the views of downtown NYC… It was surely an upgrade from the former office. Lunch felt like I was at a restaurant with steak, chicken, salmon and many other options… Oh, and can’t forget the giveaways!” We can’t and won’t forget, Sean.

He was also excited to talk to other familiar faces IRL, which is really the best way to find out how tall everyone actually is. He says, “It was also the first time I saw many ELT members in person who I’d had (virtual) brown bag lunches with. I was positively surprised when Bob Oros walked by my desk and knew my name and Dan Watanapongse came up to me and remembered I was a second-year intern! Overall, it’s exciting to see a change of scenery for Hightower NY, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to come into the office throughout the summer and meet members of my team and Executive Leadership Team (ELT) face-to-face!”

Success & the City

The New York-area interns have been going into the office a few days a week to meet up with their teammates and experience summer in the City that Never Sleeps. (I hope y’all sleeping, though; always be self-caring). They actually get two offices for the price of one, because HT also opened a space on nearby 300 Madison Ave (which boasts the advantage of getting to meet-and-greet with some of our advisor firms). Must be nice in case you need to hide from someone or simply want a change of snacks (no judgment).

Says Solution Research Intern Jake Cizmarik, “I’ve been going in one-two days a week. It’s really nice to be in person in the office and meet the other interns and Hightower employees. The offices are brand new and really nice, and both offices have some advisor businesses in them, so it is cool to see that also.” Way to network, Jake! That’s truly the way to make yourself an office fan favorite.

Peter Connolly Enters the Chat

This week’s Star Intern award is given, as it is every week, to the first person to pay attention to me. Everyone give Enterprise Risk Management Intern Peter Connolly an elegant golf clap for stepping up to the plate! Peter hails from Washington D.C. and is a rising junior at Georgetown. With a major in history and a passion for 20^th century events, he is well on his way to being the perfect reference in a documentary on the World Wars (1-Z).

Risky Business

Peter has been working hard the past nine weeks in his role in Enterprise Risk. When asked what projects spark the most joy, he says, “One routine project I’ve really enjoyed has been developing our M&A (mergers and acquisitions) holdings analysis risk reports. Once M&A identifies a potential acquisition target, they pass it along to the risk team to run data analytics. This allowed me to break down the target’s portfolio holdings and compare their investment strategy to Hightower’s in order to evaluate how the potential acquisition would factor into our total asset holdings.” You know what they say, with great risk comes great reward.*

*note: ���they,” in this case, is not Chief Risk Officer Jared Schwarz.

He adds, “Another project I enjoyed allowed me to work across departments, with Product Vendor Management and Platform Innovation, to reconcile all of Hightower’s Alternative Investment data. The work itself was long and tedious (and still very much an ongoing project), but I really enjoyed working across teams.” A team player and good at evaluating risk? I bet you’re a real asset in Codenames, Peter!

Professional Confessional

With this internship nearing its end, Peter has a lot of takeaways to bring back with him! Here’s his top learnings (and actual proof that the interns did real career-building tasks):

1. Risk Management 101

“From a department-specific standpoint, I’ve been able to learn about the unique role that risk management has at a fast-growing firm like Hightower. With sustained organic growth, frequent acquisition deals and a mission to give advisors the freedom to maintain their business’s independent identities, Hightower is a company that must take on risk if we’re to continue our growth. By working within this framework, I’ve learned how the role of risk management is not so much about risk reduction as it is about risk mitigation­ – specifically, providing teams and departments with the information they need to make the most calculated decisions possible.”

2. Major Collabs

“I’ve also come to understand how important it is to have an organization that stresses collaboration. I found that Hightower doesn’t place as huge of an emphasis on maintaining a strict chain of command as it does on teamwork. For this reason, I was able to connect more with people from senior management and members of other departments. I also never felt like I had just one manager, as I was able to work one-on-one on with everyone on my team on a variety of projects. Due to this collaborative atmosphere, I learned much more on the job than I initially expected to.”

3. Get Some Culture

“More than anything, I’ve learned how profoundly company culture can drive success. At some point during their talks, each of our brown bag lunch speakers spoke to the significance that Hightower’s culture has had on their own careers and the collective pride they shared in it with their colleagues. I know I’ll use HT’s culture as a guidepost for the kind of place I’d like to work in the future.” Note for guidepost: Candy tubes are a need, not a want.

Corporate, but Make It Fun  

Peter is more than just a face behind a laptop! Enjoy some super cool facts about him:

1. “I spend a lot of my free time playing golf. I’ve been playing the sport for as long as I can remember – although my handicap doesn’t quite reflect that.”
2. “I love to read biographies.”
3. “I was recently an extra in a movie.”

Don’t forget me when you’re famous. Thanks so much, Peter, for all your great insights! 😀 Per usual, your reward cannot be topped. You’re receiving… a clip from DreamWorks’ Madagascar (a classic New York movie/masterpiece of course!)

It’s Closing Time on Week 9! Come back later to see what the interns are circling back to and following up on.