Back in CT

Back in CT after three solid weeks on the road -

Left here in early October, heading for Denver and Aspen for a Sciona board meeting and then the Aspen Institute Health Forum. Aspen was just gorgeous, crisp and cool weather and all the trees turned their brilliant yellow, against clear blue skies. The forum was also very interesting - they get so many fantastic people to participate, and there are many chances to meet and talk during the conference. Who knows if we solved any of the massive problems of healthcare, but it does make you feel if we put this kind of powerful intellect and talent behind it, we could make a difference! Brian Klepper, who is a health care analyst and was a forum 'fellow' this year, described it thus in his blog:

• "... the true pleasure of the Health Forum was listening to and talking with this collection of extraordinary scientists, physicians, philanthropists, economists, business leaders, venture capitalists and policy experts, who have come together for no other purpose than to share and to learn. There are 28 and 78 year olds, people at the end and beginning of their careers, but no sense of caste or clannishness. You walk into every meeting aware that everyone has something interesting to say, that they are informed, thoughtful, deliberate and focused on translating idea to action. There is a tacit understanding that, in their rage to know and do, they are most passionate about achieving something larger than themselves."

Denver on to Laguna Niguel, California, for the annual Biotech CEO Meeting, which Burrill & Company co-hosts with Kleiner Perkins, followed by a week in San Francisco in the office, then a day meeting in Atlanta, the Case Western Reserve trustees meeting in Cleveland. Somewhere in all this, I made time to watch the Indians defeat sworn enemy the Yankees, and then heartbreakingly snatch defeat from the jaws of victory (see here).

Now I'm home. Awaiting me on my return was a new United 1K flyer card - I think I earned it, don't you?