Hats, Horses and Mint Juleps Win the Day

Well, some have the Masters, and others have the Super Bowl but for me, the true bucket list item is the Kentucky Derby.

So, after many years watching the “greatest 2 minutes in the history of sports” on television, and happening to be a third-generation Kentucky boy myself, there I was this past Saturday, up close and in person at Churchill Downs for the 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby.

What made it even more surreal, was that I was fortunate enough to be there with the Mayor of Louisville — the honorable, Greg Fischer — in his motorcade and on the red carpet, with the the world’s paparazzi in tow. It was an experience any attention-loving Leo would covet.

We arrived on Thursday to an airport abuzz with live ragtime music, pretty “ladies” dressed in clothes of a bygone era handing out bourbon balls, and enormous urns of long stemmed red roses that lined the walkways for yards. Louisville is not shy about their Derby weekend, the prices are jacked up beyond all recognition. “Thurby” –as they call it– is part of the show, so a brief, 5-minute cab ride can set you back $25.00, with a whiskey-throated, chuckling driver visiting from Ohio, taking your money with guiltless glee.

Swiftly, bourbon becomes the perfect solution to part with pain.

Kentucky folk love their bourbon and supply about 95% percent of the world. The problem is the best labels cannot leave the state. Rather than go to the Kentucky Oaks on Friday-the locals favorite day of racing– we opted to do a little bourbon tasting and found some extremely hard-to-find labels. Now, we had our final challenge…smuggling them home!

After a welcome gala at the Mayor’s building, a gorgeous turn of the century colonial, followed by the Vanity Fair party where we spotted Lindsey Vonn and Bob Baffert, it was time for the Saturday spectacle.

And, spectacle it truly was. A mostly crisp and sunny morning, around 72 degrees, with one hundred and sixty thousand people wearing everything from a double-breasted suit covered in Tito’s Vodka logos, to almost transparent dresses—all with hats to match. TV does not do justice to the famous Twin Spires and perfectly manicured grounds of Churchill Downs. It is an all-day affair. At 8 am the doors open, and the mint juleps start flowing in preparation for the races that start around ten am.

Now, if you have a chance to go, expect the lines to run around 90 minutes to get seated, but you needn’t catch the first race. Thousands of cars are parked on home owners’ front yards, where many of the residents prepare barbecue as an additional income generator to their parking services. Yes, the whole town participates in this Derby Day circus!

Now, luckily for us, we arrived by a police escorted motorcade, whisking by the traffic to the front door, or should I say red carpet, and were requisitely handed a mint julep. That same mint julep was magically full for the entire day. One of the perks of knowing the Mayor.

While everyone else was peering from the outside of the paddock, we were some of the few who walked through the horse’s paddock and into the winner’s circle. An unbelievable experience: the beauty and grace of the horses, the seriousness of the trainers and jockeys, the over hundred years of tradition, the array of colors and hundreds upon hundreds of glorious hats.

The tradition of the Derby really can be summed up in three words: horses, juleps and hats. At times between races, the main event was to roam around, people watch and snap hat shots instead of checking the odds for the next race. Enormous rainbow colored, plumed hats; over-sized floral hats; hats with brims so expansive there was no way you could find a face below; hats that resembled mini movie sets with horses and buildings and dollar bills.

The pride of the spectators is palpable, and the gracious southern manners are never overlooked. Our host family has sat in the same box for 40 years, a little outdoor area with six folding chairs where the family of about 20 ensure that they all have their julep ready to huddle in for the 6:34pm post.

We were fortunate in that we could watch the races from the box, or Turf Club, an indoor area with many screens, open bar, and eye candy galore. Not to mention the likes of Kate Upton, Megyn Kelly and Ted Cruz. Not found all together, of course. (I’m resisting comment on the luminaries.)

When it was time to bet on the big race, my phone started pinging like crazy. Friends from all over the country called and texted wanting to place bets. Exactas, trifectas, win place show. Lucky for me, I travel with my lucky girlfriend who with no homework seems to sniff winning horses by name. We had already banked $750.00 on a $20.00 bet on winning horse Camelot Kitten and were smugly watching the pros feign enthusiasm for our amateur accomplishments.

As the big race neared, people moved into the stands in throngs, the crowds roared, the classic “My Old Kentucky Home” was sung in unison, and with the ring of a bell they were off! The tough part for gamblers was that Nyquist, the favorite by a landslide, had little upside on the odds so we had no option but to bet on Exaggerator to win place and show. We did just fine. Exaggerator came in second. The best two minutes in sports had come to an end.

A beautiful buffet awaited us in a Louisville penthouse with all the trimmings: Smithfield ham and biscuits, mini hot browns – a real family favorite –and classic Derby pie. As we stared out onto the drizzly Louisville skyline, we raised a last glass of bourbon to the evening, toasting a day that neither Nyquist, nor I, will forget.

MANAGING DIRECTOR JOHN LAMAR RECOMMENDS CLINT HILL’S “MY TRAVELS WITH MRS. KENNEDY”

John Lamar’s latest book recommendation is “My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy,” written by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Clint Hill.

Hill was a U.S. Secret Service Agent from 1958 to 1975, serving five presidents—Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford. He was in the motorcade in Dallas on November 22, 1963, assigned to protect First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

His latest book includes humorous stories and intimate moments, as well as startling details about how traveling helped them both heal during the excruciating weeks and months following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963. He also writes of the year he spent protecting Mrs. Kennedy after the assassination, a time in his life he has always been reluctant to speak about.

As Hill’s friend and neighbor, Lamar has had the privilege of knowing the man behind the stories but still finds himself awestruck by Hill’s experiences as a U.S. Secret Service Special Agent.

“He is a remarkable man and a dear friend. He is 90 years old yet sharp as a tack,” John Lamar said.

For an in-depth look at Hill and My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy, visit The Today Show link.

An engagement.

A wedding anniversary.

A first Thanksgiving in America.

An eleventh Thanksgiving in America.

A post-Harvey gathering.

A Thanksgiving birthday.

Thanksgiving memories are more than parades and pumpkin pie around here. They are a collection of snapshots in time—some recent, some experienced many years ago, but they are as special as the people who share them.

This blog is a tradition we look forward to all year long. When life dishes out difficulties and disappointment, it’s sometimes easy to forget the good stuff—health, travel, quiet times with those you cherish, and laughing with those you love. We offer these recollections in hopes you, too, have glimpses of gratitude to share during the Thanksgiving season.

Traditions come in various configurations, so whether you’re enjoying (deep-fried) turkey or salmon, running a 5K, or celebrating on a beach, we hope your Thanksgiving is full of moments worth sharing.

Happy Thanksgiving,

The Alexander Group

John Lamar, The Alexander Group, Founder & Managing Director

Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays, and fall is one of my favorite seasons. Can you say football?

The colors of the vineyards are all lit up in amber and gold, yet the weather is still temperate enough to eat outside, and, of course, the highlight is dessert by the open fire. I’m not sure we’ve had the best turkey day yet, but last year was pretty epic as we had our friend and fine artist, Eloin Rivera, join us from Cali, Colombia.

Faith admired his work on Instagram and hired him sight unseen to paint two murals in our dining room in Mexico. It was risky, yes, and I thought she was crazy, but six weeks and many hours of scaffold commitment later, our walls were covered in life-sized, perfectly rendered palm groves —just spectacular!

Jane Howze, The Alexander Group, Founder & Managing Director

In November 2005, my husband, John, and I took our anniversary trip to the big island of Hawaii. We were married on Thanksgiving week of 1980, and it was our usual trip, which is to say, beautiful.

On the actual day of our anniversary, John kept rushing me to get ready for dinner, saying that he didn’t want to miss the sunset. I still didn’t think anything was unusual when he suggested I put on a little makeup and do a little more to my hair before we left the room. When we arrived at the beachside restaurant, a minister awaited us to renew our vows with an ancient Hawaiian wedding ceremony on the sand in the middle of a heart created by an array of orchids. I don’t think I have ever been so surprised or moved.

This year, you will find us again back on the big island, celebrating our 43rd wedding anniversary. Count me grateful and loved.

Amanda Brady, The Alexander Group, COO/Managing Director

There’s always something special about New Orleans, but celebrating Thanksgiving in The Big Easy elevates the holiday in a way only the city and its unique energy can. Amanda Brady tapped into that energy in Thanksgiving 2020, marking the holiday with these iconic New Orleans images.

The company culture conversation isn’t anything new, but as employment rates stay low and the remote versus in-office debate volleys back and forth, it’s a discussion here to stay.

Intentionality is at the core of building company culture; sometimes, the strongest advocates for culture come from inside the building. Often, the best response leadership can give its employees is to listen and empower employees to suggest and implement plans. This approach isn’t just about the warm fuzzies; Gallup reports an eighty-five percent net profit increase over five years within companies that build a strong culture.

So, what does this look like in a real-time, tangible way? With offices and time zones spread across the country, The Alexander Group, like many other professional services firms, asked the same question, with leadership actively listening and welcoming ideas.

The results?

Well, for one, you will find most of us gathered or in front of our computers the third Thursday of every month for happy hour, a 60-minute opportunity to chat, laugh and discover new things about each other. The Alexander Group’s Anthony Ott spearheads the monthly event, drawing from experiences at a former employer.

“We have our heads down, working so hard that it’s nice to take a breath and get to know each other better,” associate Anthony Ott said. “We talk about non-work things and that helps build camaraderie, empowerment and trust.”

Ott uses an app that randomly selects the various groups each month, making sure at least one member of leadership is included, supplying the teams with ice breakers, trivia, quizzes and other conversation starters should they be needed. The Alexander Group is a gregarious bunch, so while the trivia has largely gone untouched, the spirit behind happy hour is thriving. The four to six people per group allows for conversation in a small setting, which is also by design.

“Having a small group is more conducive to really talking with each other. It allows us to see another side of a co-worker they may not normally see because we’re in a work mindset,” Ott said. “We all have a common denominator, and this gives a chance to expand culture and team building.”

Sociologist Tracy Brower studies work-life happiness and fulfillment and calls this “Social Capital,” the ability to form fulfilling relationships, generate new ideas and ask advice for how to get things done within the organization.

“Strong cultures also have intricate webbing of social capital—the networks of people across the organization. To maintain positive cultures in hybrid/remote working situations, leaders need to be intentional about encouraging people to build their networks,” Brower said. “They can do this by connecting people across departments, providing for cross-functional learning opportunities and creating time for people to have virtual coffee or networking discussions with colleagues across the company.”

The happy hours are in addition to monthly catered lunches where staff is encouraged to catch up over a meal, group outings to play darts or Top Golf and annual company retreats. Many of The Alexander Group team members, including managing director John Lamar, are based in California, so the West Coast contingent makes it a priority to gather in person a few times a year.

“It’s so much fun to meet in person, give them a hug and spend that time together,” Ott said.

A by-product of leadership-supported gatherings is the framework of a safe space to exchange ideas and encourage mentorship. Employees who know they are seen and heard feel valued, and that means greater staff retention.

McKinsey & Company study authors Terra Allas and Brooke Weddle say connection building helps meet the psychological and emotional needs of employees. They suggest setting up regular/daily meetings at the beginning of each day, allowing time for socializing and creating regular events to build social connections. McKinsey research shows society is a key source of meaning for employees, along with company, customer, team, and individual.

Indeed, that is what Pax8 CEO John Street finds with his employees. Street prioritizes inclusivity within his company, connecting every day with someone on his staff in a meaningful way.

“Creating a feeling of belonging locally, regionally and globally is priceless, and sustaining that feeling requires an inclusive approach and active commitment from leaders. For example, I make it a practice to call one employee each day and ask, “What’s going on in your world? What are you thinking about?” These discussions help me signal to every employee that they belong and are valued,” Street said in a January 2023 Forbes Magazine article. “Embedding inclusion and belonging is a core tenet of employee recruitment and retention.”

Indeed, Ott, knowing he was heard and supported by leadership, was motivated to expand the social capital plans at The Alexander Group. Next steps include one-on-one exchanges where team members can dedicate time for business development, marketing and organizational ideas and a quarterly exchange of constructive firm-wide suggestions.
“Empowered employees feel like they have a voice. We all come from different places and have different ideas. We all have something to offer,” Ott said.

Street has also found an energized employee base by listening to his staff. They feel encouraged and see themselves rising within Street’s IT company.

“When employees know their voices are being heard, they not only feel engaged but are actually engaged. Innovations rise to the top, and the individuals who bring great ideas to the table often become future leaders in the organization. Because they deeply understand the importance of being heard, these new leaders will then continue to prioritize listening to team members. Leaders can encourage employees to speak up in a variety of ways, like physical or virtual suggestion boxes, surveys or simply asking them directly,” Street said.

Every company is different, so if happy hour and axe throwing aren’t exactly the social experiences your team would appreciate, human resources expert Renee Cocchi says what’s most important is choosing activities that will help teams get closer to each other, be happier and more comfortable in the workplace so they can produce their best work. Planning to get social? Cocchi offers these tips when adding events to the culture-building event calendar:

Clearly communicate the goals and purpose of the activity
Encourage participation and collaboration from all team members
Make the activity fun and enjoyable, but also challenging.
Follow up on the activity to discuss any lessons learned and how they can be applied in the workplace.