Mark set out to see each one, embarking on a six-month, 25,000-mile odyssey from his town of Boston to Egypt, England, Italy, Israel, Turkey, Lebanon, and beyond, to discover what these ancient voices have to say about religion, technology, tribalism, and conflicts of all kinds. You can purchase OBELISK ODYSSEY here.

After 32 years with P&G, Mark became a consultant, first with the Monitor Group in Cambridge, Massachusetts, then as President of Retail Net Group, a boutique consulting firm specializing in retail innovation. Mark also is an instructor at Duquesne University’s semester abroad program in Rome where he has taught several undergraduate business classes. In semi-retirement, Mark found meaning lying in the stone quarries of North Africa, the Egyptian obelisk. In this conversation amongst longtime Alum friends, you’ll hear about Mark and Qaisar’s many adventures, conversations, and reflections across the world. 

Hosting this conversation is a longtime friend of the pod Qaisar Shareef, a fellow P&G alum and author, who’s led many parts of the organization from Pakistan to Ukraine to the US. This is a feature of an Alumni Leader’s published thought leadership. Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode – reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com

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Breaking news from Sonoma California at our second annual Vineyard Experience. It is with huge excitement and deep gratitude to Chip & Juliet Bergh that we announced that … every dollar donated to the Alumni Foundation will be 100% MATCHED through the end of 2024 up to $200,000!

The Bergh Match inspired a first gift at the event. SynFiny Advisors is donating $25,000 as a second match. Many thanks to SynFiny & CEO Jeff Wuest kicking things off well!

QUADRUPLE your donation now! Your donation of $100 becomes $400 with the two matches. The first $25,000 in donations have the 4X match, and the next donations up to $200,000 will be doubled!

As alums, most of us would agree that we share a common sense of gratitude for skills learned and friends made at P&G. At the P&G Alumni Foundation, this gratitude is what drives us to pay it forward. We enjoy coming together to harness the power of the P&G Alumni Network to create a global force for good—giving grants and applying our collective experience to help people in need thrive economically.

“P&G is really like family. … I am happy to support the P&G Alumni Foundation and encourage others to join me. Together, we lift up others who are in need to new sustainable employment.”

– Chip Bergh

Our grants lift up hundreds of thousands of individuals and their families. While we have come a long way, there is still much to be done. For every grant we make, there are four more waiting for funding.  Also, an Alumni Foundation grant serves as a trusted credential and multiplier for further fundraising by award recipients. One recipient told us of an 8:1 multiplier from one $20,000 award!

Donating is a way to continue P&G’s mission of improving lives in the places we live, work and serve. If you are able to add the P&G Alumni Foundation to your current giving circle, please DONATE TODAY and GET MATCHED!

Special thank you to

1. Chip & Juliet Bergh for this amazing matching gift that will sustain grants for a year and to Chip for serving as an Honorary Guest Co-Host.
2. Tarang Amin for serving as an Honorary Guest Co-Host and for a generous donation that just came in post our fun fundraiser from the Tarang & Hirni Amin Family.
3. SynFiny Advisors for being the first to step up with a major matching gift of $25,000
4. Karen Francis DeGolia for sharing her beautiful vineyard setting with us, donating all the wine for the event, and arranging an exceptional dinner perfectly paired with wines from the estate.
5. Limerick Lane Cellars for hosting us for the Rocky Knoll tour, dinner in the 1910 historic vineyard, poolside receptions, and lovely Farmhouse accommodations.
6. Our Event Team – Deb Kielty, Shantini Munthree, Ranu Gupta, Julie Lumgair, Diane Chen, and Sarah Woods
7. All who attended 
8. All who purchased wine in support of the P&G Alumni Foundation

If you would still like to purchase wine in support of the Alumni Foundation, please go to limericklanewines.com or club@limericklanewines.com for assistance and email pgalumfoundation@limericklanewines.com with your order number to give credit for the proceeds. Additional thanks to Karen and Limerick Lane for donating 10% of the proceeds from wine sales to the P&G Alumni Foundation.

He was also Group Chief Executive of Jet Airways for a short tenure and has served as a consultant and advisor to the Nitto Denko Corporation in Japan. Ravi has also advised portfolio CEOs of companies across industries and served as an advisor to Marico and Emami—Indian consumer goods companies that are expanding internationally.

Ravi is a Senior Fellow in the Management Department of the Wharton School of Business and has been a Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania. He received his BA from the University of Delhi, and Master of Management Studies from the Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Master of Management Studies.

You’ll enjoy this candid conversation between old colleagues and hear the wisdom that has impacted many leaders from Ravi’s storied career.

This is part of our Asian leaders series – hosted by P&G Alumni Emily Chang. Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode? Reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com

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Mary Carmen’s 25+ years of experience across multiple industries and cultures have given her a unique perspective on navigating the elusive-for-many idea of “work /life balance” and creating structures that enable longer-term flow. She has more than 20 years of experience building and expanding consumer brands in fragrances, beauty, personal care, and women’s health categories.

Mary Carmen previously served as Unilever’s Global Vice President working on men’s personal care brands like Axe & Lynx. She spent 22+ years at P&G, getting her start as a product development engineer, and rising through roles in brand and general management —from Haircare, Cosmetics, Skincare, Prestige Fragrances, Consumer Health, and P&G Ventures. Mary Carmen has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from Xavier University. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation on the importance of advocacy in one’s career, clarity on priorities, and the development of frameworks to create the life you want

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Sponsoring Alumni Greg York leads various volunteer groups and coordinates farm maintenance and building management. His leadership, alongside Barbara and Becky’s advocacy and support, has been instrumental in Tikkun Farm’s growth and success. 🌟

Through Tikkun Farm’s job training program, participants gain essential skills in carpentry, electrical, agriculture, and culinary arts, alongside valuable life skills like accountability and respect. Greg’s experience at P&G has played a pivotal role in shaping Tikkun Farm’s vision and approach, highlighting the importance of strong leadership and management skills.

In 2023-2024, Tikkun Farm will expand its training program, combining trauma-informed care experiences with technical skills training in Environmental Care, Building Trades, and Culinary Arts. Participants receive hands-on training addressing stressors and improving their chances of success.

With the most recent PGAF grant we are proud to support Tikkun Farm to expand the training program from 50 to 90 participants in 2024. Funds will support salaries, equipment, farming tools, seeds, starter plants, and certification costs, ensuring the program’s success and impact.

Though born from tragedy, Tikkun Farm’s job training program is a beacon of hope, honoring the memory of individuals like Monie by providing opportunities for transformation and empowerment. Monie, a young man who found solace and support at Tikkun Farm after facing homelessness and challenges in his home environment, tragically lost his life to gun violence. His story motivates Tikkun Farm to continue their vital work, ensuring that others like Monie have access to support, skills, and hope for a brighter future. Together, we can create a brighter future for all.

We need to remember that money and time are often linked. We spend time, save time, invest time, and buy time. Freedom is entwined with time, too. There’s free time, leisure time, time off, flex time, and downtime. Bob shares ways to improve your life by making better daily decisions about time, money, and freedom—from the basic, tactical choices to laddering up to big-picture strategy with a personal story from his childhood that still drives him today.

Bob now serves as co-founder and CEO of Hearty, a people-tech company, as well as a few other interesting ventures. While at P&G, Bob worked on brands like Tide and Mr. Clean – and Mr. Clean Auto Dry, and even Fit fruit and vegetable wash. Bob authored books and shares real-life stories of his business ups-and-downs in his weekly newsletter “the Workaround” – which you can subscribe to at beheartly.substack.com

This is a feature of an Alumni Leader’s frequently published thought leadership. Got an idea for a future “Learnings from Leaders” episode – reach out at pgalumpod@gmail.com

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