The Meaning of Profit

Friday, September 26 2008 | Send to a friend

THE MEANING OF PROFIT

Hal Taussig

Part of the bailout package before Washington includes salary limits for top executives of Wall Street companies. The fear is that many CEOs will continue to get rich while the rest of the country, and the world, go into a financial tailspin.

Hal Taussig believes that CEOs have a responsibility to do more than earn wealth for themselves. He created a successful travel company called Untours. The company has a budget in the millions and maintains a healthy profit margin - but Hal does not keep any of the profits. He donates them to charity.

Hal talks to Dick Gordon about the spontaneous moment that led him to this alternative business lifestyle. The result swims against the tide of the profit motive: Hal actually finds that having an empty bank account is exhilarating.

• Learn more about the Untours company and foundation
• Learn more about B Corporation, an organization of business leaders like Hal

You're not Nixon!

George Akers - larger >>

At a time when many people are sorting out which candidate they identify with, George Akers remembers being regularly identified as a candidate by other people: he bears an uncanny resemblance to Richard Nixon. The resemblance was usually the stuff of harmless jokes. But in 1970, George was on a picnic with his university students in a park near Camp David. On a whim, the group drove to the gate at Camp David, and to their astonishment were let in. George tells Dick about his encounter there with Marines, Secret Service men, and black helicopters.

• See a photo of George in front of a poster of Nixon