Chicago

For this year's COB Honors Program trip, the group headed to Chicago. At left is a picture of yours truly with (from Left to right) Joel Azariah (my roommate), Layton, Inga, and Amy. The honors program provides many opportunities to interact with individuals in high places in industry (often in faraway places). For this trip, we visited the CBOT (Chicago Board of Trade), one of only two physical trading floors left in the US. Most are now virtual, like the NASDAQ. I have never seen such a tremendous hub of activity, with hundreds of people in colorful trading jackets shouting at each other to complete their trades before the closing bell.

But these trips are not only serious business. We had the opportunity to check out the Navy Pier and the top of the John Hancock Center, as well as stop at the original Uno Pizzaria. It's the funniest thing to see this little brick building surrounded by towering glass skyscrapers on all sides. Let's face it... for us small city residents, even riding the subway is fun...

City of Chicago:
http://www.ci.chi.il.us/city/webportal/home.do
Chicago Board of Trade:
http://www.cbot.com/