tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29860218990876773222024-03-13T20:20:06.261-07:00Zero-Sum GameErika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-4475984822202658082011-03-15T15:58:00.000-07:002011-03-15T16:05:58.326-07:00Book Signing: March 22 at 7 PM, Barnes & Noble in Rochester Hills, MI<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/3088762"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4SBXiXQ6KtE/TX_wC6KHdiI/AAAAAAAAK6o/WEICJicxreU/s400/BNlogo.jpg" title="Come one, come all!" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584445995724797474" border="0" /></a>Well, the title of this post just about says it all.<br /><br />Next week I'm returning to my home town of Rochester Hills, Michigan (where I attended the same high school Madonna did -- Rochester Adams), and will be at the local Barnes & Noble, talking about the process of writing <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game</span>, reading a few select passages from the book, and then of course signing copies for any nice people who show up. I'm hoping I'll see a lot of my old friends and/or their parents, and am planning a very fun and candid chat.<br /><br />If you're in Southeast Michigan, please try to stop by. And feel free to spread the word to others in the area as well.<br /><br />Event Details:<br />March 22<br />7 PM<br />Barnes & Noble, Rochester Hills, Michigan<br />2800 S. Rochester Rd.<br /><a href="http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/3088762" target="_blank">More info here!</a>Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-63742210747376468622011-02-16T17:11:00.000-08:002011-02-21T08:27:50.970-08:00REGISTRATION DEADLINE TODAY, MONDAY 2/21, for 2/23 Event: The Past, Present, and Future of Chicago's Derivatives Exchanges<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yXJe1AWoacs/TVx693ThCOI/AAAAAAAAK14/jZVkZc2dd2M/s1600/uccexterior_j.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yXJe1AWoacs/TVx693ThCOI/AAAAAAAAK14/jZVkZc2dd2M/s320/uccexterior_j.jpg" title="The University Club of Chicago" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574465642014247138" border="0" /></a>2/21 UPDATE: Today is the registration deadline for Wednesday's event. If you are not a member of the University Club or HBS Club of Chicago, please call The Book Stall at <strong style="font-weight: normal;">847-446-8880 to sign up today</strong>. The cost for the event is $25.<br /><br />---<br /><br />Attention Chicagoans!<br /><br />On February 23 I'll be speaking at the University Club over lunch and would be thrilled to see you there. This is probably the last major speaking event I'll have in Chicago for the foreseeable future, so if you'd like to have your copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game</span> signed by moi, enjoy a fabulous meal, hear me blab for a little while <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">also</span> see Bernie Dan in action (he'll be joining me for a Q&A session), now's your chance.<br /><br />The event is open to all -- details on how to register are at the bottom of this post. Please note that registration closes at the end of the business day on Monday the 21st. Also please note that the University Club has a business casual dress code -- no denim or athletic wear is allowed.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Date and time</span>: February 23, Noon - 1:15 PM<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Registration closes:</span> End of business day on February 21<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Location:</span> The University Club of Chicago, 76 East Monroe Street<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Event description:</span><br /><br />For over one hundred years, the intense feud between the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) put even the Sox/Cubs rivalry to shame. The thought of these two institutions joining forces was simply inconceivable. But in July 2007, after a one-hundred-seventeen-day, multibillion-dollar bidding war, a six-month-long Department of Justice investigation, a bomb threat, a media circus, and the consumption of countless T-bones, the CME/CBOT merger happened. Erika S. Olson was a managing director at CBOT during that tumultuous time, and will share an overview of the futures exchange industry as well as behind-the-scenes highlights of the deal that resulted in Chicago-based CME Group dominating the country’s exchange-traded futures industry. <p> With the NYSE Euronext/Deutsche Borse merger dominating headlines this month and deadlines for the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation looming, there couldn’t be a better time to review the storied history of Chicago’s futures exchanges and discuss what lies ahead for the derivatives industry. Join us over lunch for a discussion of these topics with Erika S. Olson, author of <i>Zero-Sum Game: The Rise of the World’s Largest Derivatives Exchange.</i> Bernie Dan, President of Sun Holdings LLC and former CEO of the Chicago Board of Trade, will join Erika for a Q&A session at the end of her prepared presentation.<br /></p><p>Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event.</p><p><br /></p><u><span style="font-weight: bold;">TO REGISTER (deadline: end of business day, February 21):</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></u><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PyTwdoUH2JI/TVx_Ea4RgvI/AAAAAAAAK2I/Tm7i6_uaspA/s1600/bookstall_logo_020.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 236px; height: 121px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PyTwdoUH2JI/TVx_Ea4RgvI/AAAAAAAAK2I/Tm7i6_uaspA/s320/bookstall_logo_020.gif" title="A marvelous indie bookstore and North Shore institution" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574470152689386226" border="0" /></a>- Call The Book Stall at <strong style="font-weight: normal;">847-446-8880</strong>. The cost for the event is $25.<br /><br />The Book Stall is a bookstore in Winnetka that is handling reservations for those who are not members of any of the clubs co-hosting the event.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">- OR -<br /></div><br />- If you are a member of The University Club, you can register with them directly.<br /><br />- If you are a member of the HBS Club of Chicago, you will find a registration link at the bottom of <a href="http://www.hbsclubchicago.org/article.html?aid=444" target="_blank">this page</a>.<br /><br />- If you are a member of the Harvard Club of Chicago, you can call the HBS Club of Chicago at 847-256-4846 (they are handling the reservations for both Harvard alumni clubs for this event).<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Thank you for your support!</span>Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-40771301876671819692011-02-07T14:13:00.000-08:002011-02-07T14:23:57.739-08:00Chicago Event: Derivatives Industry Panel Hosted by ACG Chicago<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TVBw7reBikI/AAAAAAAAK1o/9f34mCPTKX4/s1600/ACGchicago.gif"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 238px; height: 46px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TVBw7reBikI/AAAAAAAAK1o/9f34mCPTKX4/s320/ACGchicago.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571076909640550978" border="0" /></a>Those of you who've read <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game </span>already will recognize a few names on the panel I'm moderating next week. The luncheon event is hosted by ACG Chicago, and non-members are welcome to attend (for a slightly higher registration fee).<br /><br />If you know of anyone in the Windy City who might be interested in hearing futures industry executives discuss current trends and debate the latest issues, please spread the word. Discounted pricing for early registration ends this Friday the 11th.<br /><br />Hope to see you there. Here's the registration page with more information:<br /><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/dJqGEE" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chicago: The Risk Management Capital of the World</span></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TVBve_vJ_YI/AAAAAAAAK1Q/L8yrLSy_N0Y/s1600/Chicago%2BRisk%2BPanel.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 176px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TVBve_vJ_YI/AAAAAAAAK1Q/L8yrLSy_N0Y/s400/Chicago%2BRisk%2BPanel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571075317353282946" border="0" /></a>Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-13024118295235959552011-01-23T09:08:00.000-08:002011-01-23T11:10:27.651-08:00WGN Midday News: December 27, 2010So it took me nearly a month to post the video of my chat with WGN Midday News anchor Steve Sanders back on December 27, 2010. Oops. But better late than never, right?<br /><br /><br /><center><object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/491913922981"><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/491913922981" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="300"></embed></object></center><br /><br />This was my first time on live TV and it was quite the experience. Steve was incredibly nice, and I told him that I was jealous of him because a few months prior he interviewed one of my writing heroes, Michael Lewis. He replied that Michael was a fascinating guy, and one of his favorite people to have on the show.<br /><br />I have another TV appearance coming up at the end of this month on PBS's <a href="http://www.pbs.org/nbr/" target="_blank">Nightly Business Report</a>, so stay tuned for that!<br /><br />Oh, and Go Bears!Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-75834622529941151122011-01-08T09:49:00.000-08:002011-01-08T10:03:06.564-08:00Futures Magazine Reviews Zero-Sum Game<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://futuresmag.com/Issues/2011/January-2011/Pages/ZeroSum-Game-The-rise-of-the-worlds-largest-derivatives-exchange.aspx" target="_blank"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 276px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TSimcPQetII/AAAAAAAAK0E/vpEntLd86Ow/s320/Cover_Jan11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559876744051078274" border="0" /></a>First and foremost, Happy New Year!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game </span>received some great coverage since the last time I posted, but I'd been traveling over the holidays and neglected to update the blog. So <a href="http://futuresmag.com/Issues/2011/January-2011/Pages/ZeroSum-Game-The-rise-of-the-worlds-largest-derivatives-exchange.aspx" target="_blank">here's a review from the January 2011 digital edition of <span style="font-style: italic;">Futures</span> magazine</a>, in which I'm compared to Alice in Wonderland. Love it!<br /><br />While I'm curious (like Alice, how fitting) to know exactly what the reviewer felt I got wrong, as I had economists from CME Group review all of the high-level "educational" parts of the book, I'm very pleased that he understood<span style="font-style: italic;"> Zero-Sum Game</span> was mostly meant to be a behind-the-scenes look at what was going on inside the Chicago Board of Trade during its final year, as well as a story about the executives at CBOT, CME and ICE during a time of unprecedented change in the industry.Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-75021676470599645132010-12-17T18:37:00.000-08:002010-12-17T18:56:53.654-08:00Zulkey.com Asks the Hard-Hitting Questions!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TQwgQqm-fzI/AAAAAAAAKz4/33lRhsY1F8Q/s1600/zulkeydotcom.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 188px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TQwgQqm-fzI/AAAAAAAAKz4/33lRhsY1F8Q/s320/zulkeydotcom.gif" title="Click on the Biography link on Claire's site to be led to the story about the kangaroo." id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551847911328743218" border="0" /></a>My friend and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Off-Year-Claire-Zulkey/dp/B00381B7U0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1292639992&sr=8-1" target="_blank">fellow author</a> Claire Zulkey was spreading her awesomeness via <a href="http://www.zulkey.com/" target="_blank">Zulkey.com</a> waaaayyyy before the rest of us even knew what blogs were. I never cease to be amazed at her writing career -- or her interviewing skills. <a href="http://www.zulkey.com/interviews.php"> Check out</a> all of the impressive authors/comedians/famous people she's talked to! And now little ol' me has joined her list of interviewees. Unless I grow a beard or somehow snag a spot as an extra in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hangover 2</span>, I don't think there will ever be anything else Zach Galifianakis and I have in common.<br /><br />So if you've ever wondered how I went about writing <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game</span>, or if I have any regrets, or what I might write about next, then stop what you're doing and read <a href="http://www.zulkey.com/2010/12/the_erika_s_olson_interview.php" target="_blank">this interview</a>!Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-62538286419326588522010-12-15T13:45:00.000-08:002010-12-15T14:19:22.045-08:00Reuters' Felix Salmon Determines That "$190,000/Year is Rich" from Reading Zero-Sum Game<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TQk-w1IE24I/AAAAAAAAKzo/OVj_klXmUWQ/s1600/reuters-logo-dec.-2009-o.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 78px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TQk-w1IE24I/AAAAAAAAKzo/OVj_klXmUWQ/s320/reuters-logo-dec.-2009-o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551037024326441858" border="0" /></a>Reuters' financial blogger extraordinaire, <a href="http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/" target="_blank">Felix Salmon</a>, was inspired to write a very clever article after reading Chapter Two of <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game</span>.<br /><br />See if you agree: <a href="http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2010/12/15/190000-a-year-is-rich/" target="_blank">$190,000 a Year is Rich.</a>Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-90199096036543832362010-12-09T08:48:00.000-08:002011-01-08T08:31:28.715-08:00Wouldn't a Personalized, Autographed Copy of Zero-Sum Game Make a Great Gift?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TQwdmDNKaZI/AAAAAAAAKzw/RoflZOCXFxA/s1600/bookplatewhite.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TQwdmDNKaZI/AAAAAAAAKzw/RoflZOCXFxA/s320/bookplatewhite.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551844980173728146" border="0" /></a>Don't know what to get that reader/business person/trader/investor/finance-type on your holiday shopping list? How about a personalized and/or autographed copy of <a href="http://amzn.to/zerosumgame" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game</span></a>?<br /><br />While I don't have the logistical set-up to mail out actual books, I DO have the ability to write notes on lovely (as well as high quality, acid-free, self-adhesive) bookplates and mail them to you free of charge. I've chosen a very simple design and currently have a supply of bookplates that will look something like the picture in this post when attached.<br /><br />If you'd like one for your own personal copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game</span> and/or a gift you've bought for someone else, here's what you need to do:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1) Email me at Erika AT ZeroSumGameBook DOT com</span> (if you're wondering why I just don't link to that email address and am writing it out like I did, it's to avoid spambots that troll blogs for email addresses). I can ONLY accept these requests through email in order to keep track of everything, <span style="font-style: italic;">please do not leave me a request through Facebook, Twitter or Blog Comment.</span> I will respond to all requests by email just so you know your message was received.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2) Put "Bookplate" in the subject line</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3) Include the following information in the body of the email:</span><br /><ol><li> Who I should make the note out to, or whether you would like it left unpersonalized. If you have multiple people you'd like me to make a bookplate out to, that's fine, just please make it clear in your email message.<br /></li><li>Whether there's anything specific you'd like me to say in the note (if not, I have a few different lines I usually use). On this front, if you are someone who's followed my LOST blog and want me to include a little shout-out to the show, please let me know that as well. Finally, please remember that I have very limited space so I need to keep the notes short.</li><li>The address to which I should mail the bookplate. At this point, mailing to the US and Canada is no problem, but because of the additional postage expense, I will only mail to the UK (and other countries where <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game</span> is sold) if I'm provided with proof of purchase of the book.</li></ol>I'll keep this offer open after the holidays as well, as I know lots of gift cards change hands this time of year and there might be book-shopping plans in the new year for many people.<br /><br />And a big "thank you" to <a href="http://bookplateink.com/" target="_blank">Bookplate Ink</a> for their wonderful product!Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-8374286608102779932010-12-02T17:28:00.000-08:002010-12-02T17:39:41.835-08:00Dow Jones Article on Zero-Sum Game Republished on WSJ.com<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TPhKDogeE_I/AAAAAAAAKzY/sqL_dHwHHG4/s1600/WSJlogo.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 219px; height: 75px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TPhKDogeE_I/AAAAAAAAKzY/sqL_dHwHHG4/s320/WSJlogo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546264367380435954" border="0" /></a>Last month I pasted in the content of an article Dow Jones Newswires published about<span style="font-style: italic;"> Zero-Sum Game</span> because the piece was behind their username/password firewall. <br /><br />Today that same article was reprinted on the <span style="font-style: italic;">Wall Street Journal</span>'s web site <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703377504575651253215838016.html" target="_blank">here</a>. So I can officially say the book's been covered by the <span style="font-style: italic;">Wall Street Journal</span> now, right? RIGHT?Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-47503291732999163602010-11-30T07:55:00.000-08:002010-11-30T08:00:55.698-08:00"The Best Merger Book of the Year"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TPUflWLGtQI/AAAAAAAAKzQ/UoI_iWAu9rk/s1600/pritchett_logo.png"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 104px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TPUflWLGtQI/AAAAAAAAKzQ/UoI_iWAu9rk/s320/pritchett_logo.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545373242644411650" border="0" /></a>I was very excited to see a glowing review of <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game</span> from world-renowned M&A consulting firm PRITCHETT on their merger management blog. You can read their post <a href="http://bit.ly/hdiBfr" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br />Those of you who have read the book know that the company's founder, Price, has a quick cameo in Chapter Five!Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-69779711330643244302010-11-19T08:58:00.000-08:002010-12-02T17:13:10.831-08:00Dow Jones Covers "Zero-Sum Game"12/2/10 UPDATE: The article was reprinted today on the <span style="font-style: italic;">Wall Street Journal</span>'s web site, <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703377504575651253215838016.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br />---<br /><br />I love this article about <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game </span>and the various reactions to it, but alas, it can only be accessed with a username/password for Dow Jones Newswires, so I've included it in its entirety below.<br /><br />----<br /><br />04 Nov 2010 11:41 EDT<br />DJ DERIVATIVES DIARY: Revisiting Exchange Deal That Remade Chicago<span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" > <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">By Jacob Bunge</span><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" > Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--The Bernard Dan who led the Chicago Board Of Trade from 2002 until 2007 is famed as an extraordinarily hard worker largely responsible for revitalizing the oldest exchange in the city that launched futures trading, and prided himself on being first to work in the morning. Not a terribly sentimental type, perhaps.<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >But after reading a newly released insider account of the CBOT's final year -- in which the exchange was wooed, fought for and ultimately bought for $11.3 billion by its crosstown rival, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange -- Dan is wistful.<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >"My time running the CBOT was probably the best professional experience I ever had," said Dan, who departed after the July 2007 formation of CME Group Inc. (CME) and a year later signed on for an 17-month hitch turning around the broker MF Global Holdings (MF).<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >"Reading the book, I realized how fortunate I was to have that role," he said in an interview.<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >The book is "Zero-Sum Game," a deal story in the spirit of Bryan Burrough and John Helyar's "Barbarians At the Gate," penned by Erika S. Olson, who landed a managing director job at the CBOT just five weeks before the late-2006 merger approach from CME that would redraw the map of U.S. derivatives trading. And put a lot of nice yachts in Lake Michigan.</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >Before inking the deal giving the combined entity jurisdiction over some 85% of domestic futures markets, Olson recounts how the exchanges were blindsided by a surprise bid from upstart IntercontinentalExchange Inc. (ICE), jousted with surly members seeking a better deal and ultimately sweetened the offer to appease a key Australian shareholder and boating enthusiast--who nearly scuttled the transaction at the 11th hour.<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >"I knew this was bound to be a crazy story because it was these century-old rivals trying to merge, and then ICE came in and there were all these twists and turns," said Olson in an interview.<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >The book arrives four years after CME made its initial approach to CBOT, and just in time for the futures industry's annual Chicago meeting, known as "Expo."<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >Olson said she planned to attend, despite some misgivings. "I don't want to get strangled," she said.<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >CME Chief Executive Officer Craig Donohue, a key player in "Zero-Sum Game," hasn't read the book. He said he is still working his way through "Too Big To Fail" by Andrew Ross Sorkin. Other members of CME's senior management also professed not to have seen it, though a copy with highlighted passages was reportedly spotted in circulation at CME's Wacker Drive headquarters.<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >For Jeff Sprecher, the CEO of IntercontinentalExchange and erstwhile CBOT suitor, "Zero-Sum Game" reopened some old wounds. At the end of the book, Sprecher reiterates his view that ICE's bid represented a better offer for CBOT shareholders and would have made the U.S. futures business more competitive.</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >"Inside the Board of Trade, it seemed like they never really took our bid seriously," Sprecher said in an interview. Though Olson noted the more dramatic moments around ICE's involvement -- like announcing its bid by way of documents slipped under the hotel doors of sleeping attendees at a March 2007 Futures Industry Association gathering -- Sprecher said ICE at the time could have warranted its own book.<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >"Our company was operating at its finest," he said, with the CBOT bid following a series of successful acquisitions that expanded ICE's market portfolio.<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >Dan, who left MF Global in March and is now mulling his next move, said reading the book was a "walk down memory lane." Next year will see him return to financial services -- in what capacity, he isn't yet saying--but "Zero-Sum Game" sharpened his desire.</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" >"It made me think of all those people and the success that the Board of Trade experienced in the seven years I was there," Dan said. "It was rewarding for me to read it."</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:130%;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">-By Jacob Bunge, Dow Jones Newswires</span></span></span>Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-37267432118228744662010-11-16T17:40:00.000-08:002010-11-16T18:22:00.241-08:00A Recap of the University of Chicago Finance Roundtable EventOn November 11 I had the great honor of being the featured speaker at a University of Chicago Booth School of Business Finance Roundtable event. Our room in the Gleacher Center was at capacity -- despite the fact that it was the Veteran's Day holiday -- so I took that as a sign that Chicagoans were curious to know more about their city's futures exchanges and the executives in power.<br /><br />I spoke for an hour about the history of the exchanges, the over-the-counter derivatives market, the 2007 bidding war for CBOT, and the Dodd-Frank legislation that will soon overhaul the derivatives industry. Then I was thrilled to have Bernie Dan, former CEO of the Chicago Board of Trade, join me for the Q & A session. The last time I'd seen Bernie was in July 2007 -- I conducted all of my interviews with him for the book over the phone -- so it was wonderful to be reunited.<br /><br />I will be giving similar presentations at other schools and to various business clubs throughout the coming months. If you're a member of an organization that might want to hold an event like this, leave a comment with your contact information (I won't publish it) or message me <a href="http://www.twitter.com/ZSGame">@ZSGame</a> on Twitter and I'll be in touch!<br /><br />In the meantime, here are a few pictures of myself and Bernie Dan at the University of Chicago Booth Finance Roundtable:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TOM0YbxWsLI/AAAAAAAAKyg/vEIiSGitgI0/s1600/UofC_QandA_ErikaBernie.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TOM0YbxWsLI/AAAAAAAAKyg/vEIiSGitgI0/s400/UofC_QandA_ErikaBernie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540329560972112050" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TOM0X-g6cvI/AAAAAAAAKyY/-Q_Klm343BY/s1600/UofCEvent_ErikaBernie.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 322px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TOM0X-g6cvI/AAAAAAAAKyY/-Q_Klm343BY/s400/UofCEvent_ErikaBernie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540329553118524146" border="0" /></a><br />- ErikaErika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-43080329875337645292010-11-05T06:25:00.000-07:002010-11-05T06:28:55.816-07:00Zero-Sum Game Author Talks to First Business<center><object width="400" height="335" id="delve_player636953o" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"><param name="movie" value="http://assets.delvenetworks.com/player/loader.swf"/><param name="wmode" value="window"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="flashvars" value="shareCurrent=media&mediaId=3be6d746281b4f7dbc4cf093e85ff9b8&autoplayNextClip=false&playerForm=1f68ae9b71064f51945827127b6bd17c&share=link%2Cemail%2Cembed&autoplay=false"/><embed src="http://assets.delvenetworks.com/player/loader.swf" name="delve_player636953e" wmode="window" width="400" height="335" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" flashvars="shareCurrent=media&mediaId=3be6d746281b4f7dbc4cf093e85ff9b8&autoplayNextClip=false&playerForm=1f68ae9b71064f51945827127b6bd17c&share=link%2Cemail%2Cembed&autoplay=false"></embed></object></center>Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-11090722452344314752010-11-01T12:50:00.001-07:002010-11-01T12:53:44.989-07:00Official Publication Day is Here! And so is the Full-Length Trailer Video...Today -- November 1, 2010 -- is the official publication date for <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game</span>.<br /><br />We finished the full-length trailer just in the nick of time!<br /><br />Check it out below... or if you would like to watch a bigger, high-quality version, you can do so <a href="http://on.fb.me/ZSGtrailer" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br /><center><object width="400" height="224"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/450269317981"><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/450269317981" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="224"></embed></object></center>Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-48433933155821123132010-10-28T17:29:00.000-07:002010-10-28T17:40:01.893-07:00Exclusive Author Q&A Now Live on Amazon.comA Q&A with <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game</span> author Erika S. Olson was posted today on the book's Amazon.com page -- it covers the exact moment Erika knew she wanted to write the book, as well as why anyone would want to get the inside scoop on CME Group and ICE, and more. Check it out <a href="http://amzn.to/zerosumgame">here</a> (scroll down a bit), and stay tuned for <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game'</span>s full-length trailer video, information on media appearances, and details for an upcoming Chicago event.<br /><br />The official publication date is Monday, November 1... but the book is already in stores and available online. (This isn't <span style="font-style: italic;">Harry Potter</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span>, folks. Bookstores don't "hold" many nonfiction books after they receive them -- they just stock 'em on the shelves once they arrive. That means no costume parties in bookstores at midnight Sunday night -- sorry! You're still welcome to dress up like your favorite character and send in a picture, though.)Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-62885363182286978812010-10-19T10:53:00.000-07:002010-10-19T11:04:05.727-07:00In Stock Online... and In Some Bookstores AlreadyI was very surprised to receive this picture from my brother in Washington DC. Looks like <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game</span> has found a cozy home in Barnes & Noble, amid excellent company. (It's in the center on the lower shelf.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TL3bidgJgXI/AAAAAAAAKeY/JI_G1Npd31Y/s1600/ZSGinDC_BandN_lores.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 239px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TL3bidgJgXI/AAAAAAAAKeY/JI_G1Npd31Y/s400/ZSGinDC_BandN_lores.jpg" title="Woo-hoo!" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529817302562341234" border="0" /></a><br />Books were sent out from Wiley's warehouse last Monday, and many of the online sites currently have the book in stock.<br /><br /><a href="http://amzn.to/zerosumgame" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br /><br /><a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Zero-Sum-Game/E-Olson/e/9780470624203/?itm=1&USRI=zero-sum+game+erika+olson" target="_blank">BN.com</a><br /><br /><a href="http://800ceoread.com/book/show/9780470624203-Zero_Sum_Game" target="_blank">800-CEO-READ</a><br /><br />(there's more, but I'll spare you a ton of links)<br /><br /><br />I'm assuming the balance of bookstores in the US and Canada will all have it in stock soon, too. <br /><br />We shot the full-length trailer for the book this past weekend and will be editing it this week, so stay tuned for that!<br /><br />- ErikaErika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-54310043769212764892010-10-06T11:12:00.000-07:002010-10-31T19:54:28.145-07:00The Teaser Trailer for Zero-Sum Game is HereMake sure your volume is up!<br /><br />(If you'd like to watch a larger, high-quality version of this teaser, you can do so <a href="http://bit.ly/d7uL1Y" target="_blank"">here</a>.)<br /><br /><center><object width="400" height="224" ><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/438407082981" /><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/438407082981" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="224"></embed></object></center><br /><br /><br />Stay tuned for the full-length trailer...Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986021899087677322.post-20179919913722729912010-10-06T08:23:00.000-07:002010-10-06T09:10:58.287-07:00Stay Up to Date with Zero-Sum Game News<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://amzn.to/am4yFh" target="_blank"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-pGkeGjJTvs/TKyfLAdIYfI/AAAAAAAAKbA/dXvA6ugl45w/s320/olson_FINALCOVER_082310.jpg" title="Pre-order now!" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524965854326317554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game</span> will be in bookstores in the United States and Canada on November 1!<br /><br />In the meantime, you can visit and "Like" <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero-Sum Game</span> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ZeroSumGame" target="_blank">on Facebook</a><br /><br />and/or<br /><br />follow<span style="font-style: italic;"> Zero-Sum Game</span> on Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/ZSGame" target="_blank">@ZSGame</a>.<br /><br /><br />Pre-order the book on:<br /><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/am4yFh" target="_blank">Amazon</a> (Amazon has the most up-to-date information about the book, including descriptions, jacket quotes, etc.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Zero-Sum-Game-Largest-Derivatives-Exchange/dp/0470624205/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1286049885&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon Canada</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=0470624205" target="_blank">Borders</a><br /><br />and<br /><br /><a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Zero-Sum-Game/E-Olson/e/9780470624203/?itm=1&USRI=zero-sum+game+erika+olson" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>Erika (aka "e")http://www.blogger.com/profile/17051946388926947935noreply@blogger.com0