This week, Sam, one of our kick ass RAN NYC activists paid a visit to an investor’s conference featuring Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis.

Check it out:

“The Goldman Sachs investors conference was held in the Cotillion room of the Pierre hotel. Famous for hosting some of the best performers in New York I couldn’t wait to see the dog and pony show that Bank of America CEO Kenneth Lewis had in store. The only hitch? Well I wasn’t exactly invited.

Now I’m not usually a party crasher, but Bank of America is desperately trying to convince investors of their financial viability, sustainable business model and responsible investment practices. The crew in New York figured someone outta burst that bubble in person. Plus, these events usually have pretty good catering.

So early in the morning i dusted off an old suit jacket, stole my roommates clean pants, and tried to think banky thoughts as i combed my hair on the subway. Someone once told me that sneaking into these things was 50% luck and 50% bs. I’d have to disagree. It’s all bs. The registration table was guarded by four junior employees and a couple of hotel security folks who were not letting in anyone without an official conference id. Shoot. I wondered if I should just leave some information in the bathroom and join the rest of the group fliering outside. But i swallowed my nerves and walked up to the table. As a young woman in a cheap suit I stuck out like a sore thumb, but I’d done my homework and decided to pose as a bigwig’s assistant/niece. A little nepotism (even fake nepotism) goes a long way.

I threw out a common name from the website (and gave my most entitled fake smile)
They were unable to locate my name tag.

‘Well why don’t you check your computers.’

(My blank stare betrayed utter disdain for secretarial incompetence)

Still no luck.

‘Ugh, well I’ve got to get in to give my uncle some very important something or other. You’ll just have to print me out a fresh one now won’t you. (chop chop before my uncle starts wondering what the hold up is and discovers it’s you)’

I stuck to my story and was rewarded with the coolest activist party favor ever. A totally legit registration tag to the Goldman Sachs CEO conference. =)

Once inside I took a seat and listened to Mr. Lewis present and then take questions. Obviously I had more than a few including:

‘Why they were funding coal when every reasonable person was looking toward new technology?’

‘Why during a time of climate crisis the US would want to exacerbate it’s global warming pollution.’

‘And why any responsible and consumer savvy company would want to associate itself the Bank of America while it was the target of a campaign.’

He tried to shut me down with humor, then with defiance, then with hotel security. But I never got a good answer to my questions and neither did the thousands of other people around the country asking the same ones.

It’s easy for these guys with all their money and power to insulate themselves and pretend that we’ll go away if they just ignore us. But by getting up in their faces and confronting them on their turf and in front of their colleagues it forces people and companies to deal with the seedy “cost of doing business” that more often than not gets swept under the rug. What Bank of America had hoped would be a pep rally in front of prestigious investors in New York and all over the world via webcast, turned into an uncomfortable airing of the company dirty laundry that left a bad taste in their mouths which no amount of five star catering could wash out.”

Pics of RAN NYC outside the conference.