About Friends in Business
Whether it was John Cadbury and the Cadbury chocolate company, Paul Cuffe and his merchant enterprises, or Abraham Darby with his cast iron business, there is no shortage of notable Quakers throughout history who have had faithful service in commerce and industry.
While business leaders like these and countless other Friends practiced integrity, simplicity, peace, and other Quaker values in their professional lives due to their spiritual convictions, they soon found that faithfulness leads to trust and good order, helping them influence many of the business practices and movements we take for granted today. Notable contributions include being often associated with the early adoption of fixed prices and playing a key role in the Industrial Revolution due to their conviction to treat everyone they work with or employ with honesty, fairness, and quality.
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting continues to nurture Friends’ connected and thriving business community through Friends in Business, a twice-yearly in-person gathering for Friends currently or formerly involved with business or law every spring and fall, featuring food, beverages, fellowship, and a topical presentation. In recent years, PYM has also hosted a virtual event in the summer for not just business-minded Friends but the entire Quaker community. These events are an opportunity to highlight the historic contributions of Quakerism to business while also building today’s community of Friends in business!
PYM’s Next Friends in Business Event
On November 18 at 5:30 pm, we will be hosting our Fall Friends in Business Gathering at Arch Street Meeting House. In addition to the delicious Mediterranean food (with vegan and gluten free options) provided by Apricot Stone, the event will feature a presentation from Friends serving on the boards of the Anna T. Jeanes Foundation, Temple University Hospital, and Temple University Health System. They will use their experiences on these boards as a case study of ways Friends grow and make a difference in their communities by joining nonprofit boards. You can find a full list of the speakers and their affiliations below.
Speakers and Titles / Affiliations
(Anna T. Jeanes Foundation = ATJF; Temple University Hospital = TUH; Temple University Health System = TUHS; Friend = F)
- Martin Ogletree (F) – Chair, ATJF Board; Member, TUH Board; Member, TUHS Board
- Elly Reinhardt – Secretary, ATJF Board; Member, TUH Board; Member, TUHS Board
- Joe Evans (F) – Treasurer, ATJF Board
- Matt Shelak – Executive Director, TUH – Jeanes Campus; Ex Officio Member, ATJF Board
- Jerry Oetzel – Chief Financial Officer, TUHS; Former CFO, Jeanes Hospital
If you have connections in the business or legal community, we invite you to register for the event on this webpage by November 14 and join us for an amazing evening! You will be connected to a thriving and passionate group of business-minded Friends, helping to continue Friends’ legacy of impact in the business world while exploring ways to contribute to your local community through nonprofit board service.
Admission is $75 a guest, but financial assistance is available. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with PYM’s Director of Development, Joe Kirkenir, at jkirkenir@pym.org or 215-241-7115 with any questions or comments.
