| In Gear at GRIT A few weeks after the conference, Byron Roth and his family, colleagues and friends gathered at GRIT Cycle in Costa Mesa for a Spin class that was a fundraiser for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. They raised another $20,000 toward helping those with physical challenges stay involved in sports. CAF has raised some $53 million since 1994. :: challengedathletes.org |
The annual ROTH Capital Conference is a gathering of institutional investors, and some 500 public and private growth companies that get together at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel for panels, presentations and meet-and-greets.
But the financiers also like to have fun. And Byron Roth and his team make sure that happens by erecting a huge tent in the Salt Creek parking lot, bringing in bands and inviting everyone to let loose a little – or a lot – over two nights.
Each night is themed, with folks dressing up in country gear for the first and hipster/school girl/nerd for the second. It was odd, but effective. There were go-go girls dancing, drinks and an In-N-Out truck. It amazes me each year how long the line is for the generally well-off guests looking to sample our iconic SoCal burgers.
The first night featured a contemporary country band/duo called Florida Georgia Line that fans were excited about, especially when Nelly joined them on stage. Night two featured Weezer, one of those ’90s bands you sort of remember until they start playing, and then you recognize almost every song, and sing along.
But the event isn’t all about funds and fun. There is a charitable element, too, that the Roth folks take very seriously, and personally. The ROTH Ride, a 41-mile cycling event from Dana Point through San Clemente kicked off the conference, raising more than $50,000 for the Challenged Athletes Foundation.
