或是提供任何保证，简而言之，B太太的一诺值千金。
Naturally； I was delighted to attend Mrs。 B's birthday party。 After all； she's promised to attend my 100th。
当然我很高兴能受邀参加她100岁的生日宴会，另外她还答应以后要来参加我100岁的生日宴会。
Katharine Graham retired last year as the chairman of The Washington Post pany； having relinquished the CEO title three years ago。 In 1973； we purchased our stock in her pany for about 10 million。 Our holding now garners 7 million a year in dividends and is worth over 400 million。 At the time of our purchase； we knew that the economic prospects of the pany were good。 But equally important； Charlie and I concluded that Kay would prove to be an outstanding manager and would treat all shareholders honorably。 That latter consideration was particularly important because The Washington Post pany has two classes of stock； a structure that we've seen some managers abuse。
华盛顿邮报的发行人…凯萨琳葛兰姆女士在去年决定正式退休，1973年我们斥资1；000万美元买进她公司的股份，时至今日我们每年从该公司取得700万美元的股利，而持有股票的市值已超过4亿美元，当初在决定买进该公司的股份时，我们便看好该公司的前景，但另外一点同样重要的是，查理跟我都认为凯萨琳将会证明自己是位杰出的经理人，同时能够诚实地对待所有的股东，后面那一点尤其重要，因为该公司股份分成两种，而这种架构常常遭到许多经理人滥用。
All of our judgments about this investment have been validated by events。 Kay's skills as a manager were underscored this past year when she was elected by Fortune's Board of Editors to the Business Hall of Fame。 On behalf of our shareholders； Charlie and I had long ago put her in Berkshire's Hall of Fame。
而我们做这项投资的正确判断可由许多事件获得证明，凯萨琳杰出的表现使得她获得财富杂志编辑群选为商业名人堂，而对于身为股东的我们来说，查理跟我早就把她列入Berkshire的名人堂之中。
Another of last year's retirees was Don Keough of Coca…Cola； although； as he puts it； his retirement lasted 〃about 14 hours。〃 Don is one of the most extraordinary human beings I've ever known … a man of enormous business talent； but； even more important； a man who brings out the absolute best in everyone lucky enough to associate with him。 Coca…Cola wants its product to be present at the happy times of a person's life。 Don Keough； as an individual； invariably increases the happiness of those around him。 It's impossible to think about Don without feeling good。
另外一位在去年退休的人是可口可乐的Don Keough，虽然如同他本人所说的他的退休只维持了14个小时，Don是我认识最优秀的人类之一，他不但拥有绝佳的商业天分，同时更重要的是使得每个幸运能够与他共事的人发挥其潜能，可口可乐希望其产品能够伴随每个人一生最快乐的时光，而Don这个人却带给周围的人无限的欢乐，每当想起Don时，没有不让人会心一笑的。
I will edge up to how I met Don by slipping in a plug for my neighborhood in Omaha： Though Charlie has lived in California for 45 years； his home as a boy was about 200 feet away from the house where I now live； my wife； Susie； grew up 1 1/2 blocks away； and we have about 125 Berkshire shareholders in the zip code。 As for Don； in 1958 he bought the house directly across the street from mine。 He was then a coffee salesman with a big family and a small ine。
在介绍我如何结识Don时，顺便介绍一下我在奥玛哈的街坊邻居，虽然查理住在加州长达45年，但他儿时的老家距离我现在住的地方不到100公尺，而我的内人苏珊从小就住在对街，Berkshire有125个股东住在同一个邮政编码，而Don在1958买的房子就在我家的正对面，当年他还是一个收入微薄，却必须养一大家子的咖啡销售员。
The impressions I formed in those days about Don were a factor in my decision to have Berkshire make a record 1 billion investment in Coca…Cola in 1988…89。 Roberto Goizueta had bee CEO of Coke in 1981； with Don alongside as his partner。 The two of them took hold of a pany that had stagnated during the previous decade and moved it from 4。4 billion of market value to 58 billion in less than 13 years。 What a difference a pair of managers like this makes； even when their product has been around for 100 years。
当年我对Don的印象是我在1988到1989年间，决定替Berkshire买下10亿美元可口可乐股票的因素之一，Roberto Goizueta在1981年当上可口可乐总裁时，Don是他的副手，两人联手接掌这家业务已停滞成长10多年的公司，短短13年期间将这家原本44亿市值的公司变成为580亿美元，虽然所贩卖的产品已经问世100年，这两个人却还能让这家公司产生如此大的变化。
Frank Rooney did double duty last year。 In addition to leading H。 H。 Brown to record profits … 35％ above the 1992 high … he also was key to our merger with Dexter。
Frank Rooney从去年开始做了双份的工作，除了领导的HH布朗鞋业在去年创下获利历史新高，较去年同期增加35％之外，他也是购并Dexter鞋业的主要灵魂人物。
Frank has known Harold Alfond and Peter Lunder for decades； and shortly after our purchase of H。 H。 Brown； told me what a wonderful operation they managed。 He encouraged us to get together and in due course we made a deal。 Frank told Harold and Peter that Berkshire would provide an ideal corporate 〃home〃 for Dexter； and that assurance undoubtedly contributed to their decision to join with us。
Frank认识Harold与Peter有好几十年了，在买下布朗鞋业不久之后，他向我提到这家由他们管理良善的公司，他积极地把我们凑在一起，过了不久之后，我们便达成协议，Frank告诉Harold与Peter说，Berkshire将会是Dexter企业最理想的归宿，而这种安全感无疑的是他们最后决定加入我们最关键的因素。
I've told you in the past of Frank's extraordinary record in building Melville Corp。 during his 23 year tenure as CEO。 Now； at 72； he's setting an even faster pace at Berkshire。 Frank has a low…key； relaxed style； but don't let that fool you。 When he swings； the ball disappears far over the fence。
过去我曾向各位提过Frank在Melville企业23年总裁期间的杰出表现，如今高龄72岁的他在Berkshire的速度甚至比以前还快，虽然Frank有个低调又闲散的Style，但千万不要被他的外表所骗，当他大棒一挥时，球儿可是会一飞冲天、消失在围墙之外呢！
The Annual Meeting年度股东会
This year the Annual Meeting will be held at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Omaha at 9：30 a。m。 on Monday； April 25； 1994。 A record 2；200 people turned up for the meeting last year； but the theater can handle many more。 We will have a display in the lobby featuring many of our consumer products … candy； spray guns； shoes； cutlery； encyclopedias； and the like。 Among my favorites slated to be there is a See's candy assortment that memorates Mrs。 B's 100th birthday and that features her picture； rather than Mrs。 See's； on the package。
今年的股东会预计在1994年4月25日，星期一早上9点30分在位于奥玛哈市中心的Orpheum中心召开，去年股东会参加人数又创新高突破2；200人，不过这个会场还可以容纳更多的人，会场中将展示我们所销售的许多产品，包含糖果、水枪、鞋子、刀叉、百科全书等，其中喜斯糖果为了庆祝B太太100年生日所推出的纪念礼盒是我的最爱，不同于原本喜斯太太的画像，礼盒上所附的是B太太的画像。
We remend that you promptly get hotel reservations at one of these hotels： （1） The Radisson…Redick Tower； a small （88 rooms） but nice hotel across the street from the Orpheum； （2） the much larger Red Lion Hotel； located about a five…minute walk from the Orpheum； or （3） the Marriott； located in West Omaha about 100 yards from Borsheim's； which is a twenty…minute drive from downtown。 We will have buses at the Marriott that will leave at 8：30 and 8：45 for the meeting and return after it ends。
我们建议大家最好先向以下旅馆预订房间（1）Radisson…Redick旅馆…就位在Orpheum中心对街拥有88个房间的一家小旅馆（2）较大一点的Red Lion旅馆…离Orpheum中心约五分钟路程，或是（3）Marriott位在奥玛哈西区，离波仙珠宝店约100公尺，开车到市中心约需20分钟，届时将会有巴士接送大家往返股东会会场。
An attachment to our proxy material explains how you can obtain the card you will need for admission to the meeting。 With the admission card； we will enclose information about parking facilities located near the Orpheum。 If you are driving； e a little early。 Nearby lots fill up quickly and you may have to walk a few blocks。
后面附有股东会开会投票的相关资料，跟各位解释如何拿到入场所许的识别证，由于开会当天会场不好停车，如果你开车过来，记得早一点到，否则附近的车位很快就会停满，你可能就必须要停远一点，再走路过来。
As usual； we will have buses to take you to Nebraska Furniture Mart and Borsheim's after the meeting and to take you from there to downtown hotels or the airport later。 Those of you arriving early can visit the Furniture Mart any day of the week； it is open from 10 a。m。 to 5：30 p。m。 on