Why I am Leaving Goldman Sachs
By Greg Smith

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/14/opinion/why-i-am-leaving-goldman-sachs.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

Greg Smith is resigning as a Goldman Sachs executive director and head of the firm’s United States equity derivatives business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

TODAY is my last day at Goldman Sachs. After almost 12 years at the firm — first as a summer intern while at Stanford, then in New York for 10 years, and now in London — I believe I have worked here long enough to understand the trajectory of its culture, its people and its identity. And I can honestly say that the environment now is as toxic and destructive as I have ever seen it.To put the problem in the simplest terms, the interests of the client continue to be sidelined in the way the firm operates and thinks about making money……Greg Smith says “Make the client the focal point of your business again. ” SEE LINK.

I don’t know Greg Smith, though imagine what someone like this could do for those of us who look to make prevention part of the cure when it comes to cancer.

Could you imagine what the Cancer conversation could look like if we had a Greg Smith leading the charge?

Would it mean we would no longer have corporations who’s products increase risk for both human health and the environment marketing their goods on the backs of cancer patients?

Would the fight against cancer then look like less of a marketing opportunity but rather a really effort at stopping cancer at the cause?

Cancer has essentially become an expected stage of life. Startling statistics indicate that between 1975 and 2004, increased incidences of primary brain cancer have increased nearly 40 percent, while leukemia has increased over 60 percent among children 14 years and younger.

Richard Nixon launched the War on Cancer in 1971 and since then we have suffered untold incidences of cancer and spent billions of dollars on research.

Maybe if we had a few more Greg Smith’s helping in the Less Cancer efforts we could make the shift to reorder how our culture prioritizes money, human health and the environment. As a culture, we have looked the other way as profit rises above human health and the environment.

If Greg Smith were leading the charge maybe we would have platforms that include non profit cancer organizations not providing nutritional information from McDonald’s that they currently do in a way that, to me, looks a lot like advertising for the Golden Arches. You can learn about McDonald’s supposedly healthy smoothies, which in some cases have 70 grams of sugar and more calories than a cheeseburger(something they do not really make clear). Other Cancer organizations are partnering with everyone from Kentucky Fried Chicken to Pepperidge Farm. Why Because “PINK” seemingly is the new color of money.

While we may never know what Greg Smith can do for the work for Less Cancer we do know that the work towards less cancer requires a conscience.

Greg Smith where ever you are I have a really bad paying job for you but you will sleep well at night. Email me at info@lesscancer.org Friend me on facebook at www.facebook.com/billcouzens,”like” us at www.facebook.com/lesscancer or follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/lesscancer