Last Updated: 2022 (for most)

Alexander David Sussman
Assistant to the Book Club Art Director (ABCAD)
Alex graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Psychology and promptly started his career in law. After working for two years as a paralegal in New York City, he attended and has since graduated from Cornell Law School. He now resides with his wife Katie, in a “dope apartment” in Boerum Hill and works for a law firm in Manhattan where he specializes in Investment Management. He loves the Buffalo Bills and the New York Mets. He hopes to one day work for Vasseur, who should open up his own hedge fund. As ABCAD, Alex assists the BCAD with his PowerPoint and presentation.

Carlos Rafael Palacios
Book Club Art Director (BCAD)
Carlos graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a degree in Communications (specializing in Digital Media). He works as a freelance Art Director/designer, chess tutor, and is an actor. Carlos also designed the BBC Crest and the many BBC logos.

Christopher Jeffrey Bechler
Book Club Chairman and Book Club Web Developer (BCWD)
Chris received his undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis and doctoral degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is currently an assistant professor of marketing. In his free time, Chris likes to walk his 3-year-old goldendoodle, run marathons/test Nike products, root for Lebron James and the Denver Broncos, and project the outcomes of college basketball games. Chris came up with the original idea for Book Club because he wanted to read more and because staying in touch with friends is a priority. His duties as BCWD include managing the beyondbookclub.com website and team email. If you reach out electronically, you’ll likely be speaking with him.

Christopher Marques Vasseur
Book Club Strategic Advisor (BCSA)
As an undergraduate at Yale University, Chris majored in Computer Science and Economics. After graduation he has worked as an Algorithmic Trader, first in Chicago, and now in New York. Outside of work, Chris enjoys spending time in the mountains skiing, climbing, and hiking. Within Book Club, Chris is perhaps most praised for his efforts preparing for and co-hosting the inaugural Book Club Chicago meeting. Chris’ main responsibility as BCSA is to manage the Book Club investment portfolio, but he also advises on all other Book Club matters.

Eric Ryan Hoffman
Book Club Treasurer (BCT)
As Book Club Treasurer, Eric works with all positions on budgeting and planning for the bi-annual meetings, and provides personal financial guidance to several Club members. His favorite literary genres include historical fiction and drama. Outside of the Book Club, he is currently a consultant for a strategy consulting firm and lives in New York City. Eric also has 6 years of experience in the financial services industry at a regional bank in Buffalo and a global financial services company in New York City. Eric holds an MBA from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University.

James Thomas Dwyer IV
Jim majored in Government at the University of Texas. Jim’s prior employments include several positions in politics and recruiting in Austin. He was most widely praised within Book Club for his contributions as host to the discourse, planning, and overall experience of BBCATX1, where he handily won the BBC MVP Trophy. At BBCATX2, he facilitated our attendance at the 2019 Texas Book Festival. We volunteered at the children’s literacy tent and attended the First Edition Literary Gala which raised funds for local Austin literacy programs. A top thinker and full of energy, Jim contributes mightily to the BBC discussions. He is currently a 3L at Washington & Lee University School of Law.

Holden Lewis Warriner
Book Club Beverage Director (BCBD)
Holden studied Economics and Moral and Political Philosophy at the University of Michigan and began working for a technology company in the San Francisco Bay Area after graduating in 2013. Holden currently works as a software engineer and has simultaneously received a Graduate Certificate in Computer Science from Stanford University, where he continues to take courses. Holden looks forward to the adventures and stimulating book discussions that mark each Book Club meeting and one of his fondest memories is hosting the seventh, in San Francisco. Outside of reading Holden’s hobbies include playing tennis, skiing, and traveling with his girlfriend. As the BCBD, Holden’s responsibility is to select and craft drinks for the book club to enjoy during discussions.

Max Samuel Goodman
Book Club Leader (BCL) and Assistant to the Assistant to the Book Club Apparel Chair (AABCAC)
Max concentrated in International Relations as an undergraduate at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and subsequently received his JD at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. After 5 years as an attorney at two large corporate law firms, Max now works in-house as an associate general counsel for a fintech focused venture capital firm in New York. After years in the Lower East Side, Max now lives in Brooklyn Heights, with his dog, Zoe. Max is also the president of his undergraduate alumni club, the University of St. Andrews New York Alumni Club. As BCL and one of the most enthusiastic Book Club members, Max is heavily involved in preparing the Book Club activity schedule for each meeting and is a major force behind virtually everything Book Club related (including much of the content you see on this site). His enthusiasm and vital contributions to Book Club have made him a frequent winner of the MVP Trophy. Max’s responsibilities as AABCAC are pretty self-explanatory (see, BCAC and ABCAC). Max, Steven, and Billy have strong backgrounds in clothing design.

Nicholas Charles Hughes
Book Club Master of Ceremonies (BCMC)
Nick studied English and Anthropology at Rutgers University, and received a Fulbright grant to teach high school English in Indonesia after graduating. After returning to the US, Nick held a variety of roles in the non-profit sector, and received his MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He has since relocated to Portland, OR and works at an enterprise software company. Nick’s passion for literature fuels his duties as BCMC, which include leading the group discussions at Book Club meetings and composing the book reviews found in the “Past Books” section of this site. In addition to reading, Nick’s hobbies include running, skiing, scuba diving, playing guitar, and enjoying the great outdoors.

Steven John Fuchs
Book Club Apparel Chair (BCAC)
After graduating from Princeton University with a degree in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Steven started his career at a sports marketing firm in his hometown where he worked on a series of college basketball events. His passion for sport led him to a role in marketing with a leading footwear and apparel company in New York City. And he eventually moved to a new position at the company’s headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Within Book Club, Steven is known for his tremendous grit – whenever he decides he wants to accomplish something, he goes and does it. Thanks to this (and his brain), his words always carry great weight in Book Club discussions. Steven’s job as BCAC includes designing and purchasing apparel for Book Club meetings (working closely with the ABCAC and AABCAC). Clothing consistent with the time period and culture of the books we read is encouraged.

William Henry Grenis
Book Club Leader (BCL), Book Club Philanthropy Chair (BCPC), and
Assistant to the Book Club Apparel Chair (ABCAC)
Billy earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Material Science and Engineering at the University of Michigan. After a number of years in management consulting, he completed his Master’s in Business Administration at Cornell Tech. Billy is passionate about bitcoin and blockchain and is well known throughout the industry for his educational website on Bitcoin: http://billybitco.in. He has taken his passion to his career and currently works at a nonprofit focused on creating equitable access to the financial system through stablecoins and central bank digital currencies. An expert planner, a great hype man, and an even better BCL, Billy is always heavily involved in preparing the Book Club activity schedule for each meeting. Within Book Club, Billy is known as perhaps the most enthusiastic Book Club member and he’s played many important roles (such as coming up with the “Beyond Book Club” name and co-hosting the inaugural Book Club Chicago meeting). Most meaningfully, as BCPC, Billy coordinates BBC sponsored outreach events where members volunteer in the community. At one event, he planned a BBC sponsored pajama reading party with the Pajama Program, where members read to children in need and the kids brought home their favorite book and a new pair of pajamas. Billy also assists the BCAC and ABCAC with designing and purchasing apparel.