On Tuesday, March 12 at 7 PM in Wellin Hall, David Solomon ’84 and Thomas Tull ’92 discussed “Driving Innovation and Entrepreneurship with Technology” with moderator Julia La Roche of

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. The talk focused on contemporary issues regarding the intersection of technology and business, but Solomon and Tull also delved into their professional backgrounds and Hamilton’s influence on their careers, among other topics.

Prior to the event, Solomon and Tull met with groups of students and fielded questions that centered on both their Hamilton and business experiences.

The two were also made available to local media for a brief question-and-answer session before taking the stage.

Tull said it was “an honor” to return to Hamilton and speak at the event, citing the College’s “impact” on his life and expressing optimism about the changes taking place on campus; namely, he pointed to the increasing emphasis on “digital fluency” and “Commons serving food until midnight” as exciting developments.

Tull also said his discussion with Solomon and La Roche would be relevant to issues related to liberal arts educations offered by schools like Hamilton. Alluding to the College’s ideal of “Knowing Thyself,” he said a liberal arts experience instills the “necessary principles to navigate the real world,” adding that the communication skills emphasized at Hamilton are doubly beneficial.

Solomon expressed similar sentiments regarding Hamilton’s influence on his career and also spoke of “a sense of true community” that fostered his continued engagement with the College. He added that developing “the ability to think critically and in an open way” was a critical skill fostered at Hamilton.

Asked about moments from his time on the Hill that remain prominent in his memory, Solomon said “bartending at Don’s Rok my junior and senior year” remains a favorite.

Solomon, Tull, and La Roche took the stage shortly after the media session and began their discussion with a number of Hamilton-specific questions, including why they chose Hamilton, their lives immediately after graduation, and their impression of technology when they were students. To this last question, Tull wryly said the school “maybe had an abacus.”

On a more serious note, he said there were only “a few computers” across the whole school and noted the rapid pace of technological progress in the world since he graduated. Solomon said he had limited access to landline telephones as a student, let alone a computer.

Transitioning into the main topic of the evening — technology and business — La Roche asked the pair about their “Aha moment” when they realized the power of technology as a disruptive force in the business world. Tull said his moment came in the “latter half of the 90s” and later during his work at Legendary Entertainment, specifically in advertising and content testing.

Further discussion touched on the role of artificial intelligence in displacing jobs (and potentially creating new ones,) the prospects of America introducing a universal basic income, the ramifications of recent tech scandals involving Facebook, and the challenges of identifying and hiring talent for an uncertain future.

The audience had the opportunity to ask questions following the main discussion, and multiple people brought up issues of race and gender in the financial world, asking whether leaders like Solomon and Tull thought they had a responsibility to create safer, more representative workplaces. Both speakers said they were committed to addressing these issues in their respective positions and called on others to do the same.

For an event billed as predominantly focused on technology and business, Solomon, Tull, and La Roche’s discussion captured topics ranging from the value of a liberal arts education to lessons learned as parents, all within the broader context of engagement with the Hamilton community.

Video of the talk is available on Hamilton College’s Facebook page for those unable to attend or wishing to re-watch.