“This narrative is a story of the will to overcome the kind of adversity that can crush the spirit…but not this one.”— Sol Gittleman, Professor and Provost Emeritus of Tufts University.
“Ed Hajim’s life story makes Horatio Alger look like an underachiever.” — Ken Roman, former CEO of Ogilvy & Mather.
“A bend in the road,” says Ed Hajim, “is not the end of the road.”
He should. Hajim, who was three years old, was abducted by his father and driven across the country to tell his mother that his mother had died. He rested his face on the car’s window and waited to see where the road would take him. He went from one dire situation in one to the next. From one crowded orphanage into an unfamiliar foster home, from being a semi-present parent to not having any, it was a long journey. It was a constant struggle to survive.
But Hajim somehow makes it through. He also succeeds with his determination and grit. He achieves the American dream. He is an accomplished Wall Street executive, model family man and has the means to give back a world that seemed to reject him.
Hajim’s vibrant memoir From the Orphanage to The Boardroom: On the Road Less Tread: An Unusual JourneyThe book, which tells several stories in one, includes the unlikely story of how the author overcome the odds as a child, the amazing climb up the corporate ladder to a great professional career, and a study of the drive, principles and character of a man who is determined to achieve his dreams.
Hajim worked as an investment executive at E.F. Hutton, Lehman Brothers, and other financial institutions. He was responsible for transforming fledgling companies into stable growth. Hajim made significant contributions to the University of Rochester and was eventually elected chairman of its board. In 2015, the prestigious Horatio alger Award was presented to him in recognition of his life achievements.
Hajim saw every experience as an opportunity to learn. For example, the Navy “trained me to become deliberate in everything I do. It showed me that every mission needs well-defined rules. And it showed me that no mission can be accomplished without a well-motivated team.”
Hajim relied on his instincts to recognize when a situation was over and was it time to move on. “Sometimes it’s better to sever ties and leave on your own, even if the next step is unknown,”He writes. “That’s often the road less traveled, but it’s so worth the journey.”
Renee Fleming: “On the Road Less Traveled is a moving, personal history that demonstrates the importance of being faithful to one’s core values — a road map for a life well lived.”
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