Berkshire Meeting Draws Record Crowd

OMAHA, Neb. -- As devoted shareholders gather for this rendition of Berkshire Hathaway's (BRK.A Quote) annual meeting, one thing is clear: this is Warren Buffett's party.

A jazz quartet laid down Lionel Hampton licks, while partygoers grazed on crudites and roast beef and perused jewels at Borsheim's. But everyone had one eye on the door for Buffett, hoping to be lucky enough to press the flesh and get a picture taken with the capitalist Oracle.

While the weekend is also about entertainment and camaraderie, it is first and foremost about seeing and learning from Buffett. "He's a unique individual and all the shareholders are focused on him," says Andy Kilpatrick, a Birmingham, Ala. stockbroker and author of Of Permanent Value: The Story of Warren Buffett. "It's not only the profits but the ethics and his sense of humor and the speed of his responses. And, it's a homespun quality. People are fascinated some guy can have all these qualities in one body," said Kilpatrick, who is attending his 17th annual meeting.

A Loyal Tribe

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