From Newsroom to Boardroom: Lessons from a Lifetime of Building and Backing Great Businesses with Alan Spoon, Fmr. President of The Washington Post, Chairman of Fortive (NYSE: FTV), Managing Partner of Polaris Partners

Series Seed is hosting a virtual conversation with Alan Spoon, former President of The Washington Post Company and today Chairman of Fortive (NYSE: FTV).

Alan spent 18 years at the Post, joining in 1982 as Vice President of new business development, becoming Chief Financial Officer in 1987, President of Newsweek in 1989, and President of the company in 1993. He held that seat through the arrival of the internet, and while most of the industry defended print, he argued for the opposite: "I want us to be the ones to cannibalize ourselves." He launched washingtonpost.com and newsweek.com, and co-created Cars.com and Apartments.com to get ahead of the classified advertising that made up as much as 75% of newspaper profits and was about to move online.

In the spring of 2000 he crossed to the other side of the table, joining Polaris Partners as Managing General Partner just as the dot-com crash began, and spent the next 18 years backing early-stage technology and healthcare companies including Phreesia and LegalZoom. Today Alan chairs Fortive, the industrial technology company spun out of Danaher in 2016, and serves on the boards of Match Group and Cable One. He is also a Regent of the Smithsonian Institution and a Life Member of the MIT Corporation.

This session will explore how to lead a business through a technology shift that breaks its economics, what a decade of writing checks teaches you that operating cannot, how boards actually make decisions, and Alan's advice for young professionals building careers in industries being rebuilt around them.

Attendance is limited. Reserve your spot early.

Important Reminders:

• Bring a Question: If possible, come with a specific question about something you're working through, whether it's a career decision, a company you're building, or a call you can't make.

• Camera On: Please join with your camera on if you're able. It makes the session feel like a conversation, and it's a small courtesy to Alan for giving us his time.

• Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram or LinkedIn for updates on our community, events and opportunities.

About the Host:

Series Seed is a youth‑led non-profit dedicated to career guidance for young professionals. We curate a private mentorship circle of entrepreneurs, operators, and experts from America’s critical industries, designed to guide the next generation of young professionals.