THE CORNERSTONE EAGLE

July 2016 Edition

Cornerstone International Group’s MISSION is to be the best executive recruiting group worldwide, but our VISION is to be a true mentor and coach, one-on-one, with our clients, candidates and partners locally.

We believe the way to do it is to promote our 3C VALUES of Community, Credibility, and Continuity. We succeed when our partners have achieved Healthier Businesses and Lives. The Cornerstone Eagle is not a sales letter to promote activities of our 70 offices globally, but a 3C tool to inspire you to maximize your personal and professional potential to be a Better Leader and a Better Person both at home and at business.

We shall be your Faithful Companion / Coach / Mentor on your life and career journey, supporting you to discover yourself and offering good advice regarding the SIX important aspects of your professional Life: Identity, Money, Career Options, Health, Relationships and Your Future (spiritual and your legacy reminders).

In this issue, we pause and consider the REAL meaning of riches, and treasures. They all seem at first to carry monetary value. However, they also possess the non-monetary aspect of cost and burdens in your life.

We pray that these powerful wings of the Eagle shall continue to enable you to soar to new heights.

Best Wishes,

Simon Wan Chief Executive Cornerstone International Group  Phone No.: +86 21 6474 7064 |: [email protected]

WHERE IS YOUR TREASURE? Treasure is what you deem to be valuable and what your heart & mind yearns for constantly. This could be your pursuit of money and wealth; maybe it is power and the desire to be recognized as a leader; maybe it is looking spiritual on the outside so that people think you have it together. Maybe it is popularity and acceptance as seen through nice clothes, a home, or an X-box gaming console. Maybe it is your family and how you have raised great kids. However, have you woken up to the fact that things of value are not of the temporary sphere but of the eternal? From the things that are passing by to the things that are permanent? The earthly treasures we store up cannot be taken with us. They are only temporary.

ONES WHO USE THEIR WEALTH TO CREATE TREASURES FOR OTHERS

Bill Gates William Henry "Bill" Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American business , entrepreneur, philanthropist, , and programmer. In 1975, Gates and co-founded Microsoft, which became the world's largest PC software company. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions of chairman, CEO and chief software architect, and was the largest individual shareholder until May 2014.

In 1994, Gates sold some of his Microsoft stock to create the "William H. Gates Foundation." In 2000, Gates and his wife combined three family foundations to create the charitable Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which was identified by the Funds for NGOs company in 2013, as the world's wealthiest charitable foundation, with assets reportedly valued at more than $34.6 billion.

The foundation is organized into four program areas: Global Development Division, Global Health Division, Division, and Global Policy & Advocacy Division.

As of 2007, Bill and Melinda Gates were the second-most generous philanthropists in America, having given over $28 billion to charity; the couple plan to eventually donate 95 percent of their wealth to charity.

Gates, investor , and Facebook founder and CEO signed a commitment they called the "Gates-Buffet Giving Pledge." The pledge is a commitment by all three to donate at least half of their wealth over the course of time to charity.

Richard Branson

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Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is an English business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is best known as the founder of Virgin Group, which comprises more than 400 companies.

Branson expressed his desire to become an entrepreneur at a young age. At the age of 16 his first business venture was a magazine called Student. In 1970, he set up a mail-order record business. In 1972, he opened a chain of record stores, Virgin Records, later known as Virgin Megastores. Branson's Virgin brand grew rapidly during the 1980s, as he set up Virgin Atlantic the airline and expanded the Virgin Records music label.

In March 2000, Branson was knighted at Buckingham Palace for "services to ". In July 2015, Forbes listed Branson's estimated net worth at US $5.2 billion.

“If you want to succeed in business, there is an increasing need to consider what you have to give back to the world”. Branson has pledged to commit $3 billion, all profits from his travel firms over the next ten years, to the reduction of global warming.

He has previously donated to educational charities in Africa. Branson started his first charity, “Student Valley Centre”, when he was only 17. He supports 33 charities and 26 causes.

Muhammad Ali ( 1942-2016) Boxer, philanthropist and social activist Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky. Growing up in the segregated South, he experienced racial prejudice and discrimination firsthand.

In his retirement, Ali devoted much of his time to . He announced that he had Parkinson's disease in 1984, a degenerative neurological condition, and was involved in raising funds for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the years, Ali also supported the Special Olympics and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, among other organizations. In 1996, he lit the Olympic cauldron at the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, an emotional moment in sports history.

Ali traveled to numerous countries, including Mexico and Morocco, to help out those in need. In 1998, he was chosen to be a United Nations Messenger of Peace because of his work in developing nations.

In 2005, Ali received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush. He also opened the Muhammad Ali Center in his

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hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, that same year. "I am an ordinary man who worked hard to develop the talent I was given," he said. "Many fans wanted to build a museum to acknowledge my achievements. I wanted more than a building to house my memorabilia. I wanted a place that would inspire people to be the best that they could be at whatever they chose to do, and to encourage them to be respectful of one another."

The revered athlete passed away on the evening of June 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.

A GOOD STORY ABOUT REAL TREASURES The cheerful little girl was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them, a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.

“Oh please, mommy. Can I have them? Please, mommy please?” Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading little girl’s upturned face. “A dollar ninety-five. That’s almost $2.00”.

”If you really want them, I’ll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday’s only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar from grandma.”

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents.

On her birthday, grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere, Sunday school, Kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story.

One night as he finished the story, he asked Jenny, “Do you love me?”

“Oh yes, daddy. You know that I love you.”

“Then give me your pearls.”

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“Oh daddy, not my pearls. But you can have princess, the white horse from my collection, the one with the pink tail. Remember, daddy? The one you gave me. She’s my very favorite.”

“That’s okay, honey. Daddy loves you. Good night.” And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after story time, Jenny’s daddy asked again, “Do you love me?” “Daddy, you know I love you.”

“Then give me your pearls.”

“Oh daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper.”

“That’s okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you.” And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.

“What is it Jenny, what’s the matter?”

Jenny didn’t say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy, and when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace.

With a quiver she finally said, “Here, daddy. This is for you.”

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny’s daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.

He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure. So it is with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful treasures.

Isn’t God good? Are you holding onto things that God wants you to let go of? Are you holding on to harmful or unnecessary partners, relationships, habits and activities that you have come so attached to that it seems impossible to let go?

Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the other hand but do believe this one thing… God will never take away something without giving you something better in its place.

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From the Bible:

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Our Editor, Nancy Chu at [email protected] would love to hear from you if you have special thoughts to share.

About Cornerstone International Group

Cornerstone International Group takes pride in its 25 years in executive search and as trusted advisors to CEOs. A global member of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC), Cornerstone is recognized as having the highest level of quality in the executive search industry. With 70 offices in key cities around the world, we make lasting contribution to the success of our clients locally and internationally. Our work is INTEGRITY based, RESULTS driven and SATISFACTION guaranteed. Awards received around the world & in China includes 'The Most Trusted China Recruitment Firm 2015'; 'China Recruitment Firm of the Year' & 'Trustworthy HR Unit'.

'Achieve More With Cornerstone'™ Visit us at www.cornerstone-group.com to see why you can 'Achieve More With Cornerstone'™

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