The posters on this thread have fallen into the common mistake of equating the words "elite" and "elitist" with snobbery. There is nothing on earth wrong with being an elite. Most managers hope to develop an elite team so that they can achieve more than their competitors. The armed forces are, we hope, an elite, they cost a lot and I hope that they are the best and most effective. One of the meanings of the word elitist is "pride in or awareness of being an elite group". Again nothing wrong with that.
Are we an elite? who knows or cares? Are we snobs "A person who strives to associate with those of a higher social status and who behaves condescendingly to others"? Some are but so what.