At about the halfway point in my presidency, I thought it would be a good time to take stock of what we have accomplished so far and to look ahead to what’s on the agenda over the next few months.
All we accomplished so far was a team effort, with contributions from TEI staff, chapter leaders, committee chairs, members, and sponsors throughout the world, enabling us to be the leading association for in-house tax professionals.
Notable Accomplishments
Membership. As of February 1, TEI has 6,165 members compared to 5,492 this time last year—that’s an increase of 673 members, or a 12% growth rate. We are continually seeking ways to integrate new members into the TEI community with the support of our chapters.
In October 2021, we launched the Thought Leadership Bulletin—a curated publication bringing TEI members valuable articles, news alerts, publications, and podcasts from our sponsors in a biweekly e-newsletter.
Chapters. To date this fiscal year, TEI has held five chapter leader roundtables and three Chapter Leader Advancement Series Classes (CLASS), covering topics such as TEI Connect, events and meetings, and the Chapter Leadership Portal.
We are looking forward to continuing our efforts to support our chapters, including the launch of the TEI Chapter | Sponsor Connection Portal in March, which should assist our chapters and regions with event planning.
Sponsorship. We continue to add to the breadth and depth of our sponsor ranks. This year alone, CAC Specialty, Orion Innovation, and Sovos Compliance joined TEI as Gold Sponsors. Asbury Law Firm joined as a Silver Sponsor, and Baker Tilly (which acquired True Partners Consulting), Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Foss & Company, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, and Valuation Research Corporation all joined as Bronze Sponsors.
Events. In 2022–2023, we have seen the return of several popular in-person events, such as the International Tax Course, the Audits & Appeals Seminar, and the Annual Conference. We also have held four successful simulive events: the Tax Technology Seminar, the Annual Conference, Federal Tax Course – Level 1, and the International Tax Course, serving hundreds of members virtually.
Thank you all for your contributions and commitment to TEI. We could not have done it without you.
The Midyear Conference
We were excited to launch several innovative new programs that are part of this meeting.
Speed Mentoring. We hosted our first-ever Speed Mentoring Workshop, enabling mentors and mentees to connect and get to know one another in a fun and engaging format. Mentors and mentees connected for about five minutes before meeting their next partner, until time was up! This was a great way for mentees to get to know other members and widen their networks—and for tax leaders to give back and engage with emerging tax professionals who want to grow.
Industry Forums. We brought back TEI’s Industry Forums, with a twist! Participants connected with members in their industries for facilitated lunch discussions, enabling them to meet industry colleagues and share practical information in a member-to-member environment.
Chief Tax Officers’ Luncheon. Those leading the tax function at their organizations joined the Chief Tax Officers’ Luncheon, where they heard from Lynn Sedwick of RSM US LLP on “Becoming an Inclusive Leader.”
The Importance of People
In closing, I want to recognize the fact that we in the tax community have lost a lot of people over the last few months. Many of them were very close to me and have played a significant role in my personal and professional life. I want to take this opportunity to remind all of us about the importance of our network—frankly, our tribe.
In life, we make connections that impact us and often leave an indelible mark. Please always remember that any interaction you have, no matter how big or small to you, impacts many others, probably in a manner more significant than you realize. TEI gives us the platform to make those impacts and connections, so always be kind, welcoming, and supportive. Be the person people look forward to working with on Mondays, not the person they can’t wait to get away from on Fridays.
Best regards,
Wayne Monfries
TEI International President
