As I write this, TEI is on final approach to deliver its 69th Midyear Conference, themed “Navigating the TCJA Regulatory Framework: Questions and Quandaries.” To help you analyze more than 1,200 pages of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act-related regulations, as well as examine the state and local tax, tax management, and technology-related impacts of this legislation, we are delighted to have assembled a diverse instructor cadre drawn from more than forty professional services firms. As important, we look forward to hearing from David Kautter, assistant secretary for tax policy at the Department of the Treasury, IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig, as well as tax regulators from key state Departments of Revenue to help us better understand some of the policy decisions that were made in developing this regulatory framework, as well as the state tax implications of those decisions. Introduce yourself to our instructor cadre whose areas of expertise are directly related to the work you do, swap business cards and discuss your issues and concerns.
Indeed, your challenge may very well involve selecting among various sessions of equal interest to you and relevance to your day-to-day duties. I urge you to maximize your use of the Midyear Conference app (point any browser to my.tei.org) so you can access, download, and review the materials prepared for both sessions you will be able to attend as well as those that you won’t.
Outside of formal, CPE-eligible conference sessions, I would argue that another TEI “conference” is actually taking place, one where members are actively re-engaging with their peers to catch up, compare notes, vent, and explore new opportunities. Again, please maximize your conference time to catch up in these ways as well. Over the years, one of my practices has been to take a moment to annotate the conference attendance list and identify who specifically that I need to catch up with, bump into, or try to grab at a break or at a reception. Three days fly by really quickly, so I urge you to get prepared. In that same vein, the presence of TEI’s Executive Committee and Board, as well our committee chairs and chapter leaders, provide you with ideal opportunities to speak directly your leaders to share what’s on your mind TEI-wise. For some, it’s a point about a technical or policy issue that warrants attention; for others, it’s a chapter or regional governance question, or even some assistance in developing an educational program or identifying a suitable speaker.
Similarly, Institute staff is accessible to you throughout the conference. I urge you to introduce yourself and let them know how your TEI membership can be made more valuable to you. Whether in the education, advocacy, or networking areas, your ideas are critical to the Institute’s ongoing work and success.
Finally, I ask that you take the opportunity to connect directly with our sponsors. Each has demonstrated its commitment to TEI and its mission in tangible ways. They have chosen to align their professional brand with ours, and our reciprocal commitment is to meaningfully engage with them, to better understand their experience and expertise and how they could be of assistance to you going forward. The road ahead for the in-house tax professional community will be challenging in many respects as we continue to understand, implement, and comply with the TCJA. Developing networking relationships can only help you in this regard.
I look forward to seeing you in Washington.
Regards,
James Silvestri
TEI International President
