Midyear conference, recent submissions confirm TEI's diversity and strength.

• Author: Rossi, Raymond G.
• Position: Tax Executives Institute - President's Page

Making news can be a mixed blessing. There are some people who say that as long as the newspapers spell your name correctly, it's a good day. Others apply a different, more discerning filter. According to these people (among whom I count myself), the keys are the accuracy of the news created and whether it advances their objectives.

By whatever measure you use, TEI's Midyear Conference was a success. The Institute's mission, of course, is to serve the membership and their companies through education, networking, and advocacy. On all three counts, the Institute's Midyear Conference delivered: We provided high-quality educational content to more than 500 tax executives; numerous networking opportunities to our members and guests, including four special workshops (on corporate tax management, state and local, and Canadian tax issues); and the opportunities accorded by the presence of important government officials to press our legislative and regulatory priorities.

FSC/ETI Dominates the Headlines

We made news, especially with our keynote speakers. Congressman Bill Thomas, the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, kicked the conference off by offering a vigorous defense of his stewardship of the FSC/ETI repeal bill and rather blunt criticism of those whose legislative priorities do not square with his own. The Chairman encouraged companies with an interest in the bill, as well as organizations such as TEI, to weigh in with their views, and he urged us to resist the temptation "to be all things to all people."

As TEI's President and the person who moderated the question-and-answer period following the keynote address, I was pleased to call attention to the two sets of comments on the pending legislation that we had filed shortly before the conference. (Those comments are reprinted in this issue.) I explained that while TEI had not endorsed any particular bill relating to FSC/ETI repeal, we had endorsed the general approach of the House and Senate bills and also voiced support for (or opposition to) selective provisions. In developing TEI's position, we solicited comments from members who favored (or opposed) particular provisions or who favored one version of particular proposals over others. The Institute's submissions endeavor to reflect both the diversity and the technical acumen of our membership.

Congressman Thomas's remarks sparked a good deal of news coverage. Indeed, we began receiving calls about what he said (and how he said...