TEI's educational programs remain the cream of the crop.

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

Year after year, tax executives report that education and networking, both locally and at the Institute level, remain the primary reasons for belonging to TEI. While the Institute's advocacy efforts are important, the Institute especially shines in providing unmatched value in our technical programs and networking opportunities for in-house tax professionals. This spring's programs demonstrate the depth and breadth of TEI's offerings. Before discussing the Institute-level programs on the horizon, I wish to pay tribute to the outstanding efforts of TEI's chapters and regions.

Whether it's the European Chapter's recent program in Zurich or the Pittsburgh Chapter's joint meeting in early March with two other organizations (which will feature IRS Commissioner Everson) to Region V and VI's upcoming liaison meeting with the Large & Mid-Size Business Division to Region VIII's May conference in Santa Barbara and Region VII's later program on Kiawah Island, the quality of the educational sessions and the consistency of their networking value are undeniable. Equally important in this stubborn economy is that the cost of these programs is without match. A special mention is due the Houston Chapter, which this year is hosting its Sixteenth Annual Tax School--a series of training modules that will attract in total approximately 3,000 participants!

Midyear Conference: A Six-Decade Tradition Continues

Fortunately, TEI at the Institute level complements (and, indeed, benefits from the intra-family competition provided by) the programs offered by our chapters and regions. A perfect case in point is out 54th Midyear Conference, which will convene in Washington on the first day of spring. Among the keynoters for the conference will be Secretary of the Treasury John Snow, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas, and IRS Commissioner Everson. (Secretary Show and Chairman Thomas will be reprising their roles at prior conferences, and the Commissioner will be making his first presentation to a TEI conference.) These high-ranking officials--joined by colleagues from Capitol Hill, the Treasury, and IRS--will provide first-hand reports on everything from FSC/ETI to tax shelters to R&D to budget and trade policy.

Registrants, moreover, will have a rich array of technical sessions to choose from, including special roundtables on emerging corporate management and state and local issues and a series of "LMSB Bonus Sessions" that TEI is cosponsoring with the Large...