TEI's chapters and regions - the engines of our growth.

• Author: Silbiger, Mark
• Position: Tax Executives Institute - President's page

The vision, energy, and creativity of our chapter and regional leadership are nothing short of outstanding. These leaders' ability to deliver superior educational programs and networking opportunities designed specifically for our members reflects the best of what TEI is: members working in the service of their colleagues and peers. Recognizing our chapters and regions as the engines of our growth lies at the core of our 2014-15 Chapter + 1 Strategy--visitations undertaken by our executive committee and regional vice presidents to participate in the broad range of chapter and regional meetings and conferences taking place this year. I am especially pleased to report that every member of my leadership team has committed to attend events in both their home and at least one additional chapter. Many, I am delighted to say, have committed to visit two or more.

Chapter + 1 Objectives

These visits help advance several objectives. First, they build closer and stronger connections between the Institutes leadership and its membership, enhancing the channels of communication between Washington and our chapters and regions around the world. Second, they allow us to better understand what's going on among our members, including new business issues, IRS enforcement and compliance trends, and membership needs and wants, to name a few. Third, they afford us the opportunity to help identify TEI's future leadership, members interested in raising their hands to assume broader Institute responsibilities. This year, our coverage will approach 75 percent of the Institute's chapters and every TEI region. When combined with the efforts of our staff, our chapter coverage rate will approach 90 percent.

Visit to Hawaiian Chapter

A couple of particular shout-outs: Thanks to Karen Miller (New England chapter), who included a visit to our Hawaii chapter as part of her winter vacation. In Honolulu, she met with chapter membership at Hawaii Pacific University, where Aileen Hara (Servco Pacific Inc.) and Mike Kam (Kamehameha Schools) led a meeting focused on gaining a better understanding of how to leverage national office meeting experience as well as speaker suggestions. Watch for further reports in Tax Executive about our Chapter + 1 Strategy.

Happy Anniversary to EMEA Chapter

In a few short weeks, we will be celebrating key milestones in the life of two of our chapters. In 2000, TEI chartered a chapter in Europe in an effort to expand the reach of TEI's mission of...