A year of challenge ... and accomplishment.

• Author: Alicandri, Vincent
• Position: Tax Executives Institute goals and objectives - President's page

What a remarkable organization TEI is! In the midst of the deepest economic recession in seven decades, Tax Executives Institute is fortunate to have member after member stepping up, daring to get involved, and making a difference. As I reflect on the impending end of my term as International President, I wish to begin by thanking all those TEI members who took up the challenge I presented when I took office last August.

The list is gratifyingly long: From chapter presidents who balanced the increasing demands of their "day jobs" to the members of the Institute's Board of Directors who faithfully executed their fiduciary duty in helping TEI advance its mission. From our committee chairs who planned excellent seminars and conferences and oversaw the development of technical submissions and liaison meeting agendas to members who posted questions or comments on TEI's website, sent emails or picked up the telephone to share the ideas and concerns, or sidled up to the microphone at educational programs to ask questions. And from a staff that remains second to none to the 10 men and women who served with me on TEI's Executive Committee whose talent and dedication to the Institute cannot be overstated.

Not one of us has "spare" time any more. We can't "find" it; we have to "make" it. These are challenging, unprecedented times, but in every part of TEI--from the smallest chapter to the largest--our members have responded to the challenge. You don't have to be a leader to lead; you just have to dare to make a difference. I applaud all those who did.

What are the results of the Institute's efforts this past year? When the Board of Directors approved TEI's goals and objectives for the year, it grouped them into four categories--Membership, Advocacy, Education, and Management. While the following summary is by no means exhaustive, I believe it effectively demonstrates the value of "reaching for the stars": You often get there.

Membership

"Growing the membership" is a challenge even in good economic times. In-house tax professionals have many choices of the organizations they can join. Nevertheless, organizations such as TEI must grow to survive, and our efforts to attract new members, to keep our current ones, and to encourage greater member participation must be ongoing. Accordingly, this year we undertook to compile the best recruitment, retention, and member development practices of our chapters into a Chapter Membership Guide, which will be...