It is with great excitement, and candidly some trepidation, that I assume the position of TMA Global President for 2020. A long line of fantastic people have held this position, and I want to thank each of them for the work they put in to give us all a TMA that is healthier, more vibrant, and teeming with more potential than ever before. (“Deep breath, Derek. … Don’t mess this up!”)
In just the last year, we have seen entirely new chapters join our ranks (Welcome, Indiana and Southern Ohio/Northern Kentucky!); our best-ever Annual conference in Cleveland (it rocked!); major strides in collaborating among our chapters and members, both in North America and internationally; and an unprecedented level of support from TMA Global to our chapters and individual members. Buckle up, because this year, we will continue and accelerate these trends.
One of the primary strengths of TMA is found in its members and the connections they form that drive referrals and business opportunities among us. These bonds are typically formed at the chapter level initially. I come from the Alabama Chapter, which is certainly not TMA’s largest. But I have seen firsthand the power of how the larger TMA community can benefit each and every TMA member, no matter from which chapter they hail.
Because each of us, from every sort of restructuring background, enhances the TMA experience for each other, we all benefit from TMA’s presence and relevance in both the local and international restructuring community. If you have never participated in TMA beyond the chapter level, you are missing an entire universe of opportunity. In an age where technology keeps working to erode face-to-face experiences, I invite you to let TMA provide real, tangible, and productive interactions beyond your chapter that will help you find your next professional opportunity.
To those of you volunteering to serve in a leadership capacity in 2020, I can’t wait to work with you this year, and I hope you are as excited as I am to see what great things are in store for this organization. To the very talented TMA staff, thank you for all that you do to help our members maximize their business potential and the value they receive from membership. Finally, I look forward to working with each of you, the individual members of truly the finest restructuring organization in the world, as we cultivate connections and opportunities with other turnaround professionals in the local, regional, national, and global TMA community. If there is any aspect of your TMA experience that is not completely satisfactory, please call or email me directly, dmeek@burr.com; 205-458-5471.
So, GOOD NEWS! With the depth of talent and leadership both on the volunteer and staff sides of TMA, even I cannot mess this up! Thanks to a legacy of hard work and strong, innovative, and decisive leadership at both the global and chapter levels, TMA is perfectly situated as we enter 2020. None of us knows exactly what 2020 will bring, other than I am confident there will be developments and changes along the way. TMA Global is committed to responding to the changing needs of our members and chapters, and I hope you see value with your every touch point with TMA.
