As we flip the page to a new year on our calendars, so too does TMA usher in its new volunteer leadership team, and I am honored and privileged to serve as your 2022 TMA Global President. As an active TMA member and volunteer for more than 15 years, I know first-hand the value of TMA membership and leadership. I’m proud to serve as the first TMA Global President from TMA New Jersey, and I am grateful to my home chapter for the deep roots I’ve developed serving in several executive chapter positions and in various TMA Global Executive Board roles.
Today, I look forward to working with all chapters worldwide in our shared support of TMA’s mission to connect and educate our global community of turnaround and restructuring professionals. I owe a debt of gratitude to the leaders before me who have served as mentors, including Matthew English, CTP; Derek Meek; and Jeffrey Hampton. I’m grateful to also call each of them a close personal friend.
TMA means different things to different members, but I think it’s safe to say the connectivity, relationships, and friendships with other professionals in the turnaround and restructuring community form the common chemistry in the DNA of TMA members. TMA remains the premier organization providing its members with the benefits of connectivity as well as providing relevant and high-level education, networking, certification, and programming.
TMA is forward thinking, and we have led the way in our advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) with Matthew English’s 2021 Presidential Working Group, whose mission was formalized in Q4 last year when the DE&I Committee was established as a permanent TMA committee. The group is chaired this year by Jennifer Stam of TMA Toronto. Additionally, TMA is committed to recognizing the achievements and advancing the interest of all members, so I charge each of you to “lean in” and partner with us to showcase your milestones, talents, and achievements and share your expertise and interests with us.
We have an esteemed group of volunteer leaders serving as this year’s global Executive Board, partnered with the exceptional TMA staff led by TMA CEO Scott Stuart. We are here to serve each member and provide membership value. While the landscape continues to change due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, TMA will strive once again to provide its members with the opportunities you have come to expect, both in person and virtually, to ensure each member can take advantage of all TMA has to offer in their personal comfort zone.
As the pandemic has caused minor disruptions for us at TMA, it has only exacerbated the financial pressures in the already troubled retail industry. While the digital commerce landscape is a net advantage for some retailers, many remain in distress due to changing consumer habits, liquidity issues, poor management, etc. This issue of the JCR provides thoughtful views from several of our member experts in the field. Please enjoy this special retail issue, and I look forward to connecting with you, live and in person, at the Distressed Investing Conference, “Innovation Through Disruption,” in Las Vegas at Encore at the Wynn February 9-11.
If you haven’t already registered, please go to distressed.turnaround.org to do so today! In the meantime, should you want to connect with me, please do so on LinkedIn or at jmitnick@smfinancialservicescorp.com. I await the opportunity to work together with you in 2022 on our shared journey as TMA members.
