Happy Saturday, and welcome to CEO Speaks for Saturday, June 24th, 2022.

The power of the people of TMA is our essence, which speaks to both TMA today and tomorrow.

This past week, TMA Global President, Jane Mitnick and I had the pleasure of being at the New York City chapter’s summer rooftop event, which displayed the best of TMA in grand fashion.

Not only did this event welcome tried and true TMA members from the chapter, but those from other parts of the country and some new to TMA.

One of the first people I met was Matt Hayon from Compass CFO Solutions, this being his first ever TMA event. And in true TMA style, within moments, Matt was embraced by chapter members, and he was no longer the newbie in the room, but someone embraced, welcomed, and offered a sense of belonging that shows the best of who we are.

Similarly, I had the opportunity to meet Jason Goodelman; a second-year law student brought to the event. He quickly learned about the opportunities in our profession as he connected with our tried and true members who welcomed Jason into our community.

There was even a second-generation presence in the room with new members like Dean Oswald, whose father, Frank, a long-time TMA NYC member and leader, and industry luminary, was introduced to a place where trusted relationships are built that last a professional lifetime.

There were leaders like Jennifer Mercer, TMA SoCal’s president, and members from Dallas and Huston, all participating in an NYC event, embracing the essence of an organization that thrives on members taking advantage of networking opportunities like this one whenever in TMA Nation they may be.

Kudos to the TMA NYC programming committee for leading the way in how we support each other and welcome those from other chapters, new to our community, and some just curious to learn the TMA way to our big tent. It is an example of chapter excellence and makes us TMA proud.

June is gay pride month, and TMA is at the forefront of efforts to support diversity, equity, and inclusion; I wanted to use this opportunity to celebrate some of our LGBTQ plus members who stand up and stand out as leaders in our community, the LGBTQ community and for the greater community championing DE&I at large.

Alan Kadish, former TMA NYC president and a champion of DE&I, celebrates TMA for how our organization long ago took to the mission of setting the example of creating an open and welcoming community for all, even when times were more challenging on this front.

Summer McKee celebrates being part of the LGBTQ community and how TMA has supported her journey by offering the advice that celebration of authenticity, being brave, and setting the example for others will create a more inclusive world for all.

Jordan Parker talks of how DE&I is not for one day, one month, or one year, but about committing to this every day so that it becomes the pillar of an organization’s culture.

Others like Atlanta member Matthew Brooks and NYC member Erica Richards talk about the importance of community, authenticity, allyship, and building cross-community trust, which is the essence of the example they set in our professional community.

As for myself, a proud member of the LGBTQ community, I hope that in this month of pride, my message of pride in both who I am and the organization I represent, as a champion of inclusiveness, is something others can look to embrace and to take my lead on as an example. Nothing would make me more personally TMA proud.

As always, thanks for taking the time to listen today. In this year of Innovation through Disruption, your input is critical, your contributions paramount, and your engagement is the foundation that will create a better TMA for all our members.

Until next time, I’m Scott Stuart. Be safe, resilient, and TMA Proud.