Happy Saturday, and welcome to CEO Speaks for Saturday, August 20th, 2022.

As we round the home stretch of a glorious summer in TMA Nation, all eyes turn to fall and a TMA Annual that will dazzle and delight.

Early Bird registration is now open for the TMA Annual, which will be held in Boston, MA. November 1-4th.  Already our attendee numbers are trending strong.

Our theme this year, It Starts with One Connection, will be the beginning of a journey that speaks to what it means to be a member of TMA. While that one connection starts with you, from there, the connections you make are the building blocks that create the rewarding experiences that comprise a professional journey through TMA.

Like the one connection that is Marius Dobren, who I met at a Florida Chapter conference just over a year ago. Not yet a TMA member at the time, Marius took me up on my offer of trial membership. Today Marius is a member who, in less than a year, has become a TMA Florida board member, spearheading growth efforts in northern Florida, he was involved with the Southeast Regional Conference and a participant in the TMA Global Strategic Planning workshop we held in Austin TX earlier this year.

Or the one connection that is Daniel Miggins, a new member who I met a year ago in Santa Barbra at the NORCAl-SOCAL pure networking event and who I challenged to make five connections within a year. A year later, when he reached out to me to remind me of the challenge, he shared that he’d made connections up and down the California coast and in New York City too. 

And then there’s the one connection in Liz Aboulafia, who, in the blink of an eye, joined TMA, rose to become the Long Island Chapter President, and is now on a global trajectory being appointed to the board of trustees.

And the one connection that makes connections like TMA Philadelphia/Wilmington member Monique DiSabatino, who connected her collogue Katarina Earle, with TMA Europe President and German Chapter member Eva Ringlespacher, who recently had the opportunity to connect in person over lunch at the Old Opera House in Frankfurt, Germany, bridging the gap of many miles and showing the global reach of what connection through TMA means.

These priceless stories are just a few of many thousands that define our organization, the breadth, and depth of the power of global connectivity, and how— wherever you are in the world—TMA and its members are right there with you, making your journey a collective journey of trust, support, friendship and camaraderie TMA bold.

As we journey towards TMA Annual, we hope to hear your story of how your one connection has made a difference to you. 

Much more to come on the four days of education, networking, our very special keynote speaker, and the time to be with old friends and new as we connect and celebrate better together in what will undoubtedly be a defining three days of TMA magic.

It starts with one connection, and that one connection starts with you. Take advantage of our VIP experience and some special Boston area experiences when you register for this year’s Annual. With spots for special events filling up fast, I urge one and all to register today so that your one connection grows many connections strong.

Its been an exciting, impactful, and important few weeks for TMA, and with an eye toward our future, this past week, members of this year’s TMA Nominations Committee gathered in Chicago to begin the process of selecting those individuals who will lead us in 2023.

Chaired by TMA Global Immediate Past Chair Derek Meek, this committee has diligently worked to select our 2023 Board leaders from one of the most eclectic, diverse, talented, and committed groups; of volunteers, all of whom are deeply committed to our vision, our future and each and everyone is TMA Proud for what they give of themselves to assure our members are better together and TMA strong.

This work is not easy, and Nominations Committee members Dan DeMarco, Heidi Sorvino, Rob Patrick, Ken Yager, and Rachael Smiley continue to show what it means to be leaders by bringing the highest level of thoughtfulness and care to this critically important process. I salute these volunteers and know the outcome of this process will assure that our future remains strong and bright.

The next stop for TMA Global President Janey Mitnick and I will be the Southeast Regional Conference this week in Hilton Head, S.C., where nearly 200 registrants will gather to meet, mingle, learn and maybe even make a few new connections too. We look forward to this ever-popular collaborative conference experience courtesy of TMA Florida, Atlanta, Tennessee, Alabama, and the Carolinas. And for those of you who will be there, I look forward to seeing you and making you my next TMA connection too.

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 the foundation that will create a better TMA for all of our members.

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