As I sat down to write my second JCR column as TMA Global President, I could not help but once again recall the extraordinary connectivity and camaraderie experienced by the nearly 1,000 attendees from around the world at last month’s record-breaking Distressed Investing Conference. After experiencing the COVID pandemic (now hopefully permanently behind us), I think many of us have a renewed appreciation for how important and valuable face-to-face interaction is. Separate and apart from how essential in-person connections are on a basic human level, in-person connections are undeniably also so valuable and indispensable in creating, developing, and maintaining close business relationships to grow and expand our respective professional practices.

One of the many exceptional and truly distinguishing aspects about TMA is that no other organization provides more, or better, opportunities for turnaround and restructuring industry professionals to meet, connect, engage, and build and strengthen business relationships and, often, lifelong personal friendships. There are literally over 1,000 different networking opportunities available through TMA each and every year, from local chapter events to regional conferences, The Annual conference, the Distressed Investing Conference, and international conferences in Europe and elsewhere all over the world. Through all of these effectively unlimited opportunities to make connections, TMA provides endless ways for TMA members to drive their own success and build their business regardless of what part of our turnaround and restructuring industry they are in.

TMA members are dedicated and are continuously creating and referring business to each other to grow and prosper in their respective practices. Being #bettertogether is obviously so much more than simply a catchy hashtag! This treasure trove of business opportunities and occasions to make lifelong friends with fellow industry professionals which TMA provides are just some of the many reasons why TMA is the premier and most professionally diverse organization in the corporate restructuring, renewal, and corporate health space.

TMA is the only place to connect with such a vast range of multidisciplinary professionals, consisting of turnaround practitioners, attorneys, accountants, advisors, liquidators, lenders, investors, and consultants. We never know where our next referral will come from, and the importance of having exposure to such an extensive, diverse range of professionals cannot be overstated.

I have had the pleasure of attending several TMA events so far this year and look forward to attending many more during my tenure as TMA Global President and seeing as many of you as possible in person throughout the year! I am excited to attend the upcoming MidAmerica Regional Conference along with TMA Global CEO Scott Stuart, as well as so many other upcoming chapter and regional programs, plus national and international events like the TMA Network of Women (NOW) Global Summit on May 23 in New York and the inaugural TMA International Symposium on June 21 in Hamburg, Germany, followed by the Annual TMA European conference on June 22.

I encourage everyone to take advantage of attending as many of the terrific TMA chapter, regional, and global programs as possible to expand your network and drive your own success. As always, I welcome you to connect with me on LinkedIn, and please contact me anytime at jvanhorn@btlaw.com.

We are #bettertogether and forever #TMAProud.