Message from Allen Wilen
June's highlight was the 13th Annual TMA Mid-Atlantic Regional Symposium at Caesars Atlantic City. Our keynote speaker was Andrew Fastow, Enron's former CFO. He made some fascinating observations about how the ambiguity and complexity of laws and regulations breeds opportunity for problematic decisions. Of course, the networking, panels and events were both eye-opening and much-appreciated. Be sure to read co-chair Lisa Stern's report below. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this event a success.
Later in the month we held a reception at the Maplewood Country Club in honor of the appointment of the Honorable Vincent Papalia to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey. "It was a well-attended event and Judge Papalia gave some very thoughtful and nice remarks, reported Jane Mitnick. "He is a great addition to the bench and it was nice to be able to punctuate it with this reception."
Upcoming events
Mark your calendars for August 5 for Insiders' Perspectives: A discussion among women in the restructuring field. It's a joint breakfast event between the Gibbons Women's Initiative and the NJTMA Network of Women. Topics of discussion will include success stories, the role of mentors in their careers, how to promote other women in the industry, and trials and tribulations faced throughout their careers. It will be moderated by Karen A. Giannelli, Chair, Gibbons Financial Restructuring & Creditors' Rights Department, and panelists will include:
* Caroline Adams, Manager, EisnerAmper LLP
* Teresa C. Kohl, Director, SSG Capital Advisors, LLC
* Linda McDonough, Managing Director, 50 Words, LLC
* Stacey L. Meisel, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Designate
* Natasha Songonuga, Director, Gibbons Financial Restructuring & Creditors' Rights Department
Breakfast and registration start at 8:30 and the program will run from 9-10:30. It will be held at the Gibbons office at One Gateway Center, Newark, NJ. To register, email rsvp@gibbonslaw.com or call (973) 596-4452.
Coming up August 6-8, is the 11th Annual Mid-Atlantic Bankruptcy Workshop to be held at The Hotel Hershey in Hershey, PA.
Highlights Include:
* Concurrent Business and Consumer Tracks
* Earn up to 7 Hours of CLE/CPE including 1.25 hours of ethics
* 10 U.S. Bankruptcy Judges representing Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia
* Plenty of networking with receptions, afternoon and evening events
* Tons of activities for the kids
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Regards,
Allen Wilen, NJTMA Chapter President
Partner, EisnerAmper LLP Bankruptcy and Restructuring Group
Mid-Atlantic Symposium Wrap-up
by Lisa Stern, co-chair of the TMA Mid-Atlantic Regional Symposium
Judging from the high turnout, good weather and the feedback I've heard, the TMA Symposium in June was a great success. We couldn't have pulled it all together without the dedication and support of our planning committee. Thank you to my co-chair, Edward Phillips, EisnerAmper LLP, as well as these hard-working professionals:
Education: Sharon Levine, Lowenstein Sandler LLP (NJ Chapter Board member) and Mark Felger, Cozen O'Connor
Events: Jane W. Mitnick, SM Financial Services Corporation (NJ Chapter Board member)
Keynote: Scott Stuart, Garden City Group, LLC (NJ Chapter member)
Marketing: Patricia Jefferson, Miles & Stockbridge P.C.
Sponsorship: Oren Klein, AuctionAdvisors (NJ Chapter Board member)
Fundraising: Stephen Gerald, Whiteford Taylor Preston
Conference Advisors: Steven F. Agran, MorrisAnderson (NJ Chapter Board member) and Jeffrey C. Hampton, Saul Ewing LLP
This year's educational panels were exceptional, and I appreciate the generosity and insights of all our panelists, too many to name here. The panels included:
* Going All In On Casinos
* Going Green: Laws, Claims and Valuation presented by TMA NOW (Network of Women)
* Distressed Investing in Today's Disjointed Market
* Valuation Across the Board(walk)
The economists' panel, Looking Ahead, included perceptive economic outlooks from three economists. Thank you to Moderator: Daniel Stella, Bank of America Business Capital; Gus Faucher, VP & Senior Macroeconomist, PNC Bank; Anika R. Khan, Director & Senior Economist, Wells Fargo Capital Finance; and James Marple, Senior Economist, TD Bank Group.
The Bankruptcy Judges' Roundtable is always a crowd favorite, and our practitioners value the Judges sharing their time and insights. Thank you to our moderator, Laura Davis Jones of Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP, as well as The Honorable Andrew Altenburg Jr., U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey; The Honorable Magdeline D. Coleman, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania; The Honorable Rosemary Gambardella, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey; The Honorable Kevin Gross, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware; and The Honorable John J. Thomas, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Lastly, our two keynote speakers provided interesting perspectives and food for thought. The sessions featuring Andrew Fastow, former Chief Financial Officer of Enron Corp., and Bart Blatstein, a Philadelphia-based uber-developer who has invested $50 million into the beleaguered Pier Shops in Atlantic City to create "The Playground" were both well attended. Bart's goal to help turnaround Atlantic City is in alignment with the work of all TMA professionals who strive to save jobs and preserve value for businesses around the globe.
I'm already looking forward to next year's Symposium!
