There are many tasks which need to occur to keep the Tax Section operating effectively. One of the most important tasks is leadership succession planning by the Section’s Nominating Committee. The purpose of this message is to describe the work of the Nominating Committee and solicit your nominations for leadership positions starting in August 2021 for consideration by the Nominating Committee.
The members of each year’s Nominating Committee identify the future leaders of the Section. About one-third of the committee is selected annually by the Chair-Elect with a view to reflecting the diversity of our Section membership. To further ensure a wide range of perspectives, no more than 20% of the Nominating Committee can be current members of the Section’s leadership Council. The Nominating Committee is chaired by a past chair (me this year) with the last retiring chair serving as vice-chair (Tom Callahan this year). The chair-elect (Julie Divola this year) is the committee’s Council Director.
Each year the Nominating Committee meets at the Fall and Midyear Tax Meetings to select the nominees for five Council Director positions (for three-year terms); six Vice-Chair positions (one-year terms with a maximum of three years in total); the Secretary and Assistant Secretary (one-year terms with a maximum of two years in total); and the next Chair-Elect. Final selection of the individuals for the positions will occur at the annual meeting of the Section in August 2021.
While there are no specific criteria for any of the positions, it is generally understood that a natural progression of Section involvement starting with committee work will provide the leadership training and institutional knowledge necessary to qualify someone for the next step on the leadership ladder. In the past, the Nominating Committee has worked with lists of eligible individuals who have served in various leadership capacities which qualify them for the following step. The Nominating Committee hopes to nominate a group of individuals that reflects the diversity of our membership, including gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, areas of technical expertise, geography and type or size of firm, all of which contribute to the overall inclusiveness of the Section.
The names of the Nominating Committee members can be found on the Section’s website here. The Nominating Committee invites you to contact any member of the Nominating Committee, including me ([email protected]), to identify individuals who you believe have demonstrated their commitment to the Section and its mission, and who are ready to assume greater leadership roles in the Section. If you have a serious interest in a position, please feel free to nominate yourself.
In order to be considered at the Nominating Committee meeting in connection with the virtual Fall Tax Meeting, the Nominating Committee will need to receive your nominations (with a brief statement of support) no later than close of business Tuesday, September 15, 2020. This is your opportunity to participate in determining the future leadership of the Tax Section. ■