TEI's response to September 11 attacks--an update. (Recent Activities).

On December 15, 2001, TEI President Robert L. Ashby released the following statement, which elaborates on remarks he made during the Institute's Annual Conference:

No one was left untouched by the terrorist attacks that claimed lives in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. So it is not surprising that many of us know people who perished on September 11. Three members of the Institute who worked for Marsh & McClennan died when the World Trade Center collapsed, and two of their colleagues in the tax department were also lost.

The New York State Tax Department had more than 220 employees assigned to the World Trade Center, and several other department employees were visiting the office on September 11. It is nothing short of miraculous that all but 1 visitor and a total of 185 of the assigned staff escaped. But 39 department employees did not.

Similarly, one senior IRS technical adviser was injured by falling debris, and remains (three months later) in critical condition. And the wife of a well-known and well-respected tax economist was aboard the flight that crashed into the Pentagon.

Many businesses and their tax departments were disrupted by the attacks. For example, one Big Five firm, Deloitte & Touche, lost its entire New York operation. Housed adjacent to the Twin Towers in the World Financial Center, the firm's offices were rendered uninhabitable on September 11.... leaving 15 percent of its worldwide workforce--5,000 people or so--homeless. And there are countless more people in the tax community who will never board another plane or hear another siren or otherwise conduct our lives without thinking back to September 11.

Given the breadth and depth of the loss, TEI decided it should simply not proceed with our planned entertainment of a comedian and impressionist at our Boston metting. By adjusting its conference program, the Institute was able to give proper recognition to those who died in the attacks. Accordingly, on October 20, TEI's Board of Directors unanimously adopted the following resolution:

WHEREAS, Tax Executives Institute, Inc. ("TEI") is a non-profit organization of persons employed by business enterprises in an executive, administrative, or managerial capacity, who are charged with the administration of the tax affairs of their employers;

WHEREAS, TEI has as one of its purposes to promote the interchange of ideas and mutual assistance among its members, and between its members and government tax officials;

WHEREAS, TEI members and federal and state taxing officials have lost their lives or been seriously injured in the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001;

WHEREAS, several relief funds have been established to provide aid to federal, state, and corporate employees and their families who were adversely affected by the terrorist attacks; and

WHEREAS, TEI wishes to honor those individuals in tax administration who died or were injured in the terrorist attacks.

IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED THAT:

In furtherance of its purpose to promote mutual assistance among its members and government tax officials, Board of Directors of Tax Executives Institute grants TEI's Executive Committee the discretion to make donations in TEI's name to the following organizations:

* MMC Victims Relief Fund, for the benefit of affected employees of Marsh & McLennan, including the following three TEI members--David Grimner, Manny Lopez, and Arthur Scullin;

* FEEA World Trade Center/Pentagon Fund, for the benefit of affected employees of the federal government, including the Internal Revenue Service; and

* New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund, for the benefit of affected employees of the State of New York, including the Department of Revenue.

The Institute's Executive Committee subsequently decided to make donations totalling $10,000 to the three designated charities. In addition, I am pleased to announce that several TEI chapters have made generous donations.