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Looking Back, Looking Ahead:

TUG is Ready for Whatever’s Next

When he looks back over his nearly two years as TUG Chair, Mark Law, Group IT Director with the Hayley Group in Doncaster, UK, sees an organization that is ready to rise to just about any challenge.

In 2020, TheUserGroup.org was “one of the last organizations in the world to hold a conference,” he says, concluding TUG CONNECTS 20/20 in Dallas, Texas, just days before pandemic restrictions took effect. In 2021, the organization and the wider distribution industry showed their resilience and determination by pivoting to an all-virtual format. A year later, TUG saw its “first tentative steps back into normality” with its first face-to-face meeting in Florida, followed by the 2023 event in California.

Over that time span, “it’s been really pleasing to see not only that people are coming back, but they’re coming back in larger numbers,” Law says. “And one of the highlights is the number of new sponsoring partners. Not only are our own members showing how important TUG is. It’s also about the partners who have supported us through these last few years, which is very much appreciated.”

This year’s conference is expected to draw record attendance. “We’re back to normal now. We’re alive and kicking. Not just TUG, but the whole distribution industry,” Law declares. “We’re ready for what’s ahead,” with members taking advantage of Infor platforms to get the best of what the latest technologies can offer.

Law is also pleased to see so many new arrivals showing up on TUG committees and network groups, as a new generation of leadership comes to the table—not only for the new energy it brings, but for the cross-generational dynamic it creates.

“We’re definitely getting some younger faces more involved in TUG, more involved with the committees and taking on leadership roles,” he says. “But that’s not to take away from people who’ve been here a long time. Having that crossover between generations is really powerful for TUG,” with new board members of all ages bringing fresh perspectives when they sign on for the first time.

“It’s not just a generational thing, though that’s also important.”

TUG is also witnessing a fairly new dynamic where people who previously worked for Infor users return to the community as vendors or channel partners. “We’re going to be welcoming them back in a different role, which is going to be really interesting,” he says. 

Coming out of the pandemic, Law doesn’t see a new start for TUG, so much as a shift to a new level. “We’re working more closely with Infor than we ever have before,” he says. “We’ve got some good young people bringing new ideas into TUG CONNECTS. We’ve got great experience from people who’ve been around for a while. And people have an appetite for mixing,” so that the combination of those ideas and inspirations creates something bigger than the sum of the parts.

What’s next for Mark Law as he moves into the role of Past Chair? He isn’t saying just yet—but anyone who’s worked with Mark over the years knows it would be wise to watch this space.