President's Letter
Alan D. Holtz
Dear AIRA Members:
Way back in the early nineties, I learned about a new professional certification program in the field of bankruptcy and restructuring called the Certified Insolvency & Restructuring Accountant, offered by the AIRA. I was intrigued by the program, which was apparently the first of its kind. I enrolled, passed the examination, met the other requirements and proudly received CIRA Certificate No. 79.
Today, as the Certified Insolvency & Restructuring Advisor program, CIRA continues to be a well-recognized and respected credential for those of us who practice on the financial side of bankruptcy and restructuring. CIRA holders represent a wide universe of professionals, including turnaround managers, lenders, investment bankers, financial advisors and accountants. And our ranks have multiplied over the years. CIRA Certificate No. 1,000 will be awarded at AIRA’s Annual Conference in Chicago on June 6-9, 2007.
Both AIRA and the CIRA program have grown substantially since the early nineties, but AIRA’s mission remains the same: to foster an understanding of the insolvency, reorganization and business turnaround disciplines; to provide top-notch and relevant education programs to practitioners; and to recognize professionals for their excellence in these fields through certification programs we administer.
Yes, I was proud to receive Certificate No. 79 way back in the early nineties, but I am even more proud to hold it today. The other 999 certificate holders should also be proud, and I strongly encourage those of you who are not yet counted amongst this elite group of professionals to enroll in and complete the CIRA program.
I hope to see many of you in Chicago.
Warm regards,
Alan D. Holtz
President
Author bio:
Alan Holtz is a Managing Director with AlixPartners based in New York. He has spent close to 20 years as a corporate restructuring and reorganization specialist and has managed all aspects of the financial restructuring process. Alan has provided services to companies, management teams and boards of directors, as well as to financial institutions and creditors’ committees, across a wide variety of industries. A frequent speaker on the subject of bankruptcy and reorganization, Alan holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and is a CPA and a CIRA, for which he received the 1992 CIRA silver medal from AIRA.