As with most new assistant professors, the ALSB provided sanctuary from the uncertainties of starting a new career, guidance on the tasks of the job, support when feeling distraught brought on by institutional uncertainties, and the collegiality missing from being a law professor in schools of business. It was a place where I made my first research presentations and groomed my skills. It was a place where I met good people and future collaborators. Although I have not been active in recent years, I still pay my dues and mentor those who seek my help and treasure the fond memories of those people I befriended and places seen all due to the ALSB.

My first ALSB conference was in Montreal. At the time, I was still practicing law but seriously considering transitioning into academia. I had a great experience even though I was brand new to the organization. The attendees made me feel welcome, with many offering advice for getting an academic job. During the conference, I presented an academic paper for the first time and received constructive feedback from several attendees. Ultimately, my experience at the conference confirmed that I was on the right path and helped me to land my appointment at UGA. After revising my paper based on the attendees’ comments, I was able to present a more developed version of the paper during my interview. Since beginning my academic career, the ALSB has helped me to continue to advance my research and teaching and build a supportive professional network.

Involvement with the ALSB has been critical to my career. I am grateful for publishing opportunities at our flagship journals. My courses have benefited from teaching ideas and materials shared by creative colleagues. I know I can count on ALSB colleagues for good advice. Moreover, I cherish the friendships formed over the years. I can’t imagine a more collegial and supportive professional home.

ALSB showed me a path to an academic career that I didn't even know was there. I showed up at the 2012 conference with virtually zero prior knowledge — just an inkling of a research agenda. I found a warm welcome. The genuine collegiality of this group is almost startling. Several people took an irrational interest in my transition to academic work and success as a scholar. I now work side-by-side with some of them. Others have become dear friends, co-authors, and colleagues around the academy. Working as a legal scholar at a business school has been incredibly rewarding. ALSB was the key — a catalyst, a nexus, and a network all at once.

I joined ALSB looking for professional development as a member of a small business law group, but found a wonderfully supportive academic family. The sense of shared mission and mutual support at ALSB is second to none, and that is the driving force behind the substantive social impact of our teaching and research. If that was important over the past 100 years, surely the world will need it more and more in the 100 years to come.

In 1990, I parlayed a Business Law adjunct teaching position at Saint Joseph's University into a full-time tenure track position. While I was excited, it was also the first time that that I was required to engage in sophisticated peer-reviewed research and publication. Also, I was somewhat isolated, being the only full-time Business Law faculty member at the university. Someone told me about ALSB, and its upcoming annual conference in Dallas. I immediately registered for the conference and bought my plane ticket. At the conference, I felt like the "ugly duckling" who had FINALLY landed in a pond with people who were just like me - lawyers teaching Business Law at the undergraduate and MBA level. Also, I was paired with a seasoned ALSB member, Bob Alberts from New Mexico, who guided me through the research and publication process for the next several years. I got tenure and a promotion, and today, I am a Professor Emeritus. In short, I would not have survived Academia without the indispensable care and support from ALSB.

When I entered academia, I felt a lot of anxiety about whether I belonged. I was unsure about how people would respond to my research or whether they’d accept me as a colleague. As it turns out, I couldn’t have met a better group of people at ALSB. Everyone was—and continues to be—incredibly supportive and warm. Not only have I always received helpful and encouraging comments on my research, but ALSB has proven to be one of the nicest and kindest communities. Nine years later, I can honestly say that I have met some of my best friends at ALSB events. And now when I meet new members, I get excited that they might meet great colleagues and friends like I did.