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Weekly UpdatesMy travels in April and May give further proof that the strength of Tax Executives Institute lies in the network of 54 chapters around the world and its cadre of volunteer leaders. In mid-April, I trekked to Minneapolis for the chapter's 25th Annual President's Seminar. This low-cost, two-day program, which sometimes doubles as a regional conference, routinely draws more than 300 tax professionals, and features both plenary and concurrent sessions on technical topics, as well as a vendor show that affords the participants the chance to mingle with professionals from software, professional service, and publishing firms.
I want to thank Arne Espeseth of Medtronic, the chapter's current president, for his stewardship of the chapter during the past year and his hospitality at the conference where, among other things, he helped me wend my way through the Minneapolis skyway during a rain storm. Arne would be the first to say that special recognition goes to two of his predecessors whose leadership and logistical skills made the silver anniversary of the President's Seminar another example of why, dollar for dollar and minute for minute, you cannot beat TEI's educational offerings. Joe Bohlke of General Mills and Chuck Fitzer of Benfield, who led the chapter, respectively in 2006-2007 and 2005-2006, put in many long hours planning this year's conference, and we are in their debt.
The strength and vitality of the Minnesota Chapter is enhanced by the continuing involvement of its past presidents, including Chuck and, next year I'm sure, Arne. One reason I enjoy attending the conference is that it gives me the opportunity to renew acquaintances with members, many of them now retired, who have given so much to the Institute. This year, for example, I was able to catch up with Sandy Navin, an associate member who was exceedingly active at the Institute level before he retired in 1997. As I recall, Sandy and I first worked together on the Institute's Alternative Tax Systems Committee. He also served on the Federal Tax and Awards Committee, as well as a long-time member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. A former Institute officer and recipient of the Institute's President's Award for outstanding service at the Institute level, one of Sandy's most lasting TEI legacies is without a doubt at the chapter level: He was the father of the Minnesota Chapter's President's Seminar. Congratulations, poppa, on your baby reaching 25.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention another former active member whom I visited with in Minneapolis. One of the booths at the President's Seminar was hosted by the University of Minnesota's Carlton School of Management and, in particular, its Masters of Business Tax Program. The Director of Graduate Studies in the MBT program is Mark Sellner, who is a former member of the chapter and a long-time teacher at TEI's Federal Tax Course. Mark also has the distinction of having a brother, Jim Sellner in the Dallas Chapter, and wife, Pat Sellner, in the Minnesota Chapter, who have served in numerous TEI positions.
If It's Monday, It Must Be ...
The first week of May found Bob McDonough and me in Copenhagen for the European Chapter's final meeting of the year. It was my first trip to Denmark, and everything--from spectacular weather to the camaraderie that TEI is rightly known for--was perfect. Pieter Van Der Stratten of Nike--who has just moved to the company's Portland, Oregon, headquarters--worked with meeting host Clive Baxter of Maersk and sponsor KPMG to plan an outstanding meeting. Among the sessions I attended were ones devoted to a salary survey conducted on the chapter's behalf by Pure Recruitment; cross-border investments in the Middle East and Asia; and carbon credits. Plenary, sessions featured discussions of tax governance, led by Loughlin Hickey, KPMG's global head of tax; a global comparison of interest deduction opportunities and limitations with Henrik Lund and Carina Marie Korsgarrd of the firm's Denmark office; and an entertaining and enlightening session on "Intercultural Communication and Negotiating Across Cultures."
I would be remiss if I didn't mention two non-technical aspects of the meeting: a tour of the Maersk Museum that Clive arranged and an amazing dinner at Copenhagen's opera house, which included arrival by boat following a sightseeing cruise, good conversation, a scrumptious meal, and a private performance by two members of the opera company. The chapter's and KPMG's hospitality were amazing.
Kansas City and Nashville
In my last column, I shared memories of growing up in the Midwest, and my ties to the Jawhawk State notwithstanding, my May 13 trip to the Kansas City Chapter's State and Local Tax Update/Roundtable was my first trip to a chapter event in the state since April 1995. (I recall the timeframe vividly because when Bill Zornes, then of Western Auto and now of Sutherland Lumber, dropped me off at the airport, the TV sets were ablaze with news of the bombing of the Murrah Federal Office Building in Oklahoma City.)
Terry Frederick, who fills dual roles as chapter president and chair of the State and Local Tax Committee, did an outstanding job of moderating an interactive meeting that featured presentations by Ken Yano and Terry Gaul of Grant Thornton and a roundtable discussion of state and local developments.
Terry was kind enough to give me an opportunity to brief the group on TEI's recent state and local activities, including the successful outcome of the MeadWestvaco case, TEI's comments on the Mobile Workforce Tax Act (which Terry was a prime contributor to), and our amicus brief in the VFJ case in Alabama, dealing with the State's add-back statute. I left the meeting and the state vowing that it wouldn't be another 13 years before I returned.
From Kansas City, I travelled to Tennessee for a well-attended meeting of TEI's Nashville Chapter. I will forbear commenting on the quality of the meeting since I was the speaker, but I do appreciate the opportunity that Glen Mortensen and Lee Grubbs, the chapter president and chapter representative to the Institute Board of Directors (both of HCA), afforded me the chance to discuss an important topic: Ethical and Professional Challenges Confronting In-House Tax Professionals Today. In addition, the meeting was timed to coincide with the chapter's LMSB liaison meeting, so I was able to attend that important session, which was coordinated by Kelvin Ault of Vanguard Health.
The trip to Tennessee gave me the opportunity to hear Glen talk about the growth and strength of the chapter. After a litany of well-deserved and well-spoken thanks to the members who contributed during the year and a nod to chapter founder and former Institute president Bob Ashby of Cracker Barrel, he said:
On a Personnel Note ...
A member of TEI's Calgary Chapter has accepted a special assignment with the Canada Revenue Agency as an Executive Director. Tim Bryant of Conoco Phillips Canada, who had been slated to become the Institute's Vice President for Canadian Affairs at this year's Annual Meeting of Members, will assume his government position on July 3. During his temporary assignment (ranging from 18 to 24 months), Tim will share his experience and private sector tax practitioner's perspective to provide advice and support to the Canadian government on matters related to corporations and tax administration in general. Tim attributes his appointment in large measure to his involvement in TEI, and we offer him our heartfelt congratulations. The Institute looks forward to working with him during his government assignment and to welcoming back to the membership when it ends.
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Finally, I am delighted to announce that TEI has hired a Director of Membership & Chapter Relations. Coleman Kane has nearly two decades of experience in membership, marketing, and related fields. Most recently, he worked as Director of the CEO Council of the National Organization on Disability and the Director of Membership for the American Forest & Paper Association. A graduate of Hobart College with a B.A. in English, Coleman has also participated in George Washington University's Membership Promotion and Services Program and the University of Maryland's Leadership Development Program. Coleman, who lives with his wife, Sharon, and their children, Caroline and Philip, in Annadale, Virginia, made his TEI "debut" at this year's Leadership Seminar.
Acknowledgments
TEI thanks the following firms for sponsoring its 2008 Chief Tax Officers Forum:
Baker & McKenzie LLP
BDO Seidman, LLP
Deloitte & Touche LLP
DLA Piper US LLP
Ernst & Young LLP
Grant Thornton LLP
KPMG LLP
Mayer Brown LLP
McKee Nelson LLP
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP
Thomson Tax & Accounting
Vertex Inc.
By Timothy J. McCormally
TEI Executive Director
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