Vertex’s Michael Bernard Honored with President’s Award at TEI Conference

A conference room with large floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing natural light in. A crowd of businesspeople in formal clothing takes up most of the image, with many of the people interacting with one another: holding conversation, shaking hands, et cetera. The people are all blurred, as if they are in motion.

Greetings from the Tax Executive Institute’s (TEI’s) 73rd Midyear Conference in Washington, where I had the honor of participating in panel discussions – and where my colleague, Vertex Chief Tax Officer of Transaction Tax Michael Bernard, was honored for his dedication and longstanding contribution to the tax industry.

First, it’s important to note that Vertex’s continuing partnership with TEI is based on a shared sense of purpose. A diverse, inclusive member-based organization, TEI is dedicated to supporting the professional needs of the in-house tax community worldwide. TEI educates, networks, and advocates on all aspects of business taxation. That’s an objective that Vertex also pursues through our innovative technology solutions, collaborations with customers and partners, thought leadership, and other outreach activities. We are honored to continue to be part of the TEI community where they address critical issues impacting tax industry leaders.

TEI events provide an excellent opportunity for Vertex to engage with customers, partners and other members of the global tax community. This year’s Midyear Conference in Washington, DC featured three-plus days of insightful content. Presentations addressed trends, challenges and leading practices across numerous domains, including federal tax, international tax, state and local tax, tax technology, financial reporting, corporate tax management, IRS activities, and many other aspects of the chief tax officer’s purview. 

I participated in two panel discussions covering 1) best practices for reducing tax compliance risks; and 2) approaches for leveraging sales and use tax overpayment/refund opportunities. The conference had an impressive schedule and list of presentations, including one that explored how tax data can be harvested for executive reporting and analytical insights (a topic we’ll be covering in more depth throughout the rest of the year).  

Speaking of impressive, Mike Bernard’s 30-plus years of services to TEI was honored at the event by International President Wayne Monfries. Wayne presented the President’s Award to Mike who has been an active member of the TEI Seattle Chapter for more than three decades. Mike’s commitment and numerous contributions to TEI are extensive. Which includes sharing his expertise with others as he regularly contributes insightful articles and analyses to Tax Executive, the organization’s professional journal. His editorial contributions have addressed transactional tax trends, tax-procurement integration, tax leaders’ response to global disruptions, and the new tax leadership model

Congratulations, Mike!

Blog Author

Larry Mellon, Tax Directory, Vertex Inc

Larry Mellon

Tax Director, Chief Tax Office

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Larry Mellon is a Tax Director in the Chief Tax Office, where he is responsible for providing insights, thought leadership and customer-centric direction to Vertex functional groups, supporting the continued expansion of Vertex indirect tax solutions and overall enterprise strategy. He has over 30 years of experience in sales and use tax compliance, risk assessment, jurisdictional audits, administration and management, as well as VAT compliance. Larry joined Vertex in 2005 as a Sales and Income Tax Supervisor and has served as Tax Manager since 2012, where he has played a pivotal role in elevating and advancing the company’s tax management offerings.

Prior to joining Vertex, Larry served as a Senior Tax Accountant and Property Tax Manager at Foamex International, Inc., a polyurethane and advanced polymer foam product manufacturer and marketer. Mellon also held multiple roles at The Franklin Mint and is a member of the Institute of Professionals in Taxation (IPT) and Tax Executives Institute (TEI).

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