Compliance, Clarity & Cost Control: Tax Intelligence for Manufacturers
Presented in Partnership with Avalara
Manufacturers are facing increasingly complex tax landscapes.
From sales tax nexus thresholds, to consumer use tax obligations, and exempt sales qualifications, the rules have never been harder to understand (or manage).
In this series, explore strategic and practical insights for effectively managing tax compliance. We’ll address everything from tax exemptions on forklifts in Milwaukee, to the most common compliance challenges for use tax today. We’ll also delve into why a cloud-based ERP is the key to scaling smartly.
Join us for some or all of this 3-part webinar series where we tackle all things tax compliance.
Webinar 1: Thursday Oct. 23, 2pm ET
Taxes are complex and increasing in complexity. What is in the current tax bill and how quickly is implementation happening? What is the OECD doing? And how can manufacturers make the most of exempt sales to efficiently scale operations?
Join experts from the NAM and Avalara as we explore the current tax landscape and then delve into strategies for scaling certificate collection, validation, digitization, and audit readiness. We’ll cover case studies, common pitfalls in industry settings, and how procurement and tax teams can coordinate for smooth execution while giving enterprises the clarity they need to confidently expand operations.
Luke Marlatt, Solution Consultant, Avalara
Luke Marlatt is a Tax Research Solution Consultant for the Sales Organization at Avalara. Luke joined Avalara with the acquisition of TTR in late 2020 and has worked in consulting, training and sales. Before TTR and Avalara, Luke worked at AT&T and spent nine years in the US Navy.
Luke lives in Oregon with his wife and three children where he would like to spend all of his time fishing but has to come to work and be a dad, so mostly does that.
Charles Crain, Managing Vice President of Policy, National Association of Manufacturers
Charles Crain leads the association’s best-in-class team of policy experts and advocates, working to achieve legislative and regulatory outcomes that support the growth and success of manufacturers in America. The NAM policy team is committed to ensuring that manufacturers’ voices are heard as Congress, the Administration, and federal agencies consider policy choices across the broad spectrum of issues that impact the 13 million people who make things in America.
Prior to taking on the MVP role, Charles was Vice President of Domestic Policy at the NAM, leading a team driving the association’s work on tax, corporate governance, health care, and technology policies. He joined the NAM to establish and lead a policy portfolio focused on corporate governance, financial services, capital markets, and corporate finance issues, focused primarily on engagement with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Charles previously worked for the Biotechnology Innovation Organization on financial services, tax, and health care issues; he began his career on Capitol Hill working for members of the House Financial Services and Senate Finance Committees.
A native of Birmingham, AL, Charles received a B.A. in Political Science from Mercer University in Macon, GA.
Webinar 2: Thursday Nov. 6, 2pm ET
Use tax is often one of the most overlooked compliance obligations for manufacturers, and one of the most expensive when errors surface.
Explore how intelligent automation can convert use tax obligations from a recurring audit risk into an area of cost optimization. Discuss practical tools and integrations that benefit tax, finance and procurement leaders, including connecting transactional data from procurement and operations to tax platforms, detecting and closing gaps, and drivine process improvements that deliver transparency and financial benefit.
David Knuff, Use Tax – Product Solution Consultant, Avalara
David brings 30 years of experience in public accounting, specializing in sales and use tax. Previously he was at RSM, KPMG, Ryan, and EY. With deep expertise in sales and use tax compliance, including automation, he helps businesses streamline their tax processes. David is here to share how Avalara can enhance consumer use tax management.
Webinar 3: Thursday Nov. 20, 2pm ET
Audits happen, but surprises don’t have to! Rarely is an audit about the basics; more often it is about edge cases, small deviations, or emerging liabilities that slipped under the radar. Anticipate those stresses before they turn into full audits!
Join our discussion to explore how leading manufacturers are preparing for the next wave of tax complexity. Learn how new AI-driven research and agentic tools can help you anticipate rule changes, uncover risks early, and turn audits into opportunities for smarter compliance. Leave with a framework to build more confident, proactive tax strategies.
Scott Peterson is Vice President of U.S. Tax Policy and of Government Relations for Avalara, Inc.
Scott is a frequent speaker and is a nationally recognized expert on sales tax policy, sales tax administration, and sales tax automation. Accounting Today named Scott to the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Prior to joining Avalara Scott was the first Executive Director of the Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board and Director of the South Dakota Sales Tax Division. A U.S. Army veteran Scott holds a master’s degree from the University of South Dakota.