Kennesaw, July 21, 2014 ─ VJI President and CEO Valerie Jordan attended the 38th Annual Conference for the Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT) held on June 29 to July 2 at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort.

Speaker at the opening keynote session on the first day was Dr. William Fox, who presented his take on the economic outlook. “I’ve had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Fox speak at other conferences, where I’ve always been aware of his keen understanding of economic issues,” says Jordan. “Another keynote session speaker was Professor Marianne Jennings, J.D., an expert in legal and ethical studies in business. I’ve also had the privilege of hearing her at other conferences and enjoyed her presentation about ethical lapses.”

A session worth remembering was given by Walt Coleman, an NFL referee and controller for Hiland Dairy in Little Rock, Arkansas. “His extraordinary session, ‘Turning Boos into Cheers – How Effective Are You?’ was a hit because Walt’s inspirational and entertaining talk was sprinkled with many humorous real-life experiences. He had everyone in the room roaring in laughter.”

Jordan, a member of IPT for several decades, met a number of friends and colleagues in the industry and attended many other state and local tax-related sessions and breakouts. “I will share what I heard while networking and what I learned at the IPT sessions with my staff at our next staff meeting,” she promises.