Department of Revenue News Release

The Missouri Department of Revenue hosted the 2018 Midwestern States Association of Tax Administrators (MSATA) Annual Meeting, held in Kansas City, Missouri, Aug. 19-22. Nineteen members of the Department’s leadership team and staff attended the meeting, which is designed for tax administrators and private sector providers in the Midwest who want to make their region's tax administration practices shine above all others.

“The Missouri Department of Revenue was proud to serve as the host for the 2018 MSATA Annual Meeting,” said Department Director Joel Walters. “We had a great, unified presence, with seven of our 19 team members presenting on topics ranging from the recent Wayfair decision to attracting top talent to work in government. The DOR was given the opportunity to tell our story and shine, and we seized it.”

Walters gave the welcoming remarks, kicking off the event, which this year boasted record attendance. He also participated on the Commissioners’ Panel, addressing various key topics of interest to state revenue agencies. Chief Operating Officer Ken Zellers took part in a panel discussion to share insights into process improvement methodologies that enhance efficiencies in state government.

Taxation Division Director Mark Godfrey presented on the concept, process and success of the Department’s “Road to 100,” which is a clear goal that fundamentally challenges the DOR to achieve a 100 percent rate of answering incoming customer calls.

Said Godfrey: “MSATA provided us with opportunities to enhance the customer experience in Missouri and around the Midwest. We facilitated our own workshops and displayed our methods and our results to other states, and we also were able to pick up great ideas from other states and plan how we would run with them in Missouri. Customers across the whole Midwest can win when good ideas are exchanged.”

Deputy General Counsel Maria Sanders participated on a panel of experts to discuss the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 21 ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair, its impact on governments and business, current implementation efforts and the future of sales and use tax policy.

“This year’s meeting in Kansas City was one of the most well-attended and diverse conferences in MSATA’s history, especially in breadth of topics covered,” said Sanders. “It was an excellent opportunity to exchange new and innovative ideas in tax administration, as well as discuss the issues and concerns facing tax administrations today.”

Director of Strategy and Communications Anne Marie Moy presented on integrated communications, highlighting the importance of visual identity, sharing the Department’s new branding and best practices in social media.

“From a communications standpoint, 2018 has been, and continues to be, an exciting, transformative year,” Moy said. “We’ve greatly expanded our social media presence and just recently unveiled the new, fresh look of the Department. I appreciated the opportunity to speak to some of our fellow MSATA member states about the ground we’ve covered this year and also learn how they’re working to enhance their communications efforts.”

Several other members of the Department participated in various discussions throughout the event. Walters and Zellers closed out the meeting, giving a final presentation that highlighted the process and success of Missouri’s Organizational Health Initiative.

Walters concluded: “I want to thank the DOR’s Cecille Swan, the City of Kansas City’s Commissioner of Revenue Mari Ruck and the Federation of Tax Administrators for planning a fantastic event that showcased some of the best of Kansas City and Missouri. We look forward to seeing everyone again in 2019 and continuing this great exchange of knowledge, ideas and best practices in order to better serve the public.”

In addition to Missouri, MSATA’s member states include Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

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