IPT Member News

IPT’s New CMIs

Congratulations to New CMIs

IPT’s Board of Governors has awarded the CMI–Property Tax designation to the following members for meeting all education, experience, and examination requirements:

• Jonathan Adam Arroyos, CMI – Ryan, LLC
• Camil Asmar, CMI – Ryan, LLC
• Monica Boyles, CMI – KPMG LLP
• Melanie Brennan, CMI – KPMG LLP
• Donavan Catron, CMI – Crowe LLP
• Richard Chandler, CMI – The Walt Disney Company
• Derrick J. Dyslin, CMI – KPMG LLP
• Alaa Elemam, CMI – Amazon.com
• Taylor H. (Haug), CMI – The Irvine Company
• Patrick Lantrip, CMI – ClearEdge Tax Group
• Caleb Smoot, CMI – KPMG LLP


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Member News

President's Message

 

Dear IPT Members,

I hope February has been a great month for you. This milestone year continues to move quickly, and it has been encouraging to see such strong engagement and momentum across our 2026 program planning.

This week, we are wrapping up another successful Sales Tax School I. I want to thank the participants, faculty, and members who invested their time and energy to make this School a success. Looking ahead, the early registration deadline for Sales Tax School II (April 20–24) is rapidly approaching and continues through March 6. If you are planning to attend, I encourage you to register soon to take advantage of the discounted rate. The ABA-IPT Advanced Tax Seminars are also just around the corner, taking place March 16–20 in New Orleans. This has always been an attendee favorite, so keep in mind that advance registration pricing ends on March 12. 

Thank you to everyone who submitted speaking proposals for this year’s Sales Tax Symposium. The Symposium is already shaping up to be another outstanding educational experience, and the selected speakers will be notified soon. The Credits & Incentives Symposium is still accepting speaking proposals until March 6. I encourage you to apply and share your expertise with the IPT community. Our programming is made for members by members, and your participation helps keep these programs relevant and impactful.

For those who have already registered for IPT’s 50th Annual Conference in Honolulu, please take advantage of the available events.  These outings have been researched and vetted to ensure you have an amazing experience in Hawaii. Please remember that March 9 is the deadline to register for the optional Kualoa Ranch excursion. If you would like to sign up for the activity, please use this form or email Toby Miller at tmiller@ipt.org to purchase tickets. If you have not yet registered for the Annual Conference, now is a great time to do so. There is much in store (both educationally and activity-wise) for this milestone conference, and the full conference brochure will be released with even more details in the coming weeks.

I would also like to congratulate the newest CMIs from January’s exams. IPT is proud to welcome 11 new designees—ten in property tax and one in state income tax. This is no small feat! You can find their names listed further down in this newsletter.

As always, thank you for your continued support of IPT and for the expertise you bring to our community each and every day. I look forward to connecting with you at upcoming programs as we continue to celebrate this special anniversary year together.
 
Warm regards,
Donald L. Lippert, Jr., CMI
IPT President

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Get Involved with IPT

The IPT community Is Ready for You

Join a diverse community of more than 6,600 members and achieve educational excellence, earn professional certification, and gain access to a world-class network. With IPT, you can advocate for equitable administration of state and local taxes, participate in volunteer opportunities to grow your leadership skills, and establish a stronger professional reputation by participating on our committees.

02 Feb 2026IPT Member News
IPT Presidents February 2026 Message
I hope February has been a great month for you. This milestone year continues to move quickly, and it has been encouraging to see such strong engagement and momentum across our 2026 program planning.
IPT Member News

IPT’s New CMIs

Congratulations to New CMIs

IPT’s Board of Governors has awarded the CMI–Property Tax designation to the following members for meeting all education, experience, and examination requirements:

• Jonathan Adam Arroyos, CMI – Ryan, LLC
• Camil Asmar, CMI – Ryan, LLC
• Monica Boyles, CMI – KPMG LLP
• Melanie Brennan, CMI – KPMG LLP
• Donavan Catron, CMI – Crowe LLP
• Richard Chandler, CMI – The Walt Disney Company
• Derrick J. Dyslin, CMI – KPMG LLP
• Alaa Elemam, CMI – Amazon.com
• Taylor H. (Haug), CMI – The Irvine Company
• Patrick Lantrip, CMI – ClearEdge Tax Group
• Caleb Smoot, CMI – KPMG LLP


Related News

Get Involved with IPT

The IPT community Is Ready for You

Join a diverse community of more than 6,600 members and achieve educational excellence, earn professional certification, and gain access to a world-class network. With IPT, you can advocate for equitable administration of state and local taxes, participate in volunteer opportunities to grow your leadership skills, and establish a stronger professional reputation by participating on our committees.

16 Dec 2025IPT Member News
New CMIs
Congratulations to IPT’s Newest Property Tax CMIs
IPT Member News

Meet IPTs President

Don Lippert serves as Principal and National Property Tax Leader at Grant Thornton Advisors LLC, where he oversees strategy and execution for one of the firm’s most dynamic service lines. With more than three decades of experience, Don brings an enterprise perspective to property tax compliance and advisory, delivering measurable value to clients navigating complex and evolving tax landscapes. He currently leads a high-performing, cross-border team of 70 professionals, aligning tax strategies with broader business objectives.

Prior to joining Grant Thornton, Don held a senior leadership role at General Electric, where he managed the global property tax function for its Energy, Healthcare, Water, and Industrial divisions. His initiatives generated over $105 million in tax savings, underscoring his ability to drive performance through operational innovation and fiscal discipline. Don began his property tax career with a leasing company and quickly elevated his abilities by joining a Big 4 accounting firm, building the foundation for his broad expertise in strategic tax planning and execution.

He advises Fortune 500 clients and emerging enterprises alike across industries including manufacturing, retail, multi-family, senior living, hospitality, healthcare, captive finance, transportation, technology and centrally assessed – railroad, energy, airlines and telecommunication.

Credentials and Affiliations:
• Certified Member (CMI), Institute for Professionals in Taxation
• Licensed Senior Property Tax Consultant, State of Texas
• Member, International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO)
• Published author and speaker on tax strategy and organizational performance

Don lives in Glenview, IL (suburb of Chicago), with his wife Allie, kids Ava (Senior at SCAD), Sophie (Sophomore at Arizona) and Max (Senior in HS). Outside of work, he enjoys attending sporting events, concerts, travel, and spending time with the family at Disney.

Related News

Get Involved with IPT

The IPT community Is Ready for You

Join a diverse community of more than 6,600 members and achieve educational excellence, earn professional certification, and gain access to a world-class network. With IPT, you can advocate for equitable administration of state and local taxes, participate in volunteer opportunities to grow your leadership skills, and establish a stronger professional reputation by participating on our committees.

30 Jun 2025IPT Member News
Meet IPTs President
Don Lippert serves as Principal and National Property Tax Leader at Grant Thornton Advisors LLC, where he oversees strategy and execution for one of the firm’s most dynamic service lines
Get Involved with IPT

The IPT community Is Ready for You

Join a diverse community of more than 6,600 members and achieve educational excellence, earn professional certification, and gain access to a world-class network. With IPT, you can advocate for equitable administration of state and local taxes, participate in volunteer opportunities to grow your leadership skills, and establish a stronger professional reputation by participating on our committees.