The Faces of Luminex: Kimberlyn Smith, State and Indirect Tax
Tax codes can be complicated, and with offices and customers across the US and abroad, we rely on a team of experts to manage all the moving parts behind tax and tax laws. Kimberlyn Smith, Manager of the State and Indirect Tax Team, helps oversee this important role for Luminex in the US.
Kimberlyn joined the company in 2018 and holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Phoenix.
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Q: What are your responsibilities at Luminex?
A: I am responsible for all areas of sales and use tax, property tax, and gross receipts tax for our customers and Luminex. I also oversee state business registrations and new vendor setups. My team and I maintain our tax system to ensure taxes are correct on all customer invoices, and we work closely with the Billing and Order Management teams to address customer concerns. Additionally, we are responsible for making sure Luminex pays sales and use tax correctly on all purchases and that we are compliant in all states with property taxes.
Q: How did you get into this kind of work?
A: When I graduated college, my first job was on the Sales and Use Tax Team at Dell. After that, I worked for a hotel corporation where I was responsible for all property taxes there.
Q: Was there a learning curve when you changed industries?
A: Tax laws generally don’t change between industries. The way that the laws are applied may vary, so there are certain differences, but for the most part, taxes are basically the same wherever you go, so my expertise is transferrable across industries.
Q: What drew you to Luminex?
A: I really liked that Luminex manufactures equipment that helps drive improvements in the medical field. It’s been great to see how we’ve been able to have a global impact with COVID-19.
Q: If you could solve any clinical or genetic challenge, what would it be?
A: Given our current situation, I’d say COVID-19. It has really changed everybody’s life. The pandemic has been heartbreaking for so many families.
Q: If you weren’t a manager at Luminex, where would you be?
A: I probably would have pursued a career as a pediatrician.
Q: What is something about you that no one at Luminex knows?
A: I really enjoy gardening! My grandmother had a big garden with lots of fruits and vegetables when I was growing up, and we liked to garden together. I’ve grown things like tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and cucumbers.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do in Austin on the weekend?
A: Outside of the pandemic, my husband and I like to hang out with friends—one of our favorite places to go is the Domain.
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