Lawrence Navin joined the Methanol Institute in June 2013. Lawrence's background includes having worked for the US Chamber of Commerce's US-India Business Council, the US Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), and in the US Senate. Lawrence’s role with MI includes managing the Institute’s government and public affairs activities in the Americas and Europe, and to direct the Institute’s communications and social media activities. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of Delaware, and a Master of Arts degree in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University.
Tim Urban leads the tax policy practice at Bracewell’s Policy Resolution Group. He is an experienced tax lobbyist who has advocated for clients on every major tax bill introduced in Congress over the past 20 years. Tim represents companies on business tax issues, extension of temporary tax provisions and federal tax policies within the energy sector. Drawing on his two decades at a “Big Four” accounting firm’s tax policy group, Tim’s work has spanned the breadth of the energy world. He has coordinated ad hoc coalitions of taxpayers pursuing extension of temporary tax provisions, and sector-wide groups of Washington-based energy trade associations. He has represented companies on tax issues affecting conventional energy companies; production credits for electricity from renewable resources; investment incentives for purchases of renewable energy plant property, and production and blending tax credits for biofuels including biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol. Tim previously served as the Committee on Ways and Means Staff Associate for a member of the House tax-writing committee. In that capacity he advised on tax, trade, pension and health policy issues; created and implemented an annual tax legislative agendas; drafted legislation and related materials; and coordinated closely with Committee and Joint Committee staff.
