It was announced on March 3, that Doug Burgum was to be the next addition to the Avalara, Inc. board of directors. Based in Bainbridge Island, Washington, Avalara is a leading cloud-based sales tax and compliance automation technology provider. Think technology that incorporates fewer headaches by helping retailers make interstate transactions more efficient.

Doug is known for his technology-focused efforts in the Fargo area and well beyond. He may be best known for building Great Plains Software prior to its sale to Microsoft for $1.1 billion in 2001. Currently, he works in a number of capacities for different organizations, including as founding partner of Arthur Ventures, executive chairman of the board and interim CEO for Intelligent InSites, and chairman of the board for Atlassian.

This is the most recent development for Burgum, who has a large presence in the Fargo area both in terms of professional capacities and interest. As founder of Kilbourne Group, Burgum is committed to revitalizing the downtown Fargo area as the community begins to grow. Avalara’s announcement is great recognition for a notable entrepreneur from a great city with a growing startup resume.