IR-2011-9, Jan. 24, 2011
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced the selection of 10 new members and a new chairman of the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council (IRSAC), which provides an organized public forum for IRS officials and the public to discuss key tax administration issues.
“IRSAC’s new members bring a wealth of knowledge and experience that will help us shape our programs,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman.
Members are selected to represent the taxpaying public, tax professionals, small and large businesses, and the payroll community. The council provides the IRS leadership with important feedback, observations and suggestions.
IRSAC meets periodically and will submit a report to the agency in November 2011 at a public meeting. IRSAC members generally serve a three-year term with a possible one-year extension. The 10 new participants will join 19 returning members in 2011.
The new members are:
Richard G. Larsen, JD, CPA, of Fairfax, Va. Larsen is a Distinguished Professor of Accounting at George Mason University, School of Management.  He is presently on the Board of Directors of Tax Analysts and the Bureau of National Affairs Accounting Advisory Board.  
Neil D. Traubenberg, JD, of Broomfield, Colo.  Traubenberg recently retired as Vice President-Corporate Tax for Sun Microsystems.  He has over 35 years experience in taxation that included an international restructuring strategy that integrates subsidiaries attained through acquisition with existing Sun subsidiaries.  He is a member of the ABA-Tax Section, MAPI and was Tax Executive Institute (TEI), International President from 2009-2010.
Kevin D. Anderson, JD, CPA of Bethesda, Md.  Anderson is a partner with the firm of BDO Seidman, LLP.  He is a member of the ABA-Section of Taxation and the Section’s liaison to the Wage and Investment Division of the Service.  He also served as Vice Chair of the Pro Bono Committee, where his principal role was to develop and manage the Section’s commitment to the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). 
Donna K. Baker, CPA, of Adrian, Mich.  Baker is the owner of Donna K. Baker & Associates and Tax Pro Filers.  She is also an associate professor of accounting with Siena Heights University.  She is a member of AICPA, NATP, and the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants and the Lenawee County VITA Coalition.
William E. Philbrick, CPA/ABV, CVA, CFF, of Worcester, Mass.  Philbrick serves as a Senior Vice President with Greenberg, Rosenblatt, Kull & Britsoli, PC.  He is a frequent lecturer and speaker before professional organizations on several tax areas.  He is also a member of the AICPA, and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants, the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts, and the National Society of Accountants.
Sanford D. Kelsey, III, JD, CPA, of Memphis.  Kelsey is a Senior Tax Attorney for FedEx Corporation where is advises stakeholders of FedEx’s various subsidiaries on tax matters dealing with state, federal and international tax matters.  Kelsey currently serves as an articles editor on the Editorial Board and Publication Committee of The Tax Lawyer – SALTE, an American Bar Association (ABA) Publication.  He is also a member of ABA, the Florida Bar Association and the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants. 
Cecily V. Welch, CPA, PFS, CPF, of  Alpharetta, Ga.  Welch is a Senior Tax Manager with S.J. Gorowitz Accounting and Tax Services, Inc. She has lectured frequently to professional organizations and has experience in domestic and international financial audits.  Ms. Welch is a member of AICPA and is active in the Georgia Society of CPA’s – Tax Section and Estate Planning Section. 
David F. Golden, LL.M., JD, CPA, of Atlanta.  Golden is a partner with the law firm of Troutman Sanders LLP.  He prepared comments on behalf of the American Association of Attorney-Certified Public Accounts (AAA-CPA), on proposed regulations to the Section 6694 Tax Return Preparer Penalty Rules and has spoken extensively regarding Circular 230 and its impact on tax lawyers and certified public accountants.  He is a member of the American Bar Association (ABA) and a member of AAA-CPA. 
Peter S. Wilson, JD, CPA of Raleigh, N.C.  Wilson is a Managing Director with RSM McGladrey’s National Tax practice a partner in McGladrey & Pullen LLP.  He chaired the task force that developed the ABA Tax Section comments on Circular 230 §10.34(a) (2009).  He is a member of the ABA, Tax Section, and Standards of Tax Practice Committee and the AICPA, Tax Division. 
Charles J. Muller, III, LL.M., JD, of San Antonio.  Muller is an attorney/partner with the law firm of Strasburger & Price and specializes in civil, criminal, malpractice, tax, commercial and financial matters.  He has chaired the American Bar Association Committee on Civil and Criminal Penalties and the Penalties Tax Force and he is a recipient of the Attorney General’s Marshall Award for Outstanding Legal Achievement in the Trial of Complex Litigation.  He is a member of both the American College of Tax Lawyers and the American Bar Association (ABA), Tax Section, in addition to being listed in the Best Lawyers in America.
The 2011 IRSAC Chairman is Charles P. Rettig, JD, LL.M., of Beverly Hills.  Rettig served as the vice-chair of IRSAC for 2010.    He is an attorney with Hochman, Salkin, Rettig, Toscher & Perez, P.C., and specializes in tax controversies as well as tax, business, charitable and estate planning, and family wealth transfers.   He is on the National Board of Advisors for the Graduate Tax Program (LL.M. in Taxation) at New York University School of Law; a Member of the Advisory Board of the California Franchise Tax Board; an elected Regent and Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel; a Member of the Board of Trustees for the California CPA Education Foundation; and a Member of the Board of Advisors for the CCH Journal of Tax Practice and Procedure.
For more information on IRSAC, please visit the Tax Professionals page on IRS.gov.
Related Item:
IRS Advisory Council Public Reports
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