Greater Philadelphia Chapter 8th Annual Breakfast Q&A with Richard Furlong, IRS Senior Stakeholder L

Nicholas J. Crocetti, CPA
Director, CBIZ MHM, LLC

Nicholas J. Crocetti is a Director in Tax Advisory Solutions at CBIZ MHM, LLC where he is responsible for tax planning and compliance for a diversified client base including both corporate and personal clients.  Further, Mr. Crocetti represents clients before Federal, State and local taxing authorities, in addition to being their trusted business advisor. Presently, Mr. Crocetti participates in the Federal Tax Committee for the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants for which he has chaired for the past eight years.

Prior to joining CBIZ, Mr. Crocetti held a position as a partner in an international accounting firm.  He began his career with the Internal Revenue Service.  Upon entering public accounting he joined an international CPA firm.  Subsequently he served as a partner of a regional CPA firm, went on to establish his own practice, which ultimately merged into an international accounting firm.

Mr. Crocetti earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Drexel University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration.

Nicholas is a member of the American Institute and Pennsylvania Institute of CPA’s, the New Jersey Society of CPA’s and the Florida Institute of CPA’s.  As a member of the faculty of the Philadelphia University, Nicholas participates in its Graduate Program in Taxation.  He has been active for over thirty years in the Pennsylvania Institute of CPA’s Annual Tax Forum and belongs to its Speakers Bureau.

Recognized throughout the Philadelphia area as a leading tax expert, Nicholas has appeared on various broadcast interview programs since 1970.  He lectures on such topics as Capital Formation, Tax-Advantage Investments, “S” Corporation, The Breakup of Professional Practices, Entity Selection and Mergers and Acquisitions, and has written articles for trade publications such as Taxation for Accountants.

Nicholas formed and lead the team that has been instrumental in significantly modifying the Pennsylvania PA-65 and PA-20S tax return packages and developing tax policy and the PIT Guide for the Department of Revenue.  Recently, Nicholas served as the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Business Tax Reform Commission.

Susan D. Jarvis, CPA, CVA
Owner, Susan D. Jarvis CPA CVA

Susan D. Jarvis is a certified public accountant and certified valuation analyst practicing in eastern Pennsylvania and has been in private practice since January 1982. Her clientele includes a variety of small businesses inside and outside Pennsylvania as well as individual tax clients. A few of the clients’ businesses include wineries, optometrists, podiatrists,  real estate developer, entertainers,  and various trade contractors. Also included in the firm’s clientele are several non-profit organizations, including private foundations. Clients’ revenues range from $100,000 to over $5 million in gross volume.  In addition to the tax and accounting practice Ms. Jarvis is also a valuation analyst certified by NACVA.

Professional:
Ms. Jarvis has been very involved with the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants since she began in private practice 35 years ago. She has served as president of the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Institute, and as a member of the state-wide Ethics Committee, Council and Executive Committee. Current interests include the Nazareth Business Council of the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of Governors of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.  Ms. Jarvis is one of the founders as well as the former Race Director for the Nazareth YMCA Annual Pumpkin Pie Thanksgiving Day 5K, which has grown to include 1,200 runners in the ten years of its existence.

Education:
B.S.B.A. 1979, The University of North Carolina at ChapelHill
Licensed to practice as a certified public accountant June 1981 after passing the May 1979 exam and two years
professional experience with Deloitte and Touche
Received the Certified Valuation Analyst designation from The National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts in August 2001 following completion of NACVA Training Institute and comprehensive examination
Charter member Beta Alpha Psi at UNC-CH
Graduated Easton Area High School, 1973.

Employment:
January, 1982 - present, self-employed with an office in Nazareth, Pennsylvania; and staff of 3 employees.

June, 1979 - September, 1981, tax and audit staff accountant with Deloitte Haskins & Sells (now Deloitte & Touche, USA LLP), Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Professional:
Member, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants;
Member, Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA);
Member, National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts
Member, Board of Governors of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce
Chapter president (1995-96), Lehigh Valley Chapter, PICPA
Chairman of the Board (1999), Nazareth Area Chamber of Commerce;
Member (former) Board of Directors, Nazareth Area Chamber Of Commerce
Member,(former)PICPA State Executive Committee
Member (former) PICPA Ethics Committee
Member,(former) PICPA Council
Vice-President, (former) Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs

Personal:
Born March 27, 1955 in Easton, PA; currently age 59
Resides at 539 Werkheiser Ave., Nazareth, PA and has been a Nazareth resident for 30 years.
Married for 40 years to Barry Jarvis, age 62, also a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, a physical education and health teacher at Nazareth Area High School
2 children: Taylore, age 35, graduate of the University of New Hampshire (magna cum laude, 2003) and The New England School of Law (2007). Taylore is in-house counsel for DNV Kema Energy in Burlington, MA. Kasey, age 27, a graduate of St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia is currently pursuing a graduate degree in therapeutic counseling at Chestnut Hill College. 
Personal interests include playing the piano and yoga.

Taken from her website: http://www.suejarviscpa.com/member-sue-jarvis, Jan. 2018

James J. Newhard, CPA, CGMA
Proprietor, Speaker for Loscalzo Associates

In public practice since 1979, Jim established the firm JAMES J. NEWHARD, CPA in December, 1986 focused on small business entrepreneurs and individuals, to provide a wide variety of tax (preparation and planning), accounting & reporting (review, compilation, preparation, AUP, and QuickBooks Advisor), and advisory services to individuals, small-to-medium sized businesses (including start-up businesses), not-for-profit entities, estates, and trusts. Jim is also a CPE discussion leader, teaching practitioner A&A, professional ethics and tax CPE programs for Loscalzo Associates.

Jim is a member of the AICPA (including PCPS and Taxation Member) and the PICPA. As Greater Philadelphia Chapter past-president (2006-07) and recipient of both the Volunteer Service Award (2009) and the Champion Service Award (2012), Jim serves on several PICPA committees at the state level (PICPA Council, Accounting and Auditing Procedures, State & Local Taxation, Legislation, The Act 32 Task Force, CPA Image Enhancement, and Member Services,) and the Philadelphia Chapter level (Accounting and Auditing, Local Taxation & Legislation Committee, and Federal Tax). Additionally, Jim serves as the editor of the Accounting & Auditing column for the Pennsylvania CPA Journal, and has authored several columns and features, principally on CPA practitioner matters in A&A and Pennsylvania local tax matters (earned income taxes and business privilege taxes).

Jim developed/co-developed many Act 32 resources for members and users, as well as several other reference informational resources for practitioners (including brochures on PA business privilege taxes, and attest & non-attest financial reporting services) and consumers (including brochures on managing debt, CPA-client privacy matters, and questions to ask in choosing a CPA).

Karen Facer-Mee, CPA, CGMA
Managing Shareholder, Facer, Mee & Associates, P.C.

Karen Facer-Mee, CPA, has over 30 years’ experience in financial statement and federal and multi-state tax preparation, consulting and accounting system design servicing. Her firm services a diversified client base of privately owned regional and international small businesses in a variety of industries, their owners as well as clients of law and accounting firms.  Karen’s primary focus in the Federal and state tax area is planning, research and compliance as well as controversy (examination, collection and representation for civil tax matters). After 13 years with Kreischer,Miller, Karen purchased her portion of the practice. Then 4 years later Patrick Mee left JYO as partner in charge of Information Technology to create Facer,Mee & Associates, P.C. Their expertise in traditional accounting, management advisory and tax services is complimented and enhanced by Patrick’s computer specialization.

Karen is a member of AICPA (CGMA, PCPS, PFP and Taxation), AFWA and PSTAP. Karen is Co. Chair of PICPA’s Greater Phila. Chapter Federal Taxation Committee and serves on Annual Tax Forum, Coop with the Bar & Other Professionals, Legislation & Local Tax and Speakers Bureau. Karen served PICPA’s Greater Phila. Chapter as President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer and chaired Executive Committee, Nominations and Past Presidents. Karen serves PICPA at the state level on Federal Taxation Committee and served on Council, Image Enhancement, Budget & Finance and Chapter Operations. Karen has been interviewed about financial literacy and tax issues by news print, radio, television as well as PA State Capitol’s Legislative Report.  Karen has developed CPE programs and has spoken for various accounting societies on tax and financial issues. Karen is a PICPA Legislative Key Contact continuing to advocate for topics of interest to the profession meeting with legislators, their staff and taxing authorities. Karen is one of the founding organizers that developed the Q&A with IRS Senior Stakeholder Liaison and panel of tax experts who works with practitioners thru the year to determine what questions should be addressed.

Karen received the 2017 AICPA Women to Watch Award; Experienced Leader Category which was the first year PICPA partnered with AICPA to honor outstanding women in the profession who have established their roles as leaders and improvements to the workplace (major or unique contribution to the profession) and by mentoring those following in their footsteps managing a health work/life balance (public and community service). 2017 Volunteer Service Award from PICPA Greater Phila. Chapter. 2016 and 2015 Philadelphia Five Star Certified PublicAccountant Awards. 2010 Accounting & Financial Women Alliance Empowering Successful Women Award. Karen’s husband Patrick and their two daughters Krysta (Tax Manager at PwC) and Kelly (Tax Manager at KPMG) are all Certified Public Accountants.

 Winter 2017

William J. Stickney, CPA
Partner
Grant Thornton LLP

Bill serves as a Tax Partner and the CIP Industry Practice Leader in Grant Thornton’s Philadelphia office. He has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting and possesses significant expertise in the retail, manufacturing/distribution, and services sectors. He has been responsible for the delivery of a broad range of tax planning services to his clients, including the structuring of new business ventures, the implementation of state and local tax minimization strategies; international taxation; IRS dispute resolution; and individual, trust, and estate taxation.

He has particular expertise advising middle-market private and public companies on the tax and business issues impacting them. Bill has extensive experience helping middle-market companies address the myriad issues involved in the sale or purchase of a business. Among the services that Bill has delivered to his clients in connection with the sale of a business are buyer’s and seller’s due diligence, structuring of sale transactions, modeling of the tax consequences of multiple potential sale scenarios, and assistance in establishing and running family office functions to manage post-sale liquidity.

Bill has been a frequent speaker on topics including estate and succession planning, merger and acquisition issues, tax accounting methods, and the taxation of S corporations.  Bill currently serves on Drexel University’s Accounting Department Advisory Board and the Board of Directors of Achieveability and is co-chair of the Federal Tax Committee of the Philadelphia Chapter of the PICPA.

Bill holds a B.S. degree in Accounting from Neumann College, and a M.S. in Taxation from Villanova University. 

Matthew D. Melinson, CPA, MT
Partner and National SALT Practice Indirect Tax Services Leader
Grant Thornton LLP

Based in Philadelphia, PA, Matthew is responsible for all aspects of multistate tax consulting, planning, and compliance within Grant Thornton.Matthewcurrently leads thestate and local tax(SALT)practice for the Atlantic Coast Market Territory, which includes the Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania areas. He also serves as a key account leader, as overall firm or tax leader on some of the firm’s major clients.  Additionally, Matthew is the liaison for state and local tax, collaborating with the audit and advisory service lines as well as other tax business lines.  From August 2015through July 2017, Matt servedas Grant Thornton’s national leader of State and Local Tax (SALT) indirect taxes. From March 2011 through July 2014, Matthew was the SALT practice leader of Grant Thornton’sNortheast Region, which included the Pennsylvania,New York, New Jersey, and New England areas.

Prior to Grant Thornton’s acquisition of LECG SMART’s State and Local Tax practicein March of 2011, Matthew led LECG SMART’s nationalSALTpractice, which included professionals based in the Atlanta, Chicago, New York,and Philadelphia areas.  Prior to joining LECG SMART in 2006, Matthew spent approximately 10 years with PwC.

Carlo R. Ferri, CPA
Director, Tax Strategies
Kreischer Miller

Areas of Specialization
Carlo has extensive experience providing tax and business advisory services
for privately-held businesses in various industries including manufacturing,
distribution, and construction. He helps these companies, including their
owners and key executives, on corporate and individual tax matters as well as
representing them in front of the IRS. He also specializes in tax compliance
and strategic planning for the construction industry and serves as an
instructor for Kreischer Miller’s in-house professional training on topics
related to the construction industry. In addition, Carlo has been actively
involved in advising clients on tax strategies for solar and other alternative
energy projects.

Background
Carlo joined Kreischer Miller in 2006. Prior to working for Kreischer Miller,
he worked at a regional accounting firm in Pennsylvania, where his
responsibilities included supervision and review of audits, review, and tax
planning of closely-held businesses and their owners.

Professional and Business Affiliations
 American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
 Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants — Member, former member of the Executive Committee, former co-chair of the Emerging CPAs Committee

Education and Certifications
 Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania
 Master’s Degree in Taxation — Villanova University
 B.S. – Accounting, West Chester University
 Two time recipient of the Top 40 Under 40: PICPA Members to Watch award

James M. Brower Jr., CPA, MST
Partner, State & Local Tax Leader
CBIZ Marks Paneth

Jay Brower, CPA, is a Partner of corporate and individual tax compliance and research services at Marks Paneth, LLP. He has more than 20 years of professional experience at the federal, state, and local levels.

Mr. Brower's duties also include the development of tax planning and implementation strategies, as well as education and development of the firm's professionals. Mr. Brower provides tax planning and compliance services to clients in the manufacturing, commercial fishing, telecommunications, professional services, retail and transportation industries.

Mr. Brower was recognized by the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants as one of the “40 Under 40: PICPA Members to Watch.” He is a frequent speaker on subjects concerning federal and state tax issues including electronic filing; the domestic production activities deduction; State and Local income taxes and ASC 740/Fin 48.

January 2023

Richard G. Furlong, Jr.
Senior Stakeholder Liaison
Internal Revenue Service

Mr. Furlong is a Senior Stakeholder Liaison in the Mid-Atlantic Area Stakeholder Liaison office of the Internal Revenue Service Small Business/Self-Employed Division. Stakeholder Liaison serves as the primary IRS liaison office to tax practitioner organizations throughout the country. He is currently on a detail assignment to the IRS Affordable Care Act office.

Mr. Furlong coordinates IRS participation at the annual Eastern Pennsylvania “Working Together” Conference. “Working Together” is a joint effort of public and private tax professionals to enhance the level of communication, education, and trust between these organizations and individuals. Mr. Furlong is also a member of the PA IRS/Practitioner Liaison Council which provides a structured forum for Pennsylvania accounting and tax professional organizations to meet twice each year with IRS managers and employees to discuss current IRS program issues. He also meets periodically with the PICPA Federal Tax Committee to discuss IRS programs and policies.

Each year, Mr. Furlong represents IRS at practitioner CPE sessions throughout Pennsylvania where he discusses IRS policies and procedures, tax law updates, Affordable Care Act tax issues, and IRS electronic tax administration.

Mr. Furlong is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.

2023

C. Daniel Hassell was nominated by Governor Tom Wolf on April 24, 2017 as Secretary of Revenue and unanimously confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate on June 19, 2017. Hassell has more than three decades of experience as a senior tax policy analyst with the Department of Revenue and the Pennsylvania Senate. In December 2009, Governor Ed Rendell nominated Hassell as Secretary of Revenue, after which he was confirmed on April 14, 2010 and served in that capacity until January 2011.

Hassell has previously served as Deputy Secretary for Tax Policy for the Department of Revenue, where he coordinated department decisions on all aspects of tax policy. Hassell evaluated the impact of proposed tax legislation, regulations, policies, procedures and public statements, as well as researched and prepared tax revenue projections for the Office of the Budget and the Governor. He oversaw the bureaus of Research and Audits, the Board of Appeals and the Economic Development Office. Hassell has authored three tax policy articles published in State Tax Notes, a leading multi-state tax news source.

Hassell is an Erie native who graduated valedictorian of Strong Vincent High School in 1979. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Westminster College and a Master of Science in Public Management and Policy from Carnegie-Mellon University’s Heinz School of Urban and Public Affairs. Hassell also completed a program for senior executives in state and local government offered by Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Hassell has worked for the Department of Revenue since 1995, and previously worked for the department from 1981 to 1985. During the nine years between, Hassell served as budget specialist for the Pennsylvania Senate Appropriations Committee.

Hassell resides in Susquehanna Township, and he and wife Ellen are proud parents of three children, Rosie, Ben and Lydia.

William Mealy, IRS Liaison
Senior Stakeholder Liaison

Communications and Stakeholder Outreach
IRS Small Business/Self-Employed Division

Bill is a Senior Stakeholder Liaison working for the Communication and Stakeholder Outreach organization in the Small Business/Self Employed Division of the Internal Revenue Service. He works out of the Philadelphia, PA office. Bill is a graduate of Temple University, in Philadelphia.

Bill started with the Internal Revenue Service in 1985, in the Taxpayer Service Division. He has worked as an Office Auditor and an Examination PRP caseworker. Bill has also worked as a Senior Analyst and a Manager for the Taxpayer Advocate Service. Bill is a certified IRS instructor. As a Senior Stakeholder Liaison, some of Bill’s duties have included include working with the Food and Beverage Industry to secure Voluntary Tip Reporting Agreements known as TRAC agreements. Bill has also been involved in the CWA program, securing Central Withholding Agreements for Non Resident Alien Athletes and Entertainers. One of Bill’s specialties is alien/international issues for individuals. Bill lives in South Jersey with his lovely wife and two children.

Brian Thomas
Special Agent, National Identity Theft Coordinator – Refund Crimes, IRS Criminal Investigation

In March 2005, Brian was assigned to the Charlotte Field Office in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he conducted a variety of multi-subject multi-jurisdictional criminal investigations involving employment taxes, tax evasion, healthcare fraud, visa fraud, identity theft, and money laundering.
Brian was an active participant with the Identity Theft Task Force and a Use of Force cadre member. In June of 2014, he was promoted to a Supervisory Special Agent with the Philadelphia Field Office. As a Supervisory Special Agent, he oversaw the Questionable Refund Program, Return Preparer Project, Cybercrimes, and the Identity Theft general investigation. His team focused on complex criminal investigations involving corporate data breaches and business e-mail compromises, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), cybercrimes, and money laundering cases. In March of 2017, he was detailed to Refund Crimes and currently hold the position of National ID Theft Coordinator.
As the National ID Theft Coordinator, He acts as a liaison between the agents in the field and the various internal and external business partners of the Internal Revenue Service. As part of his duties, he's actively involved in conducting various presentations with tax practitioners, software providers, banking industry and other targeted professional that have fallen victim to the business e-mail compromises and data breaches

AICPA website: https://aicpaconferences.com/aicpa/speakers/view/3844