14th Annual Q&A with Richard Furlong, IRS Senior Stakeholder Liaison, and Federal Tax Update Webcast

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

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

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.

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

Kathleen McColgan

Tax Deputy Revenue Commissioner

Kathleen McColgan was appointed Tax Deputy Revenue Commissioner in June 2018. She oversees the Department’s tax collections and compliance programs, including processing returns and payments, enforcing regulations, and supporting taxpayer services.

Mrs. McColgan joined the Department of Revenue in 1998, initially working in the intake, and then account analysis units of the Water Revenue Bureau. In 2004 she became a supervisor in the newly-created tax discovery unit, and in 2007, the assistant manager of payment processing. She was later promoted to revenue collection manager, and led efforts to modernize the Department’s payment processing systems.

As the Director of Continuous Improvements between 2017-2018, Mrs. McColgan was in charge of increasing efficiency across several key areas of the Department. She has a BA in Business Administration and Management from Pierce College.

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).

Rebecca Lopez Kriss

Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Outreach, and Taxpayer Assistance Programs

As Deputy Revenue Commissioner, Rebecca Lopez Kriss leads Revenue’s inter-governmental affairs and policy group, oversees technical tax staff, outreach and communication teams, and the taxpayer assistance and tax credit group. Her efforts support the Department’s behavioral science initiatives, including data-driven communications projects, and improving and expanding outreach efforts.

Before her appointment in 2019, she was a Revenue Senior Policy Analyst and the Director of Strategic Outreach. Formerly, she was the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Philadelphia Department of Commerce, where she supported the creation of the Startup PHL Call for Ideas program, working to attract and retain tech firms in Philadelphia.

With a passion for civic engagement, she strives to enhance service delivery and improve the quality of life for all Philadelphians. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan.

Jen is CEO of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), a professional association of more than 20,000 CPAs in Pennsylvania. Jen is only the sixth executive to serve in the role since the PICPA was founded in 1897. She is also the CEO of the Pennsylvania CPA Foundation, whose mission is to inspire students to pursue careers in accounting and to provide educational, motivational, and financial support to those working to attain the CPA credential.