Executive Director of ACE Seminars. Professor and Chairperson of the Dept. of Accounting & Information Systems at Queens College (CUNY). Author and editor including a monthly tax column in Practical Tax Strategies.



LECTURERS

Scott Ahroni focuses his practice on Federal, State and Local tax controversies. His particular areas of emphasis are audits, administrative appeals and tax litigation in various courts and tribunals, including the United States Tax Court, United States District Court, New York State Division of Tax Appeals, New York State Tax Appeals Tribunal, New York City Tax Tribunal, New York Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board, and the New York State Appellate Divisions, First and Third Departments. Examples of his practice include:


  • Work directly with clients and auditors involving federal, New York State, New York City and New Jersey civil and criminal individual and corporate income tax, sales tax, payroll tax, workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance audits;
  • Appear and defend clients at the IRS Office of Appeals
  • Work with the IRS And NYS Taxpayer Advocate to resolve systemic issues for clients
  • Prepare and Domestic and Foreign Voluntary Disclosure Program submissions
  • Appearing before the United States Tax Court; U.S. District Court New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Bureau of Mediation and Conciliation and Mediation Services, as well as the Division of Tax Appeals; and the New York City Tax Tribunal and Bureau of Conciliation
  • Assisted clients with tax debts, liens and levies including preparing Installment Agreement and Offer in Compromise submissions; Requests for Collection Due Process hearings before IRS Office of Appeals

  • Scott uses his background in tax controversy to assist clients in many facets of tax planning at the Federal, New York State and City level an emphasis on providing guidance to businesses and individuals on foreign withholding obligations, foreign business and asset holding structures, use of foreign tax credit, foreign earned income exclusion, outbound and inbound planning for U.S. citizens and foreign nationals and pre-immigration planning. Additionally, he assists clients with tax planning and information reporting pertaining to digital assets, including virtual currencies and Non-Fungible Tokens. He also represents clients before the IRS in audits involving digital assets.


    Scott also has strong background and significant experience with:


  • New York sales and use tax experience with tax deferred, like kind exchange transactions
  • Choice of entity issues including tax classification related to taxation of the business, ownership limitation issues, tax structuring incentive issues and industry specific limitations

     

    • 25 year of experience as a full-time college and university professor.
    • Extensive corporate training experience in “Fortune 500” companies, CPA firms, and smaller corporations.
    • National awards for teaching excellence.
    • Extensive experience as a court-recognized expert.
    • Professional experience in the “Big 4” and corporations of all sizes.

    As an accounting graduate of La Salle University in Philadelphia, Prof. Connors went on for his law degree at the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1980. After serving as an instructor in the School of Business Administration, he obtained his Masters of Law in Taxation at the University of Miami Law School in Coral Gables, Florida. He then served on the graduate tax faculty at the University of Wisconsin’s School of Business in Milwaukee, WI.

     

    His professional background includes experience in income and estate tax planning, as well as individual, partnership and corporate tax return preparation and research as a senior tax consultant for Price Waterhouse in the Philadelphia and South Bend offices. Prof. Connors also worked on expatriate and corporate tax matters as an international tax consultant for the Chrysler Corporation in London, England.

     

    Prof. Connors currently conducts a national consulting practice designed especially for tax professionals based out of Milwaukee, WI. He also publishes a tax newsletter devoted exclusively to practitioners entitled the Monthly Tax Update. He has been the outside editor for CCH’s Federal Tax Course, and has spoken at numerous tax institutes, workshops and conferences around the country. And, his “Complete Guide to Depreciation, Amortization & Transfers of Property - Issues, Strategies & Answers” is sold to tax practitioners throughout the U.S., along with a brand new publication entitled “LLCs Taxed as Partnerships.”

     

    As a nationally known speaker on a variety of tax topics, Prof. Connors has consistently earned average overall ratings in excess of 4.7 (i.e., on a 5.0 scale) for his knowledge and presentation skills, as well as the quality of his materials. He was chosen as a Distinguished Discussion Leader for the New York Society of CPAs Foundation for Accounting Education. And, in 2013, he received the AICPA prestigious Sidney Kess Award for “Excellence in Continuing Education.”

    Karen Davis is an Enrolled Agent with over 15 years of experience, and works as a tax specialist for the accounting firm T. M. Byxbee Company in Hamden, Connecticut. Her areas of responsibility include tax planning and compliance for a variety of individual and small business clients. Karen is a frequent CPE presenter, and also develops in-house CPE and trainings. She has also worked as a volunteer through VITA, and taught tax as an adjunct professor at Quinnipiac University.

    Shimon is a partner with the New York CPA firm of S Einhorn and Company CPAs LLC. He is a CPA specializing in providing audit solutions to small-midsize accounting firms to update their audit practices to current standards based on current peer review standards, and to maintain consistency across all audits at the practice. In addition Shimon provides solutions for firms which are looking to move their audit practices to a paperless environment. Shimon also specializes in performing and managing audit engagements across various industries. He provides companies with solutions within their accounting department to be able to provide auditable evidence to their auditors.

     

    Shimon is a member of the Peer Review Committee and the Review Acceptance Body of the New York State Society of CPAs. He consults with numerous accounting firms, helping them prepare for peer review. Shimon also performs peer reviews for a number of firms as well.

     

    Shimon is an alumnus of PriceWaterhouse Coopers LLP and Ernst & Young LLP. He is a contributing author of the Real Estate Investment trust Handbook. Shimon is a featured and frequent lecturer for ACE Seminars.

    Allen lectures extensively on not-for-profit accounting, auditing, federal single audits, tax-exempt issues and governance. He speaks at conferences, seminars and webcasts throughout the country. Allen was an assistant professor of accounting at a local college and has been a guest lecturer at Yale University and New York University. He has been a member of the Faculty Bank of the Foundation for Accounting Education (FAE). He is the foremost lecturer for ACE Seminars with respect to Not for Profit Accounting and Auditing. He is a past recipient of both the AICPA's and the FAE's Outstanding Discussion Leader Award. He has written articles published in national accounting periodicals in the United States and Israel on accounting and taxes for not-for-profit entities.

     

    Allen has served on the American Institute of CPAs Not-for-Profit Organizations Committee, Not-for-Profit Audit and Accounting Guide Task Force and Joint Trial Board. He has chaired the New York State Society of CPAs Not-for-Profit Organizations, Professional Ethics, Audit, and Quality Controls Committees and the AICPA Joint Trial Board. He has also served as Vice-President of the New York State Society of CPAs and as a Trustee of the Foundation for Accounting Education.

     

    Allen retired in 2003 from Loeb & Troper, where he spent thirty-six years serving not-for-profit entities as an auditor and consultant, the last twenty-five years as a partner. In addition to his client responsibilities, he was the partner in charge of the firm’s quality controls and technical resources.

     

    Allen received his BBA in Accounting from The City College of New York in 1968 and his MBA in Accounting from the Bernard M. Baruch College in 1972. He was elected to Beta Gamma Sigma, the national honorary society in business. He received his CPA certificate in 1973 and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

     

    Allen has served on the governing boards of not-for-profit organizations, including positions as President, Treasurer and Chair of the Audit Committee and the Finance Committee.

     

    Mr. Fustolo is a partner with the Boston CPA firm of James J. Fox & Company. He is a frequent lecturer and author of numerous tax and accounting issues affecting closely held businesses. An AICPA author, Mr. Fustolo’s articles are regularly featured in The Practical Accountant and other publications. He is the author of Practice Issues: Compilation and Review, Accounting and Auditing Reference Guide, Everything You Never Wanted to Know About GAAP, Enron: Fraud, Deception and the Aftermath, FASB Review for Industry, Current Developments: Accounting and Financial Reporting, Making Money with Special Engagements, Understanding the Variable Interest Entity Rules, Tax-Basis Accrual Financial Statements, and FASB, SSARS and SAS Update and Review and numerous other books and manuals that have been published by Practitioners Publishing Company (PPC) and Commerce Clearing House (CCH). He is the recipient of several Outstanding Discussion Leader awards from many professional organizations including the New York and Florida Societies of CPAs. Mr. Fustolo’s course entitled FASB, SSARS and SAS Update and Review continues to receive accolades and is regarded as one of the top live CPE programs in the country today with ratings that average 4.91 on a scale of 5.0. He speaks regularly for professional groups including being a guest lecturer at the AICPA Advanced Accounting and Auditing Technical Symposium. Mr. Fustolo is the recipient of the Elijah Watts Sells Award (AICPA) and Silver Medal (Massachusetts) for scores received on the CPA Examination.

    Aaron S. Gaynor joined Roberts & Holland LLp in 2013. He received his LL.M. in Taxation from NYU School of Law; his J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, and B.A. cum laude in Economics from Brandeis University. Aaron was articles editor of the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal.

    Practitioner (Fairfield, NJ) • Cullari Carrico, LLP ‐ Director • CPE Discussion Leader Since 2001 • Past Professor at Rutgers, Seton Hall, Kean, Yeshiva, Bloomfield • NJ Society of CPAs – Active Since 1992 • State VP (2007 – 2008) & Trustee (2001 ‐ 2005) • Scholarship Fund Trustee (2001 – 2007) • Past President Essex Chapter (1999 ‐ 2000) • Chair Educators Committee (2010 – 2013) • Chair Chapter Finance and Reimbursement Task Forces (2005 & 2007) • Professional Conduct Committee (2014 ‐ )

    Mark Klein is Partner and Chairman of at Hodgson Russ LLP. He concentrates in New York State and New York City tax matters. He has more than 35 years of experience with federal, multistate, state and local taxation -- and may be best known for his public speaking on tax topics.

     

    Mark splits his time between the firm's New York City and Buffalo offices. He has represented numerous Fortune 500 companies in connection with corporate, withholding and sales tax audits as well as dozens of individuals who appear on the Forbes 500 list of wealthiest individuals in the United States in connection with New York income tax inquiries.

     

    Mark taught courses on state taxation and tax practice and procedure for the University at Buffalo School of Management Tax Certificate Program and is a member of The CPA Journal editorial review board. He has written numerous books, articles and treatises on the subject of multistate taxation. He is the general editor of LexisNexis Tax Practice Insights: New York; the editor of New York Tax Highlights; the contributing editor of 2017 guidebook's 2015 Guidebook to New York Taxes; and the co-author of the ABA Sales & Use Tax Desk Book, 2017 guidebook's New York Residency and Allocation Audit Handbook; New York Sales and Use Tax Answer Book, the New York State Bar Association's Contesting New York Tax Assessments (2015); RIA's New York Tax Handbook and New York City Tax Handbook. He is also a contributor to 2017 guidebook's New York Tax Analysis.

     

    Honors

    • Listed, Best Lawyers in America (Tax Law, Litigation and Controversy -Tax) 2018
    • Listed, Upstate New York Super Lawyers, 2007 - 2017
    • Who's Who in American Law
    • Martindale-Hubbell, 1998-2018 – highest possible peer review rating in legal ability & ethical standards for twenty years

    Raised in New York City, Mr. Leibowicz graduated from Stuyvesant High School before attending Queens College of the City University of New York. He graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law with a J.D. degree. He also completed his military service prior to earning his law degree.

     

    After completing his J.D. degree, he attended the Graduate Tax Program at the New York University School of Law and earned an LL.M. (Master of Laws) degree in taxation. Mr. Leibowicz has written numerous articles on tax law and practice appearing in such publications as the Journal of Taxation, the Tax Advisor, The American Bar Association Journal, The Journal of Multistate Taxation and Incentives, The CPA Journal, and The New York Business Law Journal.

     

    Mr. Leibowicz is a Professor in the Department of Accounting and Information Systems at Queens College of the City University of New York teaching tax and business law. He has lectured frequently on behalf of various public and private institutions. These institutions include the New York State Society of CPA’s, LIU Post, St. Johns University, the Internal Revenue Service, Rockland County Community College, New York Institute of Technology, ACE Seminars, Stanley Kaplan Education.

     

    Mr. Leibowicz is the draftsman of New York State Sales Tax Legislation that significantly enhanced taxpayers’ rights in contesting tax assessments. He practices in federal, state and city tax matters, dealing with problems and planning related to income, estate, franchise and sales taxes, on behalf of his law firm.

    Bill holds licenses and memberships in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Alaska and Singapore. He is the sole shareholder of W.A. Leonard & Company, P.C. and PT W.A. Leonard employing sixteen multi-lingual professionals that focus on meeting the needs of small businesses, individuals and fiduciaries. A graduate of Bentley University and Babson College, Bill has been in practice since 1981. He has over twenty years of college and seminar teaching experience. He is one of the most sought after lecturers in the nation for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) seminars.

    Mr. McKenzie is a partner of the law firm of Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP in Chicago, Illinois, concentrating his practice in representation before the Internal Revenue Service and state agencies.

     

    Mr. McKenzie has lectured extensively on the subject of taxation. He has presented courses before thousands of CPA’s, attorneys and enrolled agents nationwide. He has made numerous media appearances including Dateline NBC and The ABC Nightly News.

     

    Prior to entering private practice, Mr. McKenzie was employed by the Internal Revenue Service, Collection Division, in Chicago, Illinois.

     

    Since entering private practice, he has dedicated a major portion of his time to representation before the IRS. From 2009 to 2011, Mr. McKenzie was a member of the IRS Advisory Council, which advises IRS management. He has been selected as a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel and serves as its President. He was council director of the ABA Tax Section (1998-2001). He was vice chair of the ABA Tax Section (2003-2005). Mr. McKenzie is past chairman of the Employment Tax Committee, past co-chair of the Task Force for Bankruptcy Legislation of the ABA Section on Taxation and past chairman of the Chicago Bar Association Federal Tax Committee. He was dean of the National Tax Practice Institute (1998-2002).

     

    Achievements

     

    Mr. McKenzie is an AV-rated attorney listed by Martindale-Hubbell. He is noted as one of The Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers as well as listed as a “Leading Illinois Attorney” since 1995. Mr. McKenzie has been selected as a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel (2001-present) and serves as its Vice President. He is also a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (2001-present). He was a member of the American Bar Association, Tax Section, Council Director (1998-2001). He was co-chair of the Task Force for Bankruptcy Legislation (1997-1998) and served as vice chair of the ABA Tax Section (2003-2005). He also served as chairman for the Employment Taxes Committee (1992-1994). Mr. McKenzie is a member of Executive Committee Chicago Bar Association, Tax Committee (1992-present) and served as chairman (1996-1997). He served as the National Tax Practice Institute dean (1998-2002). He is a life member of the American Tax Policy Institute. Mr. McKenzie was also a member of the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council from 2009 to 2011.

     

    Recent Publications

     

    Mr. McKenzie is the author of “Representation Before the Collection Division of the IRS” and coauthor of “Representing the Audited Taxpayer Before the IRS, and Representation Before the U.S. Tax Court.” He has been selected for listing by Law and Leading Attorneys where he serves on its advisory board. He speaks on a regular basis. In the last year, he has spoken for the National Association of Enrolled Agents and the American Institute of CPA’s. Mr. McKenzie is a noted authority and media source on IRS and tax-related issues, and he continues to be featured in national and international news stories. This includes his analysis, which appeared in various publications, regarding the IRS’ efforts to uncover the identities of U.S. citizens with accounts in banks offshore.

     

    Education

     

    Chicago Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology

    J.D., High Honors

    West Hornbook Award (number one student in class)

    Silas Strawn Scholarship

     

    Michigan State University (B.A., Business)

    Professional Experience:

    Alan conducts a practice limited to state and federal tax matters for his own account in Florham Park, New Jersey. Prior to 1992, he was a tax partner, concentrating in New Jersey and multistate tax matters, in the Parsippany, NJ office of Deloitte & Touche, with which firm he had spent over twenty years.

     

    Education:

    Alan received a BA from Columbia and an MBA from the Wharton Graduate Division of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a professional resource to CPAs, attorneys and businesses in matters of New Jersey and multi-state taxation.

     

    Professional and Community Activities:

    Alan lectures on state tax matters, and has been recognized as an outstanding instructor by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and a Distinguished Discussion Leader by the New York State Society of CPAs’ Foundation for Accounting Education. He is the co-author and instructor of a full-day course on New Jersey taxes presented annually for the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants.

     

    He has chaired the New Jersey Society of CPAs State Taxation and Multistate Taxation Committees, as well as the New York State Society of CPAs’ Interstate Taxation Committee. He is a member of the AICPA Tax Division and has served on its State and Local Taxation Committee. Mr. Preis served on the Taxation Committee of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association. Mr. Preis was appointed by the Governor, in 2005 to the New Jersey Sales and Use Tax Review Commission. He is a member of the Independent SALT Alliance (ISA) which is a national, non-profit association of independent state tax specialists and related disciplines.

    Ian J. Redpath is a nationally recognized tax attorney and consultant from Buffalo, New York. He has offices in Buffalo and New York City.

     

    In addition to his active tax practice, he serves as Chairperson of the Department of Accounting Director of Graduate Accounting at Canisius College in Buffalo. He has published numerous articles on contemporary tax problems and topics and co-authored several books. He also has extensive national and international experience in developing, writing, and presenting professional CPE programs.

     

    Mr. Redpath holds a Bachelor’s degree from Hillsdale College, a JD from the University of Detroit, and an LLM (tax emphasis) from the University of Wisconsin.

    Michael Tucker was a professor at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT, worked with KPMG Peat Marwick and Deloitte Touche and is a consultant for the accounting firm of T.M. Byxbee Co. in Hamden, CT. He is the author of many professional articles and a veteran seminar presenter on federal income taxation throughout the nation. He received his J.D. from New York University, his LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center, and his Ph.D. from the University of Houston.

    Arthur Werner is the president and a shareholder in the lecture firm of Werner-Rocca Seminars, Ltd. Mr. Werner’s lecture topic specialties include business, tax, financial and estate planning for high net worth individuals.

     

    In addition, Mr. Werner was an adjunct professor of taxation in the Master of Science in Taxation program at the Philadelphia University.

     

    Mr. Werner received his B.S. in Accounting and his M.S. in Taxation from Widener University.  He holds a J.D. in Law from the Delaware Law School.

     

    Mr. Werner lectures extensively in the areas of Estate Planning, Financial Planning, and Estate and Gift Taxation to Certified Public Accountants and Financial Planners, and has presented well in excess of 2500 eight-hour seminars over the past twenty-five years as well as numerous webinars and video presentations.  Mr. Werner has been rated as having the highest speaker knowledge in his home state of Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants, was awarded the AICPA Outstanding Discussion Leader Award in the State of Nevada, the Florida Institute of CPAs Outstanding Discussion Leader Award, and the South Carolina Association of CPAs Outstanding Discussion Leader Award.



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