Multistate Tax Conference (E1611630)

Jim has over 25 years of professional experience in advising clients in the areas of ASC 450 (fka FAS 5), reverse sales and use tax audits, audit defense and appeal, sales tax systems automation, negotiation of voluntary compliance agreements, transaction analysis, Sarbanes/Oxley requirements, Streamlined Sales Tax Agreement and sales/use/excise tax compliance services. He assists numerous clients with complex indirect tax issues in industries including pharmaceutical, technology, retail, financial services, utilities, hospitality, entertainment, defense contractors, telecommunications and manufacturing. He is a leading sales and use tax specialist and developed trusted relationships with New Jersey and New York state government officials. He is a member of the New York State Society of CPAs and the NJCPA as well as the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Ben Dworkin is the Director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Political Science. A veteran of New Jersey politics, he has extensive experience in campaigns and elections, government and legislation, lobbying and issue advocacy, as well as teaching and media relations. He has been frequently quoted by major newspapers including the Philadelphia Inquirer, Star-Ledger, Press of Atlantic City, Asbury Park Press, the Home News-Tribune and others. He is also a frequent guest on NJ12’s “Power & Politics” television news program.

Jim is a shareholder at Kulzer & DiPadova, P.A. He is admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court, is a member of the Bar of the State of New Jersey, and is a member of the Camden County Bar Association, the New Jersey Bar Association and the American Bar Association. Jim is a member of the tax sections of the NJBA and the ABA. In addition, he is a former president of the NJCPA, and has served as chairperson of the State Taxation Interest Group. He is a past president of the Southwest Jersey Chapter Board of Directors. Jim is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and serves on AICPA Council, its governing body. He is also a member of the New Jersey Tax and Fiscal Policy Commission and chaired the New Jersey Corporation Business Tax Review Commission.

John Ficara has been functioning as the Director of the New Jersey Division of Taxation since January 4, 2016. The Director oversees a staff of more than 1,400 who are responsible for the administration, enforcement and collection of 42 individual and business tax types in the State of New Jersey. John was previously Director of Tax and Tax Counsel for Columbus McKinnon Corporation, a Buffalo based global manufacturer of material handling equipment. He also was Corporate Tax Counsel for BASF, a German based global chemical manufacturing company, with US operations based in Florham Park, New Jersey. He has over four decades of experience as a tax professional, including seven years with Ernst & Young, and he has been an Adjunct Professor of Tax in the Fairleigh Dickinson University Graduate Tax program. A licensed Certified Public Accountant and Attorney, John earned his Law Degree from the Fordham University School of Law, and his Master’s in Tax law Degree from the NYU Graduate Law School.

James Fruscione is a career public servant with thirty years of experience in State government operations. As the Director of NJDORES, he is responsible for New Jersey's centralized tax return and payment processing facilities, as well as the State’s business registry and non-tax debt collection programs. He now serves as the Department of the Treasury’s Technology Officer as well.

Mr. Fruscione continues his efforts to employ digital technologies to deliver efficient and value-added services to the State’s business and taxpayer communities. In his role as Technology Officer, he seeks to use Treasury’s information technology platform to support Enterprise-level service innovation, enhanced performance and cost savings.

Mr. Fruscione earned a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration from Rider University. He is a Certified Public Manager and Certified Information Professional. He has also earned certificates in citizen-driven performance management and electronic commerce.

Jeff is the vice president of government relations for the NJCPA. He works with the CEO and the Board of Trustees to create and implement advocacy initiatives that protect and promote the interests of the CPA profession, the business community and the public. Jeff monitors legislative and executive branch activity that impacts CPAs by writing position papers, developing grass roots membership activities to enhance lobbying efforts and raising money for the NJ-CPA-PAC. He is also a liaison to other pro-business groups like the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA) and Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ) to coordinate legislative strategies. Prior to joining the NJCPA, Jeff worked on several political campaigns, worked for former Governor Jim Florio and for Common Cause New York. He previously owned a lobbying and public affairs firm. Jeff belongs to Compassion and Choices, the Humane Society and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

John Kelly, CPA owner of John D. Kelly, CPA LLC, Trenton, New Jersey. Before opening his own firm, Mr. Kelly served as Chief of the New Jersey Division of Taxation’s Office of Legislative Analysis and Disclosure, reviewing pending legislation to determine its impact on state tax law and the operations of the Division of Taxation, ensuring compliance with the Open Public Records Act and New Jersey’s tax confidentiality laws. Under his direction, that office also performed ministerial processing functions for several state tax credit and incentive programs and helped to produce the State Tax Expenditure Report.

Mr. Kelly John is a frequent lecturer.This experience includes both volunteer groups and professional associations. Mr. Kelly is a graduate of Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He received his Master’s in Business Administration from Rider University. He received a Masters in Accounting and Financial Management from Keller Graduate School of Management. Mr. Kelly is a member of the NJCPA.

Glenn is a shareholder at the law firm of Greenberg Traurig LLP in New York City where he handles tax planning and controversy matters involving state and local taxes including personal income tax, corporate tax, sales tax and real property transfer taxes as well as real estate tax and incentive programs.

Glenn’s practice includes handling audits and litigation involving income tax including residency matters, sales and use tax, hotel taxes and real estate transfer taxes in New York and other states.

Prior to re-entering private practice, Glenn was the president of the New York City Tax Commission and the NYC Tax Appeals Tribunal, the agencies that hear and determine disputes of New York City property and business income and excise taxes.

Before his nomination and confirmation to the Tax Commission, Glenn was in private practice. Previously, he was Deputy Commissioner for Audit & Enforcement at the New York City Department of Finance where he was responsible for developing policy and for the audit process. Before moving to the Finance Department, Glenn was chief of the Tax and Bankruptcy Division in the Office of the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York where he drafted legislation and regulations and litigated matters involving both New York City and State taxes in administrative proceedings and in the courts. He also handled scores of cases involving City taxes in federal courts including the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts.

Glenn was chair of the State and Local Tax Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York (1999-2001). He wrote a regular column on New York tax appeals for the New York Law Journal (1996-2002) and is a co-author of the New York Sales Tax Portfolio published by the Bureau of National Affairs. He is active in the State & Local Tax Committee of the American Bar Association as well as the New York State and New York City Bar Associations state and local tax committees; he is also on the Board of the Real Estate Tax Review Bar Association in New York City.

He was honored as a recipient of the “Tax Judge of the Year” in 2007 awarded by the National Conference of State Tax Judges of which he was later the Chair.

Glenn received his J.D degree from Fordham Law School and undergraduate degree from SUNY Albany.

Marita was appointed the acting director of the New Jersey Division of Taxation, effective Sept. 25, 2023. She had been a deputy director since 2017 and started at the Treasury Department in 1987 as a technical assistant. She steps into her new role as the tax division takes on lawmakers’ overhaul of New Jersey’s corporate tax system and creation of StayNJ, a property tax relief program for senior citizens. Her goals include improving the customer experience, facilitating tax education with the public and engaging with employees.

Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff served as Treasurer of the State of New Jersey under Governor Chris Christie from January 2010 to July 2015. The longest-serving Treasurer in almost 40 years, Mr. Sidamon-Eristoff oversaw a major State department with almost 3,100 employees and more than 10 divisions spanning budget, revenue collection, public finance and debt management, benefits administration, pension fund investments, Statewide information technology standards and infrastructure, procurement, State facilities, risk management, unclaimed property administration, and the State Lottery. In addition to managing the development and execution of New Jersey’s $30 billion-plus annual budget, Mr. Sidamon-Eristoff played a major role in developing Governor Christie’s landmark 2001 pension and health benefits reforms, designed and implemented Governor Christie’s Performance Budgeting Initiative, drafted Governor’s Christie’s $2.3 billion business tax reduction package of 2011, advanced significant procurement process reforms, managed several major privatization initiatives, restructured the State’s IT governance configuration, and oversaw debt and financial management reforms that achieved $1.9 billion in budget savings and eliminated the State’s exposure to $4.2 billion in risky derivatives.

Mr. Sidamon-Eristoff is currently a private investor. He is also a contributor to NJ Spotlight, an online news service covering New Jersey government and politics; an advisor to GovInvest, Inc., a SaaS startup based in Los Angeles, California; and a member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Hotchkiss School. He is a former member of the Internal Revenue Service's Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee, a former Chairman of the New York Republican County Committee, and a former trustee of several non-profits including Scenic Hudson, the St. Bernard's School, the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund and the Hudson Highlands Land Trust. Mr. Sidamon-Eristoff is also a former President of the North Eastern States Tax Officials Association and board member of the Federation of Tax Administrators. He earned a bachelor's degree, cum laude, in politics from Princeton University and a juris doctor degree, cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center.

Marc Simonetti focuses on state and local taxation. From controversy to consulting, he advises clients on matters across the United States in all areas of state and local taxation, including income, franchise, excise, property, sales and use tax.

Mr. Simonetti zealously represents clients in controversy matters from audit through litigation - defending clients' positions and working to achieve practical solutions to controversy matters. He represents clients at all levels of controversy - from administrative appeal to appellate litigation and advises clients on audit matters before state tax authorities, including administrative appeals. Further, he represents clients in all aspects of litigation - from discovery, depositions, motion practice, trial and appeal. Recognizing the inherent risks in litigation, Mr. Simonetti is skilled in pursuing the controversy matter to the best resolution for the client.

Understanding that state and local tax issues affect long-term business decisions and day-to-day operations, he advises Fortune 100 clients to maximize their opportunities and minimize their tax liabilities. Mr. Simonetti understands the national state tax landscape and advises his clients on the most tax efficient way to conduct business operations and avoid costly missteps. In the changing business environment where many clients face new and difficult tax issues regarding the application of old tax laws to new technology, he advises clients on the tax consequences of participating in the digital economy. In addition, he counsels clients on transactional matters, including mergers, acquisitions, dispositions and restructuring - for maximum tax efficiency.

Andrew Steinhaus is a senior manager in KPMG's US State and Local Tax Practice with diversified experience in delivering indirect tax services. He assists clients with a variety of indirect tax services, including reverse audits, audit controversy, voluntary disclosure, tax planning services and a range of multistate tax consulting services.