Once again, in what can only be described as an attempt to market its tax platform, Bloomberg has released its annual awards for the Bloomberg Tax Authors of the Year. We’ll just mention the Federal authors of the year here, but there are also three other categories of Bloomberg author awards: State Tax, International Tax, and Estates, Gifts, and Trusts. FUN.
Eager readers can pick their flavor of tax writing, all of which are likely to be able to solve insomnia issues, should said readers suffer from them. There’s no indication of how the award winners are chosen, other than a reference in the release about the most read articles. I guess they keep a close eye on those Analytics stats. Pro tip for aspiring Bloomberg authors: distribute your articles far and wide on social media, and send them all to friends and family, begging them to read your latest musings on federal tax issues. That’s how we get the big views anyway.
I am curious what prizes the winners get, if any. I suppose a plaque to go on your office wall, proclaiming your accomplishments to your fellow employees may be satisfaction enough. You can always brag about it on LinkedIn, and it looks like the award winners got a free lunch and drinks at the Hay Adams Hotel in Washington, DC.
From the fancy splash page for the 2022 Bloomberg Tax Author Awards CELEBRATING THE PINNACLE OF TAX INTELLIGENCE (keeping the caps there because why not):
Bloomberg Tax has long recognized that the outstanding reputation we enjoy in the tax and accounting community is due in large part to the efforts of our Tax Management Portfolio authors and contributors. From Portfolios to timely news articles that help professionals each and every day, these thought leaders deserve special recognition for helping our customers crack the code on any tax and accounting challenge.
This post already has too much ado Before I go any further, here are the winners.
Leonard L. Silverstein Award for Distinguished Service in Tax
Samuel Starr – former special counsel at IRS Office of Associate Chief Counsel–Pass Through Entities
Starr is a former special counsel at the IRS, and was also the Chief Tax Officer at PwC at the time they were audited by the IRS back in 2006 for transfer pricing and pension plan issues. Presumably everything worked out okay in the audit because, according to LinkedIn, Starr stuck around at PwC as CTO for another seven years.
The press release doesn’t mention that. It says this:
Samuel Starr, former special counsel at the IRS Office of Associate Chief Counsel–Pass Through Entities, was the recipient of the Leonard L. Silverstein Award for Distinguished Service in Tax, which is named after the founder of the Tax Management Portfolios for his longstanding contributions to the tax profession. Sam has been a driving force behind numerous contributions to Bloomberg Tax for many years, including authoring three Tax Management Portfolios on S Corporations. He spent the bulk of his career at PwC as a tax partner, specializing in pass-through entities, and as chief tax officer of the firm.
Federal Tax Portfolio Author of the Year
Kate Kraus – Allen Matkins
Kate’s background includes time at EY from 2014 to 2018 and a May to almost-December stint at CliftonLarsonAllen before joining Allen Matkins in 2018, where she remains as a partner. Only four people liked the Allen Matkins Facebook post when Kate joined the company. They really need to work on their FB engagement!
She has “more than 20 years of experience in tax planning, structuring, and representing taxpayers under audit.” Our condolences, Kate.
The Federal Tax Portfolio Author of the Year award went to two groups of Portfolio authors. Kate Kraus from Allen Matkins was recognized for The Partnership Audit Rules Under the Bipartisan Budget Act and the insightful perspectives and real-life examples she shares in this Portfolio. Kate is a partner at in the firm’s Los Angeles office and co-chair of its Tax & Joint Ventures group. She is a leading authority on the new partnership audit rules that were enacted by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015.
Federal Tax Portfolio Author of the Year, second award
Martin Collins, partner, PwC; Micah Gibson, international tax director, PwC; Elizabeth Nelson, partner, PwC; and David Sotos, principal, PwC
Remember how in school you always hated group projects? Well, these guys (and gal) are proof that they can work out, and you might even get an award.
The second award went to co-authors Martin Collins, partner; Micah Gibson, international tax director; Elizabeth Nelson, partner; and David Sotos, principal; from PwC for their Portfolio The Creditability of Foreign Taxes — General Issues. The PwC team of authors provide a thorough analysis of the key issues and considerations tax professionals need to know in navigating the most recent changes in ??
No, I didn’t throw double question marks in there to be funny. That’s what the news release says.
Federal Tax Contributor of the Year
Hogan Humphries, managing director in KPMG’s Washington National Tax
Hogan Humphries, managing director in KPMG’s Washington National Tax, received the Federal Tax Contributor of the Year award for his articles TCJA Changes to R&E Related Code Sections Kick In and Answers to Your Burning R&E Expenditure and R&D Tax Credit Questions. These articles were two of the top five most read articles in the Tax Management Memorandum over the past year.
Nice work, Mr. Humphries! You are a god among tax writers.
Check out the whole list of 2022 Bloomberg Tax Author Awards winners here.
