Recent tax hires at EY USA…..

Mitzi Saito joins Ernst & Young LLP’s People Advisory Services located in New York as a partner in Global Mobility focusing on the Japanese multinational companies based in US. Saito comes from KPMG where she spent 23 years, most recently as Tax Managing Director. She also worked with Panasonic Corporation as an HR Specialist.

Steve Starzynski joins Ernst & Young LLP’s Transaction Tax Services as a partner located in Chicago. Steve has over a decade of experience working on M&A transactions, representing strategic and financial buyers.  Prior to joining EY, Steve worked in both the M&A Transaction Services and Special Acquisition Services practices at Deloitte, where he focused on serving large private equity clients and their portfolio companies in all aspects of the deal lifecycle.  In addition to Chicago, Steve has worked in San Francisco, Hong Kong, and Washington, DC. 

C.J. Girod joins Ernst & Young LLP in Pittsburgh as an executive director with Indirect Tax.  Girod brings more than 19 years of experience, most recently as a Principal at Ryan, LLC where he spent 12 years in state and local tax, providing site selection, economic development, and credits and incentives consulting services.

Randy Ferris joins Ernst & Young LLP’s Indirect Tax Practice in California as an executive director. Ferris worked for 20 years at the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), holding several roles, including Chief Counsel, Senior Business Taxes Attorney, and Appeals Conference Holder and Reviewer. Ferris oversaw the BOE’s legal department, provided legal advice, issued legal opinions, drafted regulations, formulated and developed policies to implement laws, and provided impartial analyses of tax disputes.

Jocelyne Miller joins Ernst & Young LLP’s National Tax Department located in San Diego as an executive director focusing on exempt organizations. Miller has previously worked with other large accounting firms and was also staff counsel for the American Bar Association Section of Taxation. She has served on the board of directors for the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.

Thomas A. Vidano joins the Ernst & Young LLP National Tax Department in Washington, DC, from the IRS Office of Chief Counsel.  Vidano started working at IRS Office of Chief Counsel in 1998, and most recently served as the as Deputy Division Counsel (International) in LB&I Division Counsel.  In this role, he served as the legal advisor to IRS executives in charge of international tax issues by assisting in identifying emerging international tax issues, developing compliance strategies, and coordinating those issues with Associate Chief Counsel (International) (“ACCI”). Vidano also oversaw all significant international tax litigation in LB&I Division Counsel, including transfer pricing.  Prior to serving as the Deputy Division Counsel (International), Vidano was the Assistant Branch Chief in Branch 4 (corporate and partnership issues, including section 367(d)) of ACCI, and an attorney in Branch 6 (transfer pricing) of ACCI.  As an executive director at EY, Vidano focuses on transfer pricing controversy.