Mark Heroux is a
principal in the tax services group at Baker Tilly Advisory Group. He has more
than 35 years of tax litigation, technical and program management experience.
Mark specializes in IRS procedures, controversy and dispute resolution. He began
his career with the IRS Chief Counsel in 1985 where he litigated cases around
the world for the IRS. When Mark left the IRS in 2000, he was a Department of
Justice Special Assistant United States Attorney, industry counsel for the
nation for the insurance industry, and a senior trial attorney who helped
litigate the two largest transfer pricing cases in history. At Baker Tilly, he
leads the Tax Advocacy and Controversy Services group and provides tax and
business advisory services to middle market and large companies and
high-net-worth individuals.
Lyle Prempas is a CPA and a senior manager at Baker Tilly
in the Construction and Real Estate tax group. Lyle has more than 15 years of
experience in the Chicagoland market and assists clients with tax compliance
including capital account maintenance, debt allocations, income/loss allocations
and liquidity events. In addition he consults with business owners regarding
organizational structuring to achieve tax efficientcy, reviews operating
agreements to ensure desired goals are met, and works with management advising
on day-to-day operations to enhance cash flow management, maintain internal
controls and streamline accounting functions.
Jeremy is a seasoned technology and compliance
professional, serving as the Director of Professional Services at Xamin and a
key member of the leadership team. With over 17 years of experience in the
field, Jeremy has become a respected authority in providing comprehensive
solutions for compliance and cybersecurity oversight across many industry
verticals. His journey in the technology and compliance landscape has been
marked by a relentless commitment to helping organizations navigate the complex
regulatory landscape. His expertise has been honed through years of hands-on
experience, making him a trusted advisor for institutions seeking to bridge the
gap between regulatory adherence, technological advancement, and strategic
vision.
Suraj Sukrit Prakash is the Chief Technology Officer at
Xamin, where he drives product and technology strategies focused on
cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and IT risk management for regulated and
reputationally sensitive industries like financial services and healthcare. With
over a decade of experience in product and technology development, he
specializes in building secure, scalable solutions that help businesses navigate
cyber threats, compliance challenges, and digital transformation. At Xamin,
Suraj ensures organizations adopt secure, compliant IT solutions by
collaborating with industry leaders like Microsoft, AWS, Cisco, and Dell to
integrate advanced cybersecurity measures that protect sensitive data and
optimize operations. His expertise in SOC 2 Type 2 compliance, cybersecurity
technologies, AI, and IT strategy enables businesses to strengthen data
security, adapt to evolving challenges, and drive innovation in an increasingly
complex digital landscape
Kate Kraus is a partner in the Los Angeles office of
Covington & Burling LLP. She has extensive experience in tax planning and
structuring for partnerships, REITs, Opportunity Zone funds, real estate
matters, and other types of investments and transactions, including joint
ventures, formations, financings, mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, debt
workouts, liquidations, and bankruptcies. Ms. Kraus also advises and represents
clients in federal and state tax controversies, and she is a leading authority
on the partnership audit rules that were enacted by the Bipartisan Budget Act of
2015 (BBA). Her work in this area includes the Bloomberg BNA Tax Management
Portfolio on the BBA, for which she was named Tax Portfolio Author of the Year
by Bloomberg BNA in 2023. She is also Conference Co-Chair of Practicing Law
Institute’s Understanding the BBA Partnership Audit Rules conference. In
addition, Ms. Kraus has published articles in Tax Notes and Corporate Taxation
and has served as a contributing author of Colliers on Bankruptcy Taxation. Her
comments have also appeared in numerous publications, including The New York
Times, the Forbes Money and Market blog, Tax Notes, the Bloomberg Daily Tax
Report, and Law360. Ms. Kraus is a Fellow of the American College of Tax
Counsel. She is also active with the American Bar Association Section of
Taxation and is a former Chair of the Real Estate Committee. Ms. Kraus received
her J.D. from the University of Chicago, a Ph.D. in the philosophy of physics
from Princeton University, and a B.A. from Wellesley College. She is a member of
the California bar, and clerked for Judge Easterbrook of the United States Court
of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Jesse Stanley, P.E. is a Principal and oversees KBKG’s
Green Building Tax Incentives, including the 179D Tax Deduction and the 45L Tax
Credit. He has spent over a decade helping Architects, Engineers, and Design
Build Contractors, claim the 179D Energy Efficient Commercial Building Tax
Deductions for their new and existing building projects across over 2 billion
square feet of commercial building space. Jesse has nearly 20 years of
experience in the Energy, Sustainability, and Tax Consulting industries. Jesse
is a licensed Mechanical Engineer in 38 States. He is a subject matter expert on
energy efficiency in buildings, sustainability, mechanical system design,
building controls, and daylighting design having presented to ASHRAE
Conferences, Former Congressmen, federal agencies, and state government
officials. Jesse is passionate about helping Architects, Engineers, Design-Build
Contractors, Building Automation Companies, and Energy Service Companies claim
179D Deductions from their work. This includes a wide range of projects such as
convention centers, courthouses, higher education and universities, hospitals,
hotels, international airports, IRS facilities, k-12 schools, libraries,
prisons, military facilities, multifamily, municipal buildings, stadiums, and
more
Ian Williams is a Principal for KBKG, specializing in
Research & Development Tax Credits and Employee Retention Credits. Prior to
joining KBKG, Ian spent eleven years at a Big Four accounting firm specializing
in R&D tax credits and fixed asset studies across a variety of industries.
He has extensive experience in software, heavy manufacturing, aerospace,
automotive, and consumer products industries, as well as defending credit claims
with the IRS. Ian earned his bachelor's and Master's degrees in Accounting from
Samford University and is a Georgia licensed CPA and member of the
AICPA.
Ryan A. Walsh, a partner at Hamilton Thies & Lorch,
LLP in Chicago, advises individuals and families, business owners, and financial
institutions on a range of estate planning, trust, and tax matters. He also has
significant experience with trust and estate administration, preparation of
estate, gift, and fiduciary income tax returns, contested estate and trust
litigation, trust reformation proceedings, probate and guardianship matters,
real estate transactions, and representation of clients before the Internal
Revenue Service. Ryan is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate
Counsel. He is also a member of the Chicago Estate Planning Council, the
American Bar Association (Section of Taxation; Section of Real Property, Trust
and Estate Law, Estate and Gift Tax Committee Co-Chair), the Illinois State Bar
Association (Federal Taxation Section Council Chair; Trusts and Estates
Section), and the Chicago Bar Association (Trust Law Committee Chair). Ryan
regularly speaks and writes on various estate planning, administration, and tax
topics and was named one of 40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch. Ryan
received his B.S. from the University of Notre Dame and his J.D., magna cum
laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. He is licensed to practice
law in Illinois and Florida. Ryan serves on the board of the Greater Illinois
Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and on planned giving committees for
Catholic Charities, the Archdiocese of Chicago, and Lurie Children’s
Hospital.