The S Corporation Association (S-Corp) is the only organization in Washington D.C. exclusively devoted to promoting and protecting the interests of America’s 4.1 million S corporation owners. 

Since its inception in 1996, S-Corp has scored numerous legislative victories as it acts as the "eyes and ears" for the America’s S-Corp community.  Our mission is to protect America’s small and family-owned businesses from excessive taxes and government mandates while working to ensure America’s most popular corporate structure remains competitive in the Twenty-First Century.

S-CORP Board of Directors

The S-Corp Board of Directors establishes the Association's legislative priorities on a regular basis with input from the S-Corp Advisory Board and member companies.  The following business leaders are dedicated to efforts to strengthen our nation's S corporations.

Chairman  

Richard M. Roderick
Dead River Company
http://www.deadriver.com/

Richard Roderick is the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Dead River Company.  In July of 2005, he was elected to the Board of Directors.  Dead River is one of the largest distributors of petroleum products to residential and commercial customers in northern New England. Dead River also operates a Properties Division, with ownership of approximately 35 commercial buildings or shopping centers, primarily in New England and Florida.

President

Stephanie E. Silverman
Venn Strategies
www.vennstrategies.com

Stephanie Silverman helped found the S Corporation Association in 2001. Prior to S-Corp, Ms. Silverman was a senior advisor in the Washington, D.C. office of Manatt, Phelps and Phillips where she designed and managed client advocacy initiatives before the U.S. Government and foreign governments, launched two trade groups, managing their Washington, D.C. and national public affairs efforts, and spearheaded their campaigns to pass three major new tax laws in the past 5 years. In the early 1990s, Ms. Silverman was also an associate in the global financial strategies unit of Citibank (now Citigroup)/New York. Prior to joining Citibank, Ms. Silverman founded and operated an economic consulting practice in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia.

Robert A. Blair
Blair Law PC

Robert Blair is President of Blair Law PC and is a lawyer and an entrepreneur. The original founder of S-Corp, Bob is now an investor in, and a member of the Board of Directors of IPG Photonics Corporation, the world's leading provider of high power fiber lasers and fiber amplifiers that are revolutionizing performance and utility in a remarkable array of materials processing, telecommunications, medical and other advanced applications. He is a Trustee of the Winkler Family Trust, previously the primary source of equity capital for significant real estate ventures, and now an investment vehicle. He is also managing partner of several real estate partnerships. He served on the governing Board of The College of William and Mary, and served two terms on the Governor's Economic Advisory Council in Virginia and on the Board of Commissioners of the Virginia Port Authority.

Directors

Tony Simmons
McIllhenny Company
http://www.tabasco.com/main.cfm

Jim Garland
The Jeffrey Company
http://www.jeffreyco.com/

Mark Poljak
Vice President of Tax
The Hillman Company
mmpoljak@hillmanco.com

Mark M. Poljak is the Vice President of Tax for The Hillman Company. The Hillman Company is a privately held, Pittsburgh-based diversified investment holding company, with investments in private and public equity.

Tom McMahon (former Chairman)
Barker Company
http://www.barkercompany.com/

Tom is the VP of Operations for Barker Company.  Barker Company, a family owned business, manufactures custom refrigerated and hot display cases for supermarkets, convenience stores and food service operations. 

Fred Weaver
Sumner Group, Inc.
http://sumner-group.com

Fred Weaver serves as Vice President and CFO for the Sumner Group, Inc.  Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Sumner Group has grown—through the vision of E.G. “Bud” Sumner—into one of the nation's largest independently owned office equipment dealerships, with additional operations in Kansas, Texas, and Arkansas. 

Marilyn Franson
AMSTED, Inc.
http://www.amsted.com

Marilyn Franson is the Assistant Controller – Taxes for AMSTED Industries.  Based in Chicago, Illinois, AMSTED Industries is a diversified manufacturer of industrial components serving primarily the railroad, vehicular, and construction and building markets.

Gene Caresia
Ferrellgas, Inc.
http://www.ferrellgas.com

S-CORP Advisory Board

The Advisory Board is a small team of well-regarded professionals who service the S corporation community. This team advises the Board of Directors on substantive and technical S corporation matters.

James S. Redpath, CPA / Chairman of the Board of Advisors 

Vice President
HLB Tautges Redpath, Ltd.
Certified Public Accountants and Consultants
4810 White Bear Parkway
White Bear Lake, MN  55110
Phone: (651)407-5802 
Fax: (651) 426-5004 
jredpath@hlbtr.com

http://www.hlbtr.com/

Jim Redpath is the senior tax officer of HLB Tautges Redpath, Ltd. and serves on the company Board of Directors.  Jim specializes in business structuring, ownership succession and ESOP issues as well as corporate, partnership, individual and estate/gift tax planning and consulting on both national and international levels.  HLB Tautges Redpath is a full-service accounting firm helping clients focus on the future with proactive ideas and sound advice.  Whether preparing a tax return, consulting with an international company, or providing audit services, HLB Tautges Redpath helps clients succeed.  The firm ranks in the top 15 largest CPA firms in the Twin Cities and is 100 percent employee-owned. 

Walter H. Deyhle
Partner
Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman, CPAs
Phone (301) 951-9090
Fax (301) 951-3570
wdeyhle@grfcpa.com

Walter H. Deyhle is currently the Director of Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman’s Tax and Financial Planning Division. He and his staff provide in-house computerized prepara­tion of individual, corporate, partnership, estate and trust, and nonprofit tax filings.  Located in Bethesda, Maryland, Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman has been providing auditing, tax, accounting and financial management consulting services to clients throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area for more than twenty years.

Nancy J. Fannon, CPA*ABV, ASA, MCBA
Fannon Valuation Group
100 Commercial Street, Suite 307
Portland, Maine 04101
Phone:  207-775-5111
Fax:  207-775-5101
nancy@fannonval.com

www.fannonval.com
 
Nancy has been providing business valuation and litigation support services for over eighteen years to a wide variety of clients.  She has also worked extensively on acquisition structures and terms, cash flow forecasting for business planning and financial needs, and various closely held business issues.  Nancy is a frequent speaker both locally and nationally on the topic of business valuation and damages, and is a regular contributing author for several national valuation journals.  Fannon Valuation Group is a small, niche business valuation practice operating out of offices in the Old Port district of Portland, Maine.  It has been in operation for almost 20 years.

Rick Klahsen
RSMI
3600 American Boulevard West, 3rd Floor
Bloomington, MN 55431
Phone (952)-921-7729
Fax (952)-240-0744
Rick.Klahsen@rsmi.com

Rick Klahsen is the Managing Director in the National Tax department of RSM McGladrey, Inc., and the National Service Line Leader for Tax Advisory & Compliance. RSM McGladrey, when combined with McGladrey & Pullen, is the fifth largest business consulting, accounting, and tax firm that focuses on mid-sized companies. With over 100 offices nationwide, we offer business and tax consulting, wealth management, retirement resources, payroll services and corporate finance to our clients.

Stephen R. Litman
Shareholder
Leonard, Street and Deinard
150 South Fifth Street, Suite 2300
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone (612) 335-1552
Fax (612-335-1657
stephen.litman@leonard.com

http://www.leonard.com/

Steve is an attorney practicing since 1973 with the law firm of Leonard, Street and Deinard in its Minneapolis office.  He has been a partner or shareholder in the firm since 1979.  Steve's primary areas of practice are tax, estate and business planning.  He works with large family businesses and wealthy individuals on sophisticated tax and planning techniques to reduce overall taxation of family assets and to assure a smooth transition of family wealth between generations.  Steve has spoken at many regional and national seminars on tax and estate planning; has been an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, teaching advanced estate and tax planning; and is an elected fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, where he serves on both the business planning and business valuation committees.  Leonard, Street and Deinard is a firm of approximately 200 attorneys, with offices in Minneapolis, St. Cloud and Mankato, Minnesota, and in Washington, D.C.  Steve is very active in the firm, serves as Firm Treasurer, is a member of its Board of Directors, and serves on its Finance, Compensation and Benefits Committees. 

S-CORP Staff

The S Corporation Association is located in Washington, D.C. and is staffed by professional small business advocates with decades of public policy experience.

Stephanie E. Silverman
President

www.vennstrategies.com 

Stephanie Silverman founded the S Corporation Association in 2001. Prior to launching S-Corp, Ms. Silverman was a senior advisor in the Washington, D.C. office of Manatt, Phelps and Phillips where she designed and managed client advocacy initiatives before the U.S. Government and foreign governments, launched two trade groups, managing their Washington, D.C. and national public affairs efforts, and spearheaded their campaigns to pass three major new tax laws in the past 5 years.  In the early 1990s, Ms. Silverman was also an associate in the global financial strategies unit of Citibank (now Citigroup)/New York. Prior to joining Citibank, Ms. Silverman founded and operated an economic consulting practice in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. 

Brian Reardon
Executive Director

Brian Reardon joined the S Corporation Association after serving as a Special Assistant to the President for economic policy, working within the President’s National Economic Council, from 2003-2005. Prior to serving at the NEC, Mr. Reardon served as Staff Director and Chief Economist of the Senate Republican Policy Committee under the Chairmanship of Senator Larry Craig (R-ID). Mr. Reardon has also worked for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and then Senator Spencer Abraham (R-MI).

Amy Takeuchi-Wanlass
Senior Associate

Amy Takeuchi-Wanlass is a Senior Associate with the S Corporation Association. Prior to joining S-CORP, Ms. Takeuchi-Wanlass worked as a Legislative Aide to Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA), where she supported the Congressman's work on issues before the Committee on Ways and Means, on which he sits. She received her B.A. from the University of California at Davis.

S Corp Modernization Bill Introduced in House