KPMG LLP has elected P. Scott Ozanus to serve as deputy chairman and chief operating officer of the audit, tax and advisory firm. Ozanus succeeds Henry Keizer, who will retire at the end of 2012.

Ozanus, who previously served as vice chair of the firm's tax practice, was selected by KPMG's board of directors. “I’m proud to welcome Scott to this new role and look forward to working closely with him as KPMG’s chief operating officer,” John Veihmeyer, KPMG’s chairman and CEO in the U.S. and the Americas, said in a statement.

Ozanus has more than 30 years of experience in what are now the “Big Four” international accounting, tax and advisory firms. He joined KPMG in 2002 and prior to serving as vice chair of the Tax practice, was the West area region managing partner for Tax. Earlier Ozanus served as managing partner of KPMG’s Dallas office and southwest area managing partner. Under his leadership, the U.S. Tax practice has grown significantly faster than the industry average. Ozanus began his career in the Dallas office of Arthur Andersen.

As a result of Ozanus' new position, Jeffery LeSage moved up from national managing partner into the vice chair role and Laura Newinski has been placed in LeSage's old position.

“I congratulate Jeff and Laura on their new roles," Ozanus said in a statement. "I know from working closely with them for many years that they will serve the tax practice and the Firm exceptionally well. We’re proud to have their leadership in these roles as we continue to build on all that the tax practice has accomplished in recent years.”

LeSage joined the firm in 1986 and was named to the firm’s partnership in 1992. He has served as national managing partner of the tax practice since July 2010.

Newinski joined KPMG in 1988 and was elected to the partnership in 1997. She previously served as the Tax partner in charge for KPMG’s Northern Heartland Gateway West business unit and most recently as West region managing partner for Tax.