Career moves

Steve Bennett, who has served as president and chief executive at tax and financial software conglomerate Intuit Inc. since 2000 and led the company to record growth during his tenure, announced that he will step down from those posts at the end of the year.The company did not give a reason for the resignation, but released a statement from Bennett saying, "Now, with eight successful seasons under my belt, the company solidly positioned for the future, and a CEO successor ready to lead the company, it's the right time for me to take some time off and explore the next challenge in my life."

Kayla Gillan, one of the founding board members of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, plans to leave the PCAOB by the end of January 2008 when her five-year term expires.

Orrtax Software Solutions has appointed a new president, Matt Scheuing, to develop the tax prep company's corporate strategies.

The American Institute of CPAS has named William Roberts, a former White House reporter for Bloomberg News, as director of media relations in its Washington, D.C., office.In that role, Roberts will serve as liaison between the institute and the Washington press corps, as well as oversee public relations support for the organization's D.C.-based legislative, regulatory and tax programs. Prior to coming aboard the AICPA, Roberts covered Congress, the White House and the Pentagon for Bloomberg News since 1999. During that time, he covered President George W. Bush's Oval Office press briefings, Sen. John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, and counter-terrorism legislation in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Tax and financial software provider Intuit Inc. has named Sasan Goodarzi president of its Intuit Financial Institutions Division and a senior vice president of the company, and tapped Jill Ward, vice president of its Accountants Central unit, to serve as vice president and general manager of its newly formed Intuit Accounting Professionals Division.Goodarzi, who most recently served as vice president of the company's tax division, will now oversee the arm that houses Digital Insight, the online banking concern acquired by Intuit in January for $1.35 billion.

Jamie Fowler, a Grant Thornton LLP tax partner, has been named the firm's new national managing partner for its National Tax Process Group. The group, which supports the more than 1,000 tax practice professionals in the firm, encompasses not only process improvements, but also internal tool development, deployment, training and support; external tool and third-party research selection, deployment, training and support; vendor and contract management; project management; and knowledge management. Fowler has over 22 years of experience leading major large-scale international and domestic restructuring projects for companies nationwide, bringing to bear international, federal, and state and local resources. Prior to joining Grant Thornton's Dallas office as tax practice leader in 2004, she was a federal tax partner at KPMG in Dallas.

Influential accounting profession veteran Mark Tibergien has been named chief executive officer of Pershing Advisor Solutions LLC, an affiliate of Bank of New York Mellon subsidiary Pershing LLC.

Robert DeSantis, a top executive with the parent organization of the Financial Accounting Standards Board and Governmental Accounting Standards Board, has resigned.

The Internal Revenue Service appointed four people to high-ranking positions at the agency.

Steve Bennett, Intuit’s CEO and president, plans to step down at the end of the year, the tax and accounting software developer said.

The Office of the Chief Accountant at the Securities and Exchange Commission has chosen three professional accounting fellows who will be working with the office for two-year terms starting this fall.

Grant Thornton named David Auclair as head of the accounting firm's National Tax Office.

Roel Campos, one of the two Democrats on the five-member Securities and Exchange Commission, announced plans to return to the private sector next month, further tipping the balance on the panel as the SEC continues to issue and enforce regulations affecting accountants.

Accounting firm Armanino McKenna LLP has formed a division that will act as a media-consulting firm under the leadership of a former newspaper publisher.

In its second merger of the year, Pittsburgh-based CPA firm Malin, Bergquist and Co. LLP has combined with a firm based in nearby Erie, Pa.: Diefenbach Delio Kearney & DeDionisio.

Ray Schmidt, chief information officer of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, is stepping down after five years to take a job in the private sector.

General Electric vice president and comptroller Phillip Ameen has joined the advisory board of BNA Tax and Accounting's Accounting Policy & Practice Series.

Carol Stacey, former chief accountant of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Corporate Finance, has become vice president of The SEC Institute, an organization that holds conferences and workshops around the country to explain SEC and PCAOB rules and regulations.

The Internal Revenue Service named Linda Stiff as the replacement for outgoing Acting Commissioner Kevin M. Brown.

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced Thursday that Chester Spatt, Chief Economist and Director of the Office of Economic Analysis (OEA), will leave the agency to return to academia at the end of July, according to an SEC press release.