For more than thirty years, Bradley Pees has pursued a successful career in tax controversy. He has worked for the federal government and multinational Fortune 500 companies. That experience—alongside his involvement with TEI at both the local and national levels—has been instrumental in shaping his perspective for his role as the TEI Florida Chapter president.
From the IRS to Private Industry
After graduating from Kent State University with a bachelor of business administration in accounting, Pees joined the staff of the Internal Revenue Service in Lima, Ohio. After about a year and a half of training, he transferred to Canton, Ohio, and eventually to Independence, Ohio. He was initially drawn to the challenge of coordinating the bureau’s tax examinations of large multinational enterprises. “I was with the IRS for a number of years and had reached the top of the chain in working cases,” he explains. “My next step would have been in administrative management, but I really wanted to pursue something outside of the government and challenge myself on broader issues. That’s the reason I chose to go into the private sector.”
After interviewing with several companies, Pees found that Tyco was the best match. “My niche in tax controversy was what they were looking for, and I wasn’t looking to do compliance or anything like that. It fit very well for me,” he says. During this period, Pees also obtained a master of business administration through the University of Phoenix.
“I was at Tyco for thirteen years and, eventually, in the midst of one of the largest audits in the US. Among my other duties, I worked daily with the IRS Exam team. Eventually, we went from twenty-nine agents on-site until the last agent left after the merger with Johnson Controls,” he says. Pees then worked for nearly two years with Johnson Controls.
Pees is now director of federal and state controversy at Nestlé. “A former Tyco vice president who became head of tax at Nestlé carved out a perfect spot for me,” he says. “He also gave me the opportunity to take on state controversy as well, which helped develop my understanding of that facet of tax.”
Channeling Experience Within TEI
Pees admits that he didn’t know too much about TEI until he began working for Tyco. “The vice presidents and other staff were actively involved,” he says. “In fact, a coworker was the Florida Chapter president. She got me on board, and from the start I’ve really enjoyed it. I discovered that TEI membership is an excellent way to meet and integrate with other people, as a means to learn about issues from their perspective. That’s important, because too often you’re only exposed to what’s in front of you at your company.”
Throughout the years, Pees expanded his involvement with TEI. He has served on former International President Mitch Trager’s Executive Committee, as a member and chair of numerous other committees, and as a TEI seminar moderator. As vice chair of the Institute’s IRS Administrative Committee, he was also involved in advocacy, meeting with the IRS on transfer pricing and other important initiatives. “Just being involved at the national level, which a lot of people don’t even realize they can do, has been so good for me,” he says.
However, Pees says, engagement with TEI starts at the local level. “I believe you first have to be involved in TEI locally to understand what’s going on at home,” he advises. “As a chapter president, I try to encourage people to join local committees, engage with leaders, and explore deeper involvement. Members may be fearful of overcommitting, but it only takes as much time as you want to give and deciding whether you feel comfortable in queuing up for a larger role.”
Pees has outlined specific goals for his chapter presidency, including broader outreach and activities. “Florida is huge, and it’s difficult to get people together in just one location,” he says. “To date, we’ve hosted a few meetings and plan on scheduling additional events once a month throughout the state.” Other initiatives include reinvigorating the chapter’s scholarship program and developing a LinkedIn page, which other chapters have successfully deployed.
Life Outside the Tax World
When he’s not taking on tax controversy at work, Pees enjoys time with his family. “I love the music of Billy Joel, but I have no musical talents,” he says. “Yet both of my children are drummers, and their talent is inspiring.
“Watching sports is also my thing—my dad was a football coach and taught me to love the game—and I golf when I can,” he says. “I also enjoy vacations to different parts of the US and the world and have scheduled many vacations around TEI conferences.”
He also notes the importance of faith in his family’s life: “My wife and I are big volunteers at our church, so our Sundays are pretty full.”
