To maximize value for stakeholders--and themselves--founders need to make the right decisions concerning financial and legal issues such as capital structure, transactions, scaling, possible exits and personal financial planning. The choices they make today, for example, may have unanticipated consequences with respect to capital raises, taxable income, and income taxes. Join us to hear from this panel of financial and legal experts as they discuss what founders should do to achieve the best possible outcome.
Where & When
Room 212, Byers Hall, UCSF Mission Bay (1700 4th St., San Francisco)
5:30 to 6:30 PM, Tuesday, February 12, 2019
About the Speakers
Terrie Firestone (moderator) is a senior wealth director for BNY Mellon Wealth Management. In this role, she is responsible for new business development in the Northern California region, and works with individuals and families to identify how BNY Mellon’s investment and wealth management capabilities can help them reach their overall financial goals and life goals.
Terrie Firestone has more than 20 years of experience in the investment and financial services industry. Previously, she was a Senior Vice President at US Trust in Private Wealth Management. Prior to that, Terrie was a Managing Director with Smith Barney, where she led the Software and Networking Investment Research Teams. She was a nationally ranked Technology Analyst on the Wall Street Journal All Star Team and the Institutional Investor Magazine All American Team for many years. Terrie brought over 25 companies public, including Cisco Systems.
Terrie received a Bachelor of Science degree from Brown University in Applied Math and Economics and a Masters in Business Administration from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. She is a board member of the Palo Alto Financial Planning Forum, a member of the Santa Clara Estate Planning Council, a member of the UCSF Foundation Wellness Committee and the San Francisco City College auxiliary. In the past she has served on the UCSF Cancer Council, the Teach for America Gala Committee, and the Hillsborough Foundation Parent Giving Campaign.
Carolyn Amster is a Partner of Tax at BPM. She has over thirty years of experience in tax planning, research and tax compliance. She focuses her practice on minimizing federal and state tax liabilities, stock option planning, estate planning, preparation of tax projections, analyzing alternatives, identifying and researching complex tax issues, and representing clients before the IRS and Franchise Tax Board. She represents individual, trust, estate, nonprofit, corporate and pass-through entities in industries ranging from public charities and private foundations to software, professional services, high-tech, biotech, venture capital and real estate management.
James Huie is a corporate and securities partner in Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati's San Francisco office. James advises life sciences and technology companies on general corporate matters, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, strategic partnerships, and private equity and debt financings. He also has extensive experience in representing venture capital firms and other investors in private equity and debt financings.
As a national wealth strategist at BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Justin Miller works collaboratively with other advisors to provide comprehensive wealth planning advice to clients and their families. He also is an adjunct professor at Golden Gate University School of Law, a Fellow of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), and a sought-after speaker on tax, estate planning and family governance topics for leading conferences throughout the country, including events hosted by the AAML, the ABA, ACTEC, CalCPA, Santa Clara University, Stanford University, the State Bar of California, the State Bar of Georgia, the State Bar of Texas, STEP, UCLA, the University of Notre Dame, Vistage International, the Washington State Bar Association, and YPO. In addition, he has published numerous articles in publications such as the California Tax Lawyer, the California Trusts and Estates Quarterly, State Tax Notes, Tax Notes, and Trusts & Estates, and he is frequently quoted as an industry expert in the media.
Justin has served as an executive committee member of the State Bar of California Taxation Section, an executive committee member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Taxation Section, the chair of the Century City Bar Association Taxation Section, and the editor-in-chief of the California Tax Lawyer. Prior to joining BNY Mellon, he was an attorney at a major law firm, where he advised wealthy families, senior corporate executives and closely-held business owners regarding tax-efficient estate and business succession planning, trust law and management, and asset preservation.
Scott Taylor is a Partner in Assurance at BPM. He has over twenty-seven years of public accounting and private industry experience, including 10 years with a Big Four accounting firm. He provides both public and private technology, biotechnology, and healthcare, and nonprofit a variety of accounting and tax services, including financial statements, audit reviews, compilations, agreed-upon procedures and internal control evaluations. Scott also consults with management on complex accounting, tax, and SEC reporting matters.
Julie West chairs BPM's Corporate Tax Practice and the Firm's Life Science Industry Group. She was named one of San Francisco Business Times' 150 Most Influential Women professionals in 2012.
Julie works closely with biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, software, social media, communications, and manufacturing companies. She began her career at Deloitte and understands the complex business needs of pre-revenue startups to consolidated publicly-traded companies.
She has over 14 years of experience in public accounting and deals extensively with tax provisions (FAS 109/ ASC 740), FIN 48 analysis for uncertain tax positions, Section 382 studies to determine limitations on tax attributes, and sales tax exposure. She has advised companies involved in a wide arena of transactions, including mergers, asset and stock acquisitions, tax-free reorganizations and foreign expansion. She consults and reviews a variety of tax returns with multi-state and international filings, and helps guide her clients through financings and IPOs. Julie is passionate about building and mentoring her team of outstanding professionals.