Douglas Shulman became the 47th Commissioner of Internal Revenue and began his five-year term on March 24, 2008. He presides over the nation's tax administration system, which collects approximately $2.4 trillion in tax revenue that funds most government operations and public services. He manages an agency of over 100,000 employees and a budget of approximately $11 billion.

As Commissioner, Shulman has emphasized a balanced program between taxpayer service and tax enforcement. The IRS goals are improving service to make voluntary compliance easier for taxpayers while at the same time enforcing the law to make sure everyone meets their obligation to pay taxes. 

Commissioner Shulman has stressed several key initiatives during his tenure. In the face of increasing globalization of tax administration, he has stepped up IRS activity on a variety of international and corporate tax issues. During the financial downturn, the IRS balanced demands of the economic stimulus program with regular tax administration work to ensure that 106 million refund checks and 116 million stimulus payments reached the hands of taxpayers in 2008. In the face of an aging workforce, Commissioner Shulman created the Workforce of Tomorrow task force to ensure that in five years the IRS has the leadership and workforce ready for the next 15 years and to help make the IRS the best place to work in government.

Commissioner Shulman came to the IRS from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the private-sector regulator of all securities firms doing business in the United States. As vice chairman, he was responsible for strategy, services and operations.

He served in the same role at the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) before its 2007 consolidation with New York Stock Exchange Member Regulation, which resulted in the formation of FINRA. After joining NASD in 2000, Commissioner Shulman played an integral role in restructuring the company, led the negotiations of the sale of the NASDAQ stock market and American Stock Exchange, oversaw the launch of industry-wide bond market transparency and modernized NASD's technology operations.

Earlier in his career, Commissioner Shulman was involved with several start-up organizations, was a vice president of a private investment firm and served as Senior Policy Advisor and then Chief of Staff of the National Commission on Restructuring the IRS.

Commissioner Shulman holds a B.A. from Williams College, an M.P.A. from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.