IRS Announces New Leaders for Small Business and Examinations Divisions

The IRS has selected Darren Guillot as the Deputy Commissioner for Collection and Operations Support in the Small Business/Self-Employed Division (SB/SE) and De Lon Harris has been selected as the Deputy Commissioner for Examination.

“De Lon and Darren will play integral roles in our efforts to improve our taxpayer service and enforcement efforts,” said Eric Hylton, the newly named Commissioner of the Small Business/Self-Employed division. “There will be a special emphasis on coordinating our enforcement efforts within the IRS and working to maintain a balanced approach to ensure public trust of our tax administration efforts. It’s important our compliance efforts are robust and visible to the public.”

IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig announced on July 31 that Hylton was named SB/SE chief following an extensive career in IRS Criminal Investigation, where he previously served as deputy chief. SB/SE serves more than 50 million taxpayers including self-employed and small businesses with assets under $10 million. It also handles the agency’s civil side audit issues and works in coordination with IRS Criminal Investigation.

“Eric is assembling a talented team to continue a strong emphasis on taxpayer service in SB/SE while increasing efforts on a variety of critical enforcement issues,” Rettig said. “We want to help those who are trying to get it right. It is similarly important to deter those who are avoiding their filing and reporting obligations. This helps to assure the vast majority of law-abiding taxpayers that everyone is paying their fair share. The new leadership team in SB/SE will help support this goal as part of the larger work underway at the IRS.”

In his new role, Harris will provide executive oversight of SB/SE examination programs designed for taxpayers who file personal, corporate, flow-through, employment, excise and estate and gift returns. Prior to this position, De Lon served as the assistant deputy commissioner Compliance Integration in the Large Business & International division (LBI).

Harris also previously served as director Field Operations-Mid-Atlantic in LB&I, and director Field Operations-West in the Office of Appeals. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and a graduate certificate in project management from George Washington University.

In his new role, Guillot will provide executive leadership to SB/SE collection and operations programs. He will direct and oversee programs impacting taxpayers who file personal, corporate, flow-through, employment, excise and estate and gift returns.

Guillot previously served as the director of Field Collection where he led efforts to enforce tax laws and assist taxpayers in meeting their tax responsibilities. He also previously served as director, Enterprise Collection Strategy and director Field Operations, Office of Appeals.

Guillot holds a bachelor’s degree from Our Lady of Holy Cross College. He is a fellow of the Loyola University Institute of Politics and was awarded the certificate in public leadership by the Brookings Institute.