Mays Receives 2014 Pillar of Excellence Award

Janice Mays, Democratic Staff Director, Chief Counsel, and Former Chief Tax Counsel of the House Ways & Means Committee received the 2014 Pillar of Excellence Award at the Tax Council Policy Institute's 15th Annual Tax Policy & Practice Symposium in Washington, D.C.:

The 2014 award is given to Mays based on her extraordinary dedication and contribution to the field of tax law and policy. ... "Janice Mays embodies all the characteristics the Pillar of Excellence Award was designed to recognize," said Lynda K. Walker, executive director and general counsel of TCPI. "For more than three decades she has been a driving force behind federal tax policy development and is both widely regarded as a thoughtful expert and highly respected on both sides of the aisle for her leadership on Capitol Hill. We are honored to present the award to Janice, who has dedicated her career to shaping sound and fair tax policy."

Mays is the first woman and fifth overall recipient of this award, which honors individuals who consistently go above and beyond what is required, proving to be true leaders in their field. ... Qualifications for the Pillar of Excellence Award include playing a key role in tax policy; its impact on the tax business and national economy; participation in knowledge-sharing opportunities; and demonstration of the overall understanding of tax policies among professionals, executives and policymakers.

Mays joined the Committee staff in 1975 after receiving her undergraduate degree (cum laude) from Wesleyan College in Macon, Ga., and her juris doctorate from the University of Georgia College of Law.  She also holds a Master of Law in taxation from the Georgetown University School of Law.