Former U.S. Controller, Champion of Feds Goes to Private Practice

Danny Werfel, the Office of Management and Budget stalwart whom President Obama tapped in May 2013 to stabilize the troubled Internal Revenue Service, has begun a job in the private sector, his new employer announced Monday.

The former U.S. controller is now a director in the Washington office of the Boston Consulting Group, working in the firm’s public sector practice, which serves government clients around the world. “In more than 16 years working with federal agencies, I had the great opportunity to work alongside a number of dedicated and talented public servants. Our unifying goal was to make the government work more efficiently and effectively,” Werfel told Government Executive.

“This unique experience as a civil servant, coupled with my passion for addressing public sector management challenges, is why I’m excited to join the team at BCG. I look forward to this new challenge and continuing to provide the public sector with improvements in areas of organizational and operational effectiveness,” he added.

BCG has extensive federal experience, having produced in March 2011, for example, a key report on restructuring the Securities and Exchange Commission. “Danny brings an exceptional track record and understanding of the challenges facing government agencies today,” said Sharon Marcil, a senior partner who leads BCG's Washington-based practice. “His ability to deliver results at the highest levels of complex government organizations and drive tangible improvements in areas of organizational and operational effectiveness will be a great asset for our clients.”

An attorney and veteran of OMB, Werfel served on the Government Accountability and Transparency Board, the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board and the IRS Oversight Board.

His last assignment for the Obama administration was seven months as acting commissioner at the IRS, where he had the tough task of replacing executives and cutting bonuses, travel and conferences. Werfel also had to devote much staff time to redacting documents to be handed over to congressional investigators probing the controversy over the agency’s mishandling of applications for tax-exempt status from primarily conservative nonprofits.

At OMB, he became a specialist in financial management and information technology, as well as a vocal advocate for the value of government service. He remains a fellow at the National Academy of Public Administration.