Franchot taps BRE Director Andrew Schaufele as successor when she departs at end of year
ANNAPOLIS, MD. — Comptroller Peter Franchot announced that Deputy Comptroller Sharonne R. Bonardi has accepted a position as executive director of the Federation of Tax Administrators (FTA). She will remain in her role with the Comptroller’s Office through the end of December.
Comptroller Franchot has named Andrew Schaufele, the current director of the Bureau of Revenue Estimates (BRE), to succeed Bonardi as deputy comptroller, effective January 3, 2022. Current BRE Chief Economist David Farkas will be the Bureau’s interim director.
“This is incredibly bittersweet news for me personally and for the agency professionally,” Comptroller Franchot said. “Sharonne is the heart and soul of the Comptroller’s Office. She is universally beloved by her colleagues, serves as a role model for our female employees, and is deeply respected by her peers across the country. I’m thrilled that Sharonne was selected for this national leadership role, one that suits her perfectly and that she has called a dream job.
“My sadness about her departure is tempered by Andy’s appointment as her successor,” Comptroller Franchot added. “During his time as director of the Bureau of Revenue Estimates, Andy has built the trust and admiration of colleagues, legislators and stakeholders by working tirelessly to develop precise revenue estimates, accurate fiscal notes and other important economic reports. I am confident Andy is the ideal person to fill Sharonne’s very big shoes and continue leading this agency forward.”
The FTA, based in Washington, D.C., provides services to state tax authorities and administrators, including research and information exchange, training and intergovernmental and interstate coordination. The organization also represents the interests of state tax administrators before federal policymakers.
“I’ve dedicated my entire 30-year career to improving tax administration in Maryland by making transparency, fairness and equality priorities for our agency. I look forward to advancing these ideals nationally in support of the mission and vision of the FTA,” said Bonardi, who is a past president of the FTA Board of Trustees. “I thank Comptroller Franchot for the opportunity to lead one of the best departments of revenue in the country. The agency is prepared for continued success and I look forward to its future achievements. My experience as deputy comptroller has prepared me well for an opportunity of a lifetime at FTA.”
On October 1, 2015, Comptroller Franchot appointed Bonardi as the first African American deputy comptroller of Maryland. Prior to that, Bonardi held numerous roles within the Compliance Division, including director, deputy director, assistant director, manager of the Hearings and Appeals Section, and attorney hearings officer. In each of those positions, she was the first person of color and second woman to be appointed to those roles. She also has been an administrative law judge with the Office of Administrative Hearings.
Kimberly J. Lewis, president of the FTA Board of Trustees, stated “The Board of Trustees was seeking a visionary, hands-on leader to guide the FTA forward. Unequivocally, Sharonne Bonardi is that leader. From her time as an attorney hearing officer in Maryland to her role as deputy comptroller, she has demonstrated a commitment to tax administration and supported the work of the FTA. Serving on the FTA Board during her tenure as president of the Board, I witnessed first-hand her leadership skills and her passion for tax administration. I am excited to have Sharonne take over the helm of the organization, and I know the staff and Board share my excitement and enthusiasm.”
Bonardi received her bachelor’s degree cum laude in English from Trinity University in 1989. She earned her juris doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law, and her master’s degree from The Johns Hopkins University’s Carey School of Business. She was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1993. Bonardi was named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women by The Daily Record in 2016 and 2019. She also is a 2018 Maryland Center Club Women in Business Financial Services Trailblazer honoree, 2019 Maryland Leadership in Law honoree, recipient of the 2019 Maryland State Bar Association’s Shulbank Tax Excellence Award, and the 2021 Federation of Tax Administrators’ Harley T. Duncan Tax Excellence awardee.
Bonardi sits on the Board of Directors for SECU MD, Maryland’s largest state- chartered credit union and is a past president of the Northeastern State Tax Officials Association. She is active in numerous civic organizations: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, The Links, Incorporated, and the MACPA Foundation. She lives in Baltimore County.
Schaufele is in his 10th year as BRE director, after serving as assistant director for several years. As the Bureau’s chief, Schaufele’s principal duties are to, in consultation with other branches of government, provide the official estimates for the State’s economy and revenues. He also has championed the agency’s adaptation of analytics and data warehousing with a focus towards improving decision-making criteria and fraud detection.
“Sharonne has worked tirelessly to usher the agency into the modern world, including matters of technology, personnel and taxpayer expectations. Her focus on personnel development and strategic planning leaves the Comptroller’s Office on a strong footing and with a roadmap for continued success,” Schaufele said. “On a more personal level, Sharonne has been a close colleague of mine for quite some time, so naturally this is bittersweet and she will be missed dearly. But I am excited for her to embark on the next stage of her illustrious career and I am excited to make my mark for the Comptroller’s Office, as well as for the taxpayers of Maryland.”
Prior to joining the Comptroller’s Office, Schaufele spent seven years in various private sector management positions, working in both consumer and commercial-oriented product lines. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Towson University, where he studied management and economics, and completed the joint Master’s of Business Administration program from the University of Baltimore and Towson University. He lives in Anne Arundel County.
