Sheldon S. Cohen

Sheldon Stanley Cohen (June 28, 1927 – September 4, 2018) was an American attorney who served as the Commissioner of Internal Revenue from 1965 to 1969.^[1]

Sheldon Cohen
35th Commissioner of Internal Revenue
In office January 25, 1965 – January 20, 1969
President	Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by	Mortimer Caplin
Succeeded by	Randolph W. Thrower
Personal details
Born	Sheldon Stanley Cohen (1927-06-28)June 28, 1927 Washington, D.C., U.S.
Died	September 4, 2018(2018-09-04) (aged 91) Chevy Chase, Maryland, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	George Washington University (LLB)

Background

Cohen was born in Washington, D.C., the son of a Lithuanian immigrant.^[2] He went to the District of Columbia public schools and served in the United States Navy during World War II. He received his law degree from the George Washington University Law School and practiced law in Washington, D.C. He was involved with the Democratic Party and served as the general counsel to the Democratic National Committee.^[3]

Commissioner of the IRS

In 1965 Cohen became the youngest ever Commissioner of Internal Revenue. He helped the IRS become fully computerized.^[2] Writing in 1968, John Brooks described him as "a man with close-cropped brown hair, candid eyes, and a guileless manner" who was "less gregarious and more reflective" than his predecessor Mortimer Caplin.^[4]

Death

He died of heart failure on September 4, 2018, in Chevy Chase, Maryland at age 91.^[5]

References

1. "The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio on December 29, 1964 · Page 39". Newspapers.com. 1964-12-29. Retrieved 2018-09-08.
2. "Sheldon Cohen, commissioner who computerized IRS, dies at 91". Times of Israel. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
3. Sheldon Cohen-obituary
4. Brooks, John (2014). Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street. p. 108.
5. "Sheldon S. Cohen, IRS commissioner who computerized agency, dies at 91". The Washington Post. 2018-09-05. Retrieved 2018-09-08.