Geoffrey J. Christian

Geoff Christian is a Senior Tax Specialist who joined Dow Lohnes Price Tax Consulting Group LLC in 2001, became a Member in 2005 and became Managing Member of the group in 2006. As the Managing Member, Mr. Christian has been instrumental in expanding the firm's media practice and has developed close working relationships with companies in cable, broadcasting, publishing, Internet services, interactive media and entertainment.  Under Mr. Christian's leadership, the firm has provided, and continues to provide, significant state tax services and dispute resolution to numerous companies, both public and private, with multiple lines of business in publishing (both subscription and non-subscription newspapers and periodicals), television and radio broadcasting, Internet, cable, sports entertainment, television programming and film production.

Mr. Christian's practice primarily consists of successful resolution of state and local tax examinations throughout the country for multistate Fortune 500 companies for a broad range of issues including unitary/non-unitary, business/nonbusiness, apportionment, intercompany expenses and addbacks, filing positions and constitutional matters.  Consulting services include identification of state and local tax opportunities and exposures with resolution through affirmative refund claims and voluntary disclosure filings and prospective operational changes resulting in facts justifying a different tax treatment.  Mr. Christian is also involved with Internal Revenue Service controversies, transaction taxes, sales and use taxes, property taxes, tax litigation support and other tax planning matters.

Mr. Christian started his career with KPMG Peat Marwick in Greenville, South Carolina in 1989, last serving as Senior Tax manager of the Information, Communications, and Entertainment practice in the Georgia/Carolina region with multiple clients in daily and community newspapers, radio and television broadcasting, and cable and entertainment production and distribution.  In this capacity, Mr. Christian managed all aspects of federal and state compliance and tax planning including such projects as FAS 109 implementation, earnings and profits study, state amended returns to reflect federal audit adjustments, determination of basis in the stock of subsidiaries, and services related to mergers and acquisitions for a variety of media clients.  Mr. Christian also managed the provision of tax services in the firm's regional Manufacturing, Retail and Distribution practice.

In 1999, Mr. Christian became the Tax Director for Advantica Restaurant Group, Inc., the nation's largest operator of family dining restaurants with brands such as Denny's, El Pollo Loco, CoCo's and Carrows and was responsible for federal and state compliance including income, franchise, sales and use, and property taxes for over 2,000 locations with filings in every state.