Our History

    The first meeting of the Atlanta Tax Forum, Inc. was held on September 17, 1976 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Atlanta. This historic event was brought about primarily as a result of efforts undertaken by Oliver C. “Tuffy” Murray, Jr., a senior tax partner with the CPA firm of Ernst & Ernst. In September 1976, Tuffy moved to Atlanta from Miami, Florida and noted the lack of a metropolitan Atlanta organization formed and operated for the purpose of providing technical tax training to prominent tax lawyers and accountants. Shortly thereafter, he began a series of meetings with the leaders of the Tax Sections of the other Big Eight and prominent Atlanta CPA and law firms with reputations for outstanding tax practices.

    The meetings culminated with a luncheon attended by the late William R. (Pat) Patterson, Esq., from  Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan, who, along with Tuffy, enlisted the aid of the late Lee H. Henkel, Jr., Esq., former IRS Chief Counsel and founder of the Henkel & Lamon law firm, and Brian Godwin, CPA, with Peat, Marwick & Mitchell, to form the Atlanta Tax Forum. Initial organizers also included the late William L. Kinzer, Esq., with the Powell, Goldstein, Frazier & Murphy law firm, Michael J. Quinn, Jr., CPA, with Peat, Marwick & Mitchell, and the late Orville N. Smith, CPA, with Arthur Andersen & Co.

Our Mission

    The mission and goals of the Atlanta Tax Forum, established by these gentlemen, continue to this day. These include the following:

              We will provide no less than six high quality technical tax and tax related programs to our members, accompanied by detailed written presentation materials.

   

              Our meetings will be structured so that our members will be provided the opportunity for significant professional and social interaction with their peers.

              Our programs will qualify our members for continuing professional and legal education credit.

              Our members are expected to contribute to the professional and social discourse at our meetings. Accordingly, members are expected to participate in at least fifty percent of our meetings.

              Our leadership should reflect our evolving membership. Accordingly, our organization will be led by an annually rotating slate of Officers elected by our Board of Trustees.