Christopher Axene
CPA
Principal
Dublin, OH
Resident of Genoa Township, OH
Rea Team Member Since 2004
- Christopher oversees the federal tax planning practice for the firm, which includes complex tax transaction planning and review, choice of entity planning, IRS audit representation and tax due diligence for M&A transactions.
Topics or areas of expertise that Christopher can talk about (even in his sleep):
- Federal taxation of partnerships
- Choice of entity planning
- In-patriate taxation (US taxation of foreign nationals)
- Accounting methods
- Involuntary conversions
How we know he knows what he's doing:
- He holds a bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University
- He has 30 years of experience
Furthering his professional development, Chris is involved with:
- American Institute of CPAs
- Ohio Society of CPAs
When he's not in the office, you can find him:
- Serving as a trustee and finance committee member for Ohio Delta Company
- Serving with the Civil Air Patrol
- Flying
- Spending time with his wife and son
Inside The Mind Of...
- What does "A Brighter Way" mean to you? To me our motto captures what I aspire to provide in my advice/counsel to our clients. Oftentimes it's easy to simply confirm that a proposed transaction either will or will not result in a good tax outcome. The true value of our advice comes in helping a client turn an otherwise bad tax answer into a favorable one by recasting the proposed transaction in a way that will not only accomplish their business objectives but also produce a positive tax result. There's nothing brighter than that! What's your favorite aspect of your job? No two days are ever alike. Because of my role as a firm-wide technical expert, I might be involved in a business reorganization one day and advising on the US impact of an international expansion the next. It's never dull!
- What line of The Rea Way describes you the best? Be a good steward. I'm ever mindful of Mr. Rea's legacy and the duty we have to our people and to our communities to continue what he built by providing challenging and rewarding opportunities for our people while helping our clients achieve their goals and aspirations.
- What "bright idea" do you find yourself sharing over and over? I'm a big proponent of "never carry on a conversation via email or text." Pick up the phone and have the conversation. It eliminates misunderstandings/unintended meanings and it helps to form or solidify personal relationships with our clients.
Just For Fun:
- What did 10-year-old you want to be when you grew up? A fighter pilot
- What makes you get out of bed every day? The intellectual challenge of my job and not knowing what the day will hold
- What is your most prized possession? My grandfather's pocket watch. He unfortunately died before I was born so I never got to meet or know him. But holding something that he wore and used every day of his life creates a tangible connection between us.
I specialize in federal taxation of entities, primarily in the manufacturing industry. I represent clients before the IRS and various other state & local tax agencies. When I worked for Arthur Andersen, I lived by their motto: "Think straight, talk straight." I still value that today, and it shows in my client service.