AFP Monthly Meeting - Gwen Griffith, Executive Director, Oregon Facilities Authority

January AFP Speaker

Gwen Griffith

Executive Director

Oregon Facilities Authority

New Math - The New Tax Law and Its Impact

Gwen will give us an update on the new tax law and its impact on everything.  (Haha)  Gwen is the Executive Directory of the Oregon Facilities Authority.  The OFA issues private activity municipals for agencies and non-profits around the state of Oregon.  With the new tax law, those financings have lost their tax exempt status.

Gwen's Bio:

Gwen is the Executive Director of an Oregon state agency that is housed at Tonkon Torp: the Oregon Facilities Authority. In this work, Gwen works closely with the Office of the State Treasurer to help Oregon nonprofits access low-cost financing for the acquisition of facilities and equipment through the issuance of revenue bonds. The Oregon Facilities Authority has issued over $3 billion in bonds in its 23 year history. 

In addition, Gwen's tax practice includes advice to individuals, businesses, nonprofit entities and local governments on federal and state tax issues. She is experienced in corporate, partnership and individual taxation matters, as well as the income tax and transfer tax issues of trusts and estates. Part of Gwen's practice focuses on the "sharing economy," including advice to cooperatives and cost-sharing entities, the creation of collaborative agreements among public and private entities, and innovative grant- and gift-making techniques. Gwen also addresses international tax issues, including foreign investment in businesses and assets, as well as FACTA and FBAR compliance. Gwen has been named as a Best Lawyer in Trusts and Estates since 2010 and as a Best Lawyer in Tax Law since 2012.

Gwen began her law career at the Dallas, Texas law firm of Akin Gump, and then spent a number of years teaching law school. She taught tax law at Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon for many years before joining the Eugene, Oregon boutique firm of Speer Hoyt PC. She came to Tonkon in 2008.