Robert L. Shepherd
Mr. Shepherd recognized the need for unique consulting services on issues affecting government revenue agencies, leveraging on relationships and experience, and began what has evolved today into Shepherd Consulting Services, LLC an incomparable firm of former government officials leveraging on relationships and experience to assist clients with superior advice and assistance.
Mr. Shepherd holds a bachelors degree from Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana, and a Juris Doctor degree from Pace University, White Plains, New York. Mr. Shepherd began his 25 year government career with New York State, serving 7 years as a uniformed police officer where he performed general patrol duties and investigative assignments. Upon receipt of his law degree, Mr. Shepherd served 7 years as an Assistant District Attorney in New York City’s Bronx County. He was a Supervisor in the 40-attorney Appeals Bureau, overseeing federal court practice, felony trials, and extraditions, in addition to prosecuting appeals in all levels of state and federal courts.
Mr. Shepherd then served at the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for 11 years, where he was appointed Deputy Commissioner. He was responsible for the administration and implementation of the statewide investigation of all criminal tax fraud. The Office of Tax Enforcement, which he headed, was headquartered in New York City and maintained staffed offices in Albany, Plattsburgh, Syracuse and Buffalo.
Mr. Shepherd was very active in the Federation of Tax Administrators in sections bearing on his areas of responsibility, and in particular on tobacco issues. He was the Chair of the FTA’s Tobacco Tax Section in 1995 and served on its Executive Committee for many years. He was also the Northeast Regional Governor for several years. In 1996 he designed and successfully implemented a major program of cigarette tax enforcement at the retail level focusing civil enforcement to augment criminal enforcement efforts. That project alone was responsible for over ten million dollars in additional annual revenues to New York State. Under Mr. Shepherd’s leadership, the tax department partnered with the Department of Health in training county health inspectors to identify unregistered tobacco merchants and augmented retailer compliance.
Mr. Shepherd also headed a joint Government-Industry Advisory Council which recommended and implemented sweeping legislative changes in the criminal enforcement of Alcoholic Beverage taxes. He worked proactively with all levels of industry to reach an effective solution to an issue crippling legitimate business as well as impacting state revenues.
In 1997 Mr. Shepherd was responsible for successfully designing, coordinating and implementing a statewide field enforcement program aimed at tackling the issue of excise tax collection on sales of tobacco and fuel on Native American Reservations to non-Natives, until the Governor ended the initiative.
While with government, Mr. Shepherd served on several advisory and steering committees at the state and national levels in the motor fuel and tobacco areas. He was a member of several federal and local law enforcement Task Forces, and had be appointed a Special Deputy United States Marshall.
Mr. Shepherd’s expertise on tax enforcement and regulatory issues has frequently been sought by government and industry groups alike. He has appeared before state and international legislative bodies, and has been a sought after speaker by industry associations, law enforcement coalitions, and training conferences. He was regularly consulted by the media and has been featured in print and television reports, including Crains New York, and Inside Edition. Mr. Shepherd left government after 25 years of service, recognizing the need for specialized and unique consulting services based on his experience. He began representing one the nation’s largest cigarette tobacco corporations, working on tobacco tax, regulatory, audit and licensing issues both within the U.S. and internationally. He augmented that practice by also representing the country’s largest smokeless tobacco company, intricately involved in a project aimed at legislatively changing the methodology of taxation of smokeless tobacco, ultimately successful in 21 states. During that period, Mr. Shepherd partnered with another former government colleague, operating under the company name of Shepherd, Williams & Associates, LLC. This association successfully tackled a number of tobacco related issues involving taxation, regulation, stamping, and compliance operations involving the Master Settlement Agreement between the tobacco companies and 46 state attorneys general.
In addition to his tobacco related work, Mr. Shepherd also represented other large corporations on non-excise tax issues affecting state revenue departments, as well as several law firms and a number of smaller businesses and private clients. Mr. Shepherd is the former Executive Director of the Northeast Association of Wholesale Distributors, a trade organization of cigarette stamping agents and tobacco wholesalers in the New England States, and worked with the New Jersey Wholesale Marketers Association attempting to end illegal rebating.
Always on the lookout for new opportunities, Mr. Shepherd began to assist the nation’s largest tax preparation software company with their relationships with state revenue departments. Through his efforts, many new opportunities very beneficial to his clients were realized. During this period, Mr. Shepherd transitioned away from tobacco tax issues, and Shepherd, Williams and Associates, LLC was dissolved. Mr. Shepherd continued his efforts as Shepherd Consulting Associates, LLC and expanded his practice beyond the US border.
Most recently, Mr. Shepherd has worked with the nation’s largest tax and identity fraud prevention and investigation company to assist state revenue departments combat and prevent identity-based tax refund fraud, and other false and compromised identity related solutions.
Mr. Shepherd is always open to new challenges and opportunities.
Mr. Shepherd recognized the need for unique consulting services on issues affecting government revenue agencies, leveraging on relationships and experience, and began what has evolved today into Shepherd Consulting Services, LLC an incomparable firm of former government officials leveraging on relationships and experience to assist clients with superior advice and assistance.
Mr. Shepherd holds a bachelors degree from Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana, and a Juris Doctor degree from Pace University, White Plains, New York. Mr. Shepherd began his 25 year government career with New York State, serving 7 years as a uniformed police officer where he performed general patrol duties and investigative assignments. Upon receipt of his law degree, Mr. Shepherd served 7 years as an Assistant District Attorney in New York City’s Bronx County. He was a Supervisor in the 40-attorney Appeals Bureau, overseeing federal court practice, felony trials, and extraditions, in addition to prosecuting appeals in all levels of state and federal courts.
Mr. Shepherd then served at the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for 11 years, where he was appointed Deputy Commissioner. He was responsible for the administration and implementation of the statewide investigation of all criminal tax fraud. The Office of Tax Enforcement, which he headed, was headquartered in New York City and maintained staffed offices in Albany, Plattsburgh, Syracuse and Buffalo.
Mr. Shepherd was very active in the Federation of Tax Administrators in sections bearing on his areas of responsibility, and in particular on tobacco issues. He was the Chair of the FTA’s Tobacco Tax Section in 1995 and served on its Executive Committee for many years. He was also the Northeast Regional Governor for several years. In 1996 he designed and successfully implemented a major program of cigarette tax enforcement at the retail level focusing civil enforcement to augment criminal enforcement efforts. That project alone was responsible for over ten million dollars in additional annual revenues to New York State. Under Mr. Shepherd’s leadership, the tax department partnered with the Department of Health in training county health inspectors to identify unregistered tobacco merchants and augmented retailer compliance.
Mr. Shepherd also headed a joint Government-Industry Advisory Council which recommended and implemented sweeping legislative changes in the criminal enforcement of Alcoholic Beverage taxes. He worked proactively with all levels of industry to reach an effective solution to an issue crippling legitimate business as well as impacting state revenues.
In 1997 Mr. Shepherd was responsible for successfully designing, coordinating and implementing a statewide field enforcement program aimed at tackling the issue of excise tax collection on sales of tobacco and fuel on Native American Reservations to non-Natives, until the Governor ended the initiative.
While with government, Mr. Shepherd served on several advisory and steering committees at the state and national levels in the motor fuel and tobacco areas. He was a member of several federal and local law enforcement Task Forces, and had be appointed a Special Deputy United States Marshall.
Mr. Shepherd’s expertise on tax enforcement and regulatory issues has frequently been sought by government and industry groups alike. He has appeared before state and international legislative bodies, and has been a sought after speaker by industry associations, law enforcement coalitions, and training conferences. He was regularly consulted by the media and has been featured in print and television reports, including Crains New York, and Inside Edition. Mr. Shepherd left government after 25 years of service, recognizing the need for specialized and unique consulting services based on his experience. He began representing one the nation’s largest cigarette tobacco corporations, working on tobacco tax, regulatory, audit and licensing issues both within the U.S. and internationally. He augmented that practice by also representing the country’s largest smokeless tobacco company, intricately involved in a project aimed at legislatively changing the methodology of taxation of smokeless tobacco, ultimately successful in 21 states. During that period, Mr. Shepherd partnered with another former government colleague, operating under the company name of Shepherd, Williams & Associates, LLC. This association successfully tackled a number of tobacco related issues involving taxation, regulation, stamping, and compliance operations involving the Master Settlement Agreement between the tobacco companies and 46 state attorneys general.
In addition to his tobacco related work, Mr. Shepherd also represented other large corporations on non-excise tax issues affecting state revenue departments, as well as several law firms and a number of smaller businesses and private clients. Mr. Shepherd is the former Executive Director of the Northeast Association of Wholesale Distributors, a trade organization of cigarette stamping agents and tobacco wholesalers in the New England States, and worked with the New Jersey Wholesale Marketers Association attempting to end illegal rebating.
Always on the lookout for new opportunities, Mr. Shepherd began to assist the nation’s largest tax preparation software company with their relationships with state revenue departments. Through his efforts, many new opportunities very beneficial to his clients were realized. During this period, Mr. Shepherd transitioned away from tobacco tax issues, and Shepherd, Williams and Associates, LLC was dissolved. Mr. Shepherd continued his efforts as Shepherd Consulting Associates, LLC and expanded his practice beyond the US border.
Most recently, Mr. Shepherd has worked with the nation’s largest tax and identity fraud prevention and investigation company to assist state revenue departments combat and prevent identity-based tax refund fraud, and other false and compromised identity related solutions.
Mr. Shepherd is always open to new challenges and opportunities.