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J.S. Held Strengthens Forensic Accounting and Financial Investigations Expertise and Expands Suite of Services in Canada with Acquisition of ADS Forensics
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What truly differentiates J.S. Held is our people — world-class talent driven by a common set of core values. Together, these shared values inspire a culture of integrity, excellence, teamwork, and service.
Chris Johnson joined J.S. Held’s Forensic Accounting Practice in 2019, when our company acquired HSNO. As one of the Vice Presidents in the Alpharetta, Georgia office, Chris uses his expertise in forensic accounting to quantify financial damages, solving complex accounting issues and translating the intricate results into a format that clients can easily understand. Chris approaches each project with professional skepticism, piecing together the financial puzzle and delivering the news.
Chris has dealt with forensic accounting matters across a multitude of industries, getting an inside look at various types of businesses. He connects with business owners and company executives to learn about their businesses and what they do. “Usually when I get involved something has happened that disrupted business and resulted in a financial loss, and I enjoy helping them recover what is owed to them,” said Chris.
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"I’ve had the pleasure to know and work with Chris for many years now. He brings a great attitude and understands the service industry we are in, always putting in the extra effort to meet clients’ needs."
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Chris has a strong history in forensic accounting, having accrued 15 years of experience at two other firms prior to joining HSNO. Chris first met Max Flynn and Robbie Brannon when they hired him straight out of college. At the time, Chris had just completed his Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Georgia. The three subsequently worked together for the next four years, during which time Chris received his MBA degree from Kennesaw State University and his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license from the State of Georgia.
Though considerably accomplished both academically and professionally, Chris describes becoming an Eagle Scout—the highest attainable rank for the Boy Scouts of America—as one of his proudest achievements. Chris’s hard work to become an Eagle Scout culminated in the completion of a service project for his community. It involved coordinating and building an amphitheater for a local school. Chris’s design even included a special sandpit used to observe the tracks of local wildlife.
Chris specializes in insurance matters relating to business interruption losses, which include cyberattacks, extra expense, and property damage. He also focuses on litigation matters relating to economic damages quantification, such as lost profits, lost wages, and fraud investigations.
Within the last 18 months, the frequency of cyberattacks has risen, fueling a steady increase in cyber-related insurance claims. Clients and business owners are increasingly receiving ransomware messages and are faced with the difficult decision of whether to pay the ransom. Chris gets involved after-the-fact to quantify the loss of business income. “The quantification approach is no different than a property damage claim. The same general questions are asked. Consider a fire, for example. After the fire is extinguished the business is unable to operate due to the physical damages to the property. In a cyberattack, the physical building is not damaged. However, all the electronic data is locked by the hacker, and the business cannot operate as normal. In both instances, the business may suffer financial losses,” Chris says.
Chris describes himself as easy going and hardworking: “Every role that I have had over the years has helped to shape the accountant I am today. They helped strengthen my investigative abilities in quantifying losses and economic damages and my ability to explain my findings.”
A great deal of Chris’s personal life is spent outdoors. He enjoys supporting his kids, who participate in many different sporting activities; spending time on the lake and hiking; and running the occasional half marathon. As a University of Georgia alumnus, he is often found cheering on the Bulldogs.
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“The love of a family is life's greatest blessing.”
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Chris volunteers at his local church, North Avenue Presbyterian Church, where he was involved as a deacon. He also supports his children’s school by coaching the Run Club, a program that helps kids build agility and, ultimately, run a 5k race.
Interested in learning more about Chris Johnson? Send him an email at [email protected] or connect with him on LinkedIn.