TEAM / Dante Handel

Dante brings deep experience in Georgia’s legislative and revenue arenas to The Southern Group, with a career rooted in public service and policy expertise. He began his work in state government with Senator Chuck Hufstetler, staffing the Senate Finance Committee, before joining the Georgia Department of Revenue’s legislative affairs team. There, he tracked hundreds of bills each session spanning income, sales, and property tax, motor vehicles, and regulated industries. Dante also played a key role in the landmark marketplace facilitator bill that defined the taxability of digital sales in Georgia.

At the Department of Revenue, Dante’s versatility extended beyond legislative affairs—he supported communications efforts, managed agency web content, clerked administrative hearings, and compiled the state’s monthly income tax credit report.

Building on his deep understanding of the tax code, Dante later joined the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG), where he represented all 159 counties on revenue and finance issues. His work focused on high-profile legislation, including HB 581 (2024), the statewide floating homestead exemption, and its subsequent cleanup bill, HB 92 (2025). Dante’s relationships reach across Georgia’s local government landscape, including tax assessors, commissioners, finance officers, and transportation leaders.

A graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in political science, Dante lives in Marietta with his wife, Abbye, and their two dogs.