Bios

Percy E. Dempsey

PERCY E. DEMPSEY, III, CPA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Percy E. Dempsey, III, a founder of the Firm, has practiced public accounting in the Middle Tennessee area for the past 25 years.

Mr. Dempsey provides visionary leadership for the Firm and serves as the Senior Partner in charge of the Consulting Services division of the Firm. His primary areas of expertise include negotiating the sale and acquisition of businesses, business contracts, and financial applications to financial institutions and third parties. Mr. Dempsey has strong involvement in the areas of estate and financial planning. Clientele have traditionally reflected a wide range of small, medium, and large-sized businesses, including wholesale distributors, manufacturing, professional services, retail trade, healthcare, and specialty contractors.

EDUCATION

1971 Bachelor of Science in Accounting - Austin Peay State University

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

  • Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
  • Member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA)
  • Board of Directors, MidSouth Bank
  • Board of Directors, City-County Cultural Arts Commision of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County
  • Board of Trustees, Mufreesboro City School Foundation
  • Past President of Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce

Paul B. Vantrease, Jr.

PAUL B. VANTREASE, JR., CPA, PFS

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Paul B. Vantrease, Jr. joined the Firm in 1980 and became a Partner in 1983. Mr. Vantrease's prior public accounting experience included associations with Blankenship, Sumnar & Associates and Bradley & Crenshaw.

In addition to the Firm’s administrative duties, Mr. Vantrease services a broad range of small to medium sized businesses. Clientele include businesses in wholesale and retail sales, manufacturing, construction, medical, real estate, legal, and other professional services and industries.

EDUCATION

1974 Associates in Science - Cumberland University

1976 Bachelor of Science in Accounting - Tennessee Technological University
Cum Laude

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

  • Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
  • Member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA)
  • Board of Director, Cedarstone Bank

Mark E. Follis

MARK E. FOLLIS, CPA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Mark E. Follis joined the Firm in 1981 while attending Middle Tennessee State University. He became a full-time staff member in May of 1982, and he was admitted as a Partner to the Firm in January of 1989.

Mr. Follis has a wide range of experience ranging from coordinating audits of multi-million dollar companies to tax planning for closely held businesses. The companies he works with traditionally reflect a wide range of industries including non-profits, retail trade, health care, real estate, professional services, construction, and light manufacturing. Mr. Follis' primary area of interest deals with tax planning for closely held businesses including estate planning, corporate tax planning, individual planning, and working with qualified retirement plans.

Mr. Follis has also been involved in the past with the Firm’s quality control function. He extensively revised the Firm's quality control manual and also implemented a major change in the use of the Firm's practice aids.

EDUCATION

1983 Bachelor of Business Administration - Middle Tennessee State University
Magna Cum Laude

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

  • Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
  • Member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA)
  • Community Advisory Board, SunTrust Bank, Murfreesboro, TN

Timothy L. Montgomery

TIMOTHY L. MONTGOMERY, CPA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Tim Montgomery joined the Firm in 1993. After graduation from Middle Tennessee State University in December, 1987 he joined Marlin & Edmondson, P.C. as staff accountant. He also worked as a senior accountant at National Health Care, L.P in 1992. Currently, he is the Partner in charge of audit services.

Mr. Montgomery’s experience includes planning and performing audit engagements for companies varying in size. He also has a wide range of tax preparation experience with individual, partnership, corporate and non-profit information returns. Mr. Montgomery’s experience includes work with a variety of industries, including construction, health care, real estate, professional services, light manufacturing, and employee benefit plans. He has broad experience with not-for-profit organizations, including private universities and schools. He also works with governmental clients, including those with single-audits.

EDUCATION

1987 Bachelor of Business Administration - Middle Tennessee State University
Cum Laude

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

  • Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
  • Member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA)

R. Michael Hallum

R. MICHAEL HALLUM, CPA, CVA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Mike Hallum joined the firm in 1996 after spending the first eleven years of public practice in Atlanta. Mr. Hallum has a wide range of experience including individual and business tax, along with audits and reviews of closely held businesses in a variety of industries. Mr. Hallum works with many of the firm’s new business start ups and consulting for small and medium size business owners. Mr. Hallum’s primary areas of expertise are in the areas of individual and business tax, business valuations, litigation support and general business consulting.

EDUCATION

1985 Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting - Georgia State University

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

  • Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
  • Member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA)
  • Member of the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA)

Jeffrey O. Brown

JEFFREY O. BROWN, CPA, CFP

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Jeffrey O. Brown rejoined Dempsey Vantrease & Follis PLLC in 1997. In 1986 he joined Dempsey, Wilson & Co., P.C. as a staff accountant and was promoted to supervisor in 1990. Mr. Brown left the Firm in 1991, accepting a position with a home medical equipment company as Chief Financial Officer. After the sale of the company, Mr. Brown rejoined the Firm to work in the consulting division.
As a member of the Firm’s consulting division, Mr. Brown works in all areas of financial and estate planning. He also has a wide range of taxation experience with individual, partnership, and corporate entities. Mr. Brown is licensed as a Certified Financial Planner and an investment and insurance broker with Linsco/Private Ledger.


EDUCATION

1982 Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing – Middle Tennessee State University


PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants   (TSCPA)
Member of the Rutherford County Child Advocacy Board

Ralph H. Turley

RALPH H. TURLEY, III, CPA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Ralph H. Turley, III joined Dempsey Vantrease & Follis PLLC as a partner in October, 2002. He has practiced accounting in Rutherford County for twenty-nine years, and twenty-seven of those years as a partner with a local firm. He received his accounting degree from the University of Alaska while stationed in Anchorage, Alaska with the United States Army.

Mr. Turley’s primary areas of experience include business consulting, tax planning and preparation, and financial consulting. His client base is primarily located in the Middle Tennessee area.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science, Liberal Arts – University of Tennessee
1970 Bachelor Business Administration, Accounting – University of Alaska

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

  • Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
  • Member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA)

Kristopher T. Parkhurst

KRISTOPHER T. PARKHURST, CPA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Kristopher T. Parkhurst joined the firm in 1995. He is an honors graduate of Middle Tennessee State University where he earned Bachelors and Masters degrees in business administration. He also holds the designation of Certified Financial Planner.

Mr. Parkhurst has a wide range of experience in the areas of individual, partnership, corporate, estate, and trust tax preparation. He assists clients with personal and business tax planning as well as estate planning. Also as a business consultant, he places emphasis on assisting new businesses during the start-up phase and advising proprietors during the business entity selection process.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting – Middle Tennessee State University
1996 M.B.A., Accounting – Middle Tennessee State University

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

  • Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
  • Member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA)

BARBARA J. SUTTON, CPA, MBA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Barbara Sutton rejoined Dempsey Vantrease & Follis PLLC in 2005.  Originally joining DVF in 1993, Ms. Sutton left the firm to create Sutton and Company.  In 2005 DVF and Sutton and Company merged offices and Ms. Sutton joined DVF as a firm manager. 

Ms. Sutton provides a wide range of services to individuals and businesses focusing on small business and operations consulting.  Ms. Sutton strives to meet each client's specific needs in planning for the future and achieving their goals in an ever-changing financial and regulatory environment.

Ms. Sutton has a specific focus on the healthcare field covering an extensive and diverse range of medical and dental clients in various phases of their practice from initial help with financing and proformas to operational reviews. 

EDUCATION

1977 Bachelor of Arts – Economics and Business Administration
Vanderbilt University
1993 Master of Business Administration – Middle Tennessee State University

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA)
Member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
Board of Directors, Board Chair, YMCA of Rutherford County
Board of Directors, Past-President, Boys and Girls Clubs of Rutherford County
Board Member, Middle Tennessee State University Accounting Advisor Board
Member of Murfreesboro Noon Rotary

Brian F. Kidd

BRIAN F. KIDD, CPA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Brian Kidd joined the Firm in December, 2004 as a manager in the audit division of the firm. He previously worked for Blankenship CPA Group, PLLC as a senior manager.

Mr. Kidd has over six years experience that spans the accounting sector specializing in providing attestation, tax, and advisory services to companies in industry, not-for-profit entities, and employee benefits plans. He has thorough knowledge of audit and tax related issues, including OMB A-133 compliance audits, surrounding colleges and universities.

EDUCATION

1998 Bachelor of Science, Accounting - Middle Tennessee State University

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

  • Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
  • Member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA)
  • Treasurer, The One Hundred Club of Rutherford County, Inc.
  • President Elect, Murfreesboro Kiwanis Club
  • Board of Trustees, Candle Wishes Foundation

SHARON EVINS, CPA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Sharon Evins joined the Firm’s Lebanon office predecessor in 1995. After graduation from Kennesaw College in June, 1986, she worked for a reinsurance company as staff accountant, and later joined Lattimore, Black, Morgan & Cain as a staff auditor. Currently, she is in charge of audit services in the Lebanon office.

Ms. Evins’ experience includes planning and performing audit engagements for companies varying in size. She also has a wide range of tax preparation experience with individual, partnership, corporate and non-profit information returns. Ms. Evins’ experience includes work with a variety of clients, including construction and non-profit and governmental organizations, and employee benefit plans.

EDUCATION

1986 Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting – Kennesaw College

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

  • Member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA)

OTHER ASOCIATIONS

  • Treasurer, Boy Scout Troop 360

 

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