We are pleased to serve our clients near Mt. Juliet, TN through our convenient office located in the heart of Mt. Juliet right across the street from the library.  Get to know our team below and click to read more about the history of our Mt. Juliet office.

Lisa E. McIntosh, CPA

Mt. Juliet and Murfreesboro Managing Director
(615) 758-1504

Lisa is the Mt Juliet and Murfreesboro Office Managing Director.  She obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Middle Tennessee State University.  She has over thirty years experience in public accounting including attest, financial reporting and tax.  She was the audit partner of Gillette, Henderson & Company, PLLC prior to the firm’s joining Blankenship CPA Group.  Her industry experience includes small business, governmental, construction, employee benefit plans and not for profits.  She is a member of the AICPA and TSCPA.   She is active in the Mount Juliet Chamber of Commerce, serves as Treasurer for the local Pregnancy Care Center and is a member of the Wilson Bank Community Council.

Cara Becht, CPA

Senior Manager
(615) 758-1509

Cara has over thirty years of public accounting and industry experience including 12 years with Ernst & Young. She graduated from Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. She has experience with various industries including construction, health care and employee benefit plan audits. Cara is a member of the AICPA and TSCPA. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling and attending Nashville Predator games.

Janice Beckham, CPA

Accounting Solutions Team Leader
615-758-1496

Janice is a 1988 graduate of Freed-Hardeman University with a Bachelor’s degree, majoring in Accounting. She is a member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants. She has over 10 years of experience in both the private and public sectors of accounting. Janice is involved at church working to help organize children’s classes and works with the young adults of her congregation. She and her husband James have two grown children and one in college.

Deborah Boles

Accounting Services
(615) 758-1503

Deborah has over 30 years of accounting experience in both public accounting and the private sector. She worked as a controller for a mid-sized engineering firm for 16 years, then started her public accounting career with a large local firm in Nashville in 2002. Her areas of expertise include controller functions, internal and external financial reporting and tax consulting and compliance for privately owned businesses. Deborah has been a QuickBooks ProAdvisor since 2003, and has trained employees in a variety of industries, with a specialty in construction.

Amy Bond, CPA

Manager
(615) 758-1494

Amy graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in 2000 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, majoring in accounting. She has experience in both private and public sectors and worked in SOX Compliance for an SEC company.  She is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor and enjoys working with other accounting programs and assisting with conversions and integrations. Whether it is sales tax, business license, payroll, income tax, etc., she can help small to mid-sized business in various industries get started on the right path.  She is knowledgeable when it comes to nonprofit accounting and tax. 

Amy and her husband own a local construction company which gives her a firm understanding of the needs and concerns of a business owner.  She loves spending time with family and two Boston Terriers going camping, spending time on the water or taking the Jeep out for ride.

Larry Chlum, CPA/PFS, CFA

Senior Consultant

(615) 754-1837

Originally from the Chicago area, Larry began his public accounting career in the tax department of a major CPA firm. He subsequently spent several years in the banking industry where he served as president of two community banks and a university credit union. Adding to his extensive experience, he managed the investment portfolio of a life insurance company. Larry obtained a Master of Science in Taxation from DePaul University and Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Benedictine University. He received the Elijah Watts Sells Award for the successful completion of the CPA examination. Larry is a CPA, Personal Financial Specialist and a CFA Charter holder. Larry and his wife Debbie enjoy spending time with their six children and grandchildren. He enjoys following capital markets, daily exercise and golf. He is an avid Chicago Cubs and Tennessee Titans fan!

Jeannie Eigle

Associate
(615) 992-9069

Jeff Fortner, CPA

Reporting Director
(615) 758-1489

Jeff Fortner joined the firm in 2020 after a 30-year career in internal accounting, financial reporting, and M&A with Deloitte. Jeff serves as our Director of Reporting, with responsibility for the financial reporting packages produced for our clients and also managing internal financial operations. Jeff gained his degree in Accounting from Lipscomb University in 1989. He and his wife, Tama, who is an accomplished Christian writer, are active in their church and have two college-age children, Lauren and Kaler. Jeff also serves as the Treasurer on the Board of Directors of Goodpasture Christian School. His hobbies include reading (the Bible, a good spy novel, or US history) and trying to re-discover his golf game, post-kids. He welcomes the opportunity to provide a listening ear, pays attention to detail, and transparency to Blankenship’s clients.

Jessica Freeman

Nonprofit Tax Manager
(615) 889-1153

Jessica Freeman joined the firm as a Nonprofit Tax Manager in 2023, bringing 15 years of experience serving tax-exempt organizations.  She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Master’s degree in Taxation from the University of Kentucky. Jessica started her career in public accounting in 2007, gaining experience with individual, trust, partnership, nonprofit and corporate taxation. She quickly learned her passion was working with nonprofits and has had the opportunity to work with a wide range of tax-exempt organizations, including large hospital groups, federally qualified health centers, membership organizations, social welfare and educational organizations. During a one year hiatus from public accounting, she had the opportunity to work with hundreds of private foundations, earning a great amount of knowledge and interest in the unique tax compliance requirements for this sector.

Her interest in nonprofits goes beyond assisting clients with their 990 tax compliance. She loves to volunteer and connect with the organizations serving our community, including being an active member in her church. Serving as the PTA treasurer for her kids’ elementary school and troop leader for her daughter’s Girl Scouts troop allows her to encourage the younger generation to see the blessing in serving others.  She loves organizing group volunteer activities to help the individuals, animals, and environment that we live in.

Jessica is a licensed CPA in Kentucky and Tennessee. She currently resides in Hermitage with her husband and two children and loves to dabble in photography and writing whenever she gets the opportunity. 

John R. Gillette, CPA

Principal
(615) 758-1506

John, a graduate of East Tennessee State University, was born with the accounting gene having a bookkeeper for a mom.  His love for history and law coupled with his competitive spirit fueled a natural interest in tax law and planning.  He has been in the accounting profession since 1973 and is a former Internal Revenue Service agent and offers expertise in individual, business, trust and estate tax areas including tax court representation, planning and preparation. While with the IRS he taught revenue agent schools, was an OJI (on the job instructor) and was assigned to the district review, appeals and large case staff.  He has testified in US Tax Court, US District Court and numerous State courts. He is a member of AICPA, TSCPA, Life Member Institute of Business Appraisers, NSA and serves on various organizational boards.

Shelby Hamlet

Hailey Harrington 

Audit Associate

(615) 889-1153

A Nashville native, Hailey joined the BCPAG team in June 2023 after graduating Summa Cum Laude from Freed Hardeman University. At FHU, Hailey earned her Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration with concentrations in accounting. Previously, she worked as an Audit Intern at PricewaterhouseCoopers and as a Financial Analyst on the Hatchett Investment Team. Hailey is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public accountants and the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants. While not at work, Hailey is an active member of her church spending time in the children’s and youth ministry. She also enjoys spending time outdoors playing tennis and pickleball, swimming, and kayaking, as well as dedicating plenty of time to her family and friends.

Bob Jones, CPA

Tax Service
(615) 889-1153

Bob, a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, has worked in Internal Audit as well as public accounting. His main focus is tax work. He has worked with clients living overseas, farmers, business owners, day traders and business of varying sizes.

Bob, originally from Woodbury, now lives in Hendersonville with his wife, Penney, a private piano teacher. Prior to tax season you’ll generally find them at Belmont basketball home games.

Heather Key

Associate

(615) 992-9055

Rachel K. Lloyd, CPA

Tax Manager
(615) 889-1366

Rachel has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University and holds a Tennessee CPA license. In 2013 she was selected as one of the 35 CPA’s under the age of 35 for the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) Leadership Academy. As a Tax Manager for Blankenship CPA Group she helps her clients with various tax compliance and bookkeeping needs. Her clients cover a broad range of industries including creative professionals and entrepreneurs looking to start a new business. She has years of experience specializing in tax within Middle Tennessee at both public accounting firms and publicly traded companies. Since 2014 she has been involved in the Nashville Chapter Board of Directors within the Tennessee Society of CPAs; serving as president during 2018-2019. Rachel, a Nashville native, currently resides in Mount Juliet with her husband and son where she serves on the board of two local non-profit organizations.

Scott Lynn, CPA, CFE

Partner and Audit Operations Director
(615) 758-1508

Scott Lynn is the Audit Operations Director at Blankenship CPA Group with over 10 years of public accounting and management experience. He earned his undergraduate degree from Trevecca and a Masters in Business Administration from MTSU. Scott has a wide range of experience working with a variety of industries including non-profits, manufacturing, construction, third-party administrators, and staffing agencies.  He oversees the audit department in relation to scheduling, staffing, training and project management in addition to leading a number of larger audits throughout the year. Scott is very passionate about understanding our firm’s attest clients’ needs. He works diligently leading our audit team as we strive to deliver on expectations with the highest level of client care.

Scott is an active member of the Mt. Juliet Chamber of Commerce. He, his wife and their four children enjoy attending church, boating whenever possible, and playing sports in the backyard. He also enjoys golf and attempting handy projects around the house that he has never done before!

Sheena Lyttle

Administrative Associate
(615) 758-1153

Sheena is a graduate of Byrns High School in Cedar Hill, TN. She began working for a CPA firm in Springfield as a temporary seasonal office clerk. Her passion for organizing and facilitating day to day workflow functions allowed her the opportunity to grow into the office manager position and served there for ten years. She has experience in the commercial construction industry but enjoys her demanding role in office administration and accounting services at Blankenship CPA Group. Sheena, her husband and son enjoy the lake and beach. You can find them out on Old Hickory Lake most days! She enjoys reading, drawing and being outdoors.

Joseph Proctor, CPA

Partner 
(615) 964-6847

Mike Renshaw, CPA

Principal
(615) 889-1153

Mike is a graduate of the University of Kentucky where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. He is a CPA and has over 40 years of experience in Public Accounting.

Prior to joining Blankenship in 2023, he had his own accounting firm for 35 years.  His professional experience includes taxation for small businesses, individuals, trust, and consulting.

He enjoys playing golf, reading, and spending time with family, friends, and grandchildren.  He is a fan of the Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Braves, and the Southeastern Conference. Mike and his wife Susan live in Hermitage and have three married children.

Kristen F. Salaman, CPA

Assurance Sr. Manager
615-921-7004

Kristen is a graduate of Samford University in Birmingham Alabama and joined the audit team at Blankenship in 2018 after heeding the call to return to her hometown of Nashville. She works primarily with not-for-profit, employee benefit plan and governmental clients. She is a member of the Tennessee Society of CPAs as well as the Tennessee Government Finance Officers Association. In her free time, Kristen enjoys reading, hiking and spending time with family and friends.

Margaret Scott, CPA

Senior Audit Manager
(615) 889-1153

Lillian Wallace

Tax Associate
(615) 758-1510

Seth Wilkerson

Senior Associate
(615) 758-1512

Candace Meza

Associate
Audit Department
(615) 992-9067

Candace Howard graduated from Trevecca Nazarene University earning a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. She started off as an intern here at Blankenship and has since come aboard full time. Candace has experience working with Governmental Entities, Not-for-Profit Organizations, Small Businesses and 401K Plans. She is Bilingual in English and Spanish as she grew up in Quito, Ecuador! She enjoys volunteering for the Boys and Girls Club, tutoring and travelling.

Olivia Hedges

Associate

ASG Department