BPS - Key Persons
Leadership
Allyson joined BPS in 2018. Since beginning her career as a trusted advisor in public accounting, she has gained a wealth of experience advising closely held businesses and high-net-worth individuals, including pass-through entities and family-owned businesses.
Job Titles:
- in 2019 As a Tax Associate
Ashley joined BPS in 2019 as a tax associate. Ashley enjoys spending time in the gym, listening to music and watching documentaries.
Education:
B.S., Business Administration, University of South Carolina - Aiken
Masters of Accountancy, University of South Carolina
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Audit / Assurance
Barbara joined BPS in 2022 as an audit associate. She is currently working towards obtaining her CPA designation.
Education:
B.S., Accounting, Clemson University
Barbara joined BPS in 1994. Since beginning her career in public accounting, she has gained extensive experience in planning and consulting with clients in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, professional services, telecommunications, and technology.
Barbara's primary focus is closely held businesses and their owners, as well as multi-state corporate and partnership taxation. She successfully completed the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Certificate of Educational Achievement program for Tax Planning & Advising for Closely Held Businesses. Prior to BPS, Barbara was a senior tax accountant with a leading U.S. accounting firm.
Areas of Expertise:
Closely Held Business
Ben started with BPS in 2021 and currently serves as an audit senior associate. He attended Clemson University for both his Bachelor of Science and Masters in Accountancy. He is originally from New Hampshire. In his free time, he likes to fish, go to concerts, and teach his dog new tricks.
Areas of Expertise:
Auditing and Financial Reporting
Leadership
Ben joined BPS in 2008. He has a vast amount of experience in preparing fiduciary and estate income tax returns.
The administration of a trust or estate can be complicated. Ben is knowledgeable of the available elections and distribution rules that are essential to competent administration. He works closely with trustees, personal representatives of estates, attorneys, and financial advisors. He provides accounting and tax services to a variety of high-net worth individuals and their associated entities. Ben specializes in The Uniform Principal and Income Act, which governs how to allocate receipts and expenditures of the estate and trust between principal and income accounts. He is an experienced professional who stays informed with current legislation regarding fiduciary and gifting regulations.
Ben enjoys being part of a team that works together to achieve the best results for the family and understands their goals and needs.
Areas of Expertise:
Estates and Trust Tax Planning and Compliance
Leadership
Beth joined BPS in 1994 and became a shareholder in 2013. She is the firm's leading expert on trusts and estates.
No one likes to dwell on the prospect of his or her own death. Postponing estate planning until it's too late runs the risk that beneficiaries may not receive what they were intended to receive whether due to extra administration costs, unnecessary taxes, or squabbling among heirs.
These very real circumstances are why Beth advocates for professional estate planning, regardless of the size of the estate. It allows the individual to ensure their property goes to intended recipients, in the way they want, and when they want. An effective plan also allows individuals to save as much as possible on taxes, court costs, and attorneys' fees.
Beth offers a broad range of proactive tax, estate, and succession planning for individuals and businesses. She works closely with both beneficiaries and fiduciaries of trusts and estates regarding South Carolina's probate and trust laws. Once a plan is in place, Beth remains in close contact with her clients and their legal advisors during implementation as well as adjusting the plan as needs change. She also assists families upon the death of a loved one, including working with the probate court, funding and administering trusts, and assisting family members through the various processes and filing necessary tax returns.
Job Titles:
- Manager
- Manager / Audit / Assurance
Brett joined BPS in 2013. A manager in the audit department, he specializes in providing assurance and business advisory services to manufacturing, automotive, distribution, and construction clients. He also enjoys working with not-for-profit entities and employee retirement plans.
A native of Columbia, Brett began college at the University of North Carolina (UNC) and earned a Bachelor of Science from Winthrop Univiersity, where he majored in Accounting. While at UNC and Winthrop, Brett was a member of the baseball team and member of Beta Alpha Psi National Accounting Honor Society.
Areas of Expertise:
Audit/Assurance
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager
- Senior Manager / Audit / Assurance
Brittany joined BPS in 2020. Prior to this, Brittany worked with a regional public accounting firm for seven years. She has a broad range of experience serving audit and assurance clients in various industries, to include: retail, manufacturing and distribution, nonprofit, and software. Brittany also has extensive experience related to employee benefit plan audit engagements.
Brittany earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Clemson University in 2010, where she majored in Accounting and minored in Legal Studies. She also received her Masters of Professional Accountancy from Clemson University in 2012.
Brittany is a native of Greenville, S.C. and a devout Clemson Tiger fan. She enjoys Tiger football, dancing, reading, and spending time with her family in her free time.
Education:
B.S., Accounting, Clemson University
Masters of Professional Accountancy, Clemson University
Bryan joined BPS in 2015. He currently serves as tax manager. He is a member of the tax department and provides tax compliance and planning services for various clients. Prior to joining BPS, Bryan worked for a beverage distributor based in Columbia. He earned his Master of Accountancy from the University of South Carolina in 2015, and in September of 2016, Bryan received his CPA license.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- in 2023 As a Tax Associate
Caitlin Flory joined BPS in 2023 as a tax associate. She is originally from Indiana and moved to South Carolina to enjoy the warmer weather. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her 4 pups, watching or playing most sports, and doing puzzles. She is currently working towards her CPA designation
Education:
B.S., Accounting, Purdue University
Caleb Sawyer joined BPS in August 2020 as a tax associate. He previous worked as an intern in our tax department in the spring of 2020. Caleb enjoys fishing, golfing and hanging out with friends and family. He is currently working towards his CPA designation.
Leadership
Chris joined BPS in 1992 as a shareholder. Chris's practice is comprised of three niches: telecommunications, insurance, and entrepreneurial services.
Chris has provided accounting and business advisory services to telecommunications carriers throughout the United States for more than 25 years. His first telecommunications clients included some of the nation's largest wireless carriers early in the development of the wireless industry. His practice has grown to include fiber networks, local exchanges, cable television, internet service providers, as well as wireless carriers nationwide.
Christian joined BPS in 2019 as a tax staff accountant. He graduated from the University of South Carolina with his master in accountancy in May of 2019. In his free time, Chrisitan enjoys spending time with family and friends and enjoying the outdoors.
Areas of Expertise
Individual Income Tax
Education:
Master of Accountancy, University of South Carolina
B.S., Accounting, University of South Carolina
Job Titles:
- in 2019 As a Staff Accountant
Cimone joined BPS in 2019 as a staff accountant in our audit department. A native of Toronto, Canada, Cimone received a four-year scholarship from Converse College to play soccer. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Converse, she went on to earn a Master of Public Accounting degree from Clemson University. She believes the dedication and work ethic she applied throughout her collegiate sports career prepared her well for her professional career as an audit/assurance professional.
Job Titles:
- in 2020 As a Tax Associate
Cora joined BPS in 2020 as a tax associate. She is currently working towards her CPA designation.
Job Titles:
- Small Business Accountant
Craig joined BPS in 2015 as a bookkeeper in the small business department. He was employed at the Clarion Hotel in Columbia for the past 22 years. At the Clarion, he started as a night auditor and then became the hotel controller. Craig is originally from Pittsburgh, graduating from Penn State University with a degree in Accounting. He has experience in accounts receivable, accounts payable, sales tax, and payroll. He is also proficient in a variety of accounting software.
Job Titles:
- Manager
- Manager / Audit / Assurance
Danielle joined BPS in 2017. She provides audit and attestation services to various clients including telecommunications & technology, employee benefit plans, contractors, and manufacturing. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Clemson University in 2016, where she majored in accounting and minored in financial management. She also received her Master of Professional Accountancy from Clemson University in 2017. In her free time, she enjoys running, playing with her dog Bowman, and baking (with a specialty in decorating sugar cookies)!
Areas of Expertise:
Audit/Assurance
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Audit / Assurance
Danielle joined BPS in 2022 as an audit associate. When she is not working, she enjoys being outside and hanging out with friends and family. Danielle is currently working toward her CPA designation.
Education:
B.S., Accounting, Clemson University
Leadership
David joined BPS in 2006, his first job out of college. Rising through the ranks, he became a partner in 2021 and is also the director of BPS' audit and assurance practice, which provides audit and attestation services to clients across a broad spectrum of industries on a national and state level.
BPS has a "people first" philosophy, which has allowed us to grow and develop our people into both talented professionals and future leaders of the firm. Having started at BPS right out of college when we had roughly 40 people, it's been amazing to see us more than double in size since I joined. This is a testament to the great leadership of the firm and our philosophy of putting our people first.
Additionally, David is the lead audit professional on BPS' property and casualty insurance team, which includes regional and national commercial carriers, mutual insurers, captive insurance, reciprocals, and risk retention groups domiciled throughout the United States.
BPS is recognized among the top accounting and tax advisors to the captive industry by Captive Review. Captive insurance companies are among David's specialties, and he consults on a national basis with clients considering establishing captive insurance companies on the issues of feasibility, formation, operations, and governance. He is a member of and actively involved in captive insurance associations in South Carolina, North Carolina and Vermont, and chairs the education committee for the South Carolina Captive Insurance Association and coordinates its Captive Academy.
Job Titles:
- ACI / Manager
- ACI / Manager / Audit / Assurance
David joined BPS as an audit staff accountant in 2015. He provides audit and attestation services primarily to clients in the captive insurance industry. David studied at Coastal Carolina University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Accounting and Marketing.
Areas of Expertise:
Audit & Assurance
Leadership
Denise joined BPS in 1997 and was named shareholder in 2013. Denise serves businesses and their owners by providing compliance and planning in a wide range of industries, including real estate, construction, distribution, manufacturing, multi-state corporations, and telecommunications.
Job Titles:
- CISSP, CISA, CITP, CCSFP / Senior Manager
Eddie became a member of BPS's audit and business advisory department in 2013 after graduating from the University of Tennessee. His audit experience includes servicing clients operating in the fields of manufacturing, telecommunications, distribution, construction, real estate, power production, captive insurance and management, and emergency communications.
His passion is assisting clients in meeting their compliance goals, and performing examinations for those already compliant. His Systems and Organization Control audit experience includes systems for accounting, database, claims processing, collection, fiber optics, network security and datacenter organizations.
He is a licensed CPA in the state of Tennessee and a member of various professional and education support organizations such as PrimeGlobal, AICPA, NASBA, TSCPA, SCACPA and ISACA.
Job Titles:
- Manager
- Manager / Audit / Assurance
Betsy joined BPS in 2009. She provides audit and attestation services to clients primarily in the distribution, manufacturing and captive insurance industries. She also serves on the firm's employee benefit plan practice providing audit services to clients with Company sponsored employee retirement plans.
Betsy earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from the University of South Carolina in 2009. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a double major in Marketing and Management and minor in French from the University of South Carolina in 2007.
Job Titles:
- Supervisor
- in 2019 As a Tax Associate
Erin joined BPS in 2019 as a tax associate. Erin loves to travel and spend time with friends, family, and her two labs.
Education:
B.A., Accounting, Wofford College
Master of Accountancy, University of South Carolina
Job Titles:
- Small Business Accountant
Heather joined BPS in 2016 as a bookkeeper for the Business Solutions Group. She is knowledgeable in general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and sales tax.
Heather has 24 years of experience in the construction industry accounting.
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager
- Senior Manager / Audit / Assurance
Jamie joined BPS in 2015 as a staff accountant. He is a member of the audit and business advisory departments, providing audit and attestation services to clients in a wide range of industries. Jamie earned his Masters of Professional Accountancy at Clemson University and his Bachelor of Science in Accounting at North Greenville University.
Education:
MPAcc, Clemson University
B.S., Accounting, North Greenville University
Job Titles:
- Small Business Accountant
Jennifer is originally from Indianapolis, IN and relocated to South Carolina in 2023 when she joined BPS. She has 25 years of experience, including 5 years as a lease accountant, 10 years as a payroll accountant with a healthcare provider, and 7 years as an assistant controller/office manager. In her spare time, Jennifer loves to travel, attend concerts and sporting events, and boating and hiking.
Education:
Indiana University School of Business
After interning for the firm in the spring 2019 tax season, Jesse joined the tax staff in fall 2021. He is currently working towards his CPA designation. In his free time, Jesse likes to exercise, go to the lake, playing sports, and spend time with his family and friends.
Education:
B.S., University of South Carolina
John joined BPS as a tax supervisor in August 2022. Originally from Northern New Jersey, John moved to South Carolina to attend Clemson University and has been here ever since. John has over 10 years of public accounting experience, including working for a Big 4 firm.
Areas of Expertise:
Individual Tax Planning and Compliance
Jon joined BPS in 2014. He currently serves as a tax manager providing tax compliance and planning services with a primary focus on partnerships and corporations. Jon Works primarily with closely held business and their owners in a variety of industries, including real estate, manufacturing, and distribution. Prior to joining BPS, he was a tax senior for a local firm in Tampa, Florida, serving a variety of clients.
Areas of Expertise:
Closely Held Businesses
Job Titles:
- Associate / Audit / Assurance
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Audit / Assurance
Kaitlyn joined BPS in September 2020 as an audit associate. She enjoys attending college sporting events, mainly basketball and football. When she is not working, she enjoys going on cruises and creating artwork.
While at Lander University, Kaitlyn was a member of Lander's Professional Business Society. She attended Clemson University in 2019-2020 to achieve the educational requirements for CPA licensing. She is currently working towards her CPA designation.
Education:
B.A. Accounting, Lander University
Kevin joined BPS in 2014 as a staff accountant. He is a member of the tax department and provides tax compliance and planning services for various types of clients. Kevin earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Alabama.
Areas of Expertise:
Individual Tax Planning and Compliance
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager
- Senior Manager / Audit / Assurance
Leadership
Kristen joined BPS in 2010. She is an experienced business advisor, providing clients with timely, innovative and high-quality advice on a broad array of accounting, finance, corporate governance and general business issues. She has significant experience in the niche practice areas of transaction support services - including buy-side and sell-side quality of earnings, due diligence and consulting, as well as ERISA/DOL compliance.
Job Titles:
- Manager
- Manager / Audit / Assurance
Kyle joined BPS in 2020 and has five years of experience in public accounting. He is a part of the audit and assurance department and primarily serves clients in the manufacturing, distribution, construction, utility providers, and telecommunications industries. He also has experience auditing BPS clientele employee benefit plans.
Having relocated from Indiana, Kyle earned his Bachelor of Arts from Indiana Wesleyan University, where he majored in Accounting and Biblical Literature. Kyle enjoys exploring the area with his family, going on walks, playing with his dog, playing board games, and reading science fiction books.
Areas of Expertise:
Auditing and Financial Reporting
Job Titles:
- Associate / Audit / Assurance
Job Titles:
- Small Business Accountant
Job Titles:
- Associate / Audit / Assurance
Job Titles:
- Associate / Audit / Assurance
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager / Audit / Assurance
Job Titles:
- Small Business Accountant
Stephen joined BPS as an intern in 2021. He became a tax associate in 2023 after graduating from the University of South Carolina with his Master of Accountancy. He is currently working towards his CPA designation. Stephen enjoys being outside, hiking, and playing worship at his church.
Education:
Master of Accountancy, University of South Carolina
B.S., Accounting, University of South Carolina
Job Titles:
- Manager / Audit / Assurance
Job Titles:
- Small Business Accountant
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager / Audit / Assurance
Job Titles:
- Manager / Audit / Assurance
Job Titles:
- Associate / Audit / Assurance