Will is a Director in the Kingsport office and has over a decade of experience in helping meet his client’s needs with customized financial reporting, tax and consulting solutions. He joined the Brown Edwards team as a Senior Accountant as part of the merger with Dent K. Burk Associates in 2015.
Will earned a B.A. in Humanities and Accounting (summa cum laude) from Milligan University and a Master of Accountancy in Taxation from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). He was awarded the 2022 Tri-Cities Business Journal 40 Under 40 achievement.
We interviewed Will to get to know him outside of his profession, and we were surprised to learn that he plays the Highland Bagpipes and competed quite successfully during high school. Also, as a Humanities/Accounting double-major in college, he revels in studying Medieval and Elizabethan history, literature, and poetry: there's such a richness of thinking and expression, a holistic worldview, there that we tend to forget in our more modern times.
Where are you from and where did you grow up?
I hail from Church Hill, TN, and currently live in the Jonesborough, TN area, so I've managed to live most of my life based in and around the Tri-Cities of East Tennessee.
My favorite hobbies include amateur radio, camping, cooking, and reading history. However, I enjoy best any activity that gives me a good opportunity to spend quality time with my wife, two little boys, and other family and friends.
What's the last book you read or what is your favorite book/series you ever read and why?
My most recent reads include a couple of books on radio and applied radio skills. However, some of my all-time favorites are JRR Tolkien's masterpieces, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion. The world-building, epic storylines, and strong characters make these enduring works, and I enjoy returning to them over and over.
What's the next place on your travel bucket list and what will you do there?
I would love to visit the NW of the United States and Alaska someday. I've not spent much time west of the Mississippi River, but I'd love to spend more time out there, experiencing the mountains, forests, food, and culture.
What is one food you can't live without and why?
I love steak: doesn't much matter what cut, as long as it's cooked properly (meaning medium-rare to rare). :)
Why did you choose a career in public accounting and what do you enjoy most about it?
Initially, I chose a career in public accounting due to the flexibility it offered, which at the time meant the ability to provide a valuable service to clients and earn a good living from literally anywhere in the world. However, as my career has developed and my role has changed over the years, I've come to even more greatly value the relationships built along the way, with colleagues and clients: seeing these folks succeed and accomplish their goals is one of my favorite parts of the job.
