Category: News Release

KraftCPAs PLLC has been named one of the 2022 Best Accounting Firms to Work For based on a new survey by Accounting Today. KraftCPAs has received this recognition nine times in the list’s 14-year history.

The annual list recognizes the 100 best accounting firms determined by a two-part scoring system. The first part evaluated each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics. This part was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation.

The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top firms and the final ranking. Best Companies Group coordinated the surveys and calculated the results.

KraftCPAs is the only Middle Tennessee firm and one of just three Tennessee firms on the 2022 list.

Kraft Careers: We’re looking for talented professionals to join our firm. Check our open positions and learn why our team members enjoy working at KraftCPAs.

KraftCPAs continues to be one of Nashville’s Best Places to Work according to employee feedback in the Nashville Business Journal’s 2022 survey.

The annual voting, which was conducted by Quantum Workplace, includes questions in multiple categories, including manager effectiveness, trust in senior leaders, and team effectiveness. Responses were compiled and scored to create the final list.

KraftCPAs is among the honorees in the large category for employers with 100-249 employees for the third consecutive year. Click here for the full 2022 list.

The award will be presented in a ceremony June 14 at First Horizon Park.

Related: A Kraft career is waiting for you. Click here for the latest opportunities.

© 2022 KraftCPAs PLLC

Spencer Mercer is the newest member at KraftCPAs PLLC, where he joins a team of 17 other partners at the 63-year-old firm.

Mercer, a native of Greeneville, Tenn., began his accounting career with Kraft at its Nashville offices in 2009, shortly after receiving his master’s degree in accounting at the University of Tennessee. He joined the firm’s Chattanooga team in early 2021 following Kraft’s acquisition of Matheney Stees & Associates the previous year.

Mercer works extensively in the construction and manufacturing/wholesale/distribution industries with a focus on tax planning, consulting, and compliance.

“Spencer filled a significant role with our Nashville team, and he’s continued to thrive in Chattanooga,” KraftCPAs chief manager Vic Alexander said. “We’re eager to gain Spencer’s input and ideas – not only for us as a firm, but also as a neighbor in the community.”

Mercer is a member of the Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers Association, Associated General Contractors of East Tennessee, Chattanooga Area Chamber, UT Chattanooga Accounting Advisory Board, Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants, and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He also has been active as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, the Special Olympics, and the Susan G. Komen Foundation. His spare time includes golf, hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities.

Spencer’s new role as a member with the firm began on November 1.

KraftCPAs is one of the “Best Accounting Firms to Work For” based on an annual survey by Accounting Today.

The listing recognizes the 100 best places of employment in the accounting industry determined after a two-part survey process. The first part (worth about 25% of the firm’s ranking) evaluates each entry’s policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics; the second is based on results of employee surveys that measure their overall workplace experience (worth about 75% of the ranking).

The 2021 listing is Kraft’s eighth since the survey began 13 years ago.

“It’s a priority to provide an enjoyable and productive experience for our team,” KraftCPAs chief manager Vic Alexander said. “Our philosophy has always been that if we take care of our people, then they’ll take care of our clients.”

Best Companies Group calculated the results and determined the final list. Almost 250 firms from across the United States entered this year’s survey.

KraftCPAs has again been chosen as one of the Best Places to Work in Middle Tennessee, an annual survey commissioned by the Nashville Business Journal.

The annual list measures 10 categories, including team effectiveness, trust in senior leadership, and manager effectiveness. Responses from each question on each completed survey are compiled and evaluated by Quantum Workplace.

KraftCPAs has been chosen for the NBJ more than 10 times, most recently in 2020.

“Amid the ongoing pandemic, last year saw many companies sending employees home to work, working different shifts to facilitate social distancing and generally operating under never-before-done-this-way circumstances,” the NBJ said in a release announcing the list. “The companies on this year’s list powered through, keeping their employees happy and their bottom line strong.”

KraftCPAs was among 10 companies and firms chosen in the “large” category.

Click here for the full list.

© 2021

Brian Gray has been promoted to president of Kraft Technology Group, an affiliate of KraftCPAs. The promotion is effective March 26.

Gray, a graduate of Tennessee Tech University’s MIS program, joined KTG in 2016. His experience with other managed IT firms provided much-needed depth to KTG, and he was promoted to service manager within his first 18 months. In that role, Gray was invaluable in the continued build-out and maturity of KTG’s Managed IT and Managed Security services.

Gray was given responsibility for the entire service area of the business and took the lead on several strategic initiatives critical to achieving KTG’s 30% annual growth average over the past three years. In early 2020, Brian was promoted to director of operations and led the KTG team through a challenging year.

Gray replaces Don Baham, who left to pursue other business opportunities.

KTG is one of six affiliates of KraftCPAs; founded in 1992, it provides a variety of IT services to clients in multiple industries.

Spencer Mercer has joined the team at KraftCPAs’ Chattanooga location as the firm continues to increase its investment in the community.

Tim Stees, the member in charge of the Chattanooga location, made the announcement this week.

“Adding Spencer to our team is another step we’ve taken to give our clients quality, unparalleled service,” said Stees, whose firm – formerly Matheney Stees & Associates – was acquired by Kraft in September 2020. “He will be an outstanding addition, particularly to our manufacturing and construction sectors, and we’re excited to introduce him to our clients.”

Mercer, a CPA and senior manager with Kraft’s tax services group, has worked in Kraft’s Nashville location since 2009. He has extensive experience in the construction and manufacturing/wholesale/distribution industries and focuses on tax planning, consulting, and compliance at the corporate and individual levels.

He is a University of Tennessee graduate and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants.

KraftCPAs PLLC, a Nashville-based firm, has expanded its footprint to Chattanooga with the acquisition of Matheney Stees & Associates PC (MSA).

MSA has served the Chattanooga area for more than 20 years, particularly in the healthcare and construction industries. MSA has 17 full-time and part-time employees.

The effective date of the acquisition is September 30, 2020.

Tim Stees, a Manager-in-Charge at MSA, will join KraftCPAs PLLC as a member. He has more than 35 years of experience in finance, accounting, and taxation, including 25 in public accounting. Tim graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Bob Jones University.

“MSA shares many of our cultural beliefs, and we look forward to welcoming the MSA team to our Kraft family,” said KraftCPAs chief manager Vic Alexander.

Several professionals from KraftCPAs and affiliates have been chosen for the Nashville Business Journal‘s 2020 Power Leaders in Finance list.

Vic Alexander, Lucy Carter, Dana Holmes, Glenn Perdue, and Gina Pruitt were chosen for the Power Leaders in Finance list. Ryan Myers was chosen for the Ones to Watch list.

Vic, Lucy, Gina, and Ryan represent KraftCPAs; Dana represents 2^nd Generation Capital; and Glenn represents Kraft Analytics.

Nominations for the list were chosen through public nominations; nominees then voted on one another in a round of closed voting, with those receiving the most votes being named to this year’s class.

The full list is available at the Nashville Business journal website.

© 2020

Danetta Allen and Lynsey Roberts have been elevated to member roles at KraftCPAs effective November 1, 2020.

Danetta earned her Bachelor of Science and MBA from Tennessee Technological University and joined Kraft as a supervisor in 2014. She joined the firm as a result of a merger and was vital to transitioning those clients to Kraft. She made an immediate impact as a leader within ESG, and she continues to provide excellent service to clients and mentorships to those on her team.

Danetta is active in recruiting as well as in community and professional associations. She currently serves as treasurer for the Middle Tennessee branch of Associated General Contractors, and she has previously served as treasurer for Rebuilding Together Nashville.

Lynsey holds a B.S. in Accounting from Western Kentucky University and a Master of Accountancy from Belmont University. Since joining Kraft in 2012, Lynsey has contributed to the success of the firm in a variety of ways, including in interpreting new tax law, mentoring others at Kraft, and providing excellent service to clients.

Outside the office, Lynsey has represented the firm well through leadership roles in Book ’em and Breakfast Club of Nashville.

KraftCPAs, founded in 1958 by the late Joe Kraft, has a total staff of more than 200 team members in its Nashville, Lebanon, Columbia, and Chattanooga offices.

© 2020

Kraft Healthcare Consulting LLC president Scott Mertie has been appointed to the board of directors for the Nashville Health Care Council for 2020-2021. Scott is one of 15 new members chosen for the board.

Robert A. Frist Jr., chairman and CEO, HealthStream, continues a two-year term as chairman of the board. David Dill, president and CEO, LifePoint Health, will assume the role of vice chair.

The Nashville Health Care Council is a premier association of industry leaders founded in 1995. The council’s mission, according to its website, is to inspire global collaboration to improve health care by serving as a catalyst for leadership and innovation.

The full list of new members appointed to the 2020-2021 council’s board of directors:

• Diana Allen, President and CEO, The SSI Group, LLC
• Jeffrey R. Balser, M.D., President and CEO, Vanderbilt University Medical Center & Dean, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
• Ashby Burks, Shareholder, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC
• Allen Fisher, Managing Director, Global Head of Healthcare, MUFG
• Terry Hardesty, Managing Partner-Nashville, Deloitte and Touche LLP
• Tim Hingtgen, President and COO, Community Health Systems
• Jordan Kendig, Director, Leadership and Organizational Development, HCA Healthcare (Leadership Health Care Board Chair)
• Scott Mertie, President, Kraft Healthcare Consulting LLC
• William Mkanta, M.D., Professor & Head of Department, Western Kentucky University
• Bruce Moore Jr., President-Operations and Service Lines Group, HCA Healthcare
• Leif M. Murphy, President and CEO, Team Health
• Rosemary Plorin, President and CEO, Lovell Communications
• Chris Rogers, Managing Director, Finance Healthcare Practice, Ziegler Investment Banking Corporation
• Allison Scripps, Director of Operations, Quality Care Partnership, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (Fellows Class 2020)
• Mark Seitz, President and CEO, National Distribution & Contracting Inc.

Kraft Healthcare Consulting is an affiliate of KraftCPAs.

© 2020

Kraft Healthcare Consulting president Scott Mertie is among the professionals chosen for the Nashville Business Journal’s 2020 Health Care Awards.

Scott has more than 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry, with a list of clients that includes hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare providers. Scott also works with the American Institute for Healthcare Compliance (AIHC) to coordinate a series of Medicare/Medicaid cost report boot camps, including one scheduled for March 11-12 in Dallas. This is the fifth time Scott has been chosen for the list.

The Health Care Awards honor “the city’s top business leaders in the health care industry,” the NBJ said in its announcement.

© 2020

Click here to see the full list of winners.