Hamilton Herald Masthead

Editorial


Front Page - Friday, May 20, 2022

Newsmakers: HHM CPAs promotes four to partner




Four senior managers at HHM CPAs are now partners in the accounting firm’s Chattanooga office. The addition of Brittany Carman, John Coker, Chad Goodman and Robert Malone brings the number of partners to 22.

Carman has been with HHM CPAs for three years and has over 15 years of public accounting experience. She focuses on the accounting and assurance needs of privately held companies in various industries, including construction, nonprofit and manufacturing and distribution. She also leads audits of employee benefit plans.

Internally, Carman oversees the firm’s Women’s Initiative Committee and is involved with its Campus Recruitment Committee as well as its training and development initiatives. In the community, she’s the board president of the Chattanooga chapter of the Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance, the board secretary for Chattanooga Room in the Inn, a finance committee member for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Chattanooga Women’s Leadership Institute.

Carman graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in management.

Coker joined HHM in 2014 after 12 years of automotive and professional service accounting. Since then, he’s focused on providing tax and consulting services to HHM business clients.

While at HHM, Coker has supported and trained CFOs and controllers for some of the firm’s largest clients. He’s a graduate of North Carolina State University and received a Bachelor of Science in accounting and business management.

Goodman joined HHM CPAs in 2011 when he began his accounting career. He spends his time as an adviser, providing tax compliance and planning services as well as assistance with strategic planning and complex mergers and acquisitions.

Goodman is involved with the firm’s Campus Recruitment Committee and its training and development initiatives. A native of Chattanooga, he serves as a board member of Northside Neighborhood House. Goodman is a graduate of Lee University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in accounting.

Malone has been with HHM CPAs for 10 years. He serves the audit and tax needs of auto dealerships across the country and also works with clients in the construction and real estate industries. His tax experience includes preparation and review of federal and state tax returns for multi-state entities and addressing complex tax issues.

Malone serves as a board member for Signal Centers. He graduated from Lee University with dual degrees in business administration and accounting.

Carroll earns health care leadership credential

Becky Carroll, vice president of strategy and assistant administrator, Parkridge Health System, is now a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Fewer than 8,500 health care executives hold this distinction. To obtain Fellow status, candidates must fulfill multiple requirements, including meeting academic and experiential criteria, earning continuing education hours, demonstrating professional and community involvement and passing a comprehensive examination.

Fellows also are committed to ongoing professional development and undergo recertification every three years.

Partnership taps Hyde as new CEO

The board of directors for the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults has named Kevin Hyde as its new CEO effective Aug. 25. He will succeed CEO Pam Ladd, who retires Aug. 24.

Hyde’s most recent role was regional vice president for the USO Indo-Pacific. Under his direction, the USO provided support to 360,000 military personnel assigned to the region. That support included humanitarian assistance to U.S. sailors and their families after the collisions of the USS Fitzgerald and USS McCain and the COVID outbreak aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Hyde began his career in the U.S. Air Force. During his 28-year tenure, he commanded multiple units around the world and was responsible for community relations in Rheinland-Pfatz, Germany. He participated in humanitarian relief operations in Haiti and Somalia, and led international relief operations in the Philippines, retiring as a brigadier general.

Hyde holds a degree in international affairs from the USAF Academy, a master’s degree in organizational and human resource development from Abilene Christian University, a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from Naval War College, a master’s degree in strategic studies from United States Army War College and an honorary doctorate of public service from the University of Maryland.

Hyde will begin work at Partnership June 22 and assume the role of CEO Aug. 25.

Hammond gets 2022 Respect for Law Award

The Scenic Chattanooga Optimist Club last week awarded the 2022 Respect for Law – Officer of the Year award to Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond for his years of service.

The Respect for Law award has its roots in a program started in 1965 when former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and past International Optimist Club President Carl Bowen created the Respect for Law Community Program.

Throughout Hammond’s career, including his time in the juvenile justice system, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Department of Justice, Hammond “remained a continual pillar of moral and ethical values, never wavering from his duty and respect for our community’s law enforcement personnel and first responders,” the club noted in a news release.

Gary Behler, Hamilton County juvenile court clerk and chairman of the Scenic Chattanooga Optimist Club Respect for Law Program, says, “As a longtime friend of Jim, I can think of no one in our law enforcement community who’s more deserving of this award nor more dedicated to our men and women of law enforcement than him. Every citizen of our community owes Sheriff Hammond a tremendous debt of gratitude for the service he and his personnel provide for this county.”

McDonald becomes Aleph Bet director

Rebecca McDonald is the new director of The Jewish Federation’s Aleph Bet Children’s Center. McDonald has a Bachelor of Science in child health and a master’s degree in child development. She’s a certified professional life coach and a Certified Professional Learning Communities facilitator as well as a Georgia Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster children. She’s working toward a Child Mental Health Certification.

McDonald has worked in early childhood education for 28 years as a teacher, director and a State of Georgia consultant.

Aleph Bet Children’s Center provides an elementary prep program focused on Jewish traditions and values.

Waterhouse adds account executive

Waterhouse Public Relations has expanded its team with the addition of Kayleigh Heaton as an account executive.

Heaton most recently serviced as a constituent services representative for Rep. Chuck Fleischmann’s district office in Chattanooga. She previously worked for Senator Marsha Blackburn’s election campaign, the Republican National Committee and Astec Industries.

A native of Chattanooga, Heaton attained a degree in political science and communications from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga and is completing her master’s in strategic public relations at George Washington University.