Whitley Penn is pleased to announce that Mark Duffy, Jeff Edwards, Brandi Fletcher, Ashley Kimery, Nick Wells, and Kyle Willey have been invited into the partnership effective January 1, 2019.
Mark Duffy, CPA, joined the firm's Fort Worth office in 2006 as an intern and transitioned to a full-time position in the tax department in 2007. Mark has spent the past 12 years assisting clients in the energy, manufacturing and distribution, real estate, professional services, retail, and healthcare industries. He has broad exposure to international tax, sales tax, payroll tax, IRS negotiations, and state and local tax issues and regularly works with clients ranging from small and family-owned businesses to private equity funds with significant capital commitments. Mark is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Business Arts, summa cum laude, in Accounting and received a Master of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Texas in Arlington. He serves as the firm's Campus Recruiting Coordinator for UTA, serves as a career coach for many staff and seniors, and administers all new-hire and intern training for the tax department. Mark is a member of the TSCPA, AICPA, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Wildcatters Fort Worth Chapter, Toastmasters Fort Worth Chapter, and serves as the firm's representative for TECH Fort Worth and Cowtown Angels.
Jeff Edwards, CPA, joined the firm in 2013 as an Audit Senior Manager in our Houston office. He primarily works with public and private clients in the oil and gas, manufacturing and distribution, service, not for profit and benefit plan industries. Also, Jeff serves as a Consultation Expert for various technical accounting matters for the firm and conducts tax reviews for the Employee Benefit Plan Audit Practice. Jeff served as the audit new hire trainer for several years, has held the busy season technical update for the Houston office, as well as being the leader for some staff and senior training sessions. He has been involved with campus recruiting for Sam Houston State, the University of Houston, and Stephen F. Austin. Jeff holds numerous leadership roles in professional and community organizations including PASH (Houston COPAS Chapter), Association of Corporate Growth (ACG), Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA). Jeff is a graduate of Southwestern University where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting. He received his Master’s in Accountancy degree from the University of Houston - Clear Lake. ?
Brandi Fletcher, CPA, joined the Whitley Penn tax department in 2006 and has experience working with clients ranging from small to mid-size businesses including entities held by private equity funds, large corporations, and family offices. Her client base spans across multiple industries including manufacturing and distribution, transportation, and healthcare. Brandi has experience with international tax, sales tax, payroll tax, IRS audits, mergers and acquisitions, and state and local tax. Brandi has played an instrumental role in training younger tax professionals in the firm. She has served as the training coordinator, new hire and intern direct report, and a mentor for staff and seniors in the tax department. Brandi is also a member of the Fort Worth Tax Management Team. Brandi received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from Sam Houston State University. She is a member of the AICPA, TSCPA, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Sam Houston State Alumni Association and Vision Fort Worth.
Ashley Kimery, CPA, joined Whitley Penn's Austin office in January 2017 when Wagner, Eubank & Nichols and Midwikis & Granger merged into the firm. Ashley primarily works with clients in professional services firms, lobbyists/political consultants, real estate partnerships, venture capital/private equity, and high net worth individuals. Her technical experience includes corporate returns, multi-state entities, mergers and acquisitions, and partnership returns. In addition to a career in public accounting, Ashley previously served as the Director of Tax/Corporate Controller/Treasurer for Classic Communications, Inc. (CLSC) and was self-employed assisting clients with bookkeeping and accounting services, tax consulting, and corporate restructuring. Ashley facilitates weekly staff meetings and serves as a mentor to the Austin tax and para-professional staff members. She is a member of the TSCPA, AICPA, National Charity League - Lake Austin Chapter, Camelot Neighborhood Association, Westlake Chamber of Commerce, and Kappa Alpha Theta Austin Alumnae Chapter (Past Treasurer/Board Member).
Nick Wells, CPA, joined the Dallas Audit department in 2011 after working for MetroPCS and KPMG. For the past seven years, Nick has focused on public and private clients primarily in the healthcare, financial services, and industrial manufacturing industries. Nick enjoys providing regular audit service and supplements with business process improvements to deliver exceptional value to his clients. Nick has managed and scheduled new hire training for interns and audit new hires for more than five years. He is a frequent presenter of firm material and technical topics for our internal audit professionals, as well as firm clients and members of the business community. He is actively involved in campus recruiting at Texas Tech University and contributes time to the School of Accounting Advisory Council. Nick is a graduate of Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting and a Master of Science in Accounting. He holds leadership positions with the Strategic Alliance Group (Treasurer), Park City Club Board of Governors (Membership Committee), TSCPA (Healthcare Conference Committee), and the Texas Tech Alumni Association (Quarterly Business Briefing Committee Member).
Kyle Willey, CPA, CFE, joined the firm in 2014 when JonesBaggett LLP merged into Whitley Penn. Since 2007, Kyle has provided audit and consulting services to both public and non-public companies in a variety of industries with an emphasis on financial institutions and employee benefit plans. He has also worked with clients in the manufacturing, retail, professional services, and broadcasting industries during that time frame. Kyle recently relocated to the firm's Plano office where he continues to supervise, train and mentor audit staff and seniors. He is a key member of the firm's financial institutions practice and serves as a go-to on technical matters related to that industry. Also, Kyle is a frequent presenter both internally and externally on various topics. Kyle is a graduate of Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting. In addition to being a Certified Public Accountant, Kyle is also a Certified Fraud Examiner. Kyle has several leadership roles in both professional and community organizations. He is a member of the Texas Bankers Association, a member of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA), the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts (AICPA), and the Leadership Division for the Independent Bankers Association of Texas, a board member for the Risk Management Association - North Texas Chapter, a committee member for the TSCPA Financial Institutions Conference, and a Special Olympics Volunteer Coach - Flag Football Coach for the Notre Dame School of Dallas.
“We are proud of Mark, Jeff, Brandi, Ashley, Nick and Kyle for reaching such a distinguished career milestone. Their dedication to client service and the firm have been instrumental in their career growth and the firm’s success,” stated Larry Autrey, Whitley Penn Managing Partner.
About Whitley Penn, LLP Whitley Penn continues to be one of the region’s most distinguished public accounting firms. With a strong base in Texas and a worldwide network affiliation via Nexia International, the firm is strategically positioned for continued growth both locally and internationally. Whitley Penn has been consistently recognized as “One the Top 100 Firms in the U.S.” and “Best of the Best” by INSIDE Public Accounting. For more information on Whitley Penn, please visit www.whitleypenn.com.
