Executive Contacts
In April, Forbes released its annual list of Best-in-State CPAs, and six PYA leaders are recognized in the prestigious statewide list:
- Marty Brown, CEO
- David McMillan, President
- Jennifer Blackwood, Managing Principal, Tax
- Shannon Sumner, Principal, Chief Privacy Officer
- Carol Carden, Managing Principal, Compensation Valuation Planning and Design
- Matthew Warren, Principal, Business Valuation Services
The 2026 honorees are recognized by Forbes as some of America’s best CPAs. “Candidates are assessed across a range of weighted criteria, with an emphasis on recent achievements, professional impact, and contributions to the broader community….[Each honoree] reflects not only technical expertise, but also leadership, integrity, and meaningful influence, which serves as a trusted signal of distinction for clients, peers, and the profession at large,” according to Forbes.
PYA had the most CPA honorees—more than 10% of those named—among firms with locations in Tennessee, with the exclusive list comprising less than 0.5% of all licensed CPAs in Tennessee, highlighting PYA’s depth of talent. Among firms in East Tennessee, PYA is proud to have the most professionals named—more than 20% of the total—and across the Southeast, PYA is in the Top 5 with the most honorees. Uniquely, PYA ownership is comprised of 56% female leaders—twice the industry average, and three of those leaders are named to the Forbes list.
“The breadth and depth of PYA’s expertise in accounting, tax, and audit reflect our firm’s culture of lifelong learning, integrity, and dedication to putting our clients’ needs first,” said Brown. “My colleagues and I are grateful for the statewide accolade and honored to be part of recognition that represents PYA’s leadership in the accounting industry.”
As the industry grapples with a narrowing stream of talent, the influence of artificial intelligence (AI), and the impact of private equity, as noted in the Forbes report, PYA continues to grow, conservatively advance the use of AI, and choose to remain privately owned. This relationship-driven management style enables the firm to focus first on clients and the trust placed in its professionals, a style reflected in PYA’s significant representation in the Forbes list.
PYA continually evolves its client services as shifts in industry and economy emerge. With a focus on clients first, the six Forbes top CPAs provide expert support through client accounting services, tax planning and advisory services, business and healthcare valuation, tax regulatory compliance, strategic planning, compensation design, fair market valuation, and other related fields.
In 2025, Brown and Carden were named to the Forbes Best-in-State Top CPAs inaugural list, and that same year, Carden and Warren were named by Forbes as two of America’s Top 100 CPAs in Valuations. In 2024, Brown was included in the inaugural Forbes America’s Top 200 CPAs list.
The Forbes Best-in-State CPAs list is developed through a rigorous, multi-step methodology that combines editorial research, industry nominations, and evaluation by an independent advisory board of experts. “As with all Forbes lists, candidates do not pay any fee to be considered,” according to the publication.
