About
Big firm experience. Small firm service.Big firm experience. Small firm service.
Professional. Reliable. Experienced.
At Culpepper CPA, we believe that taxes and accounting services can be more than just a necessary evil. We have come to realize that our approach is as distinct as our team!
Our CPAs began their careers in the fast-paced culture of global and national firms. Sure, we gained a tremendous amount of experience and expertise, but we also became disillusioned with the lack of true partnership with clients and the transactional mindset: “Bill! Bill! Bill!” We wanted partners, not clients.
So we left. We founded Culpepper CPA to embody all the things that had been missing.
Adding True Value to Your Work
We are a full-service tax, accounting, and business advisory firm. Finances are personal, which is why accounting services should be personalized.
We believe in customized accounting solutions and tailored advice. You’ll notice that our accounting services grow out of a deep involvement with your business and your goals.
A one-size-fits-all solution doesn’t really fit. It constrains you instead of freeing you up.
The more we understand you and observe your business as it evolves, the better positioned we are to add true value to your work.
Enabling You to Make Confident, Tax-Savvy Decisions
Unlike accountants who prefer to work in isolation and anonymity, we view our clients as partners. By explaining options and bringing clarity to complex tax situations, we can truly serve as advisors and enable you to make confident, tax-savvy decisions.
At Culpepper CPA, we recognize the value of longevity in relationships and constantly look for ways to serve our clients with more personalized service and better results.
From the beginning, we built our business on three core attributes that define us: Professional. Experienced. Reliable.
- Professional – Personalized service and a high level of professionalism are not mutually exclusive. By knowing our clients, we can discern their distinct needs and employ the resources of our entire firm to meet those needs. As an area leader, we combine experience and expertise to deliver superior results.
- Reliable – Financial needs are dynamic, so accounting firms must be too. Our diverse team is dedicated and equipped to respond quickly to the needs of our clients, providing total financial services to individuals, small businesses and large enterprises alike. With competency and accuracy, we deliver results at the speed of business.
- Experienced – True value is found at the intersection of excellent work and reasonable cost. Our experts work to find the best solutions for our clients, employing their years of experience and continuously educating themselves on changing rules and regulations. In a big firm, this kind of service would come at a premium, but our local firm fee structure allows us to provide quality service at a competitive value.
Do you want more from your CPA firm? Give us a call at (865) 691-8509. We’d love to talk.
Leadership Team
Todd Culpepper, CPA
You might say Todd Culpepper has managed the impossible. He has actually developed a passion for individual and small business taxes and accounting—the very thing that makes other people’s heads hurt.
After finishing his BBA at the University of Georgia Terry College of Business, Todd has spent the last eighteen years putting his passion to work for clients, both large and small, around the world.
But he eventually realized that he wanted partners, not clients. He wanted to be deeply invested in his partner’s lives and companies because only by really knowing them could he really give them the best advice and help them thrive. In June 2012 he founded Culpepper CPA, and he takes pride in what sets Culpepper CPA apart: big firm experience and small firm service.
Leigh Anne Joseph, CPA
Leigh Anne Joseph joined Culpepper CPA as Senior Manager in November 2014. A graduate of the University of Tennessee and Tennessee Tech, where she earned a Masters of Accounting degree, Leigh Anne has over twenty-five years of experience. Prior to joining the Culpepper team, Leigh Anne served as the tax manager at one of the largest regional tax and accounting firms in East Tennessee.
As much as Culpepper CPA values Leigh Anne’s expertise, we appreciate the way she cares for other people even more. She genuinely enjoys guiding small businesses and nonprofits through the complexities of accounting and tax preparation, and when she’s not helping clients, she is volunteering at local schools. To say that we are lucky to have Leigh Anne would be an understatement. In fact, in 2020, Leigh Anne became an official Partner of Culpepper CPA.
Michael A. Thomas, CPA
Michael joined Culpepper CPA as a tax manager in December 2017. Michael’s trek to our firm was a bit more colorful than most CPAs. From logging camps in Canada to a career as a Marine and defense consultant, he brings a diverse outlook to our team.
Michael originally received an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of New Mexico. He completed his undergraduate accounting studies at the University of Kentucky and received his Master of Accountancy degree from The University of Tennessee in 2012. At the beginning of 2020, Michael officially became a Partner of Culpepper CPA.
Prior to joining Culpepper CPA, Michael’s work revolved around partnership, corporate, and multistate tax. When he’s not teasing out the intricacies of tax law, Michael enjoys being on the lake and singing “Rocky Top” at UT sporting events.
Mary Gray, CPA
Mary joined Culpepper CPA as a tax manager in September 2019. After spending years in the corporate world, Mary discovered her knack for all things accounting, which led her to become a CPA. She returned to the University of Tennessee and received her Master of Accountancy degree in 2015.
Before joining Culpepper, Mary worked for a top ten national accounting firm, working mostly in corporate federal and multistate taxation. Mary’s favorite part of her job is helping her clients by handling all their complicated, only-a-CPA-can-do-this kind of jobs. On any given warm weekend, you can find Mary soaking up the sun at the lake, exploring Knoxville with her husband, or curling up with her dogs.
As of January 2024, Mary became our latest Partner.
Stacie Jones, Receptionist, EA & Office Manager
Stacie grew up in Morristown, Tennessee, and she moved to Knoxville in 2014. She earned a certification in Business Management and Human Resources from University of Phoenix. She enjoys being a part of a team and getting things done. When she’s not juggling responsibilities at Culpepper CPA, she’s wrangling her son JaiDen. An avid traveler, Stacie’s favorite trips to date have been to New Orleans, New York City, and Key West.
Professional
Personalized service and a high level of professionalism are not mutually exclusive. By knowing our clients, we can discern their distinct needs and employ the resources of our entire firm to meet those needs.
Reliable
Our diverse team is dedicated and equipped to respond quickly to the needs of our clients, providing total financial services to individuals, small businesses and large enterprises alike.
Experienced
Our experts work to find the best solutions for our clients, employing their years of experience and continuously educating themselves on changing rules and regulations.
Don't Be Shy. Get In Touch.
If you are interested in working together, send us an inquiry and we will get back to you as soon as we can!
