50 Years Of Service 50 Weeks Of Giving
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Our Founding Fathers was founded in 1961 in Johnson City, Tennessee by Joe Blackburn and Carl Childers. Over the decades, the firm grew and added new partners. To celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2011, the firm decided to celebrate "50 years of service" by dedicating each week to giving back to different communities they serve. They called this initiative "50 weeks of giving" and budgeted funds to support various organizations throughout 2011.
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50 Years Of Service 50 Weeks Of Giving
- 1. Our Founding Fathers It was 1961, gas was 31 cents per gallon, John F. Kennedy was president, and near ETSU in a small building shared with a machine shop, BCS was born. Joe Blackburn, already a practicing CPA and Carl Childers, a former IRS revenue agent, came together as individual practitioners in 1961. A short time later in 1966, Charles Steagall came to work with them part time while attending graduate school at ETSU and taught at Steed Joe Blackburn College. Combined, he was probably putting in 60+ hours each week, a work ethic unparalleled that he still models to this day. Charles became a partner in 1970, and the 鍖rm name then of鍖cially became Blackburn, Childers & Steagall. BCS had humble beginnings in the 60s. As stated above, we started at the current Poor Richards Deli location by ETSU that was shared with a machine shop. Charles Steagall remembers it as a smoke-鍖lled, 3-of鍖ce area that was very small. The common area shared by the two businesses were two bathrooms shared by all, that many times had more motor oil than water in the sink. Proof that good people, technical ability and hard work can lead to suc- cess, even in less than an ideal professional of鍖ce environment; the 鍖rm developed strong roots and a solid reputation in the community and Carl Childers headed down the road of growth. The 鍖rm moved to its location on Princeton Road in 1972, and Charles Steagall became managing partner in 1977. Rumor has it Jeff Blackburn started as a janitor with the 鍖rm in 1972. For sure, he started doing accounting in 1977 and became a partner in 1979 upon Joes retirement. Karen McMurray joined the 鍖rm in 1980 and became a partner in 1992. Tommy Greer joined the 鍖rm as a partner in 1994 and was named managing partner of the 鍖rm in 1995. Our most recent partners include Melissa Steagall-Jones (2002), Wade Farmer (2003), Travis McMurray (2004), Chuck Huffman (2007), Chad Kis- ner (2009) and Kevin Peters (2009). Continued on page 2... Charles Steagall
- 2. From Page 1... Since 1961, our 鍖rm has grown both in employ- service by taking each week ees and locations geographically. Now located in 2011 and giving back to in Johnson City, Kingsport and Greeneville, we something different each have a staff of over 90 with experts in account- week in the communities ing, taxes and consulting to cover areas such as that have made our 鍖rm auditing; personal 鍖nancial planning; medical what it is today. Thus, 50 practice consulting; litigation support; business years of service / 50 weeks valuations; entrepreneurial ventures; estate ser- of giving was adopted. At the next partners h vices; employee bene鍖ts; and other specialized meeting an additional dollar amount over and services. above our normal giving was approved and bud- geted for 2011 and the plan was announced to the The original three partners formed BCS under the whole company at a spring breakfast to solicit principal that the sum is greater than its parts, ideas from all staff for organizations and causes and as we continue to grow today that is proven to support each week with the goal to have a to be exponentially true as all of us together as 2011 calendar 鍖lled out with something for each one 鍖rm far exceeds any of us individually. week by the end of 2010. So for the rest of the year in 2010 committees were formed, meetings 50 Weeks of Giving held, ideas solicited, and 鍖nally December 2, a Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner was held at the Over the last 50 years we have been truly blessed Meadowview in Kingsport to kick off our year by God and by the region we have had the op- of giving. portunity to serve, from Knoxville to Mountain City to Grundy, Virginia. As a 鍖rm we are very excited about what is in store for us the rest of 2011 and the weekly chal- In January 2010 at our annual partner/manager lenge to which we have committed. To read retreat, one of our topics of discussion was how more about our 50 weeks of giving or to keep best to celebrate our 50 year anniversary in 2011. up with us throughout the year go to our blog As we brainstormed by table and then shared at BCSCPA.com, and as you read more if you ideas as a group, one idea very quickly rose to would like to come along side us on any of our the top. As we had discussed how blessed we projects, we would love to have your support had been to serve this region, Chad Kisner came and the fellowship that comes with it. In the end up with the idea of celebrating our 50 years of you too will be blessed. Randy Hensley, founder of Coalition for Kids, was our guest speaker at our annual Christmas Dinner. Randy challenged us to give from our hearts, not because it would look good to the community, but because it would be good for the community. From everyone who h b h has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the i h 2 one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. -Luke 12:48