OUR FIRM
Looking for someone to prepare your taxes? Is your business in need of an independent audit? Whatever accounting services you require, we are confident in our firm's ability to serve your needs with acumen, efficiency, and professionalism.
Our Goal
At Seymour & Perry, LLC, we value our reputation for providing positive client experiences through a variety of services. These include individual tax services, business tax services, bookkeeping, consulting, auditing, and estate and retirement planning.
Fully committed to rendering value for our fees, we carefully assess each potential client engagement before providing an estimate for our services, taking into account the services requested as well as any other factors that will affect expected incurred costs.
Our Staff
Our firm's versatile staff is made up of several highly qualified professionals with years of experience in a variety of accounting backgrounds.
J. Allen Seymour, CPA is our firm's founder and partner emeritus; our firm's managing partner is M. Alan Perry, CPA.
Our Audit and Attest Services are overseen by Sarah B. Simpson, CPA. Staff Accountants include Jason Jones, Director of Individual Tax, and Connie Frank Director of Business Development. Shawna Barr works alongside Connie as our Bookkeeping Specialist.
Our Junior Associates include John Thompson and Bryan Roman Garcia. These associates assist our staff accountants with the preparation of minor tax returns, organizing relevant documents and completing miscellaneous tasks as needed.
Julie Rhodes, our Office Manager, oversees the firm's daily operations. Taylor Perry oversees the firm's website and social media presence.
Read on to learn more about our team and areas of expertise.
MEET THE TEAM
M. Alan Perry, CPA
Managing Partner
M. Alan Perry is a Licensed Georgia CPA with expertise in audit, review, and compilation of financial statements. Alan also provides consulting services and tax preparation for individuals, corporations, pass-through entities, trusts, estates, and non-profits. In addition to his work as managing partner of Seymour & Perry, LLC, Alan has previously served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of North Georgia.
Having graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Georgia with a BBA in Accounting, Alan went on to earn his Master of Accountancy from Georgia College & State University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the Phi Theta Kappa and Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Societies.
Outside his work accounting and teaching, Alan is a former board member for Acceptance Recovery Center, Inc., a non-profit substance abuse treatment center.
J. Allen Seymour, CPA
Partner Emeritus
After graduating Summa Cum Laude from the University of Georgia with a BBA in Accounting in 1976, J. Allen Seymour began his career with a small accounting firm in Rome, Georgia; following this, he worked for Deloitte, Haskins & Sells, CPAs, a national accounting firm now known as Deloitte Touche.
Allen first worked for Deloitte in Greenville, South Carolina before transferring to the firm's New York office, where he became a functional specialist in internal accounting controls and electronic data processing controls. During this time, he directly supervised traditional financial audit engagements for various entities including banks, manufacturing concerns, government agencies, and multi-national corporations.
After his time in New York, Allen was transferred to Chicago. In 1988, a good friend dying of cancer asked Allen to come back to Athens, Georgia, to take over his accounting practice; in 1989, the firm J. Allen Seymour, CPA was established.
Allen is a past board member of the Athens Area Homeless Shelter and the Athens Airport Authority. After 4 decades in the accounting profession, Allen is currently enjoying retirement.
Connie Frank
Director of Business Development
Connie Frank was born in Los Angeles, California and raised in Pennsylvania, going on to live in California and Indiana before settling in Athens, Georgia in 1985.
Recognized as a Certified Human Resource Director by the Georgia Local Government Personnel Association (GLGPA), Connie holds an associate's degree in accounting as well as certifications as a Computerized Accounting Specialist and Office Accounting Specialist.
As Director of Business Development, Connie oversees the preparation of tax returns for various business entities, payroll services, estate and trust returns, and more.
Outside of her work for the firm, Connie enjoys motorcycle rides and spending time with her eight grandsons, one granddaughter, three dogs, and a donkey.
Sarah B. Simpson, CPA
Manager of Audit & Attest Services
Sarah B. Simpson grew up in South Carolina before attending the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BBA in Accounting. Sarah remained in Athens following her undergraduate studies, going on to earn her Master of Accountancy from UGA as well. Her areas of expertise include financial audits and consulting.
Sarah received her CPA license in 2002. Before joining Seymour & Perry, LLC, she worked as an auditor for Ernst & Young LLP. Sarah prepares audits and reviews as Manager of Audit & Attest Services.
Sarah has taught accounting courses at Piedmont College and Athens Technical College, and has previously served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of North Georgia. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters.
Jason Jones
Director of Individual Tax
Jason Jones first joined the firm of J. Allen Seymour, CPA, over fifteen years ago. As a staff accountant for Seymour & Perry, LLC, he has been preparing tax returns for over a decade.
Jason previously attended the University of North Georgia. As Director of Individual Tax, he is responsible for the preparation of the firm's individual tax returns, in addition to assisting with our website and other duties around the office.
Shawna Barr
Bookkeeping Specialist
Bookkeeeping Specialist Shawna Barr moved to Georgia from Melbourne, Florida at the age of 16. In 2009, Shawna became a certified dental assistant before returning to school in 2017. Having received an associate's degree in accounting from Athens Technical College, Shawna specializes in bookkeeping services. She is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in accounting at the University of North Georgia.
Shawna works alongside Connie Frank, our Director of Business Development, helping our corporate clients maintain their books to ensure a complete and accurate tax return for each client.
Away from her work at the firm, Shawna enjoys volunteering in the community, serving her local church, and spending time with her husband, three children, and dog, Zoey.
Julie Rhodes
Office Manager
Julie Rhodes joins the firm as our talented Office Manager. With a BA in Finance from Georgia State University, has accounting experience with bookkeeping services, reconciliations, and the creation of management reports tailored to client needs.
As Office Manager, Julie oversees the firm's daily operations, ensuring that our processes run smoothly so that there are no delays in completing each client's tax return as efficiently as possible.
In her spare time, Julie enjoys spending time with her family, including two grandchildren.
John Thompson
Junior Associate
John Thompson is one of our firm’s Junior Associates. Hailing from Monroe, Georgia, John is studying for a bachelor's degree in accounting at the University of Georgia. He assists our Staff Accountants with tax return assembly and other tasks as needs arise.
Away from Seymour & Perry, John enjoys playing guitar, reading, and spending time with friends and family.
Bryan Roman Garcia
Junior Associate
Bryan Roman Garcia is a Junior Associate with our firm, assisting Staff Accountants with tax return assembly as well as other various daily tasks. He has a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of North Georgia, where he is currently pursuing a master's of accounting as well.
Originally from Los Angeles, California, Bryan enjoys playing video games and cooking in his free time.
M. Taylor Perry
Web Development & Social Media
Taylor Perry is an Athens, Georgia native and proud "Double Dawg." Taylor attended the University of Georgia, where she earned dual bachelor's degrees in music and human development, as well as a master's degree in piano pedagogy. She also holds the Google Analytics Individual Qualification.
In addition to maintaining our firm's social media presence and publishing various blog posts on tax-related topics, Taylor keeps our site updated with information on any major changes to the tax code and how such changes may affect our clients.
Away from the firm, Taylor runs a studio of 30+ piano students and enjoys songwriting, learning new skills, and being outdoors.