Live Stream: Financial Institutions Conference

Justin Blair is the Assistant Deputy Comptroller for the Atlanta, Nashville, and Birmingham offices at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). In this role, Justin oversees the supervision of a portfolio of national banks and federal savings associations located throughout Geogia, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. He also manages a broad team of safety and soundness examiners and professionals who specialize in various disciplines, including credit, consumer compliance, BSA/AML, bank information technology, and capital markets.

Justin began his career with the OCC in the New Orleans Office, where he earned his commission as a National Bank Examiner. Justin’s career at the OCC has focused on the supervision of community banks and thrifts, as well as the training and development of new and experienced examiners. He has served as the Examiner-in-Charge for multiple banks and spent time in the OCC’s New York City Office as a Team Leader where his primary responsibility was training and developing others.

Prior to joining the OCC, Justin attended Mississippi State University where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He also holds a Master of Science in Forensic and Fraud Examination from West Virginia University and is a Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Financial Crimes Specialist, and Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist.

Jordan Brown is a Bank Regional Supervisor for Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions with over 10 years of bank examiner experience. He also currently serves as Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions Accounting Liaison. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting at Tennessee Technological University. While working at Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions, he also graduated from Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. Jordan utilizes his education and years of experience to lead his examination teams to provide a regulatory balanced approach to the banking industry within the state of Tennessee. During his time away from the banking industry, Jordan spends time with his wife and two children while volunteering at his local church and coaching youth sports.

Michael Davis is a member (owner) in the KraftCPAs assurance services department. As such, he is responsible for building and maintaining client relationships, overseeing the work of engagement teams, reviewing ongoing work, approving final reports, and presenting our work to management and board members.

As member-in-charge of the KraftCPAs financial institutions industry team, Michael performs external audits and reviews, internal audits, compliance engagements, loan reviews, Sarbanes-Oxley implementation, enterprise risk management (ERM assessments), trust department audits, and other consulting engagements for the firm's clients in the financial institutions industry.

Michael has been with KraftCPAs since beginning his career as an intern with the firm in 1997.

Kris is the FDIC’s Field Supervisor for Nashville Territory and has been in the role since October 2022. The Territory encompasses the entire state of Tennessee and comprises over 80 State Non-Member banks. Prior to assuming his current role, Kris was as a Field Supervisor in the Louisiana Territory for three years.

As a Field Supervisor, Kris directs and observe staffs comprised of first line supervisors, senior examiners, large financial institution examiner teams, and pre-commissioned examiners and interns. He serves as a subject matter expert in Capital Markets and spent six years working as a Senior Capital Markets Specialist and a Senior Examination Specialist. He is also a trainer for FDIC and Interagency examiner training courses.

Kris holds three Bachelor of Science degrees in business disciplines from Winston-Salem State University, a Master of Science in Finance and Economics from West Texas A&M University and a Master of Science in Management from Texas A&M-Commerce. He is currently studying for his Doctorate in Public Administration at Valdosta State University.

Kara Fitzgerald is President and CEO of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA), the premier professional association for Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) in Tennessee. She is responsible for carrying out the mission of TSCPA and the Educational and Memorial Foundation of TSCPA. Kara works in partnership with the TSCPA Board of Directors and Council to develop and execute the Society's strategic vision, always working to promote, protect and support the CPA profession in Tennessee. Additionally, she works with various committees and represents the membership with various governmental entities, including the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy, the Tennessee Department of Revenue and the Tennessee General Assembly.

An association executive with nearly 25 years of experience, Kara's career in association management began at the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, where she learned the value of a professional membership association. Kara then spent 10 years in various roles at the Tennessee Society of CPAs, most recently as Vice President – Operations, until she was named President and CEO in April 2021. Having spent her early career in public and private accounting, she understands the importance of protecting the CPA profession and maintaining its role as a trusted advisor.

Kara is a licensed CPA in the state of Tennessee and earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential, which is the marker of a committed association professional who has demonstrated the wide range of knowledge essential to manage an association in today's challenging environment. She also holds the credential of Chartered Global Management Accountant® (CGMA). Kara is a member of TSCPA, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Tennessee Society of Association Executives and the American Society of Association Executives.

Kara earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Tennessee Technological University. She lives in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee with her husband and two children. She enjoys travel and spending time with family.

Ms. Flatt is a tax senior manager at Crowe LLP with more than nineteen years of experience. She spent two years in industry and the other seventeen years of her career has been spent working at Crowe LLP. Her time at Crowe has been spent working exclusively with clients in the financial institutions industry as part of Crowe's financial services team. She works with a variety of financial institutions and financial services clients, including private and publicly traded institutions. She received a Bachelors in Science in Business Administration with a major in accounting from Samford University and a Masters of Accounting, with a tax specialization, from Belmont University.

Ms. Flatt's experience includes a specialty in S Corporation banking and mortgage financial institution tax and accounting implications and also spends a lot of time in the C Corporation space. She assists in leading the S Corporation bank tax practice at Crowe, where she advises on technical tax and return issues for S Corporation financial institutions. Her experience also includes Federal and State income tax compliance, including a focus on multi-state tax return and compliance issues. She also spends much of her time in financial accounting for income taxes, consulting and accounting surrounding mergers and acquisitions, and accounting for stock-based compensation.

Ms. Flatt's previous speaking engagements include the following: Subchapter S Corporation Annual Conference (TX), Crowe sponsored external client conferences, and a variety of S Corporation internal trainings within Crowe.

Ms. Flatt grew up in the Middle Tennessee area and currently lives with her husband of 18 years and their 12-year-old daughter in Nolensville, Tennessee.

Andrew is a Partner at Mauldin & Jenkins and a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee, bringing over 30 years of comprehensive financial accounting and advisory experience to the firm. Based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Andrew specializes in audits for both public and private sectors, with deep expertise in financial institutions, manufacturing, employee benefit plans, and SOC 1 and 2 audits.

As the Firm’s Designated Partner for the AICPA Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center, Andrew leads the firm’s EBP Practice and directs ongoing client services, including audit, tax, internal audit, SOX 404 compliance, and IT reviews. He is recognized for his hands-on leadership style, ensuring engagement teams maintain strict alignment with professional and regulatory standards.

Andrew joined Mauldin & Jenkins in 2013 after a 20-year tenure with Hazlett, Lewis & Bieter. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting with a concentration in Computer Information Systems from Lipscomb University. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Tennessee and maintains active memberships with the AICPA and the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA).

Beyond his professional practice, Andrew serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for Martin Boyd Christian Services and is an active member of the Clear Creek Church of Christ finance committee. He resides in Chattanooga with his wife and sons.

Greg Gonzales is the 18th commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions, who began serving in this role in 2005, and was reappointed by Governor Bill Haslam. He has served in the department since 1986. In this position, Gonzales serves as Tennessee's chief regulatory officer of all state-chartered depository and licensed non-depository financial institutions. Additionally, he has served as assistant commissioner and general counsel for the department.

Gonzales is a past Chairman of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS), which is the professional organization of state banking commissioners in the United States. Commissioner Gonzales, for a number of years, served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Money Transmitter Regulators Association (MTRA), an organization of a majority of the states that Greg Gonzales is the 18th commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions, who began serving in this role in 2005, and was reappointed by Governor Bill Haslam. He has served in the department since 1986. In this position, Gonzales serves as Tennessee's chief regulatory officer of all state-chartered depository and licensed non-depository financial institutions. Additionally, he has served as assistant commissioner and general counsel for the department.

Gonzales is a past Chairman of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS), which is the professional organization of state banking commissioners in the United States. Commissioner Gonzales, for a number of years, served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Money Transmitter Regulators Association (MTRA), an organization of a majority of the states that regulate funds transfer companies. He serves as Chairman of the State Liaison Committee that incorporates the state supervisory perspective into the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council. The FFIEC affects regulatory guidance on all depository financial institutions in the United States. He served on the U.S. Treasury's Bank Secrecy Act Advisory Group. Commissioner Gonzales currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission. Gonzales also currently serves on a national task force studying how new technologies are affecting the U.S. payment systems.

Commissioner Gonzales was born in Cookeville, Tennessee and graduated Cum Laude in Cursu Honorum with a bachelor's degree from Tennessee Technological University in 1980. Gonzales served as a research assistant in 1980 to Sir Patrick Cormack, a Conservative Party member of the British Parliament. He earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1984.

Commissioner Gonzales is an avid baseball fan and has rooted for the Chicago Cubs since the 1960s, which has taught him great life lessons in perseverance and that loyalty is eventually rewarded.

Barron is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of First Century Bank, a family-owned community bank that has served its community since 1894. Before joining the bank in June 2025, he spent 22 years in public accounting at Pugh CPAs, where he served as Vice President in the audit department and helped clients with integrity and professionalism. He also served as Audit Practice Leader and Financial Institutions Practice Leader, providing external audit, internal audit, and consulting services to community banks and credit unions throughout East Tennessee. Barron earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy in Assurance from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Barron lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, with his wife and two daughters. He is active in the community through volunteer work with the Knoxville Children’s Theatre and Scouting America, and he enjoys music, mixology, and outdoor adventures.

Dr. Chris Kuehl is a Managing Director of Armada Corporate Intelligence. He provides forecasts and strategic guidance for a wide variety of corporate clients around the world. He is the chief economist for several national and international organizations, Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, National Association of Credit Management, Finance, Credit and International Business and the Business Information Industry Association. He is also the economic analyst for several state accounting societies – Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Kansas.

Prior to starting Armada in 1999 he was a professor of economics and finance for 15 years – teaching in the US, Hungary, Russia, Estonia, Singapore and Taiwan. He holds advanced degrees in economics, Soviet studies and East Asian studies.

Chris is the author of Business Intelligence Briefs and Executive Intelligence Briefs - both publications from Armada. He is also responsible for the Credit Manager's Index from NACM and Fabrinomics from the FMA.

David provides more than 25 years of experience in information technology. His specialties include IT compliance/audit, security, risk analysis, disaster recovery, network design, installation, and implementation. David's accomplishments include IT assessments/audits for Gramm Leach Bliley, Federal Financial Institutions Examinations Council (FFIEC), National Credit Union Association (NCUA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA/HiTECH), National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), SOC 1 (SSAE 16), SOC 2, and the Bank Secrecy Act.

Additionally, David serves as an IT subject matter expert in the AICPA SOC Peer Review Program. He teaches the AICPA Advanced IT Audit School and is a member of the AICPA SOC Task Force. He also serves as the current editor of the ISACA Information Systems Control Journal. David has served on the faculty of Troy University as an Adjunct Professor, a speaker and instructor for groups and associations such as the AICPA IT Executive Committee, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee Society of CPA's. David designed and built one of the first internet service providers in Alabama providing deep experience in cyber security. David is the Director of Information Technology Audit and Assurance for Carr, Riggs, & Ingram a super-regional CPA firm ranked number 21 out of over 45,000 CPA firms in America.

Cole is the SVP and Chief Financial Officer for Bank of Frankewing. He has eight years of experience in the community banking industry. With a focus on finance, economics, and technology, Cole provides a fresh perspective on dated community banking processes by incorporating modern workflows into legacy systems. His experience in banking ranges from operations to accounting, to most recently the Chief Financial Officer role of a consent order bank.

Kaleb has eight years of experience with Crowe providing a variety of client services in financial services industry. His experience includes banking clients ranging from $100 million to $40 billion in assets. Kaleb has experience in audits of and advisory services for public and private financial institutions, including banks, financing companies, and mortgage origination companies. He also has experience with SOX Section 404 internal control audits, and FDICIA internal control attestations.