Stephen C. Stokes, CPA – President
Stephen has more than 15 years’ experience working with individuals and businesses to meet their tax and accounting needs. He has been the managing partner of Stokes & Company CPAs since January 2009. He is a licensed certified public accountant in South Carolina. Stephen is also a member of the South Carolina Association of CPAs, the American Institute of CPAs, and the Professional Association of Small Business Accountants. He has a bachelor’s degree from Bob Jones University and a master’s degree from Georgia State University. Stephen was born and raised near Atlanta, Georgia and moved to Greenville, South Carolina, several years ago. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Tiffani, and daughters, Madeline and Julianna. He is actively involved in his church and enjoys reading, sports, and other outdoor activities.
Allen A. Hodges, CPA – Vice President
Allen has more than 30 years’ experience in accounting, business, finance and tax matters. He is a licensed certified public accountant in South Carolina and a Chartered Global Management Accountant. He began his career with an International CPA firm and has since also served as the corporate controller of a large textile company and then as Chief Financial Officer of a national industrial business based in Greenville with multiple plants around the US. Allen is a promoter of collaborative teamwork across business disciplines in an organization to accelerate growth and improve profitability. In January 2013, he acquired a Greenville CPA practice which provided tax and accounting services to local businesses, individuals and families. He operated the firm as its sole owner until merging it into Stokes & Company CPAs in January 2018. Allen grew up in Michigan before moving to Greenville, South Carolina over 30 years ago. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Holly, and his children and grandchildren. He actively serves on the board of a local free medical clinic, an educational mission board located on the Texas border with Mexico and with the local chapter of the Association of CPA’s. He is actively involved in his church where he has been a member over 30 years. He also enjoys history, following baseball and other sports as well as learning about the many new and interesting businesses being started and growing in Greenville.
Gary L Wheeler, CPA – Tax Partner
First licensed by California as a CPA in 1979, Gary is well-respected for his knowledge of complex tax and accounting rules. He is a licensed certified public accountant in South Carolina and Florida, as well as a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the South Carolina Association of CPAs. Gary is always up for a challenge and enjoys solving issues in order to truly help our clients. He devotes time to continuing education and research to develop tax-saving strategies. When not in the office, you truly might find Gary anywhere. He loves to spend time with his family at their pool or a local Sonic. He also enjoys leading mission teams around the world through his church and through a local missions organization, Impacting America.
Karen Schickedantz Gray, CPA – Senior Tax Manager
Karen joined Stokes & Company in February of 2018, shortly after moving to Greenville from Richmond, Virginia. She has 20 plus years of experience in National and Regional accounting firms, working with businesses and high net worth individuals throughout the Southeast. Karen has a broad base of accounting and tax knowledge. She provides tax compliance services including preparation, planning, and research. She is a certified public accountant licensed in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. She has a Bachelor’s degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel-Hill in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting and a Master’s degree in Taxation from Virginia Commonwealth University. Karen and her husband Robert are empty nesters. They enjoy spending time exploring Greenville and the Upstate.
Paige Gillespie, EA – Accounting Manager
Paige joined Stokes & Company CPAs, PC in 2009, and has 11 years of experience in public accounting. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Carolina with a Marketing Management major. A few years later, she took specialized accounting courses, also from USC, to begin her accounting career. In 2015 Paige earned an Enrolled Agent, becoming a federally authorized tax practitioner. She is a member of the South Carolina Association of CPAs and manages bookkeeping, tax planning, and tax preparation services for individuals, corporations, and partnerships at our firm. Paige and her husband, along with their two sons Wyatt and Dalton, enjoy long walks with their dog and spending time with family.
Andrew Hudson – Accounting Manager
Andrew joined Stokes and Company CPAs in 2016 and brings more than 9 years of experience in tax preparation, audit engagements and small business advisory. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Bob Jones University. Andrew and his family moved back to his home state of South Carolina after living and working several years in the Atlanta area. Andrew and his wife, Ann, have one son and enjoy spending time with family, being outside and on the lake.
Rachel D. McClaran, EA – Tax Manager
Rachel joins us with 12 years of experience in public and private accounting. As an Enrolled Agent, Rachel prepares tax returns, offers tax-planning advice, and represents clients in response to tax authorities’ notices or audits. As a QuickBooks Pro Advisor, she also provides bookkeeping and QuickBooks clean-up services to business clients. Her Bachelor’s degree from Bob Jones University and experience in prior business settings enable her to meet client’s needs with excellence and professionalism. Outside of the office, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Alvie, and their two children. She loves Clemson football and serves as the Vice-Chair of Sponsorship Development as a member of the Junior League of Greenville.
Jenny Duvall – Office Manager
Jenny joined Stokes & Company CPAs in 2014 as Stephen Stokes’ assistant and currently now serves as our Office Manager maintaining Human Resource operations and firm project management. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Bob Jones University in 2010. A native of Greenville, SC, Jenny enjoys international travel with a special love for Israel and the Middle East. When not managing the office, you can often find her camping along the beautiful waterfalls and nature trails of the Carolinas, gardening and exploring the world.
Ann Hudson, CPA – Accountant
Ann joined Stokes and Company CPAs in March of 2017, and she brings with her more than 6 years of experience in public and private accounting. She graduated from Bob Jones University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. Ann enjoys spending quality time with her husband, Andrew, and their son, Asher. She also enjoys working out in the yard, searching for recipes and then testing them out in the kitchen.
Steve Chisholm – Accountant
Steve joined Hodges & Ballentine, LLC, now Stokes & Company, in May of 2017 as an Accountant. He has more than 25 years of experience in accounting and taxes and has been involved in Christian education and ministry throughout most of his career as a Business Manager and Financial Administrator. Steve and his wife Shawn have six children and enjoy spending time with family and friends
Tracy Vaughan – Accountant
Tracy joined the Stokes & Company team at the beginning of 2018 as part of the merger with the firm owned by Allen Hodges. After studying Secretarial Science at Greenville Tech, she accepted employment with Mr. Hodges’ predecessor CPA firm in Greenville in 1984. While working there as a receptionist she soon found that she loved accounting and began taking on a significant role in the bookkeeping department. She has more than 30 years of experience in bookkeeping and has several years of experience in preparing individual income tax returns. Tracy enjoys taking long rides in the mountains with her husband, Myron, and spending time with their children and grandchildren.
Carol Finley – Payroll Manager
Carol has more than 30 years of experience in accounting and taxes. She began her accounting career in 1980 as a bookkeeper for her father’s business. She continued developing her bookkeeping skills through coursework at Greenville Technical College and later expanded her knowledge in payroll, bookkeeping and income tax preparation while on staff at a CPA firm in Powdersville, SC. When Stokes & Company welcomed Carol in 2010, she hit the ground running and her experience has proved invaluable. Carol and her husband, Brian, enjoy spending time with family and friends.
Christiawna Gauldin – Payroll Specialist
Christiawna joined the Stokes & Company team towards the end of 2013. After receiving her degree in accounting from Pensacola Christian College in 2010, she began working as a reservation officer and then later as an events coordinator, administrative assistant, and enrollment advisor for a large private school in Pensacola. In September 2013, she returned to her native state and city and began as Stephen Stokes’ assistant while furthering her knowledge of payroll and accounting. Her responsibilities consist of assisting with payroll and accounting engagements. Christiawna enjoys time with her husband, outdoor recreation, a good book, and time in the kitchen cooking and baking for people she loves.
Emily Hargrave – Payroll Assistant
Emily joined our team as a Payroll Assistant and Administrative Assistant in June of 2017. She received her Bachelors from West Coast Baptist College in 2008 with a degree in music. Since college, Emily has worked in the academic office of her college alma mater, as well as for an optometrist office in her home town back in Iowa. She has lived in the Midwest, on the West Coast and is now calls the East Coast and Greenville, SC her home. In her free time, Emily enjoys music, reading a good book, traveling and spending time with her family and friends.
Jessica Jones – Administrative Assistant/ Accountant
Jessica joined Stokes & Company in January of 2018 shortly after moving to Greenville SC from NC. She brings to the firm experience in business development, administration and marketing . Her wealth of knowledge, compassion for others and cheerful attitude provide a warm experience for all who come into the office. Jessica enjoys spending time with her husband Matt, and their two children. She also loves Clemson football, running, staying active, and traveling.
Linda Lauria – Accountant
Linda joined Stokes & Company in May of 2015. Through the years, she has gained a wide variety of job experience in transportation, confidential shredding, administrative duties, payroll processing and has over 12 years of combined accounting experience. She enjoys hiking, spending time with her husband, their two daughters, two dogs Mongo and Tinker, and serving in her church.
Holly Carver – Accountant
In March of 2015, Holly joined Stokes & Company after a long career in customer service and product compliance. She is a Clemson graduate with a BS degree in Administrative Management. Holly loves spending time with her husband Carroll and their two daughters and son-in-law. A few of the things she enjoys are Clemson sports, walking, hiking, vacationing in the mountains and spending her Saturdays during the summer at the lake. She is actively involved in working and worshiping with her church family.
Kimberlee Dix – Accountant
Kimberlee joined Stokes & Company in June of 2016. She has gained 11 years of experience in accounting, income tax, and payroll processing from a small accounting firm in Michigan, where she is originally from. Kimberlee and her family have lived in SC since 2013. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, and any outdoor activity.
Matt Green – Accountant
Matt recently joined Stokes & Company CPAs in January of 2017. He graduated with a Bachelors in Accounting from Liberty University and is currently pursuing an MBA in Liberty University Online. A native of Greenville, South Carolina he enjoys baseball and spending time with his daughter. Matt is also a talented musician, sound engineer, composer and his witty humor provides a constant atmosphere of laughter in the office.
