Tom Bates, is a Partner at Blankenship CPA Group, PLLC with fifty years of experience in accounting. He provides assurance and consulting services to commercial and not-for-profit organizations, as well as accounting and tax services to individuals and privately held businesses. He also provides valuation and litigation support services pertaining to business values for mergers and acquisitions, or compensation matters. Tom specifically has focused in the church, education, not - for - profit organization, music and entertainment, intellectual properties, retail and distribution, software development, service and construction industries.

Tom graduated with honors from David Lipscomb University in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. After graduating he joined Peat Marwick (KPMG) where he ultimately led several large engagements as a senior audit manager. Some familiar organizations Tom served during his time at Peat include J.C. Bradford & Co., Baptist, Sunday School Board (LifeWay), Joe M. Rodgers & Associates, Inc., Meharry Medical College, Vanderbilt University, the City of Knoxville, and David Lipscomb University. Tom spent several years after Peat as the CFO for The Benson Company, and then came back to public accounting where he has spent the last 35 years serving many church and nonprofit organizations, including The Gideons International. He is a CPA, CGMA and Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) by the AICPA. He also holds the Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) designation. Tom is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA). Tom is active at Westend Community Church. He also serves on the boards of Music and the Word, an organization which equips church and worship leaders with resources for leading worship, and the Middle Tennessee Better Business Bureau. He also chairs the Metro Nashville Audit Committee.