January 3, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
Longtime local CPA Tom Janney has announced his retirement from the tax and accounting side of Janney & Associates, CPAs, PC, a business he started in 1992 but sold to another firm fourteen months ago.
A farewell reception in honor of Tom will be held at the office of Janney & Associates at 297 Broad Street on Thursday, January 11th from 2pm-6pm. Everyone is invited.
Janney and his family have been part of the Smithville community since moving here in 1974. Tom graduated from DeKalb County High in 1980 and was Co-Valedictorian of his class. He furthered his education at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and was a member of the UT Pride of the Southland Marching Band. Janney graduated with high honors from UT Knoxville in 1985 and began his career working with Arthur Anderson in Nashville. He obtained his CPA certification in 1987 and then returned to Smithville to work with Ed Fuqua at his local CPA firm.
A prepared media release documents Janney’s personal and professional journey over the years.
“In October 1989, Janney decided to venture out on his own and started his own firm, eventually forming a corporation, Janney & Associates, CPAs, PC in 1992. For thirty years, the firm proudly served DeKalb County and surrounding areas, celebrating its anniversary in November 2019. Janney’s firm was later sold to Gammon & Drueck, CPAs, PLLC in November 2022, expanding its reach from Wilson County to DeKalb County and nearby regions”.
“Over the years, Tom has been involved in numerous local charitable, business, and professional organizations as follows:
*Member, Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce
*Chairman, Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce, 1998 and 1999
*Member Board of Directors and Chairman of the Board of WCTE, public television station headquartered in Cookeville.
*Active Member, Upper Cumberland Chapter of CPAs, serving many terms as a board member and at least two terms as president
*Member, Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants, Serving as a Council Member and Board Member
*Member, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
*Formation Committee, Board Member, and president of Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County
*Obtained non-profit status for several local organizations, including the Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree and Crafts Festival and the DeKalb County Foundation for Education.
*Consulted with DeKalb Utility District to achieve a second water plant serving DeKalb County.
*Board Member, Smithville Industrial Board
*Audit Committee Member, DeKalb County Commission
*Support for many local organizations and non-profits
In announcing his retirement, Tom expressed gratitude to all his employees, clients, and friends in DeKalb County. “From the moment my family arrived here, I have felt welcomed and supported. I’m so grateful that the community took me in from the beginning and all the way through to today. It’s very hard to express my thanks, and I hope that over the years I’ve given back in some way to our local community. As an accountant might say – the bottom line: I’m just plain grateful”.