ABOUT AVINNA
After beginning his career at a Big Five accounting firm, he built his own successful CPA practice, which he led for 12 years before transitioning into his first CFO role. He has spent nearly a decade as a CFO, delivering demonstrated improvements in both financial results and operational efficiency to three different firms.
Today Michael uses his vast financial and operational experience along with his passion for value creation to advise AvinnaCFO’s clients.
Michael holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the Manderson School of Business at the University of Alabama and a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In addition to his CPA designation, he also achieved certification in business data analytics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Todd’s work at AvinnaCFO is focused on increasing the value of his clients’ businesses, often in the context of executing a major transition. Whether this means setting up a new financial structure, creating a mutually amenable succession plan, or preparing for an acquisition or sale, Todd’s experience and steady hand are vital in guiding clients through evolutions that leave them in a stronger position.
In addition to his CPA designation, Todd holds a master’s degree in Tax Accounting from the University of Alabama, as well as a bachelor’s degree in in Accounting from Auburn University. He enjoys life outside the office where he is an enthusiastic fisherman and avid aviator.
Today Michael uses his vast financial and operational experience along with his passion for value creation to advise AvinnaCFO’s clients.
Michael holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the Manderson School of Business at the University of Alabama and a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In addition to his CPA designation, he also achieved certification in business data analytics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Todd’s work at AvinnaCFO is focused on increasing the value of his clients’ businesses, often in the context of executing a major transition. Whether this means setting up a new financial structure, creating a mutually amenable succession plan, or preparing for an acquisition or sale, Todd’s experience and steady hand are vital in guiding clients through evolutions that leave them in a stronger position.
In addition to his CPA designation, Todd holds a master’s degree in Tax Accounting from the University of Alabama, as well as a bachelor’s degree in in Accounting from Auburn University. He enjoys life outside the office where he is an enthusiastic fisherman and avid aviator.
Michael holds holds an MA, PhD, and MBA from the University of Alabama and Tulane University, respectively, and spent 22 years as an instructor and Senior Lecturer in Management/Entrepreneurship and Family Business and Marketing at Auburn University. He has 40+ years consulting with large healthcare organizations, and closely held business in the light manufacturing and service sector. As a Partner at AvinnaCFO, he is responsible for The Marketing and Sales Strategy Practice as it applies to entrepreneurially managed and closely held businesses.
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For the past 20-plus years, he’s been putting his wide range of expertise to use across multiple industries.
He started his career with a Big Five accounting firm, providing state and local tax consulting to large and quickly-growing companies. He eventually shifted into commercial litigation before landing in real estate, where he served small but growing real estate clients from Georgia to California. Brett eventually transitioned into the business side of commercial real estate—he even spent two years in New York City helping to build a real estate startup—before moving to the South to join a growing regional multifamily real estate company. Since then, he has helped build an asset management platform, implemented new revenue management and business intelligence software and processes, help grow an asset management team, and transition a company from a merchant builder to an institutional real estate platform.
He started his career with a Big Five accounting firm, providing state and local tax consulting to large and quickly-growing companies. He eventually shifted into commercial litigation before landing in real estate, where he served small but growing real estate clients from Georgia to California. Brett eventually transitioned into the business side of commercial real estate—he even spent two years in New York City helping to build a real estate startup—before moving to the South to join a growing regional multifamily real estate company. Since then, he has helped build an asset management platform, implemented new revenue management and business intelligence software and processes, help grow an asset management team, and transition a company from a merchant builder to an institutional real estate platform.
When not working to build real estate portfolios, Brett can typically be found spending time with his wife and two boys. An avid soccer fan, he often dreams of getting his boys into the English Premier League.
Meredith Lagan joined AvinnaCFO in August 2022 as Account Manager/Client Controller. She serves clients primarily by working with their accounting departments to identify and rectify areas of concern. By analyzing the client’s current staff, system and process, she implements new policies and procedures that help the customer streamline their accounting department. Creating efficiencies and optimizing client software is her specialty.
Meredith takes a deep dive into a client’s software capabilities and realigns their accounting procedures to optimize reporting for stakeholders. She has vast experience in software implementations, redesign, and accounting best practices to ensure her clients perform at their best.
She has worked with numerous software including Sage, Yardi, MRI, Datacor, Timberline, Eagle, E-Chempax, QuickBooks, QuickBooks Online, AvidXchange, Paylocity, ADP, ISNetworld, and numerous others. Meredith is an expert in both Excel and Word and can create tailored spreadsheets and documents to fit her client’s needs. She is always ready and willing to dive into new software and never afraid of a challenge. Meredith earned her B.S. in Accounting from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is a licensed CPA.
In the early 1990’s, the idea of using golf as a vehicle to help positively change a state seemed outlandish to most observers. Yet today, The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail has become what many believe as one of the most positive things ever to happen in the state of Alabama.
Qualifying as the largest golf course construction project ever attempted anywhere in the world, the Trail represents the finest collection of championship, public golf courses; all within the beautiful state of Alabama. The Trail’s twenty-six courses and 468 holes create more than 100 miles of golf that have been paramount in recruiting industry, expanding tourism, attracting retirees; thus strengthening the state while improving the life of all Alabamians.
Yet probably of greater long term significance, golf was simply a vehicle and catalyst to help positively change the image, attitude and perception of an entire state.
In 1990, Bobby was recruited to move to Alabama by Dr. David G. Bronner, CEO of The Retirement Systems of Alabama, to head up and mastermind what would become The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. He formed SunBelt Golf Corporation, a private for-profit corporation, and was responsible for the founding, development, design and construction of The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
This private/public partnership between SunBelt Golf and The Retirement Systems of Alabama has been rewarded with over 10,000 positives articles written about the Trail worldwide. Its features include the New York Times calling the Trail, “some of the best public golf on earth,” USA Today/Frequent Flyer magazine proclaiming the Trial, “one of the Top 10 destinations in the world,”
and Money Magazine stating it as “One of Eight Perfect Places to travel this winter.” The Trail’s honors include: US Southeastern Tourist Attraction of the Year, Best New Public Course of the Year and induction into The Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame.
In the late 1990’s, another natural progression of positive change for Alabama was initiated by Dr. Bronner and The Retirement Systems of Alabama.
With the formation of Alabama Real Estate Holdings Corp., another private,
for-profit corporation and partnership, was created to develop upscale hotels and resorts throughout the state to compliment the golf holdings. Bobby was part of the initial ownership development group and a member of the board of directors.
Alabama Real Estate Holdings, the parent company of PCH Hotels and Resorts, currently operates eight large hotels and resorts in Alabama including: The Grand Hotel in Point Clear, The Lodge at Grand National in Opelika, The Legends of Capital Hill in Prattville, River Heritage in Florence, Ross Bridge in Hoover, The Renaissance in Montgomery, The Battle House and Riverview Renaissance Hotels in Mobile and the Mobile Cruise Ship Terminal.
Bobby has also been involved with The Retirement Systems of Alabama in an assortment of special development projects, including long term resort communities adjacent to existing RSA golf and hotel properties; National Village in Opelika and The Colony at the Grand in Point Clear.
In 2007, The Retirement Systems of Alabama helped the State of Alabama recruit a 2,000 job plant by providing a $350 million interim, 18-month financing for the construction loan for National Alabama Corporation, a railcar manufacturer that included a 2.2 million square feet, mile-long facility located in the Shoals in northwest Alabama. When the Canadian developer failed to finish the plant on-time and within budget in late 2008, The Retirement Systems of Alabama
invested an additional $275 million to complete the construction and took over governing control with a new board. At this time, Bobby Vaughan was enlisted, by Dr. Bronner, to join the National Alabama Corporation, as an Ombudsman to help assist and monitor the future success of the company. Ultimately, the developer was indicted with ten criminal counts of securities fraud, and The Retirement Systems of Alabama took over management and ownership control.
In the fall of 2011, RSA announced a new, long-term lease/purchase agreement with Fortune 500 Company, Navistar, Inc., to take over the entire plant on January 1, 2012. Navistar’s intent was to consolidate and re-create this facility into their flagship truck manufacturing facility. The plan was de-railed because the company’s engine-emission failed to comply with new EPA guidelines. In 2013, Navistar recruited and sub-leased approximately one half of the facility to Freightcar America, thus continuing the original purpose to build steel railcars. Bobby’s tenure at the plant ended in late 2017.
A native of Lynchburg, Virginia, Bobby received his Bachelor of Science degree from Wake Forest University. He participated in basketball and golf, including a NCAA Championship Golf Team. He received his Masters of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from Clemson University, while teaching Calculus and other Mathematics classes in graduate school on a double fellowship.
Bobby has been a PGA Golf Professional for over forty years. During that time, he has received numerous awards including the PGA National Academic Achievement Award, and has conducted numerous teaching seminars around the country for the PGA while instructing over 10,000 students to play golf. Bobby has been actively involved in more golf course design and construction over the past thirty years than any other PGA Golf Professional in the world.
His various board involvements include: SunBelt Golf Corporation, Alabama Real Estate Holdings, Alabama Self-Insured Worker’s Compensation Fund, Alabama Wildlife Federation and The Business Council of Alabama.
He and his wife, Holly, of 41 years, currently reside in Mountain Brook, AL. They have three sons: Jackson (37), Tyler (35) and Hunter (27).
VALUE & VISION
Our values and vision shape our pursuit of business relationships and define who we are. We believe business is ultimately about people and that our job is to make it more rewarding—both personally and financially—for those we serve.