09 oct in the firm - October 2026. New hires: Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. is pleased to welcome the following team members to Blackman & Sloop: * Brian Finn joined the team as a Tax Manager. * Helena Lawton joined the team as a Tax Manager. * Laura Bolduc joined the team as an Executive Assistant. Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. is glad to have them on board and look forward to all they'll bring to the firm! Conferences/Seminars/Events: Campus recruiting - Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. visited with students at UNC-Greensboro, North Carolina State University, High Point University, and NC A & T at Meet The Firms events. Deetra Watson, Laura Fletcher and Brian Finn represented Blackman & Sloop at the 2026 Conference for North Carolina Nonprofits on October 20th & 21st! Its team enjoyed connecting with not-for-profit leaders and fellow attendees, learning about their organizations, and discussing the work they're doing in communities across North Carolina. Volunteerism/community events: On August 17 Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. celebrated National Nonprofit Day - This year, Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. were honored to highlight American Dance Festival, SECU Family House at UNC Hospitals, and TABLENC, three organizations creating meaningful impact through arts and education, support for families navigating medical care, and access to nutritious food for local children. Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. is grateful for opportunities like these to give back and support organizations that make a meaningful impact across North Carolina. Office happenings: August & September was filled with celebrations around the office! Its team enjoyed celebrating National Intern Day, taking a sweet break with an ice cream bar cart courtesy of ADP, and spending time together at a bowling outing. Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. also celebrated Maclain Coords' upcoming wedding with a happy hour wedding shower! To celebrate and recharge on the 9/15 tax deadline, Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. enjoyed 3 types of homemade guacamole, chips, and of course - queso! (Bonus: National Guacamole Day was on 9/16) · Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. celebrated World Gratitude Day on 9/21 with an office edition of Bingo! Aiwyn: Aiwyn is Live! Blackman & Sloop's new online payment portal, Aiwyn, went live August 1. Invoices and statements now arrive by email with a one-click link to view and pay, no account or login required. Pay by ACH at no fee or by card at standard rates, save a payment method, or enroll in AutoPay. These emails are from Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. and are legitimate; you can also go directly to BlackmanSloop.Aiwyn.ai. Prefer paper? The opt-out form is still open. Employee news (births, marriages, anniversary, birthdays): Henry Kunz got married on August 8th! Congratulations Henry and Hunter! Birthdays: | July 4 | Trent Herndon | | July 15 | Megan Simard | | July 17 | Adrienne Collins | | July 17 | Jacynth Aquino | | July 21 | Logan Miller-DeBrosky | | July 27 | Joyce Davis | | August 1 | Tejaswini Garikapati | | August 10 | Derek Haenke | | August 27 | Justin Stremme | | September 4 | Laura Bennett | | September 8 | Deetra Watson | | September 12 | Lee Worrix | | September 15 | Narendar Bonala | Deetra Watson celebrated her 50th birthday on September 8th! Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. also celebrated Adrienne Collins' 30th birthday on July 17th! Anniversaries: | July 11 | Stephen Dallara, 2 years | | July 19 | Andrea Eason, 33 years | | July 30 | Candy Kirby, 42 years | | July 31 | Amy Ford, 9 years | | August 1 | Deetra Watson, 21 years | | August 1 | Adrienne Collins, 8 years | | August 11 | Henry Kunz, 1 year | | August 17 | Rob Lewis, 28 years | | August 25 | Jessica Wyant, 1 year | | August 27 | Ben Johnson, 14 years | | August 29 | Joe Beaudin, 12 years | | August 29 | Derek Haenke, 4 years | | September 3 | Josh Ludwig, 2 years | | September 5 | Shane Morris, 3 years | | September 7 | Logan Miller-DeBrosky, 4 years | | September 19 | Jude Bewlay, 8 years | | September 23 | Zach Waddell, 7 years |

30 aug why women are building long-term careers at Blackman & Sloop. A great workplace is shaped by more than policies or benefits. It is built through the everyday experiences people have with their colleagues and leaders: being heard, having opportunities to grow, feeling trusted with meaningful work, and knowing there are people in your corner when life outside the office needs your attention, too. At Blackman & Sloop, those experiences have helped create an environment where women can build meaningful, long-term careers. That commitment was recently recognized when Blackman & Sloop was named one of the 2026 Best Places to Work for Women by Best Companies Group. While Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. is proud of the recognition, what matters most is what it represents: the culture its team members experience every day. Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. asked several women across the firm to share what has made Blackman & Sloop a place where they have been able to learn, lead, and grow. Seeing Yourself in Leadership Representation matters, particularly in a profession where women have not always had equal visibility in leadership. At Blackman & Sloop, women hold leadership positions throughout the firm, including three of its five partner roles. For Amy Ford, Campus Recruiting Manager, that sends an important message to women who are considering what their own careers could look like. "Women look at our leadership team and can see themselves there. In a male-dominated industry, when you look at our firm and see that three out of the five partners are female, that is powerful." That visibility does more than demonstrate what is possible. It creates opportunities for younger professionals to learn directly from women who have built successful careers while developing their own leadership styles. Laura Bennett, Tax Senior Manager, has experienced that firsthand throughout her eight years with the firm. Three women partners who have since retired played an important role in shaping her career. "They helped me grow not only as a tax professional, but also as a leader and trusted advisor," Laura shared. "Their example showed me the importance of having confidence in my expertise, advocating for myself, and supporting the women who come behind me." Today, Laura is doing the same for others as she takes on leadership responsibilities, mentors team members, and continues developing her specialization in fiduciary, estate, and trust taxation. The Freedom to Explore Where Your Career Can Go Professional development does not always follow a straight line. Sometimes growth begins with an idea, a new area of interest, or simply the willingness to raise your hand for something unfamiliar. At Blackman & Sloop, team members are encouraged to do exactly that. Amy describes an environment where ideas are welcomed and employees are supported when they want to explore something new. "I feel that I am always listened to and my ideas matter," she said. "If I want to try something new, the firm supports that and provides me with the resources I need." Adrienne Collins, Audit Manager, experienced that trust almost immediately after joining Blackman & Sloop following graduate school. Within her first year, Adrienne became interested in Enterprise Risk Management, an area the firm was not formally pursuing at the time. Rather than being told she needed more experience before contributing, she was encouraged to research the topic, share what she had learned, and even lead a book club with the partner group. "I was never treated as less important because I had less experience in the industry, and in life," she shared. That experience reflects something Adrienne continues to value about the firm today: leaders are willing to share their knowledge, bring developing professionals into client conversations, and encourage people to ask questions about areas they have not encountered before. Laura has found similar opportunities throughout her career. "Some of my most valuable professional growth has come from situations where I was trusted with something difficult and had to find a way to make it successful," she said. That trust has helped her grow not only technically, but also as a communicator, mentor, and leader. A Career That Leaves Room for Life For many professionals, particularly women balancing careers with caregiving and family responsibilities, workplace flexibility is about much more than convenience. It can determine whether someone feels they can continue growing professionally without constantly choosing between the people and responsibilities that matter to them. At Blackman & Sloop, supporting one another through those moments is simply part of being a team. Adrienne puts it plainly: "Family comes first." "I know a lot of workplaces say that, but if a family obligation occurs or plans change, the team at Blackman & Sloop will move to fill the gap with no stress or ill will," she explained. "We all know that we will have a time when we need patience or someone to fill in, so we are happy to provide that to others." For Courtney Murphy, CAAS Senior Manager, that culture became particularly meaningful during her oldest son's senior year. Courtney was juggling several demanding projects during an already busy spring while also trying to be present for the final milestones of her son's high school experience. On the way to one of his last tennis matches, she called her supervisor feeling overwhelmed by everything competing for her attention. Instead of making Courtney feel guilty for stepping away, her leader helped her sort through her priorities so she could be present for an important family moment. "She probably did not know at the time how much that conversation meant to me," Courtney shared. It is an experience that has stayed with her because it demonstrated that the firm's approach to balance is not simply something discussed in theory. "I truly feel that Blackman & Sloop offers a good balance, where I have never felt that I had to sacrifice one aspect of my life for the other," Courtney said. "I am very grateful for that." A Community That Helps Women Grow Career growth does not happen in isolation. Having people to learn from, turn to for advice, and share experiences with can make an enormous difference. Within Blackman & Sloop, women have opportunities to build those relationships organically through their teams and across leadership. Team members can also connect with a broader community through Ascend's internal women's networking group, creating another avenue for women to build relationships, exchange ideas, learn from one another, and develop their professional networks. For Amy, that sense of community is one of the things she would emphasize most to a woman considering joining the firm. "There is an incredible community and network here, and it's empowering," she said. She points to leaders such as Deetra Watson and Andrea Eason as role models who have had a meaningful impact on her own experience. Laura similarly encourages women to intentionally build those relationships throughout their careers. "Make your career goals known," she advises. "Don't assume people automatically know what you want or where you want your career to go. Build relationships, find people you trust who will give you honest feedback, and don't be afraid to advocate for yourself." Growing Together What makes Blackman & Sloop a great place for women is not one program, policy, or award. It is seeing women in leadership and knowing there is room to follow in their footsteps. It is being trusted with an idea early in your career. It is having the opportunity to develop an area of expertise and become someone clients and colleagues rely on. It is knowing your family matters when life changes unexpectedly. And it is being surrounded by people who genuinely want to see one another succeed. As Adrienne shared, those qualities ultimately create a strong workplace for everyone. "We have a culture of respecting each other, and everyone wants to produce good quality work and excellent client service. It is easy to want to succeed when everyone at the firm has similar goals and the same outlook on what is important for the workplace." Being recognized as one of the 2026 Best Places to Work for Women is something Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. is proud of, but the stories behind that recognition mean even more. They represent careers that have grown over years, leaders who have invested in the people coming behind them, colleagues who step in when someone needs support, and women who know their experience, ideas, and ambitions have a place at Blackman & Sloop. If you are looking for a firm where you can continue learning, build meaningful relationships, take on new challenges, and grow into the career you envision, Blackman & Sloop Advisors, Inc. would love to get to know you. Explore career opportunities at Blackman & Sloop and discover where your career could take you.