Cherry Bekaert CEO Michelle Thompson Joins Board of Managers for The Innovate Fund

GREENVILLE, S.C., Oct. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cherry Bekaert and The Innovate Fund are pleased to announce the appointment of Michelle Thompson, CEO of Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC, to the Board of Managers for The Innovate Fund. Based in Greenville, SC, The Innovate Fund is a New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Community Development Entity (CDE) dedicated to transforming communities by supporting the creation of quality jobs and enhancing health and wellness for the region's low-income residents.

Cherry Bekaert, a minority owner in The Innovate Fund (TIF), is proud to support TIF's vital work in generating significant community outcomes across Central Appalachia. To date, The Innovate Fund has achieved a total economic impact of $1.9 billion across a six-state service area, creating over 7,000 jobs in low-income communities and serving over 407,000 low-income individuals.

"We are thrilled to welcome Michelle Thompson to the Board of Managers for The Innovate Fund," said David Barnett, Board Chairman. "Her leadership and expertise will be invaluable as we continue our mission of creating positive change in the communities we serve."

TIF's Operating Board includes esteemed members such as David Barnett, Board Chairman; Laurel Tinsley, TIF Operating Officer and Managing Director at Cherry Bekaert; Tammy Propst, TIF Founder; Mark Cooter, Partner at Cherry Bekaert; Andrew Kurtz, CEO of Kopis, LLC and Vigilix, LLC; and Charlie Mickel, President of RSI Holdings.

In addition to her new role, Thompson serves on the Nominating Committee at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) as the Major Firms Group Chair and is a member of the National Commission on Diversity and Inclusion. She is licensed with the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants (NCACPA) and holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and an M.S. in Accountancy from the University of South Carolina.

"I am inspired by The Innovate Fund's mission to improve local communities," said Thompson. "I have always been passionate about transforming our communities and am honored to join a board committed to driving meaningful, lasting changes that will enhance outcomes for our clients and the communities we serve."

Visit The Innovate Fund to learn more about their impact.

About The Innovate Fund

The Innovate Fund is a Community Development Entity that utilizes New Markets Tax Credits to serve the states of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. TIF has received $328MM of New Markets Tax Credits to support its mission of transforming communities through the creation of quality jobs and improvement of health and wellness outcomes for the region's low-income residents. More information about The Innovate Fund can be found at their website: https://theinnovatefund.com/. 

About Cherry Bekaert

Cherry Bekaert, ranked among the largest assurance, tax, and advisory firms in the U.S., serves clients across industries in the U.S. and internationally. "Cherry Bekaert" is the brand name under which Cherry Bekaert LLP and Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC, independently owned entities, provide professional services in an alternative practice structure in accordance with applicable professional standards. Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC is not a licensed CPA firm. Cherry Bekaert LLP is a licensed CPA firm that provides attest services, and Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC and its subsidiary entities provide business advisory and non-attest services spanning the areas of transaction advisory, risk and accounting advisory, digital solutions, cybersecurity, and tax. We exercise a deliberate curiosity to know our clients' industries and work collaboratively to create shared success. For more details, visit cbh.com/disclosure.

Cherry Bekaert LLP and Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC are members of Allinial Global, an accountancy and business advisory global association. Visit us at cbh.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X or Instagram.

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