Jonathan Wilke, Managing Partner, Tennessee, Forvis Mazars

In an interview with Invest:, Jonathan Wilke, managing partner for Tennessee at Forvis Mazars, emphasized the firm’s global integration as a key advantage amid rising international investment in the region. “Having a global reach through Forvis Mazars is a real advantage for our growth here,” he said.

How has the Forvis Mazars integration and the global network structure impacted your Tennessee offices and client service?

The timing of the global network has ended up being a great opportunity for our firm to continue to grow with our clients on an international stage in Tennessee. Initially, I didn’t expect the global network to affect us much locally, but it turns out there are many international companies based in Tennessee. Governor Bill Lee recently mentioned that he’s in talks with foreign companies looking to establish a U.S. presence, and Tennessee is high on their list. Having a global reach through Forvis Mazars allows us to better serve our international clients. From an internal perspective, the global network didn’t change much for our team operations in Tennessee. The biggest impact has been on the client side. For instance, if a client has operations in Germany, the U.K., or Australia, we can now facilitate connections with our Forvis Mazars Global counterparts in those countries. That kind of access brings tremendous ability for our team to deliver an unmatched client experience. Since the Forvis merger three years ago, we’ve been growing at a double-digit pace in Tennessee. We’re not doing anything flashy, just staying focused on serving our clients well and continuing to build our brand. Businesses are moving here, and that keeps creating new opportunities.

What makes Middle Tennessee an ideal place for your offices?

Nashville is a great place for recent college graduates to start their careers. At the same time, there are surrounding cities nearby where people can raise families and find great schools. It really gives us the best of both worlds. Private equity continues to see family-owned businesses in Middle Tennessee as attractive investments. The city is well positioned to support those firms, whether that’s through transaction advisory, audit, or tax services for the portfolio companies. The investments keep coming because of the long-term potential in this market. Healthcare continues to be a major driver in this market, and private equity is very active there as well. It’s also been interesting to see companies try to enter the market without really investing in the community. That doesn’t seem to have a successful track record. You have to be connected to the community to be successful here and to be able to hire and retain talent, which is why Middle Tennessee is an ideal place for our offices.

How are you strengthening the talent pipeline while balancing trends like offshoring and AI?

Being part of a large firm provides many opportunities to invest in and utilize AI. We have approximately 80 offices in the United States and recruit students from over 100 schools. Nashville continues to be attractive for talent. This year we have had multiple employees transfer from other offices to Nashville. So, we’re attracting people not just from Tennessee, but across the Southeast and beyond. At the same time, we’re trying to strike the right balance with offshoring and emerging technologies like AI. Some offshoring is necessary, but we’re careful not to lose that critical middle layer of managers. We are focused on delivering an unmatched client experience and we are in the people business; we want our team available for in person meetings and to be responsive to our clients’ needs. 

What broader economic trends are you watching, and how are they affecting your clients or operations in Tennessee?

We don’t focus on government contracting here, so we’re not as affected by what’s happening at the federal level. What I see is continued private equity investment. The market continues to remain strong. My biggest concern is overgrowth, especially with high-end housing and affordability. A six-figure salary doesn’t go as far in Nashville anymore so we are focused on giving career opportunities to our employees so they can achieve personal success as well. I see more businesses moving outside the downtown area to Murfreesboro, Spring Hill and other areas that are more affordable for employees.

What is your outlook for the accounting and advisory industry in Middle Tennessee, and how are you positioning your firm for the future?

Professional services will keep growing. Growth at our firm starts at the partner and director level by building trust in the market that we will deliver. We’re focused on recruiting and developing leaders who can do that. As businesses grow more complex, they’ll need more technical support, and that’s where a firm of our size can really step in. Nashville continues to be a great place to live, work, grow, and play. As long as we stay focused on what makes it special, I know we’ll continue to thrive.