Tia Cantrell was born in the Republic of Georgia, in the seaside palm tree shaded city of Sokhumi on the Black Sea. She became a refugee at the age of 13. Her entire family was displaced as a result of a punitive post-Soviet war. Tia’s parents stayed back until the very last day and spent the rest of their lives hoping one day they would get to go back to the home they missed so much. Unfortunately, that’s one dream she has not been able to help them realize.

At 16, Tia became an exchange student and came to an American high school, completely mesmerized by the new culture. She went back to Georgia, and 5 years later her American host parents gave her an opportunity of a lifetime to come back to the US and start a new life in the States. That’s one gift that Tia can never fully repay them for. It was priceless to her.

Tia Cantrell entered college not quite sure of the path she would choose. That changed when Dr. Terrell entered her classroom. She was strong, vibrant, extremely competent with a knack to make the most complex topics easily understood. During her class she would tell stories from when she and her husband owned and operated a public accounting firm for 18 years. She shared that they would help clients from all walks of life. That was the spark that ignited the beginning of Tia’s lifelong love of accounting and finances, a critical trait that makes a true difference in delivering quality solutions to her clients to this day.

That lifelong love was also made possible by a handsome Tennessean she met along her journey. Many years later, with two little girls and their share of ups and downs, they are still going strong and Tia is confident that she wouldn’t change a thing.