Founder & Chairman Emeritus
Will J. Pugh (Bill) graduated from the University of Tennessee and worked for seven years for the Internal Revenue Service. In 1968 he entered public accounting and in ’69 founded Pugh and Company.
While growing and managing the Firm, he served on the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy for 18 years, chairman for six. He has served on the boards of Tennessee Society of CPAs, National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, and the American Institute of CPAs. He helped draft changes to the Tennessee Accountancy Law that improved professional and ethical standards in the accounting profession which will benefit future generations. He received two Distinguished Service Awards from national accounting organizations and numerous awards from other accounting organizations.
He has served on several boards, such as Helen Ross McNabb Center and Foundation, YMCA, Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, East Tennessee Foundation, Leadership Knoxville, Zoo Knoxville, Holston Conference of the United Methodist Foundation, Inc., and many others.
Mr. Pugh is a true Vol for Life! He’s an honorary member of UT Letterman’s Club, a member of the Benefactor’s Club, received awards for extraordinary service to various University departments, and received the Outstanding Accounting Alumnus Award in 2002 and the UT Outstanding Alumni Award in 2009. He also established endowments for student scholarships, faculty awards, and professorships, passing his love of the profession to future generations.
