Barrett Simonis has served with Pugh CPAs since 2001 in the audit, accounting, and advisory services practice area. He has served as an officer and member of the board of directors since 2009 and on the firm’s executive committee of the board of directors since 2013. In 2014 he was made the firm’s partner-in-charge of audit, accounting, and advisory services. In 2022 he was selected as the firm’s president. Simonis helps oversee recruiting and talent management as well as firm marketing and business development initiatives. He holds experience in auditing and accounting services related to a variety of industries and has been recognized by the Greater Knoxville Business Journal as a “40 Under 40” business professional.
Simonis is a Tennessee representative on the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Governing Council. He remains active with the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is a member of the East Tennessee Foundation’s board of directors, the board of directors for the Museum of Appalachia, and the Leadership Knoxville Class of 2024. Simonis serves with Catholic Charities of East Tennessee as a member of the board of trustees and past president and served as Chair of the Sacred Heart Cathedral School Annual Fund from 2018 to 2019; he is additionally a former board of directors’ member of the Dr. Robert Thomas Foundation of Covenant Health. He is a former board of directors’ member for Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee and a volunteer basketball and baseball coach for Knox Youth Sports.
Simonis graduated from UT Haslam College of Business with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He is a member of the UT Accounting Department Advisory Roundtable, former board of directors’ member for the Knox County chapter of the UT Alumni Association, and UT Chancellor’s Associate from 2010 to 2012. He additionally established the Simonis Endowed Accounting Scholarship within the Haslam College of Business. Simonis is a Sevier County native and resides with his wife and four children in West Knoxville.
