Allen Carroll: Wilkins Miller Managing Partner

Helping People Achieve

by Lindsay Fletcher
photography by Stephen Savage, assisted by Holly McKinney, and Kevin Zhou of Chromatic Creative, LLC.

In June, Allen Carroll (AC), managing partner, celebrated his 37th anniversary working at Wilkins Miller, a full-service accounting firm in Mobile. Carroll grew up in West Mobile, attending Crichton Academy (now known as the Dumas Wesley Center) and graduating from Baker High School. He earned his business degree from the University of South Alabama, joining Wilkins Miller the same year. In this inaugural issue of Bay Business News Magazine, Carroll spoke to your author (LF) about his career path, changes to the accounting and business industries and the successful team that Wilkins Miller has put together to serve the business community. 

LF: What inspired you to pursue a career in accounting, and how did your career path lead to your current position as managing partner?    

AC: I was always passionate about business and wanted to become a business owner one day. So, I decided to pursue an accounting degree, not because I loved debits and credits or math, but because I loved business, and accounting is truly the “language of business.” My thinking at the time was that I would start in public accounting, learn about business and end up owning a business someday. I quickly realized that accounting firms are businesses too, and in 1995, my dream to be a business owner became a reality when the firm’s partners at the time gave me an opportunity to join them as owners; they took a chance on me and gave me an opportunity for which I am forever grateful. Becoming an owner fueled my interest in helping, along with many others, build an organization that would endure over the long haul. My firm’s partners appointed me to the managing partner role around 2007, a role that I am honored to continue serving. Taking on the role of managing partner really tapped into my passion for and interest in business, people and organizational development — the very reasons I chose a career in business to begin with. 

LF: You’ve been with Wilkins Miller since 1987. What about the firm caused you to stay for almost 40 years? 

AC: I stayed all these years because of two things: the people and the challenge. I get to work around highly motivated, smart, driven people with a common mission to help each other and our clients succeed. From day one until now, I have felt challenged in a good way. 

 LF: What are the main changes you’ve seen to the industry over the years? 

AC: I am fortunate to have experienced some major events during my career that changed the way businesses and organizations operate in ways that no one could truly anticipate at the time. When I first started my career, everything was manual (and on paper), and the personal computer changed everything. Then we experienced the internet and, more recently, the pandemic, which significantly changed things for the good. The business world, in general, is placing a bigger focus on people and the quality of their work experience. It is placing a greater importance on good leadership. Now, we are facing the arrival of AI, which I predict will have a far greater positive impact on businesses and their productivity than anything we have seen so far. These are exciting times in which to be living and doing business. 

LF: Can you give us a brief overview of the services your firm offers to area businesses?  

AC: Our core offerings include tax planning and compliance, financial statement auditing, outsourced accounting, consulting, forensic accounting, litigation and valuation services, wealth management and information technologies. We also have strong industry niches in healthcare, construction, real estate and non-profits, including other industries that are reflective of the Mobile Bay region’s economic base. 

LF: What are the most common financial challenges that businesses face, and how does your firm help them overcome them? 

AC: We are all fortunate to be doing business in a robust and growing Mobile Bay region. However, businesses today face many challenges with the most common challenge likely being centered around people and the need for capital to support growth — most business owners today are wondering if they have enough of both to carry on the business and keep up with its growth. In today’s competitive world, it is important to have a good advisor/partner that understands you, your business and your goals and can help you navigate the challenging waters of these times and prepare for your desired future, which is what we do every day with a great group of clients.  

LF: What sets your firm apart from other accounting firms, and what value do you believe you bring to your clients? 

AC: Our people. We have a talented team that genuinely cares about the success of our clients and about getting things right. Our people are recognized experts in their various fields, and I would put them up against anyone in the business. It is the combination of that deep technical expertise and commitment to client success that sets us apart and delivers substantial value to those we serve. 

LF: How would you describe the team and the culture at Wilkins Miller?

AC: Our team’s success starts with good people and a commitment to our firm’s stated purpose, “We Help People Achieve,” which drives everything we do. Our mission is to help our clients achieve their goals while at the same time creating a great work environment where individuals can reach their potential.  

We invest heavily in developing people and have leaders everywhere. We work hard to create an environment where everyone is influencing, contributing to and really engaging in the direction of the firm, as it and its people are constantly evolving. Letting people try different things to identify what energizes them, just like the firm did with me, is important. While our team is multi-generational, we also have a lot of young people who are in leadership roles and who are totally engaged and driven to see this firm and its clients succeed.  One of the most rewarding things for me is to watch someone young mature into an outstanding and confident leader — experiencing that is cool. 

Culture is hard to define because it’s not just one thing, or a few things: It is thousands of different things working together. Mutual respect, being genuine, being open and caring are all things that come to mind when I think of our culture. Our team also enjoys having fun and being with each other, celebrating successes and milestones and supporting each other when needed. 

So, that is several of the thousand different things, but “culture” is those thousand things working together, and it takes daily, constant attention to nurture those thousand things to keep them in harmony. I have often described our firm and its team as a “village” where everyone plays a role in our success for the benefit of all. We have a group of world-class partners that are truly dedicated to the idea that we are better together. So, in the end, it comes back to good people — and every single one of our amazing people in their own unique way is responsible for our culture. 

When I look around and see all our great people, I know this firm’s future is solid.   

LF: What has working in this field taught you about business or even something more personal? 

AC: People are the most important element of any business or organization. As Jim Collins taught us in the book “Good to Great”, get the right people on the bus, in the right seats and those people will take you to a wonderful destination. I have learned the importance of hiring good people, investing in and developing them, supporting and caring about them, allowing them to become engaged and then staying out of their way. I have also learned the importance of timing in every major decision; there are good times to do things and times where those same good ideas will fail, and it is not always easy to know the difference. 

Be transparent in all communications with your team and be candid with all challenges — the more knowledgeable your team is about how you are doing, the better they can help your business/organization to become successful.   

When I was younger, I did not always have the confidence to follow my instincts. As I have gained experience and had the benefit of hindsight, I have learned to better trust and follow my instincts, realizing they have proven to be accurate. 

Control the things you can and do not waste energy on those things out of your control. 

Liquidity and cash are king; do not waste.  

LF: Is there a memorable experience or success story you would like to share?  

AC: While serving as chairman of the Board of Trustees at St. Luke’s Episcopal School (my children’s school, which, at the time, terminated at the eighth grade), the school planned a high school by acquiring the former Wright’s girl’s school, a 32-acre campus — a more than $10-million project made possible by creating wide-spread support throughout the Mobile community. The St. Luke’s high school project taught me first-hand what amazing things people can accomplish when they truly become passionate about an organization’s purpose, vision and mission — a lesson that has stayed with me and one that is important to any organization, especially one with big aspirations. It’s like organizational “rocket fuel.” 

LF: Is there an interest, hobby or experience that people might be surprised to know about you? 

AC: I was fortunate to earn my pilot’s license when I was 18 years old because of Continental Aerospace Technologies’ (known as Teledyne at the time) participation in the Boy Scout’s Explorer’s program. I went on to obtain instrument and multi-engine ratings in college and remain passionate about aviation today. I am incredibly grateful to Continental for giving me the gift of flight.  

Thanks to my great parents, I rode my first motorcycle when I was 5, and I still love riding today. One of my favorite things to do is to ride with my dad to Dauphin Island or along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and occasionally to the office. 

LF: Is there anything I didn’t ask you about that you would like people to know? What does the future look like for you? 

AC: I am so excited about all that is going on in the Mobile Bay area and what it means for our future, and I’m talking about the port, the bridge, aerospace, logistics and the arrival of new industry among so many other great things happening, including our community better holding onto our young people.    

I am partial, but the older I get, I realize how fortunate we all are to live and work along this beautiful Gulf Coast, which is truly paradise. What a great place to live, raise a family and do business.   

Regarding the future, I am truly having more fun today than ever because of our people, great clients, our growing and developing Mobile Bay community and Wilkins Miller’s strong position in the market. The future is incredibly bright for us all!