Alumni Spotlight: Chloe Humphrey (’07)

We’re highlighting our alumni near and far to see where are they now and what they’ve been up to since their time at UTM. See what your fellow classmates have been up to with our Skyhawk Notes—and share your update and for a chance to be featured in our alumni spotlight series.

Building a career, Opening doors

For Chloe Humphrey, UT Martin provided more than just a solid education. Her time on campus shaped the way she would one day lead while guiding her towards a successful career in public accounting.

Today, after approximately 20 years in the industry, she serves as a shareholder at CRS CPAs. Her work includes tax, accounting and audit services for businesses, government municipalities, school systems and non-profit organizations across West Tennessee. She also helps lead the firm’s recruitment, training and practice-management efforts.

Chloe continues to strengthen her close ties to UT Martin as a member of the College of Business advisory board. As an active recruiter of Skyhawk students, she puts into practice the same qualities that shaped her UT Martin experience: practical mentorship, rigorous preparation and opportunities that translate directly into the workplace.

Finding the Right Fit

A Greenfield native, Chloe spent a few years in the workforce before attending Jackson State Community College, where she completed foundational coursework before considering her next step. Once she began exploring UT Martin, the university quickly felt like the right place.

“It just felt like home,” Chloe said. “The minute you drove onto campus, it was such a beautiful place, and they worked with me so well. The education I got there was top notch. It was the place for me.”

As a commuter student, Chloe made campus her home throughout the day. From studying in the College of Business to spending time in the Paul Meek Library, she worked alongside other accounting students between classes and found a strong sense of community among her classmates and professors.

Mentorship with a Personal Touch

For Chloe, UT Martin faculty offered the right combination of encouragement, accountability and practical guidance to ensure their students’ success.

She served as a teaching assistant for accounting and business law professor Dr. Paula Moore. Dr. Moore became an important mentor, introducing her to the myriad possibilities available within the accounting profession.

As Chloe approached graduation, she found herself weighing several options, including graduate school, entering the workforce and pursuing her CPA certification. Accounting faculty played a defining role in helping her make the best decision for her individualized career path instead of merely recommending the same next step for every student.

“There was never a sales pitch,” Chloe recalls. “It was, ‘What works for you? What fits your life right now? What kind of career do you want? Here’s what you need to do to get there.’”

Chloe ultimately determined that focusing on her professional certification was the best choice for her. Although she later completed some graduate coursework, Chloe remains grateful for those who helped her identify a path tailored to her goals.

Discovering Public Accounting

When Chloe arrived at UT Martin, she expected to pursue finance. A conversation with a UT alumna at a College of Business career fair steered her towards a different path.

Amanda Wood (’00, ’02) attended the career fair and spoke about her work in public accounting. Only a few years further into her career, Wood offered Chloe a glimpse of a professional path she could imagine following herself.

“I was enthralled with the work she was doing and the picture she painted of her career in public accounting,” Chloe said. “I said, ‘Okay, accounting it is.’”

The career fair encounter, along with the influence of her professors gave Chloe the direction she had been seeking.

“I’ve had 20 years in public accounting, and I never looked back,” she said.

Her experience also showed her the influence alumni can have simply by returning to campus and sharing their professional journeys. One interaction helped Chloe recognize an opportunity that would shape the next two decades of her life.

Prepared for the Profession

Once Chloe chose accounting, UT Martin’s faculty expected her—and her fellow classmates—to commit fully to the work.

She remembers a rigorous program in which students were held accountable for mastering the material. At the same time, professors made sure they had access to the instruction, guidance and resources they needed to succeed.

“It wasn’t that it was a hard environment. They just challenged you,” Chloe stated. “And if you couldn’t get it, they were going to give you all the tools and resources you needed to get it—if you wanted it.”
 

Before graduating, Chloe sent a letter and résumé to ATA, the firm connected to the alumna who had inspired her at the career fair. That initiative led her to her first position in public accounting.

She remained with the firm for eight years before an opportunity allowed her to return to Weakley County. In 2015, she joined CRS as an audit director, later becoming a shareholder. While her work includes tax, accounting and audit services, Chloe is also particularly interested in the people and culture behind the firm. She helps oversee business development, staff recruitment, evaluations and professional training.

“Culture is very, very important to me,” she said. “I want people to be happy. I want us to have a place where people want to come work.” 

Serving West Tennessee

Chloe finds fulfillment in serving businesses and public organizations throughout West Tennessee. She performs governmental audits for municipalities, school systems and nonprofit organizations which allow her to help clients responsibly manage public resources while maintaining the financial structures they need to serve their communities.

Rather than viewing an audit only as a way to identify problems, Chloe approaches it as an opportunity to provide guidance, strengthen accountability and build trust. She values being able to work with organizations close to home and help local leaders apply complex financial and regulatory requirements in practical ways.

For Chloe, compliance should not prevent communities from pursuing new ideas, programs or opportunities. Her goal is to help clients find responsible ways to move forward.

Helping Fellow Skyhawks Soar

As a perspective employer, Chloe sees the strength of a UT Martin education from a new lens. CRS welcomes interns each year, with several typically coming from UT Martin. Through those experiences, Chloe has watched the preparation UT Martin students receive in the classroom translate into confidence and capability in the workplace.

When interviewing students and recent graduates she looks for a strong academic performance combined with communication, collaboration, humility and a willingness to learn. Chloe encourages young professionals to ask questions, seek feedback and take on challenging assignments during the earliest years of their careers.

“If you’re asking questions, I know you’re understanding,” she said. “I can see you growing.”

Through her service on the College of Business advisory board, Chloe helps strengthen the connection between the university and professional community. She maintains relationships with faculty, provides feedback about workforce needs and recruits students for internships and full-time positions.

Those relationships allow her to give students the kind of professional exposure that once helped her choose her own path. They also keep her learning.

“I get really excited to work with the interns,” Chloe said. “When they come in here, I learn so much from them.”

Sharing the Skyhawk Spirit

Chloe’s connection to UT Martin also remains personal.

One cool evening this summer, she and her husband, Matthew (’08), picked up milkshakes and walked around the Quad.

“I feel like it’s 2005,” she told him.

The familiar surroundings brought back memories, but Chloe’s relationship with UT Martin isn’t only defined by her time as a student. Today she gets to help shape what comes next for the College of Business and the Skyhawks preparing to enter the profession.

“I love that I’m just right down the road from it, and I get to be a part of its future,” she said.

Through her continued commitment to the campus and its students, Chloe hopes other alumni will also consider how their experiences, relationships and professional knowledge could benefit the next generation.

“I’m proud to be a Skyhawk,” she said. “When I say I graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin, I feel like that carries respect and credibility.”