The CommonWealth Team

Doug Gaskins
Doug Gaskins, CBA, ASA, is the Principle Partner of CommonWealth Financial Group.

Mr. Gaskins is a Certified Business Appraiser, as designated by The Institute of Business Appraisers ( www.goiba.org ). This coveted designation is awarded to only those individuals who have proven their willingness to adhere to the highest standards in the appraisal profession. The requirements to obtain this designation are so demanding that less that 500 have obtained the CBA designation. Mr. Gaskins also holds the designation of Accredited Senior Appraiser in Business Valuation awarded by the American Society of Appraisers ( www.appraisers.org ). These two designations are the most honored and recognized in the Business Valuation profession.

Doug has an expansive portfolio of valuation experience. Former assignments include businesses engaged in retail trade, service industries, professional practices, etc. Doug's professional designations and experience qualify him to value the most challenging assignment in the valuation profession: Personal, Professional and/or Business Goodwill. In addition to experience, Doug has accumulated over 150 classroom hours of education credits which provide a sound basis of valuation theory to his valuation assignments.

In addition to a wide variety of businesses Doug has valued, the uses of his reports have been just as varied. Some of the uses have been: shareholder issues, marital dissolution, buy/sell agreements, business exit strategies, selling businesses, buying businesses, synergistic buyer valuations, gift and estate taxes, and discounting note values for income deductions.

Doug has served on the Board of Directors of professional associations and private companies. He currently owns and operates a farming operation engaged in the growing of irrigated row crops and pine tree production. Additionally, he is co-owner and administrator of a 36 bed personal care home, which provides an assisted living alternative to the citizens of the South Georgia town Doug calls home. Doug graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Accounting. Doug can be reached at doug@commonwealthllc.net

Throughout his valuation career, Doug has practiced his company's motto:
We do not want to change the business world, we just want to make your part worth more.

Sam Sims
A Certified Public Accountant for 15 years, Sam has been with Herring C.P. A. Group, P.C. since 1988. A partner with them for 14 years, Sam brings unique enthusiasm to the challenge of assisting clients with their financial picture – and carved a niche with his special interest in corporate tax. While remaining at Herring C.P. A. Group, P.C. , Sam works with clients of CommonWealth, bringing the perspective of an experienced CPA to the team.

Herring CPA Group P.C.
The partners at Herring C.P. A. Group, P.C. understand the importance of a comprehensive financial plan – therefore, an affiliation between Herring C.P. A. Group, P.C. and CommonWealth Financial Group was created. Simply put, Herring C.P. A. Group, P.C. wanted a formal affiliation with a company capable of providing a comprehensive analysis, coupled with long range planning and implementation capabilities, for Individuals and Business. Each company operates independently and clients are not required to use both companies.