Smith, Turner & Reeves, one of Mississippi’s largest and most successful certified public accounting and consulting firms, has long had a reputation for excellence and professionalism. Part of this reputation must certainly be attributed to managing partner, president and shareholder Jon Turner.

Turner, born and raised in Belzoni, is a fifth-generation Deltan and says his Delta roots have served him well.”I find it amazing that, on just about any given day, I run into folks from the Delta here in downtown Jackson,” Turner ruminates. “I suppose it’s unfortunate that, for whatever reason, they’re not able to be back in the Delta working and raising their families. Yet they all share a fondness and allegiance to the region that is unlike any other in the state. It’s a real tangible closeness folks feel that is hard to convey. I certainly have it,” he says.

In business for going on 30 years, Smith Turner & Reeves is full-service accounting firm with client responsibilities in a myriad of different industries, including telecommunications, manufacturing, insurance, retail/wholesale, health care, construction and services to law firms and lenders. The firm is based in downtown Jackson, in the AmSouth building, and also has a thriving office in Oxford. In addition to audit and tax work, Turner himself provides consultation on merger and acquisition efforts, loan negotiations, business succession and development of client-specific business strategies. It’s a long way from the crop fields of Belzoni.

“Look, I grew up driving tractors in cotton, soybean and rice fields,” Turner laughs. “I ate dust for 10 straight summers! Seriously, my father loved to farm but he showed no favoritism and taught me how to work hard. I appreciate all of the great values I learned growing up in Belzoni and would not change anything for that great and happy experience. Jackson has been a good place to raise our children, but I often think about them missing out on that small Delta town experience.

“Both of my great grandparents on my father’s side grew up in the Carrollton area, then moved to Belzoni in the early 1900’s,” Turner continues. “My great-grandfather (O. J. Turner, Sr.) began clearing land for farming and then became a druggist, as well.” O.J. Turner was instrumental in the formation of Humphreys County in 1918 and was its first sheriff, appointed by Gov. Bilbo. Turner says that Turner’s Drugstore, which his great-grandfather opened in 1906, was a fixture in Belzoni until his uncle sold to Fred’s Pharmacy just a few years ago. Turner Brothers Farms, Turner’s Gin and Turner-Allen Chemical Company were some other Belzoni family business staples in the 20th century.

“On my mother’s side, my Crosby grandparents spent most of their lives in Indianola, where my mother was raised,” Turner says. In other Delta ties, Turner’s wife, the former Pam Mills, is a Greenville native. “Her parents and extended family are still in Greenville,” Turner says. “In fact, her father and brother operate Mills and Mills Architects and her mom had the Cotton Patch Women’s Store for 30 years there, where Pam and her sister worked many days.” Turner’s sister married into an Indianola farm family and his brother remains involved in the agriculture industry in the Mid-South area. A Turner relative is the current mayor of Belzoni and many relatives still live in Belzoni and throughout the Delta. Turner and his wife are the parents of two daughters, Raney Mills and Mary Crosby.

Turner entered Ole Miss, leaving the Delta behind, to get his degree. His ties with Ole Miss are well known and he currently is extremely active with his alma mater. Turner has served as President of the Central Mississippi Ole Miss Alumni Club and is currently serving as a Vice-President of the National University of Mississippi Alumni Association Board. He also serves on the University’s Development Foundation Board and the School of Accountancy Professional Advisory Council. Additionally, Turner and his wife Pam are serving as co-chairs of the Ole Miss First $125 million scholarship initiative. Based on this, it’s not hard to figure out which side of the field Turner and his family sit on during the Egg Bowl.”

Somehow, Ole Miss makes its way into every single family gathering and dominates the conversation fairly quickly,” Turner notes. “There is no question in my mind that the bond my family has had with Ole Miss through the years has been a major factor in the closeness that we have. I suppose my great-grandfather established Oxford as our home base 100 years ago! The extended Delta Turner family numbers close to 50, and we’ll see every one of them on campus at some point during the year. And the same holds true for Pam’s extended family.” The original track around the football field at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium was named “Turner Track” in honor of Turner’s great-grandfather and the “Turner Center” on campus bears the name of a great-uncle.

After leaving Ole Miss, Turner made his way to his current home of Jackson, working first with KPMG Peat Marwick before joining Smith Turner & Reeves. The latter has enjoyed tremendous success and is currently ranked as one of the top five locally owned accounting firms in the state.” In a day and age when accounting firms are getting bad press in the wake of the Enron and WorldCom scandals, locally-owned CPA firms are seeing their images enhanced and their business increasing,” Turner observes. “People want better, more timely and more reliable financial information and from people they trust”. Or “CPA’s You Can Count On”, as the Firm’s marketing message states. “That’s what local firms like us can provide. Our goal is not to be the biggest CPA firm, just hopefully the best,” Turner adds.

“There are outstanding CPA firms in the Delta, and we enjoy working side-by-side on mutual clients” Turner continues, “we’re fortunate to be able to do a good bit of work in the region. We handle a lot of North Delta business out of our Oxford office and we see a strong future in the Delta. All in our partner group are small town folks, some from the Delta, and we strongly believe that for Mississippi to thrive that the Delta has to thrive. In fact, we’re banking on that.” A good reputation will also help facilitate that growth and Turner certainly has that.

“I can’t say enough about Jon, both as a person and as a professional,” says Beth Worth of Greenville, former Greenville Chamber of Commerce President and co-owner of Gil Worth Tire Company. “He started as the accountant and advisor for our company and soon became a confidante and a close friend. Jon never loses sight of the importance of trust and honesty in a business relationship.”

Turner claims not a day goes by when he doesn’t ponder his Delta roots and count his blessings for having come from this unique part of the world. He says, “I live and work in Jackson, but my heart and soul will always belong to the Mississippi Delta.” DBJ