Meet our Team

Lawton H. Baker, CPA

A Certified Public Accountant with over 40 years of audit, tax and business planning experience, Lawton enjoys working with clients to make smart decisions about their businesses so they can establish a lasting financial future and plan for business succession.  He provides wealth planning and management services as a Principal in FOCUS Asset Management Company, a Registered Investment Advisor.    

As President and Treasurer of Baker & McNiff, P.C., Lawton provides leadership for the Firm’s planning, operations and finances. 

Lawton graduated from Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration - majoring in Accounting.  He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and served as President of the Tidewater Chapter of Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (TCVSCPA). 

He is Vice Chairman of the Monarch Bank Board of Directors and has served as a director of the Bank since 1998.  He is Chairman of the Bank Audit and Compliance Committee and a member of the Compensation Committee. 

Lawton also serves as the Treasurer and Finance Committee Chairman for StoneBridge School Board in Chesapeake and as Treasurer for the Portsmouth Republican Party City Committee.

A life-long resident of Portsmouth, Lawton is a Sunday School teacher at St. Andrews United Methodist Church in Portsmouth, and is a member and Past President of the Churchland Kiwanis Club.

Sailing, reading, exercise, travel and ODU sports add relaxation and enjoyment to Lawton’s life with his wife and two adult sons.

Eugene F. McNiff, CPA

A Certified Public Accountant with over 30 years of accounting, tax and audit experience, Gene also services the Firm’s clients by providing proactive tax consulting and business planning including estate planning.  In addition, Gene serves clients as a wealth investment advisor for 401(k) plans, individuals, businesses and trusts as President of Focus Asset Management Company, A Registered Investment Advisor.  He also assists clients with personnel recruitment, employee evaluations, financing arrangements and general business matters.  Gene supervises and reviews compilation, review and audit services to clients in a variety of industries.

As the Firm’s Quality Control Partner, Gene manages the tax and accounting service processes and procedures.  He also manages the Firm’s Peer Review quality control policies and internal inspection program.

Gene graduated from Old Dominion University.  His professional affiliations include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA).  Gene has been a contributor to the National Uniform CPA Examination with his questions published in various exams.  He has been a guest speaker at various service clubs and professional conferences on topics related to tax, accounting and wealth planning.

A Virginia Beach resident Gene is dedicated to the local community and currently serves as a missionary partnership group coordinator for the Virginia Beach Community Chapel.  He is also a past member of the Board of Trustees for the National Institute of Learning Development and Discovery Program Inc.  Gene has also served as treasurer of the Virginia Beach Community Chapel and as a member of the Capital Campaign Building Committee for Norfolk Christian Schools. 

Gene is married with two children.  He enjoys attending ODU and UVA football games and shooting an occasional round of skeet with his friends.

Carole A. Howland, CPA

Carole Howland is a Certified Public Accountant, licensed in Virginia, with over 15 years of accounting, tax and audit experience.   She joined Baker & McNiff, P.C. in 2001 bringing a variety of experience from both public and private accounting.  Carole currently supervises audits, reviews and compilations for businesses and nonprofits as well as preparing business, individual, nonprofit and trust tax returns.  Carole is an Advanced Certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor and is proficient in training and troubleshooting QuickBooks accounting software systems.  She is responsible for the Firm’s technology area and the interface with software and hardware vendors.  Carole helped implement a paperless office for Baker & McNiff in 2004.  Carole also supervises the Firm’s Peer Review internal inspection process.

Carole graduated from Saint Leo University with a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Information Systems.  She has professional memberships in the American Society of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA). 

Carole is a Virginia Beach resident and volunteers and is active at Atlantic Shores Baptist Church and also volunteers with Guiding Eyes for the Blind.  Carole enjoys photography, digital scrapbooking and visiting with her children and grandchildren.  She is married with three grown children. 

Casey Bedtelyon, MA, MBA, Staff Accountant

Casey Bedtelyon joined the team at Baker & McNiff, P.C. in December of 2009 after earning a Master of Science in Accountancy from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  He also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Montreat College. 

Casey is an Advanced Certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor and provides compilation and audit services to businesses. In addition Casey prepares business, individual, trust, estate and nonprofit tax returns and provides tax planning services to both business and individual clients including trust distribution planning. Casey assists with the Firm’s Peer Review internal inspection process together with tracking staff required continuing education to fulfill state licensing mandates.  

Casey is a CPA Exam Candidate affiliated member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and an associate member of the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA).  

On a more personal note Casey enjoys life at the ocean front, traveling and being with friends and family.  Casey is an active member of The Gathering United Methodist Church and resides in Virginia Beach.

Brett R. Snell, Staff Accountant

Brett graduated from Radford University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.  Brett is a CPA Exam Candidate affiliated member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).  Brett also is an associate member of the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA).

Brett joined the Baker & McNiff team in December of 2008.  As a Staff Accountant for the firm Brett provides various accounting, compilation and auditing services to nonprofits and business clients.  He also prepares business, individual, trust, estate and nonprofit tax returns.  Brett provides tax planning services to both business and individual clients.  He is a Certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor providing software consulting to clients.  Brett assists with the Firm’s Peer Review internal inspection process including quality control over engagement letter documents.

Brett enjoys the beach, golf and following University of South Carolina football.   He resides in Virginia Beach.

Laurie Bradford, Administrative Assistant

  Laurie Bradford joined Baker & McNiff, P.C. in 1987.  With 30 years of office-administration experience and knowledge, she currently serves the Firm as both receptionist and executive administrative assistant.  Her position requires providing clerical support for the accounting staff along with the responsibility for performing all administrative tasks for the daily business operation.      

The aspects of her work that Laurie enjoys the most are her interaction with the clients, along with the varied work responsibilities that her position offers.

Laurie's passions outside of work include travel, photography, reading and spending time with her five grandchildren.