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Managing Partner of Heard, McElroy & Vestal, LLC Recognized Again on Forbes Best-In-State CPA List

ARTICLE | May 13, 2026

SHREVEPORT, LA, May 13, 2026 – Heard, McElroy & Vestal, LLC (HMV), a regional professional services and business advisory firm serving the Ark-La-Tex, is proud to announce that its managing partner, Roy E. Prestwood, CPA, has again been named to Forbes’ America’s Best-in-State CPAs list. Prestwood remains the only CPA in North Louisiana to receive the distinction.

Forbes developed the Best-in-State CPAs list to spotlight professionals making a meaningful impact in public accounting. Honorees are identified through independent nominations, editorial research, and input from industry sources, then evaluated on criteria such as professional achievement, influence in the field, thought leadership, and service to clients, communities, and the profession.

“The result is a collection of elite CPAs who are leading the profession effectively and honorably in such areas as tax, auditing, valuation and management consulting,” Forbes shared in a statement. “Few CPAs boast immediate name recognition outside their field, generally preferring to make their mark less publicly. But those selected all share a superb track record, impeccable integrity and ultimately, Forbes’ recognition as one of America’s finest CPAs.”

Licensed in Louisiana and Texas, Roy brings more than three decades of public accounting experience to his role as Managing Partner of HMV. Before stepping into firm leadership, he served as a Tax Partner in the firm’s Shreveport office, advising closely held businesses and clients in the healthcare and oil & gas industries. Today, he leads the firm in advancing HMV’s mission of Building Relationships and Providing Opportunities for our Clients, People and Communities while pursuing its goals of being the premier professional services firm and premier employer in the Ark-La-Tex.

Roy earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Centenary College and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston. Since joining HMV in 1998 and being elected partner in 2001, he has served in several key leadership roles, including Personnel Development Partner from 2009 to 2017. He currently chairs the firm’s Executive Board and Partner Compensation Committee.

Throughout his career, Roy has remained active in both the accounting profession and the broader business community, contributing his time and leadership to organizations focused on professional development, economic growth, education, and civic engagement across the region.