Our Team

Mercedes has been with the firm since November of 2001. She has learned the practice from all angles. As the former general and tax manager at HLM, Mercedes has a wealth of information. She completed her MBA with a concentration in Small Business and Entrepreneurship and is a federally licensed Enrolled Agent, Enrolled to Practice before the Internal Revenue Service. As a nationally licensed EA, she has the credentials to practice in all 50 states and handle all federal or state tax issues here and abroad. She has the ability to look at the big picture and plan for the future. Mercedes has clients all over the world and is versed in foreign income and US taxation. She performs financial services for elder care clients and their families, business planning and consulting, individual tax planning and consulting, payroll preparation and strategic planning. As the Managing Partner of the firm, it is her primary goal to ensure our clients receive the highest level of service possible.

Mercedes is a past board member of the Decatur Business Association, is a Past President of Decatur Kiwanis Club, and former Treasurer of Decatur City Dance.

In her spare time, Mercedes loves to listen to music with her daughter, go to the beach and watch NetFlix.

Deloyd joined HLM as Principal in September of 2016 after 25 years in various corporate accounting and financial leadership roles with small and large companies. He began his career in public accounting with Deloitte where he earned his certification as a CPA . As Partner, he manages the execution of individual, corporate, non-profit and estate tax returns. He manages the accounting department which includes preparing compilations and reviews of financial statements, account reconciliations and cash flow forecasts. Deloyd is not just an accountant, but a business adviser who is an expert in accounting. He brings to every engagement an entrepreneurial spirit and energy that stems from years of operations and process improvement experience with small and large retail, consumer goods, franchising, financial and manufacturing companies. Deloyd earned his undergraduate degree in accounting from The Pennsylvania State University and an MBA in Marketing from Iona College. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of Georgia and an active member of the Georgia Society of CPAs. He loves to travel overseas, especially to warm climate locations and exercising and spending time at home with his family.

Lan joined HLM in October 2016 and is our Office Administrator. Although born abroad, she lived in California a few years before moving to Atlanta. She graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Fine Art in Studio Art. She plans to return to Georgia State University to pursue her MBA.

Prior to joining HLM, Lan was a graphic designer in the Marketing Department with a well-known retailer. She was responsible for meeting tight deadlines on print ads, marketing campaigns, and collaborative event efforts. She has many years of customer service experience, thrives to find solutions to problems, and loves to make customers happy.

In her free time, she loves to take bike rides with her husband and little boy, garden, searching for healthy oil-free vegan recipes, read, and experiment with growing orchids hydroponically.

Trudy joined HLM as an office administrator in July 2018. She is originally from New York City and moved to Atlanta, GA in 2008. She has a Bachelor’s degree with a major in English and Psychology from the University of Rochester. She has served in the banking, telecommunications, and retail industries. While gaining experience in the work field, she also wanted to pursue further education and obtained her Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of West Georgia. Trudy is responsible for office management, client relations, and serves as the liaison between clients and personnel at HLM.

Prior to joining HLM, Trudy worked as a Supervisor in the Communication Solutions department of a publicly traded company in the metro Atlanta area.

In her spare time, she enjoys her children’s soccer games, writing, reading, and outdoor activities.

Brandeis joined the HLM team in January of 2021. She comes to us with years of accounting experience in the small to medium business arena. She processes our payroll and works with our clients to prepare meaningful and accurate financial statements.

Brandeis graduated from Emory University with the MDIV and bring fresh perspective to the team.

Andre joined the HLM team in 2018 as a partner firm to provide financial planning services to HLM clients. He began his career in the financial services industry 17 years ago when he joined AXA Advisors as a retirement planning specialist. In this role, he provided consultation to both organizations and individuals that included wealth management, insurance, estate, and retirement planning guidance. In 2011, he became an independent advisor and founded Pivotal Wealth Management, LLC to better serve the growing affluence of his clients with a wider array of wealth planning solutions and strategies.

A 2001 graduate of Morris Brown College, Andre resides in Atlanta, GA and holds his series 7, 66, and life & health licenses. He earned his Certified Funds Specialist (CFS) designation from the Institute of Business Finance and is currently completing coursework to obtain his Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) designation from the American College of Financial Services in December 2019.

When time permits, Andre enjoys hiking, traveling, reading, and mentoring youth.