When three young CPAs decided to strike out on their own in 1991, they moved into an office that looked amazingly like the basement of one of their homes. This was the headquarters for what would one day become Barfield, Murphy, Shank & Smith (BMSS).  Those early days were filled with plenty of long hours and brown bag lunches. Still, Don Murphy, Keith Barfield and John Shank made time to dream about what their firm might become.  Today, BMSS is one of the largest local firms in Birmingham and in Alabama with over 100 employees, including 50 CPAs.  What makes BMSS different? It is the culture that was established when the doors were first opened; a culture in which an employee can have a successful career that also supports his/her greater role in life - family.  BMSS has an exceptionally high level of employee satisfaction, very low turnover (less than 5% for the last 3 years) and the ability to recruit topnotch professionals.  We utilize our low turnover to minimize staff changes.  Staff consistency allows us to reduce costs to clients and ensure long-term relationships.  BMSS was named one of the "Top Small Workplaces" in the United States by The Wall Street Journal and was ranked #1 Best Place to Work - Medium Company by the Birmingham Business Journal.  Our commitment to character and community service is one of our core values.   Annually, we participate with Habitat for Humanity and The Arthritis Foundation.  We have employees who participate in mission trips to countries such as Costa Rica and Honduras and employees who serve area not-for-profits, including the Arc of Jefferson County, Prison Fellowship Ministry, Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce, and Children's Aid Society.  BMSS was named a "Southern Hero" by SouthernLINC Wireless and received the AICPA Public Service award for our commitment to our community.  We are an independent member of the BDO Seidman Alliance,  a nationwide association of independently owned local accounting firms sharing a dedication to exemplary client service.  At BMSS, we are always searching for the Better Way.