Comprehensive Auditing, Tax & Accounting Services

Michael E. Guel, CFP^®, PFS, CVA, CPA, CFE

Michael E. Guel received his education from the University of Southern Mississippi and Mississippi State University. He holds a Bachelor's Degree of Science in Mathematics, a Bachelor's Degree of Science in Business Administration with a major in Accounting, and a Master's of Professional Accountancy from the University of Southern Mississippi. He received a Master's of Public Policy and Administration from Mississippi State University. Mr. Guel is a licensed CPA in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama.

Additionally, Mr. Guel has taught accounting courses for the University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Park Campus. The courses taught include fund (governmental) accounting, auditing, intermediate accounting, advanced accounting, personal income tax, and corporate income tax.

Mr. Guel has been with the firm since 1975, becoming a partner in 1980. His experience includes audits of planning commissions, cities, counties, nonprofit organizations, contractors, schools (performing more than seventy-five school audits over the past thirty years) and several other entities. His taxation experience includes individuals, partnerships, corporations, fiduciaries, nonprofit entities, and various other forms of taxes. He also assists many of his clients with estate and other financial planning.

Wright, Ward, Hatten & Guel, CPA's recognizes the importance of community involvement and encourages partners and staff to participate in community, social, and charity activities. Mr. Guel has served or is presently serving as Treasurer for the Gulfport-Long Beach Optimist Club, President of the Finance Committee at St. John Catholic Church in Gulfport, Treasurer of the Westminister Academy Elementary School, Treasurer of Knights of Columbus, and Treasurer for Bayou Bluff Tennis Club.

Mr. Guel is a native of Gulfport, and resides there with his wife and their two sons in college.

Sande W. Hentges, CPA, CFE

Sande W. Hentges joined Wright, Ward, Hatten & Guel in 1997. She graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Accounting in 1997 and has over twenty years of tax, public accounting and auditing experience. Ms. Hentges is a licensed CPA, as well as a Certified Fraud Examiner, in Mississippi.

Ms. Hentges has extensive experience in public accounting with a special emphasis in auditing. She has been the audit senior/manager on numerous audit engagements and has been responsible for the planning, performance and supervision of these audits. Some of the audits she has worked on include Jackson County, Gulf Regional Planning Commission, Gulfport School District, City of Gulfport, City of Pass Christian, City of Gautier, Harrison County, and Diamondhead Fire District. 

Ms. Hentges lives in Ocean Springs with her son where they are members of St. John’s Episcopal Church. 

Charlene Kerkow, CPA

Charlene Kerkow joined Wright, Ward, Hatten & Guel in 1993. In 2000, Ms. Kerkow left the firm for the position of Senior Accountant with the City of Gulfport. Ms. Kerkow once again became a part of Wright, Ward, Hatten & Guel's governmental audit team in 2004. She was graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Accounting in 1992. Ms. Kerkow has over 25 years of experience in accounting and auditing with a focus on nonprofits and local governments.

Ms. Kerkow is a native Mississippian and is actively involved in her community. She presently serves as an officer of the Joe Graham Post 119 American Legion Auxiliary and holds officer positions in several political, veteran and community service organizations. She has one son and resides in Woolmarket, Mississippi.

Chris Taylor, CPA

Chris Taylor joined Wright, Ward, Hatten and Guel in 2013. He graduated from the University of New Orleans in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He was a member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa. Chris has six years of public accounting experience with Deloitte and Touche in its New Orleans office. Chris is a licensed CPA in the state of Mississippi and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Chris also has over 25 years' experience in private industry having served as controller for saving banks, a law firm and a large homebuilder in Slidell, Louisiana. The companies have ranged from publicly held to startups. Most have experienced rapid growth, and Chris has been heavily involved in the successful transitions of the companies accounting systems.

He has served on the Board of Directors and been Treasurer of the Pass Christian Yacht Club. Chris and his wife live in DeLisle, Mississippi.