Company Name:
JAG Tennessee
Industry:
Education
Location:
Nashville, TN
Services Used:
PEO, General HR Consulting
The Client
JAG Tennessee is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young people graduate from high school and prepare for successful futures in employment, education, and adult life as a whole.
An affiliate of the national Jobs for America’s Graduates network, JAG Tennessee partners with schools to place full-time JAG specialists in classrooms, where they mentor students, teach them employability skills, and help them develop plans for life after graduation.
The program is offered as a career and technical education elective, primarily serving high school juniors and seniors, and has seen remarkable success since its inception in 1981. Following the 2025-2026 school year, 100 percent of all JAG Tennessee students successfully graduated from high school and were awarded a total of $119 million in post-secondary scholarships—representing a return of $25.50 for every $1 invested into the program.
Today, JAG Tennessee supports programs in 40 schools through a team of 46 teachers statewide. Those educators serve as trusted mentors who meet students where they are, build meaningful relationships, and create safe environments where young people can connect their interests with viable career and education pathways.
The Opportunity
JAG Tennessee has served students for more than four decades. Originally operated as a state agency, the program transitioned into an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2014. As the organization began placing teachers and administrative staff on its own payroll, President and CEO John Dwyer recognized that JAG Tennessee needed an experienced partner to help manage the responsibilities that came with becoming an employer.
JAG Tennessee began working with LBMC Employment Partners in 2016. The organization initially needed help establishing payroll and managing HR responsibilities as its internal team evolved. Over time, that relationship expanded to include payroll administration, employee benefits, insurance support, and HR guidance.
For John, the partnership meant JAG Tennessee could concentrate its time and resources on serving students, supporting teachers, cultivating donors, and strengthening relationships with schools rather than trying to develop HR expertise internally.
The Impact
LBMC Employment Partners has become a trusted extension of JAG Tennessee’s team, helping the organization manage the day-to-day responsibilities of being an employer while remaining focused on its mission.
JAG Tennessee currently has nine employees on payroll and has employed as many as 15. LBMC Employment Partners manages payroll, supports the organization’s insurance needs, and helps identify competitive benefit options each year. When questions or issues arise, John says the team responds quickly and provides the attention needed to resolve them.
That responsiveness has also been valuable when JAG Tennessee has needed guidance on employee relations and HR procedures. Rather than navigating those situations alone, the organization can rely on LBMC Employment Partners for expertise, consistency, and support.
The relationship has continued to evolve as JAG Tennessee’s needs have changed. When its longtime financial leader prepared to retire, John again turned to LBMC Employment Partners for assistance. The team helped define the position’s scope, identify candidates, and find a professional who could step into the role through LBMC Employment Partners.
For John, that ability to turn to the same trusted partner as new needs emerge is one of the greatest benefits of the relationship.
With LBMC Employment Partners handling key HR and administrative responsibilities behind the scenes, JAG Tennessee’s leadership can remain focused on what matters most: supporting teachers, strengthening school partnerships, and helping students build successful futures.
“We could not do what we do as a nonprofit without LBMC Employment Partners. They understand small organizations, they are responsive when we need them, and we have never felt like just one of many clients.”
– John Dwyer, President and CEO, JAG Tennessee
