Meet the Team
Rex Benfield
Executive Vice President
Rex Benfield is the Executive Vice President of Paladin Business Consultants, LLC. With a distinguished track record spanning over 20 years in the IT field and 14 years as a thriving small business owner, Benfield has a strong commitment to the advancement of the IT community. He thrives on learning about your business and making recommendations to improve your processes using technology.
He holds a Masters’ degree in Management from Western Governors University, coupled with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Ethics from John Wesley University. Additionally, he holds certifications from CompTia, Cisco, Sonicwall, Vmware, and Microsoft.
Benfield has served on the Advisory Board of Catawba Valley Community College where he also served as an instructor, teaching courses focused on cybersecurity and networking. In his spare time, Benfield serves as Scout Master for Troop 327 and Girls Troop 1327. As an Eagle Scout himself, Benfield enjoys instilling the values of leadership and outdoor appreciation in the next generation. He enjoys hiking and backpacking with his daughter, Bella.
Charles Hayes
IT Engineer
For the past 20 years, Charles has been the owner of Computer Pro, in Hickory North Carolina, providing I.T support and solutions for both residential and business clients. Computer Pro was founded in 2003, when his mother was diagnosed with an Aortic Ventricle Malformation, that required emergency brain surgery. Since then, Charles devoted his time to both his family, as a caregiver, as well as his customers. Through the years, his mother and father’s health and healthcare were his top priorities, and in 2022, his father passed due to complications with Covid and renal failure.
Sadly, many of Charles’ residential clients also passed during this time, and he decided that perhaps it was time to join forces with his friend, Rex Benfield, to seek out a more corporate model of employment, to help better sustain himself and his family.
Self-employment has been a wonderful gift to Charles and has allowed him the time to take care of his family, and all of his customers have been very understanding, loyal, and valued as not just customers, but as friends. With his years of experience we are glad to have Charles as part of Paladin Business Consulting
Herbert W. Whitesell
CPA
Herb Whitesell is the Managing Partner of Davidson, Holland, Whitesell & Co., PLLC. He obtained his bachelors degree in Accountancy from Wake Forest University. In addition to his management responsibilities of DHW, he assists businesses in optimizing cash flows and profits. He also advises clients regarding the proper selection and use of technology.
Due in part to his extensive background in healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and cost accounting, Mr. Whitesell helps businesses locate their less profitable cost centers and product lines. Once the problems are identified, he recommends a plan of action to improve profits with better information systems and real-time feedback.
Mr. Whitesell is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants. He is a past- chairman and past-treasurer of the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce. He is past treasurer of the Catawba County Science Center.
In 2000, Mr. Whitesell was recognized as the Catawba County Small Business Person of the Year, awarded by the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce. He earned this prestigious award due to his innovativeness and successes in helping to make DHW one of the premier CPA firms in Catawba County and in North Carolina.
