Hancock Askew & Co. Appoints Barry Coates as First Chief Financial Officer

Hancock Askew & Co., LLP (HAC), a full-service audit, tax, accounting, and advisory firm headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, has announced the appointment of Barry Coates as its first Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Coates will oversee the firm's internal finance and accounting functions, including financial reporting and forecasting, budget management, and strategic growth initiatives. This role is pivotal as the firm continues to expand and innovate, aiming to optimize financial operations and guide long-term fiscal strategy.

Firm Managing Partner Michael McCarthy expressed enthusiasm about the new appointment, stating, "We’re excited to have Barry join us as our first-ever CFO. His wealth of experience and strategic insight will be key in driving our mission forward, enhancing our financial operations, and managing our rapid growth. The partners and I are looking forward to working closely with Barry to achieve our financial goals."

Barry Coates brings over 25 years of experience in management consulting, focusing on the office of the CFO. He has extensive expertise in mergers and acquisitions, sales operations, and scaling growth-oriented organizations. Prior to joining Hancock Askew, Coates served as the CFO for both a non-profit organization and a technology consulting company. He holds an undergraduate degree in accounting from North Carolina State University and a Master's in Accounting from the University of Georgia. Coates is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and possesses a Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma.

Established in 1910, Hancock Askew & Co. offers a comprehensive range of services, including tax, audit, accounting, risk assurance and advisory, SOC examinations, ISO certifications, transaction advisory, business valuations, and other critical business consulting services. With offices in Savannah, Atlanta, and Augusta, Georgia, as well as Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Orlando, Florida, the firm employs over 275 professionals. Hancock Askew serves a diverse clientele, from emerging businesses to large corporations, nonprofit organizations, publicly traded companies, and individuals. The firm is recognized as a 2024 Southeast Regional Leader by Accounting Today and is ranked among the Top 200 Firms in the Nation by Inside Public Accounting.

This strategic appointment underscores Hancock Askew's commitment to enhancing its financial operations and supporting its continued growth and success in the professional services industry.