Kathy Huff

Partner

I have really appreciated the expertise and professionalism Kathy Huff brings as we operate the company, especially under the many challenges we have faced in the last year. Her tutelage of our administrative lead has also provided her with the professional development opportunities she deserves.

In addition to all this, I was so impressed with the awesome effort Kathy put in on our behalf regarding PPP, we truly could not have done this without her. Kathy is a valued member of our team.

Gary M. Pace, Ph.D., J.D., CEO

Cell Microsystems, Inc.

Kathy’s role as our fractional Controller was instrumental during a critical transition period for our CFO. Her adeptness in grasping the nuances of our organization dedicated to early childhood development was remarkable. Not only did she ensure a seamless operational flow, but her strategic insights and recommendations were invaluable, particularly because they came from an objective, external viewpoint. Yet, despite being an outsider, Kathy assimilated effortlessly into our team, becoming an indispensable asset throughout her four-and-a-half-month engagement.

Amy Cubbage, President

The North Carolina Partnership for Children

Over that last 25 years, the executive team at Tyrata has worked together in several different start-up environments, so we have had experience with many other accounting firms and partners during that time. Frankly, none we have worked with have been of Kathy Huff’s caliber and skill level; she has absolutely distinguished herself among her peers. The two words that would characterize our experience with Kathy would be flexibility and accuracy, both of which are extremely valuable to any small company. With a limited staff, we have very diverse needs, but Kathy has always been able to fulfil her role quickly and effectively whether it be coordinating valuations, banking, insurance, payroll, taxes, AP/AR, or just routine bookkeeping needs. Kathy doesn’t hesitate to take advantage of other resources from RM should the need arise, so we are never left without a resource. Kathy is truly a valued member of our team at Tyrata.

Stephen Brooks, Vice President of Operations

Tyrata, Inc.

As a financial executive with over 25 years of experience, Kathy Huff provides CFO / Controller services to her clients in the areas of overall accounting and financial reporting, financial modeling, forecasting and cash flow planning, and developing and maintaining business relationships with banks and insurance companies.

Ms. Huff has worked with a variety of small emerging growth companies and gained valuable experience in the areas of manufacturing, retail, and service industries. One of her recent start-ups, Tyrata, Inc. was acquired by Bridgestone Americas in the fall of ’23. She has also served non-profits including a local triangle area country club and the NC State University Wolf Pack Club. She loves helping companies envision what they can become and by developing financial models and forecasts Ms. Huff has helped her companies make decisions for the future and work through cash flow issues that sometimes occur in the start-up world.

Kathy currently serves as a part-time CFO at:

PharmatrophiX, an early-stage drug discovery company
StaClear, a medical company that has produced with ophthalmologists in mind the first FDA-cleared syringe for intravitreal use

Before teaming up with Rankin McKenzie, Ms. Huff served as CFO for a manufacturing company in Oxford, NC. She was responsible for all financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, insurance and banking relationships as well as assisting human resources with various issues. Special projects are a welcome challenge, and Ms. Huff successfully completed several while serving as CFO.

A native of Ohio, Ms. Huff attended West Virginia University, where she earned her B.S.B.A. in Accounting and was a member of the women’s basketball team for four years. She passed the CPA exam while working for Ernst & Young in Columbus, Ohio.

Career Timeline

Joined Rankin McKenzie as Partner in 2019.
Prior to joining Rankin McKenzie, Ms. Huff served as CFO for a manufacturing company in Oxford, NC. She was responsible for all financial reporting, creating budgets and cash flow projections, negotiating contracts, and developing and maintaining positive banking relationships.
From 2014 to 2017, Ms. Huff worked as a consultant for a software company, online retailer, university foundation and country club providing Controller or CFO services. She also took the lead on special projects as they arose.
From 2007 to 2014, Ms. Huff served as Controller for Replay Photos, an online sports photo retailer for Division 1 colleges and the NFL. She was responsible for all financial reporting, cash flow forecasting, budget-to-actual performance analysis, and royalty payments and communications with Licensing Directors at universities and top brands including AP, Getty Images and the NFL. She was heavily involved in preparing documents for “due diligence” during Replay’s acquisition and worked closely with the President, brokers and attorneys in preparation for this acquisition.
From 1995 to 2007, Ms. Huff owned a small accounting/tax CPA practice serving small companies and individuals focused on financial planning and tax preparation.
From 1993 to 1994, Ms. Huff worked for the public accounting firm of Gruenloh & Moore in Gulf Shores, Alabama. She performed reviews and prepared tax returns for a variety of small businesses.
From 1988 to 1993, Ms. Huff owned a small CPA practice while living in Columbus, Ohio and Santa Clarita, California. She served small corporations and partnerships and was involved in their day to day accounting as well as tax planning and preparation.
From 1982 to 1988, Ms. Huff began her career with Ernst & Young in Columbus, Ohio. She spent most of her career in the Tax and Small Business division overseeing reviews and the related preparation of corporate and partnership tax returns, and at the time she left EY she had served as a Tax Manager for over 2 years.

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