HKA adds US government contracts team from Grant Thornton

HKA, a global risk and disputes consulting firm, has hired a team of six colleagues from Grant Thornton’s US government contractor services practice.

The six-person team will bolster the compliance offering within HKA’s government contract services practice, which was formed in 2019 through the acquisition of The Kenrich Group. The practice has nearly 40 team members, including nine partners, serving federal contractors across defense, TMT, healthcare, and professional services.

HKA’s government contract services practice has offerings in contractor and subcontractor disputes, termination settlement proposal preparation and assistance, bid protest assistance, anti-corruption services, compliance and risk management, investigations, and grants.

“HKA’s service offering in government contract disputes and investigations is unmatched in the industry thanks to a strong core of highly experienced experts. Our team also draws upon the expertise and resources from our forensic accounting, commercial damages, and construction quantum experts, meaning we have the capability to manage clients’ most challenging and complex cases,” said Frank Giunta, partner and regional CEO, Americas. “With the addition of our six new colleagues specializing in compliance and risk management for government contractors, we are setting a new bar for firms providing comprehensive government contract services.”

The newly hired team focuses on Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), Uniform Guidance, and FAR supplements.

Jamie Sybert (partner, Pittsburgh) has more than 25 years of experience in government accounting and compliance. She most recently spent three years as a risk advisory principal at Grant Thornton, where she led and grew the accountancy’s government contractor solutions practice. Before that, Sybert was a director at Jacobs, a VP at CH2M, and a manager at EY.

Matt Danner (director, Denver) has over 15 years of experience identifying, quantifying, and managing risk for government contractors and federal grant recipients. He spent the last two years as a senior manager at Grant Thornton. Before that, he was a senior manager at Baker Tilly, a manager at Deloitte, and manager at CH2M.

Karl Fultz (director, Washington, DC) has over 15 years of experience in government compliance and risk assessment services. He previously spent two years with Grant Thornton as a senior manager and eight years with Deloitte, latterly as a senior manager. Fultz also spent four years in the audit function of the Department of Defense.

Rachelle Jackson (director, Denver) has more than 11 years of experience advising organizations that receive federal funding. She most recently spent three years at Grant Thornton, latterly as a senior manager. Before that, Jackson spent nearly nine years at Baker Tilly, where she was latterly an experienced manager in the government contractive advisory services practice.

Erin Thode (manager, Chicago) has more than seven years of experience advising clients on compliance issues in FAR, CAS, DFARS, and GAAP. She was previously senior associate at Grant Thornton and a senior analyst at Accenture Federal Services.

Tim Pergolin (senior associate consultant, Philadelphia) has more than four years of experience in government contract services. He was previously a senior associate at Grant Thornton and a senior consultant at Baker Tilly.

“We are excited to join the extremely talented and highly respected HKA Government Contracts team,” Sybert said. “As part of the HKA team, we will be able to continue to provide our clients with the expertise and experience they have come to rely on.”