A little digging goes a long way.
You’re ready to buy a business, but do you really know what you’re in for? While your new venture might look like a turnkey operation or one that just needs a few adjustments, you can’t always tell from appearances what might lie beneath the surface.
From contracts not executed and debt that’s owed, to litigation contingencies or unpaid taxes, unpleasant surprises could be in store if you don’t do your research before the sale. This is called due diligence, and whether you’re thinking of buying, selling or merging businesses, it’s a critical step to make sure that the transaction is all that it seems.
As CPAs we leave no stone unturned.
Due diligence services by James Moore dig in to uncover any issues not easily seen. We’ll make sure there are no tax concerns, inaccurate valuation of assets, uncollectible outstanding accounts, internal control weaknesses… anything that could stand between you and success in your new enterprise.
Keeping our scope narrow and our efforts thorough, we focus on your situation’s specific risks to get you the most relevant and complete results.
Are you buying?
We’ll investigate the business being sold to find anything that could throw a wrench into the works.
Are you selling?
We’ll make sure the buyer has the ability to make the purchase and fulfill any other requirements of the sale.
Jay Hutto, CPA, ABV, CFF, CVA
Partner
As a CPA in the state of Florida, Jay has more than 30 years of experience providing personalized accounting services including auditing and tax services, business consulting, business valuations and litigation support. While he has worked with clients representing the real estate, manufacturing, professional services, dealership and retail industries, he has significant experience addressing issues and providing solutions for healthcare-related entities. As such, Jay leads the firm’s Healthcare Segment Team.
Jay helps his clients maximize revenue and minimize expenses, and he is dedicated to providing them peace of mind that they’re getting the best possible tax savings. His guidance helped one client avoid a $1,000,000 tax liability with a cost segregation study, and he helped another client eliminate a $50,000 IRS tax penalty. He also takes a proactive approach to revenue enhancement, cost controls, applying best practices, and emphasizing the importance of having the right policies and procedures already in place (instead of as a reactive remedy) to best facilitate business growth.
Jay also specializes in preparing business valuations and litigation support services and has earned several accreditations including the Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV), Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) and Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) designations. Litigation support services include related party transactions, fraud, child support, divorce and dispute resolution.
Katie Davis, CPA, LSS Certified
Partner
Katie Davis is a partner at James Moore and a strategic advisor to collegiate athletics and higher education leaders navigating the financial and operational challenges reshaping the industry. She leads the firm’s Higher Education and Collegiate Athletics practices, which serve more than 100 higher education organizations, including 50+ athletic departments nationwide.
Katie works alongside athletic directors, CFOs and university leaders on financial and operational issues shaping the future of college athletics. Her perspective is shaped not only by over 20 years of experience, but by ongoing conversations and work with athletics leaders across the country. That gives her a broad view of how institutions are responding to industry change and allows her to help clients translate emerging trends into practical decisions for their own organizations.
A CPA and Lean Six Sigma-certified professional, Katie brings a financial lens to athletics without limiting the conversation to accounting. She helps leaders understand what the numbers are telling them, evaluate strategic opportunities and risks, improve how their organizations operate and communicate their financial story to presidents, boards and other stakeholders.
Katie is also an active voice in the national conversation about the financial and operational future of college sports. She speaks and writes regularly on emerging athletics issues and cohosts News & Brews Sports Biz, James Moore’s collegiate athletics podcast. She has been featured in industry publications and broadcast programs discussing topics ranging from NIL and athlete compensation to private capital and financial reporting.
An active member of NACDA, CABMA and NACUBO, Katie is particularly passionate about elevating the role of athletics finance professionals as strategic voices within their departments. Her goal is simple: help athletics leaders make better-informed decisions and build organizations positioned to compete in the next era of college sports.
Mike Sibley, CPA, LSS Black Belt
Partner
Mike Sibley, CPA, is a partner and board member at James Moore with more than 25 years of experience helping businesses strengthen their financial performance and operational efficiency. As the leader of the firm’s Manufacturing Services Team, Mike works closely with owners and executives to deliver the strategic guidance they need to grow and adapt in a competitive marketplace. He specializes in providing fractional CFO services and trusted financial leadership for companies looking for deep expertise in developing strategic financial plans that drive long-term value.
His background as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt allows Mike to bring a unique blend of financial expertise and operational excellence to every engagement, helping companies streamline processes, identify cost savings, and align their operations with their growth goals.
An active leader in the community, Mike is a Board Member of the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Volusia Manufacturers Association. He also shares insights through James Moore’s Moore on Manufacturing podcast series, helping manufacturers navigate changing market conditions.
Suzanne Forbes, CPA
Chief Executive Officer
With 40 years of experience in the accounting industry, Suzanne specializes in accounting, tax and business consulting services. In addition to her client work, Suzanne is the chief executive officer for the firm, which provides her with a business owner’s understanding of day-to-day responsibilities that she leverages for her clients. Suzanne advises in areas such business acquisitions, mergers or dispositions, profit enhancement, cash flow analysis, cash management, business forecasts and projections, financing and investor options, and accounting systems design and controls. She is also a member of our Real Estate Services Team, which focuses on developers, assets managers, lessors and real estate operations.
Suzanne’s passion lies in nurturing economic development and using her creative side to help businesses grow. Her consulting work has included fostering employment opportunities, retaining professionals in the community and finding supportive resources for companies. In one instance, she helped a client find and obtain over $100,000 in economic incentives.
Suzanne’s work with the community is also borne out of this passion. She serves on the Board of the DeLand Area Chamber of Commerce, is a former Chair of the Daytona Beach Chamber of Commerce and is currently on that organization’s economic development committee. She is also active with the Daytona Beach Community Foundation and previously served on the Daytona Beach Checkered Flag Committee. Throughout her career she has also authored articles on accounting and income tax issues and has conducted numerous courses on these topics.
Her accomplishments have led to several recognitions over the years. Suzanne was named one of Accounting Today’s 2023 Managing Partner Elite. Florida Trend named her one of the top 500 influential business leaders in the state in 2021, 2023 and 2024, and the Daytona Beach News Journal named her its Private Sector Woman of the Year in 2020.
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