Your vision, made financially clear.

It is our belief that small to mid-sized businesses are the economic and social backbone of America. 
They are the primary driver of local job creation by hiring local talent, and often using local suppliers, to reinvest profits back into the communities they serve. 
These businesses provide essential goods and services tailored to local needs, often filling gaps that larger corporations cannot. 
They play a critical role in local civics by supporting local nonprofits, sponsoring community events, and lobbying for the welfare of their fellow residents. 
In helping these businesses succeed, we are helping raise the quality of life in our communities.

Our Founder

Thomas Hughes

Thomas Hughes started Vestra CFO with one goal in mind: to help small to mid-size businesses achieve success.

Running a business is tough enough, but making decisions without financial clarity is even tougher. So Thomas Hughes founded Vestra CFO to do just that - bring financial clarity to businesses.

Having been a CFO, Thomas realized the need for thought leadership for local and regional companies that in the past has only been available to larger corporations. With over 20 years in finance and accounting, Thomas brings a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Thomas began his career in public accounting where he worked on attestations focusing on construction, manufacturing and distribution enterprises. In addition to performing audits, he also worked on M&A engagements and forensic audit and testing engagements. For the last 12 years, he has been a CFO in various industries with companies of various sizes. Industries he has worked in are retail, construction, and agricultural services. Companies have ranged in size from $20M in revenues to $330M in revenues. In his roles as CFO, he has managed several divisions and departments outside of the financial and accounting realm, such as Fleet and Equipment, Human Resources, Legal, Procurement, Information Technology and several operational divisions as well.

Thomas is a graduate of The Citadel with a BS in Business Administration with an Accounting Focus.

In his spare time, Thomas loves watching sports, traveling, hacking away at golf and spending time with his family. He and his wife are raising three beautiful girls in Lexington, South Carolina. Most of their time is consumed chauffeuring them to various practices, recitals, lessons and games.

Framed diploma or certificate from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, with an eagle emblem at the top, featuring an eagle with outstretched wings holding a banner, surrounded by a decorative cloth.
A man with dark hair and a beard sitting at a wooden desk with his hands clasped, wearing a checkered blazer and a white shirt, in an office with shelves and framed pictures in the background.

Our Core Values

  • An open book resting on a soft surface with text on its pages, with a darker background.

    Authenticity

    We will always be truthful to ourselves and our clients. Part of being a good advisor is giving the truth to those we advise — transparent, candid, and committed to telling you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear.

  • Close-up of small green herb plant growing in a pot.

    Growth

    Like your business, we are growth-minded. We are committed to continuously learning and remain curious about the world we serve. With this, we aim for continuous improvement to serve our clients and ourselves.

  • A winding dirt trail through the green hills and trees, with fog in the background.

    Stewardship

    We believe that small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and should be a vessel to do good. As such, we must foster the businesses we serve, and our own, so that they can continue to provide for its stakeholders, employees and communities.