Based in HFA's Fort Worth office, Hess brings more than 18 years of finance, accounting, and management experience in sectors such as engineering, construction, law, and technology. Her areas of expertise include transforming financial workflows through tools and systems based on automation, analytics, and data visualization.
"Lisa boasts extraordinary management, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, and she is passionate about embracing change and positioning for the future," said HFA President & CEO Dave Wilgus, AIA, NCARB. "We're thrilled to welcome her to the HFA team."
HFA COO Ryan Ray, PE pointed to Hess's emphasis on listening, honest feedback, and creating a supportive atmosphere for her teams. "Lisa is a firm believer in empowering people to reach their maximum potential," he said. "That makes her a strong fit for the people-centric culture here at HFA."
Hess's initial goals as CFO include laying the groundwork for bringing more automation and analytics to HFA's financial workflows. "I want to provide more transparency and understanding behind the numbers, so that everyone — not just the C-suite, but also our project and team leads — can make better decisions," she said.
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That transparency stands to support her second immediate area of focus as CFO. "I want to provide guidance and direction to firm leadership regarding our growth strategies," Hess said. "When you have those key performance indicators in place and you understand both your opportunities and your business risks, it allows you to grow at just the right pace to maintain long-term sustainability."
Hess joins HFA from her prior role as CFO of Mackie Wolf Zientz & Mann, P.C., a mortgage banking law firm operating throughout Texas, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Based in Dallas/Fort Worth, she was with the firm for nearly 10 years, having started as its Controller/Director of Finance & Accounting in 2014.
Her additional prior positions include accounting and finance roles at the Dallas Stars professional hockey team; the technology company eGistics; the French international engineering and compliance firm Bureau Veritas; Brinckerhoff Construction Services, Inc.; the engineering consultancy Landis + Evans Partners; and Citigroup, Inc.
Hess has earned certifications in management accounting; strategy and competitive analysis; and the fundamentals of data analytics and visualization. At the University of South Florida, she earned a Master of Business Administration in finance and economics as well as a Bachelor of Arts in accounting.
A self-described military brat whose family frequently moved from one base assignment to the next, Hess said she learned to embrace change at an early age. "The future is moving faster than ever, from blockchain and cryptocurrency to AI and ChatGPT," Hess said. "If we're going to stay competitive, we need to stay on top of how change affects, not only us, but also our clients."
HFA is a nationwide architecture and engineering firm with offices in Bentonville, Arkansas; Fort Worth, Texas; Franklin, Massachusetts; and Mexico City. With over 30 years of experience, HFA has become a partner for a diverse range of clients. The studio's portfolio includes commercial projects in retail, industrial, mixed-use/office, restaurants, hospitality, and entertainment spaces.
