RALEIGH, N.C. (January 25, 2010) Hughes Pittman & Gupton, LLP (www.hpg.com), the largest CPA firm headquartered and staffed in the Research Triangle Park region of North Carolina, announces the expansion of its healthcare services practice group with the addition of Anita Hester, CPA, CHBC. Hester brings 30 years of accounting experience to HPG, including eight years of tax consulting in the healthcare industry.

Anita Hester

"Anita's extensive skills and background in healthcare will be an asset to this growing practice area," says Amy Smith, HPG healthcare services tax team leader. "We are excited to have her join our team and look forward to her contributions."

Hester will help guide medical professionals to better manage their practices. In addition to being a Certified Public Accountant, she has earned designation as a Certified Healthcare Business Consultant. This distinction recognizes those who demonstrate an understanding of the total healthcare business environment, including medical practice and financial management.

Beyond the bottom line of tax planning, preparation and audits, HPG offers healthcare services that include: new practice set up, business analysis, physician compensation, benefit planning and retirement plan consulting.

About Hughes Pittman & Gupton, LLP (HPG):
HPG is the largest CPA firm headquartered and staffed in the Research Triangle Park region of North Carolina, as ranked by the Triangle Business Journal. Furthermore, Business Leader magazine ranked HPG as the fifth most successful small business in North Carolina in 2008. HPG is able to provide national and global accounting resources to its clients through the CPAmerica firm network of 701 offices worldwide. HPG offers a wide array of business accounting, auditing, corporate tax, and management advisory services. Specialties include serving owner-managed, investor-backed technology and life science, healthcare services, real estate development, manufacturing and distribution businesses, and providing ERISA audits, family wealthcare services and Sarbanes-Oxley internal audit services. More than just an accounting firm, HPG assists clients in looking beyond the bottom line^sm by being the right people, right value and right firm to achieve each client's definition of success. Visit www.hpg.com.

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