We are pleased to announce the addition of Kimberly Kovacs, former managing director of Arroyo Ventures of Laguna Niguel, California, as Practice Leader in our newly formed Emerging Growth Practice division. The practice will provide strategic financial executive, advisory support, and accounting services to start-ups, VC-backed and high growth companies. Kovacs will be based in Hardesty’s headquarters in Irvine, California.
“Kim is a true entrepreneur and has a superb track record as a financial expert helping start-up companies grow and prosper,” said Karl Hardesty, CEO of Hardesty LLC. “Our plan is to expand services to these companies in California and nationally. We are confident that Kim is the perfect executive to lead this initiative.”
“I am honored to be joining Hardesty’s rapidly growing firm and collaborating with their distinguished group of executives. The ability to tap the firm’s expertise at the right time and for the right duration is exactly what emerging companies’ need. I’ve worked with hundreds of startups, and a common challenge is being able to procure the right advice, services and executive leadership at the right time. Hardesty will be changing that paradigm by offering strategic assessments, actionable resource planning, accounting and capital consulting and becoming a long term partner for success”, said Kovacs.
Kovacs has more than 23 years of experience as an entrepreneur and financial executive, with dozens of successful startup ventures, raising more than $100 million in equity for these entities.
At Arroyo Ventures she led a team focused on helping women entrepreneurs by providing capital, connections and mentorship. Kim was formerly the EVP of Solium, a Canadian-based financial services firm. She was co-founder of OptionEase, Inc. of Irvine, a software company that provided employee stock option administration, valuation and compliance. OptionEase was acquired by Solium in 2012.
Previously, Kim was EVP and Founding CFO for ORYXE International, a start-up energy company focused on fossil fuel and emissions technology. At ORXYE, she worked with the EPA, congress and Senator Hillary Clinton on revisions to the Clean Air Act. She has held a number of other CFO positions and served on various boards since 1992. She is the Managing Director for Golden Seeds SoCal chapter and serves on the boards of Orange County’s OCTANe; All American Boys Chorus and formerly; the National Center for Employee Ownership; and The Association for Women in Technology.
Kovacs earned a B.S. in finance with honors from California State University. She resides in Laguna Niguel, California.