Horne Acquires Halberd Group and Creates Cyber Unit

Accounting and consulting firm Horne LLP has acquired the cybersecurity firm Halberd Group and established a new unit, Horne Cyber Solutions.

The group will focus on IT services for clients in the areas of cybersecurity, strategic advisory, ERP services, regulatory compliance and IT assurance.

Halberd Group co-founders Wesley McGrew and Kendall Blaylock have transitioned to Horne Cyber Solutions, with Blaylock serving as director of information security, and McGrew as director of cyber operations. Halberd Group co-founder Brad Fuller will become director of client services for Horne Cyber Solutions. More than 10 Horne employees from locations across the Southeast have also transferred to Horne Cyber Solutions.

“Cybersecurity has quickly become one of the biggest risks in business today,” executive partner Joey Havens told his team during the internal announcement. “We are committed to providing the expertise and guidance necessary for our clients to be anticipatory in addressing these growing threats to their business, their clients, and their reputation. Horne Cyber Solutions will provide services that include assessments, comprehensive penetration testing, risk mitigation, remediation, and monitoring against these costly IT and data breaches.”

Partner Mike Skinner of Horne’s Memphis office was named partner in charge of Horne Cyber Solutions.

“We are focused on preparing our clients to protect themselves and their extended ecosystems against the rapidly evolving threats to their data and their operations,” Skinner said in a statement. “This acquisition complements and extends our existing IT offers. To further explain, traditional IT assurance services help you to understand there is a lock on the door. Now, we are able to help you assess whether or not the locks work, and how many windows you might have open.” 

This isn't the first unit established by Horne with its own identity. In addition to the new cyber unit, Horne previously set up a unit dedicated to servicing high-net worth individuals, Horne Wealth Advisors.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
Technology Consulting Resellers M&A
MORE FROM ACCOUNTING TODAY