Helana Robbins Huddleston
CPA, CIRA, Partner, Manufacturing and Distribution Industry - Co-Leader, Transaction Advisory Services
Chicago, IL
Helana Robbins Huddleston, CPA, CIRA, Partner, CohnReznick Advisory and co-leader of the firm's M&D practice specializes in providing clients with transaction advisory and restructuring services. She has over 19 years of expertise in financial due diligence, restructuring, cash flow budgeting, financial auditing, internal control evaluation, and business process improvement. Helana leads buy-side and sell-side financial due diligence engagements with strategic and financial buyers for private and public companies with enterprise values ranging from $20 million to $500 million. She assists clients with calculating standalone costs for carve-out transactions, synergies costs and transition service agreements. Helana advises within a variety of industries including food and beverage, retail, manufacturing, distribution, technology, government, construction, hospitality, and business services. She is also a member of the Firm's Private Equity and Venture Capital Industry Practice.
In addition to transaction advisory service, Helana has provided accounting and consulting services to financially troubled companies with sales ranging from $80 million to $350 million. Her advisory work includes cash management, financial projections and modeling, operational cost improvement and cost reductions, and implementing internal control processes. She has also advised senior secured creditors in and out of bankruptcy proceedings. Helana started her career at Ernst & Young in their assurance and transaction advisory practices where she led a buy-side transaction with an enterprise value of $10 billion.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Crain’s Chicago Business, Notable Gen X Leaders in Accounting, Consulting and Law Award, 2021
M&A Advisor, Emerging Leaders Award, 2018
Young Broadcasting, LLC, Turnaround of the Year Award, 2011
Education
BS, Finance, DePaul University
BS, Accountancy, DePaul University
MBA, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Professional Affiliations
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors
ACG Chicago, Inc., Executive Board, Co-Chair of Programming and Co-Chair of the Food Committee
Chicagoland Food and Beverage Network
DePaul University, Board of Finance
Naturally Chicago