CRI Acquires CFO Hub: Why Top Firms Are Buying Fractional CFOs

Carr, Riggs & Ingram just bought CFO Hub, a San Diego-based fractional CFO firm. The deal expands CRI's geographic footprint to California and strengthens its presence in New York, Austin, and D.C.

But the real story isn't the M&A. It's what CRI is buying: a proven model for delivering fractional CFO and controller services to growth-oriented businesses.

And if you're watching the Top 100 Firms, you've seen this playbook before. Because fractional finance leadership is one of the fastest-growing service lines in the profession right now.

What CFO Hub Built

CFO Hub wasn't just another outsourced accounting shop. Founder Jack Perkins and CEO Mark P. Jacob built a reputation for scalable finance and accounting solutions that meet clients where they are and grow with them.

Their services: fractional CFO and controller services, accounting and back-office support, government contractor accounting and DCAA compliance, audit and due diligence readiness, R&D tax credits, and accounting staffing and recruiting.

San Diego named them the #1 accounting firm in 2025. That's not accident. That's a firm that figured out how to deliver high-level financial leadership without requiring a full-time CFO hire.

Why CRI Wanted This

"CFO Hub has built something genuinely distinctive: a team of financial professionals who meet clients exactly where they are and grow with them," said Bill Carr, CRI's Chairman.

Translation: CRI gets a turnkey fractional finance operation that complements their existing advisory services. CFO Hub clients now have access to CRI's full portfolio — wealth management, M&A advisory, data analytics, payroll, retirement plan administration, trust and estate services.

CFO Hub stays in all its existing markets (San Diego, New York, Austin, D.C.). The team stays intact. The brand becomes CRI CFO Hub.

The Bigger Trend

Fractional CFO services are exploding. Client accounting services (CAS) — which includes fractional finance roles — was an explosive growth driver for the Top 100 Firms for the third straight year, according to Accounting Today.

The reason: most growing businesses can't afford (or don't need) a full-time CFO. But they do need someone who can read a balance sheet, forecast cash flow, prepare for due diligence, and advise on financing decisions.

That's where fractional CFOs come in. And firms that built or acquired fractional finance capabilities are seeing serious revenue growth.

What This Means for Your Firm

If you're a CPA firm watching the M&A market, pay attention to what's being acquired. CRI didn't buy a traditional audit or tax shop. They bought a fractional finance operation with a proven client base and a scalable delivery model.

That's the signal.

Clients want more than compliance. They want strategic financial guidance. They want someone who can step in as an outsourced CFO or controller, not just close the books and file the return.

The firms winning right now are the ones building (or buying) that capability. If you're still thinking of your practice as "tax and audit," you're competing in a shrinking market. If you're thinking "outsourced finance leadership," you're playing the game CRI just doubled down on.