Hillary HughesCFA, ASA

Hillary Hughes joined Prairie Capital Advisors in 2011 and is a shareholder in the firm. She leads Prairie’s ESOP Trust-Side Practice. Hillary’s work focuses on advising ESOP trustees, boards of directors and business owners on ESOP structuring, valuation matters and ownership transition planning.

Hillary is actively involved in the employee ownership community and frequently speaks at conferences and industry events, including programs hosted by The ESOP Association (“TEA”), the National Center for Employee Ownership (“NCEO”) and other industry forums. Thought leadership topics include valuation, ESOP transactions, board governance, and ownership transition planning. In addition, Hillary serves as Chair of The ESOP Association Valuation Advisory Committee and is a past President of the Iowa/Nebraska Chapter. She also serves on the Board of Directors of two private companies and is an advisory member of the Iowa Center for Employee Ownership.

In 2017, Hillary was recognized as a Top 40 Under Forty Honoree by the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (“NACVA”). She also received the Membership Recruitment Award to a Professional Member from The ESOP Association (“TEA”). In 2018, she received the HER Women of Achievement Award presented by HER Magazine. In 2020, she received the Americas Rising Dealmakers Award from M&A Atlas. In 2022, she received the Emerging Leaders Award from M&A Advisors. In 2024, she was recognized as a Top Woman Leader & Dealmaker of the Year by M&A Atlas.