No one tells you what healthy looks like for a school your size.
Most higher ed leaders we work with know something is wrong. They just don’t have a standard to measure against: no clear picture of what a healthy institution their size looks like, or how far from it they have drifted.
CFO Colleague gives you the clarity needed to build a strong financial future for your school.
CFO Colleague is a family-built college financial advisory with roots in the higher ed business office. In 2013, founder Jeff Spear turned his experience as a university CFO into a company that gives institutions practical financial help from people who understand their world.
That work became a shared family commitment. Jeff’s daughter, Jessica Ryals, now serves as CEO and owner, and his son, Scott Spear, serves as COO. Their leadership carries forward what has always mattered at CFO Colleague: clear financial thinking, honest counsel, and respect for the people and mission behind every decision.
A new chapter in financial leadership consulting.
Jessica’s own experience inside college business offices is shaping CFO Colleague’s next chapter.
“We want to be the office down the hall, your colleague in protecting the future of your institution.”
Jessica Ryals · CEO and Owner
That means being close enough to understand the people, pressures, and history behind the numbers, and candid enough to say what an institution needs to hear. For Jessica and Scott, that is the legacy they want to build: a firm defined by collaboration. They help colleges and universities make the financial decisions that allow them to keep shaping students’ lives for generations to come.
We must help institutions face today’s realities so they can keep serving students for generations to come. If you need an experienced colleague for what comes next, schedule a call and tell us about the future you’re building at your institution.
