Meet Our Team

Meet Our Team

Sonya D. Coates, CPA, CGMA

Sonya Coates began her career with HLB Gross Collins, P.C. after receiving her Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from the University of Georgia. She is a Senior Audit Manager in the firm's Audit and Advisory Services department.

Specialized Services

Sonya provides auditing, consulting, advisory, and attestation services for privately-held businesses and non-profit organizations. She serves a broad range of clients and has experience in a variety of industries Including the wholesale and retail distribution, manufacturing, construction, education, and service industries. Sonya provides services to clients doing business both domestically and abroad, and she has specialized expertise in International Financial Reporting Standards.

Sonya has experience in assisting clients with IRS audit defense, business sales and acquisitions, business valuations, due diligence, and budgeting and forecasting. She has experience in fraud risk assessment, forensic accounting, and assisting plaintiffs and defense litigators in civil litigation and allegations of white- collar crime. Sonya also has experience in assisting corporate leaders, boards, and audit committees with internal fraud investigations, including providing needed guidance and suggesting important financial controls to prevent potential problems in the future.

Sonya is adept at helping clients to realize their financial success by continually offering improvement strategies, suggestions for strengthening internal controls, and methods of cost reduction. Sonya seeks to establish trusted business relationships with her clients by providing attentive and timely professional services to enhance client operations.

Within the firm, Sonya functions as a quality control reviewer for the auditing and accounting department, maintains the firm's standard auditing and accounting correspondence and reporting templates, oversees audit engagement finalizations, and participates in the firm's peer review processes.

Sonya D. Coates headshot

About Sonya

University of Georgia, Bachelors in Accounting

Acts as the firms Quality Control reviewer and conducts audit and accounting training

Sonya enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 children, as well as supporting the Georgia Bulldogs

Professional and Community Memberships

University of Georgia Alumni Association

Georgia Society of CPAs

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Packard has been a client of HLB Gross Collins for 33 years, through the tough years and the growth years. They have been a loyal and trusted advisor to us for everything from Audited financials to our recent transition to 100% ESOP, we could not have completed this transaction without their expertise. The firm has grown with us over these years and we look forward to trusting them for all our accounting and tax needs for many years to come. I don’t know how to say enough about how I trust the advisors and friends I have a HLB Gross Collins.

Susan Kirkland, President

Packard, Inc.

As a new client of HLB Gross Collins, we have found ourselves extremely happy and satisfied with the quality of services offered. Their knowledge, follow-up, timeliness, and organization is superior to those I have seen in the past. They understand the value of building relationships with their clients. All questions and inquiries are answered in a timely manner either via email or phone and they are always willing to accommodate urgent requests. I would highly recommend HLB Gross Collins CPA's to any individual or business for their tax preparation, consulting, and business needs. We look forward to a continued relationship!

Elishiba Hunter

Timothy Baptist Church, Inc.

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