Past is prologue that's sparked a passion for me, which is the primary driver behind the services we over to our clients. I grew up on a farm in Indiana, with the sights, sounds and scents of effort, reward and community surrounding me. At the age of 16, I moved to Greenville, N.C., attended and graduated from Eastern Carolina University and passed the CPA exam on my first try, getting my license
in 2000. I opened Katy LaBarbera & Co. in 2005, the culmination of eight years of rewarding work and learning with firms in Greenville and Washington. It was also the realization of a years-old dream of mine: *To create a business that would directly benefit people — and by extension the community — in positive ways.*
This dream would not have happened without the inspiration and guidance from Barbara Labarbera and her husband, Sonny. My in-laws ran successful businesses and involved their families in all aspects. I admired their flexibility, creativity and grit, but most of all I learned how to build lasting relationships and serve a community. I established Katy LaBarbera, CPA in the same building that my in-laws had used for years as the location for their businesses. In Nov 2007 I moved into my office, the same room where Barbara and Sonny had what they called their "shop". It's important to me to continue my business in keeping with the spirit of theirs. The legacy and teachings of Barbara and Sonny Labarbera along with my early upbringing in Indiana is why I walk into the office every day and deliver trusted services with passion and vision for growth.
-Katy LaBarbera, CPA
