Our Biographies

D. Grady Hough, Jr., C.P.A. | Terry E. Littrell, C.P.A. | Mark W. Paolillo, C.P.A | Mark S. Ring, C.P.A.

Grady Hough founded the firm of Hough & Company, P.A., Certified Public Accountants in 1960. He serves as its President and Chief Financial Officer and has extensive experience in the areas of taxation, business management, and personal financial planning.

A native Floridian and Venice resident since 1949, Mr. Hough graduated from the University of Florida, receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and a Master's Degree in Business Administration.

He is a Certified Public Accountant (Florida), a Chartered Financial Consultant and Chartered Life Underwriter (American College), and a Personal Financial Specialist (AICPA). He is a frequent lecturer and speaker on tax and business, financial management, and investment subjects, and served nationally as a discussion leader for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He has served as an adjunct professor of accounting, investments, and management at the University of Florida, Rollins College, and Manatee Community College. He is the author of AICPA course Developing A Marketing Strategy for Your CPA Firm and contributing author to the AIPCA course Helping Clients Improve Their Investment Decisions.

Hough holds professional memberships in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA), Gulf Coast Chapter of the FICPA (past president), Personal Financial Planning Section of the AICPA, Society of Financial Service Professionals, Financial Planning Association, National Writers Club, and is past chairman of the FICPA Management of an Accounting Practice Committee.

Hough has served as an expert witness in various Circuit Court cases over his career, as well as presenting testimony in utility rate cases before the Sarasota County Commission and its Public Utility Advisory Board. He is presently certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a County and Family Mediator, and is an approved mediator for the Florida Department of Insurance.

Hough is a retired Captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and an active civic leader. He is a current member, past president, and former treasurer of the Venice-Nokomis Rotary Club, member of the Bon Secours-Venice Hospital Board of Directors, board member of the Venice Art Center, former board member and treasurer of the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce, former chairman of the South County YMCA, a Scoutmaster and Explorer Advisor for 15 years, past president of the Venice Judo Club, and a Judo instructor for 12 years.

Terry Littrell brings over 30 years of tax, accounting, auditing, and management services experience to Hough & Company.

After graduation in 1968, Mr. Littrell worked with a national accounting firm until 1971, at which time he joined Hough & Company. He was associated with Hough & Company from 1971 through 1978. During this time, he was in charge of the accounting and auditing department, and was instrumental in establishing a Hough & Company office in Englewood, Florida.

In 1979, Littrell withdrew from Hough & Company and continued to practice public accounting until 1984, at which time he left public practice and entered the private sector as Chief Financial Officer of a multi-state corporation.

In January 1991, Littrell decided to return permanently to his first love, public accounting, and rejoined Hough & Company.

Littrell is a native Floridian and has lived in Venice since 1971. He graduated from the University of South Florida, receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting. He is a Certified Public Accountant (Florida).

He holds professional memberships in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA), and the Tax Section of the AICPA.

Littrell is an active civic leader, having been president twice of the Venice Vikings Pop Warner Football organization. He is a member of Rotary, having been president of the Englewood and Venice/Nokomis Rotary Clubs, and is currently serving as treasurer of the Venice-Nokomis Rotary Club. He has served as a board member of the Venice Yacht Club, as a member of its finance committee, and on the boards of Friends of the Venice Library, the Venice Gardens Homeowners Association, and the American Heart Association. He is currently a board member of Venice Area Beautification, Inc. Littrell continues working with the area youth as the Rotary Advisor to the Venice High School Interact Club.

Mark W. Paolillo, a member of the Venice community since 1972, joined the firm of Hough & Company in 1996.

Mr. Paolillo graduated from South Carolina's Clemson University in 1990, with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.

Following graduation, Paolillo was first employed at the Venice Hospital as a Project Accountant and later as Assistant Controller for a large local real estate development company. Subsequently he was offered an opportunity in the public sector where he worked with a local accounting firm.

Early in 1994, Paolillo moved with his family to Tampa where he furthered his expertise in taxation, accounting, and business management while serving as Senior Accountant for a Hyde Park-based C.P.A. firm.

In October 1996, Paolillo returned to Venice and joined the firm of Hough & Company as Senior Accountant.

Mark S. Ring moved to the Venice community with his wife, Monique L. Ring,C.P.A., D.B.A. and their three children in 2000. He joined the firm of Hough & Company in August of 2005.

After moving to Florida, Ring became the Director of Finance of a large retirement community that included independent and assisted living, skilled nursing, home health and therapy services.

Ring graduated from Southern New Hampshire University in 1981 with Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting. Ring began his career as a Medicare Auditor for the fiscal intermediary specializing in the home health industry. He also audited outpatient therapy services and skilled nursing homes.

In 1985, Ring associated himself with a Vermont C.P.A. firm to develop software specifically aimed at the Medicare home health industry. The firm also specialized in tax and auditing for not-for-profit businesses.

In the late 1980’s, Ring became the tax and accounting manager for a New Hampshire C.P.A. firm that provided services to a wide variety of clientele that included dentists, attorneys, physicians, developers, manufacturers, and service-related businesses.

In 1994, Ring started his own accounting firm with two CPAs in New Hampshire serving as President and Managing Partner until 2004. In addition to the thriving tax and accounting practice, the firm worked with mortgage companies to provide specialized HUD audit services as well as audit services to other not-for-profit businesses.