Theodora Rutherford was the first known African American student at Columbia Business School. After a rule change allowed her to become a qualified Certified Public Accountant in 1959, she went on to become the first black CPA in West Virginia.
A pioneer in the development of credit unions in West Virginia, Theodora Rutherford "was instrumental in the chartering of West Virginia Collegiate Credit Union which served the students and faculty at West Virginia Collegiate Institute (West Virginia State University).
She was the credit union's first treasurer, and later served on the board of directors of the West Virginia Credit Union League. She was president of the West Virginia Consumer Association and served on the boards of the Community Banking and Savings Company. She taught community classes in tax preparation. In 1963, she won a Ford Foundation fellowship, to pursue doctoral studies at Indiana University.[14] After she retired, she ran an accounting firm, specializing in taxes.