Accounting is a highly underrated profession that needs more appreciation. Many of the most influential organizations and businesses you are responsible for depend extensively on accountants. There are also accounting influencers that have extensive experience in the industry and provide their expertise and insights on the internet and social media. This will enable you to understand the latest trends in the accounting profession and related industries. They also provide tips and advice that can help you in your career and business, enabling you to stay ahead of the competition. Since there are so many influencers, we have curated this list of the top 19 influencers in accounting you should follow.
Without further delay, let’s dive in.
Jason M. Blumer
Jason M. Blumer is the CEO of Blumer CPAs, which provides coaching programs and accounting services. He is also the CEO of the Thriveal CPA Network, a community of accounting and firm entrepreneurs. Accountants can find a monthly membership that allows them to enter their profession. He is an expert on all aspects of accounting as his career has spanned over 30 years, being a CPA, leader, coach, speaker, and writer. He has grown his firm through exceptional leadership, being involved directly with his team and daily operations. If you want to get some interesting insights and advice from him, you can check him out on his podcasts, The Thrivecast podcast and The Businessology Show. He examines the accounting industry’s latest trends and business and design in these podcasts.
Doug Sleeter
Doug Sleeter is the founder and former CEO of The Sleeter Group. It is a global network of accounting software consultants that assists businesses and accountants in leveraging the latest technology. He is also the former producer of SleeterCon, an annual conference for accounting professionals. His passion for technology and accounting led him to innovate new products for accounting professionals. His current focus is on blockchain technology and cryptocurrency, believing they will change global commerce. He is well-known for pioneering the first QuickBooks seminars in the US and authored numerous coursework and books on QuickBooks. He also has extensive experience in the industry, having served on the advisory boards of several technology companies. He has consulted with various notable companies like Apple and Adobe Systems.
Joe Adams
Joe Adams is the Managing Partner and former CEO of RSM. It is a leading audit, tax, and consultation services provider with over 13,000 professionals. He has been at RSM for over 40 years, starting as an auditor and rising to CEO. As a result, he has experience with aspects like mergers and acquisitions, operations, and strategy matters. Under his leadership of over ten years, the firm has experienced tremendous growth, nearly tripling in size and even expanding to Canada. He also championed the firm’s open and accepting culture while providing opportunities for everyone to grow.
Ron Baker
Ron Baker is a CPA and accounting influencer with extensive experience in the accounting field. He founded VeraSage Institute, a leading think tank educating professionals worldwide, and has been an instructor for the California CPA Education Foundation since 1995. His primary focus is a speaker, writer, and educator. He tours the world spreading his value-pricing message and has authored seven best-selling books. He has been named multiple times in Accounting Today’s ‘Top 100 Most Influential People’ and inducted into the CPA Practice Advisor Hall of Fame. His specialties are pricing, ethics economics, firm leadership, and marketing. He is also a radio talk show host of The Soul of Enterprise podcast, providing insights and discussions on everything business.
L. Gary Boomer
L. Gary Boomer is considered a leading authority in the accounting profession, especially regarding firm management and technology. He created the Boomer CIO Circle and The Boomer Technology Circles, which help integrate technology with practice management. He also has extensive experience in the field, having consulted hundreds of notable firms, like Microsoft, IBM, and Sage. He travels the world speaking and consulting on various topics, like strategic and technology planning, mindsets of the future, and change management. He has also authored multiple books on these topics and regularly contributes articles for Accounting Today.
Jim Bourke
Jim Bourke is the Managing Director of Withum’s Advisory Services, having earned the AICPA and CITP credential. He is one of the first CPAs in the US to have made the CITP credential. He was also elected as the Chair of the AICPA’s CITP Credentialing Committee. He is a sought-after speaker on everything technology and business, having spoken and keynoted at conferences worldwide. Because of his extensive expertise, several notable accounting firms worldwide consult with him to get past their technological challenges. He has made Accounting Today’s ‘100 Most Influential People list many times and is the only Partner of a CPA firm to achieve such recognition in the US.
Dawn Brolin
Dawn Brolin is the CEO and Managing Member of Powerful Accounting, a nationally recognized accounting, tax, and Quickbooks consulting firm. She has a range of expertise in accounting, having worked for prestigious companies like MSNBC, Intuit, and The Woodard. She has also dealt with small to medium businesses. Her professional accomplishments include being among CPA Practice Advisor’s ‘Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Accounting’ from 2012-2021 and Accounting Today’s ‘Top 10 Managing Partner Elite.’ She is also a notable speaker known for her unique and entertaining presentations at various conferences. She has been featured on MSNBC’s ‘Your Business’ and conferences like Intuit’s QuickBooks Connect, Sleeter Conference, and SEMA.
Gale Crosley
Gale Crosley is a leading strategic organic growth consultant who is the CEO and Managing Partner of Crosley Company. She works with large and mid-market CPA and accounting firms globally to achieve measurable organic revenue growth. This has been possible due to her highly successful model and methodology for managing partners and other leaders. She has gained much expertise throughout her career in product development, marketing, and sales. In particular, she is known for her highly successful model. She advises some top accounting firms on related issues while appearing on podcasts and giving keynotes. She has received many accomplishments, including being in Accounting Today’s ‘Top 100 Most Influential People’ and receiving The Advisory Board Hall of Fame Award.
Jina Etienne
Jina Etienne is the Principal Consultant and Founder of Etienne Consulting and EtiennePartners. EtiennePartners is a boutique consulting firm that offers workshops, coaching, and strategic development for executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs. She has over 26 years of experience as a CPA accountant, having held various roles in the industry, like Director at the AICPA Tax Section and Thought Leader with the Business Learning Institute. She is also incredibly passionate about inclusion in companies while helping them achieve improved performance and growth. This is why she works hard to pursue her passion for developing cultures of inclusion and belonging. She also works on rethinking systems and processes to optimize operations. She has held various roles to help achieve this. This includes being the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Grant Thornton and President of the National Association of Black Accountants.
Brian Fox
Brian Fox is the founder and president of Confirmation, the leading provider of digital confirmations globally. He is considered a leading expert and thought leader in the accounting industry. He is well-known as the pioneer of electronic confirmations and has been granted the first seven patents. Because of his efforts, electronic audit confirmations are now part of the world’s auditing standards. Besides that, he speaks globally on accounting, auditing standards, and financial fraud issues. He has appeared on Fox Business News, and his writings have been showcased in notable publications like Forbes, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times. He has appeared in the ‘Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting’ and ‘Top 40 Under 40 CPA in America’ multiple times.
Bill Carr
Bill Carr is the former managing Partner and founder of one of the fastest-growing advisory and accounting firms nationwide, Carr, Riggs & Ingram. The firm provides various services, including business consultation, forensic accounting, and transaction advisory services. Bill Carr has over 40 years of experience with his firm regarding business consulting and advisory services. It has experienced consistent yearly growth under his leadership since it was founded in 1997 and is among the fastest-growing of the top 100 firms. At one point, the firm was even ranked 19th in Accounting Today’s list of accounting and advisory firms of 2018. In particular, Bill Carr is notable for his negotiation and mediation skills, which have proven invaluable for his firm.
Joel A. Cooperman
Joel A. Cooperman is the co-founder, Executive Chairman, and former CEO of Citrin Cooperation. Citrin Cooperman is one of the US’s largest professional services firms that helps companies and individuals find solutions for their businesses. He has successfully completed 65 transactions with a 100% success rate. Throughout his 42-year tenure as CEO, the firm consistently experienced annual growth in both revenue and profit. Under his leadership, since its founding in 1979, the firm has become one of the US’s Top 25 accounting, tax, and business advisory firms. As a result, he has extensive expertise working with high-value clients in areas such as strategic planning, expansion, and mergers. Under his guidance, these clients and their companies have achieved massive growth and overcome numerous challenges.
Edward Mendlowitz
Edward Mendlowitz is a partner at WithumSmith+ Brown, which merged with Mendlowitz Weitsen, of which he was a founding partner in 1988. WithumSmith+ Brown is a medium-sized accounting and consulting firm nationally ranked for its services. As a result, he has experience of over 40 years in public accounting while managing the firm’s success. He has assisted business owners in solving their problems and becoming more efficient, leading to more success and security. He is incredibly well-known for his books on accounting and business while also writing articles for notable journals and newsletters. He has also appeared on television news programs as an expert while being quoted regularly in newspapers as an expert.
Philip J. Holthouse
Phil J. Holthouse is the founding and managing Partner of Holthouse Carlin Van Trigt LLP (HCVT). He has over 30 years of experience in accounting and tax, guiding his firm to exceptional growth since its inception. He helps his clients get past complex issues in real estate, professional services, and private equity. He has also authored numerous articles on tax issues in notable publications like the Journal of Taxation. Furthermore, he is also a frequent guest speaker for professional organizations and conferences, such as the USC Gould School of Law Tax Institute. He is active in the community, serving in leadership positions for nonprofit boards and different roles for universities and schools. He is the recipient of the Elijah Watt Sells Award.
Michael J. Novogradac
Michael J. Novogradac is the Managing Partner of Novogradac & Company LLP, founded in 1989. He is well-known for being an advocate and specializing in affordable housing, community development, renewable energy incentives, and historic preservation. He has authored numerous articles and books on these issues, real estate, and accounting. This includes the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Handbook. Furthermore, he has been quoted by various publications for his expertise, which consists of The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Forbes. The main focus in his career has been in real estate taxation and accounting, having served as an advisor on government and industry affairs. He also provides input to various federal and state agencies, like the US Department of Treasury and Congress. His achievements and recognitions include being inducted into the Affordable Housing Hall of Fame and receiving The Affordable Housing Visionary Award.
Bryan Cohen
Bryan Cohen is an accountant and financial professional Principal Operational Controller of the DLR Group. He is responsible for the DLR Group’s financial operations, working alongside senior leaders and project managers. Under his leadership, the team achieves numerous tasks, such as monitoring project finances and coordinating consultant communication. He has also served in various other roles, such as Tax Associate and Experienced Staff Accountant. As a result, his specialties lie in tax, attestation, business management, and consulting services.
Sanjay K Sah
Sanjay K Sah is the Managing Director and founder of the award-winning firm Makesworth Accountants. Under his leadership, his firm has achieved excellent results, including a 95% client retention rate and 959 five-star client reviews. He has worked with diverse and ambitious clients across various industries, ranging from one-person start-ups to large companies, for over 19 years. He also has vast experience in different other roles and at boardroom levels. He believes that accountants are slowly evolving to become trusted business advisors. As a result, he has blended his technical accounting skills with his business expertise to enable clients to succeed. He has embraced changing times and new technologies to help clients with their taxes, documentation, and insights.
Karen Abramson
Karen Abramson is the CEO of Wolters Kluwer Tax and Accounting. Wolters Kluwer is the leading provider of professional tax and accounting software and provides software solutions and services for various clients. They range from doctors, nurses, and accountants to the tax, finance, and audit sectors. Under her leadership, the firm reported an annual revenue of €5.45 billion in 2022 while serving clients in over 180 countries. She has always driven innovation in the industry and has been featured in notable publications like Forbes, New York Times, and Chief Executive. She has been named multiple times in the CPA Practice Advisor’s Most Powerful Women and Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential in Accounting. Among her various awards are the SIIA CEO of the Year and the Silver Stevie Female Executive of the Year Award.
Angie Grissom
Angie Grissom is the owner and Chief Relationship Officer at The Rainmaker Companies. The Rainmaker Companies offers a variety of programs, services, and courses that can help other individuals and accounting firms grow and succeed. Under her leadership, the firm has served 42 of the Top 100 accounting firms and won them over $271 million using Rainmaker principles. As a result, she has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential people in accounting. She is a frequent speaker at conferences worldwide, regularly contributing articles and column pieces for publications. Angie Grissom has worked in multiple positions and roles in sales, human resources, and organizational management before Rainmaker. She is a regular guest on NewsChannel 5’s ‘SCORE on Business.’
Conclusion:
The influencers we have mentioned in this article are transforming the accounting field. Because of their achievements and efforts, the role and potential of accountants are being shown to the world. Many businesses and organizations depend on these fantastic individuals for their insights and advice. Furthermore, they also provide insights and tips to people through contributions to publications, speaking at conferences, and social media. We recommend that you follow these influencers to always stay on top of business insights and trends in the accounting and taxation field. You can even learn from them to boost your work and business success.
We hope this article has been insightful and has helped you learn about accounting influencers you should follow. Thank you for reading!
