John Pace, CAS leader at GRF CPAs and Advisors, wins top award

NEW YORK (Dec. 5, 2022) – John Pace, CPA, has been named the recipient of CPA.com’s Digital CPA Innovative Practitioner Award, which recognizes individuals who are driving the accounting profession forward through innovative thought leadership, processes, services and technology implementation. Pace successfully used technology and forward-looking practice development strategies to drive advisory services and deliver critical business support to clients.

Pace is the Partner & Director of Outsourced Accounting and Advisory Services at GRF CPAs and Advisors. Since being promoted to lead the firm’s client advisory service (CAS) practice in 2017, Pace has led a transformation that has grown the CAS practice from $3 million to $8.5 million in gross revenue. Along the way, he has built a culture that is flexible, consultative, and fully remote, encouraging time off and working hours that create a healthy work-life balance. This people-first approach has helped shield GRF’s CAS practice from the recruitment and retention challenges many other firms have encountered in recent years.

“While John is a great proponent of shifting business models, value-based pricing and technology implementation, it’s his focus on people that is enabling true transformation and maximizing value for his staff and his clients,” said Erik Asgeirsson, president and CEO of CPA.com. “His innovative approach to empowering, developing and creating balance for his team not only enables them to better serve clients, it creates a key competitive advantage for attracting next generation talent.”

Hannah Smolinski, president of Clara CFO Group, and Steve Chaney, founder and CEO of Chaney & Associates, were both named runners-up.

Smolinski, President of Clara CFO Group, created more than 100 videos when the pandemic struck in 2020 to provide education and guidance to small business owners who needed assistance from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs.

Chaney, founder and CEO of Chaney & Associates, uses cloud-based solutions for GL, bill payment, spend management, payroll and more to close the books each week for clients. By relying on automation and shifting pre-accounting work to clients, his 20-person team is able to serve more than 1000 clients.

“All of the practitioners recognized this year have demonstrated the practical impact of embracing new technologies and innovative business models to deliver a higher level of service to their clients and grow their businesses,” said Kacee Johnson, CPA.com’s vice president – Strategy & Innovation. “For practitioners at firms of all sizes, these leaders are showing the way forward as our profession rises to meet new challenges and opportunities.”

Pace, along with those receiving runner-up and honorable mention awards, will be recognized onstage at Digital CPA, CPA.com’s annual conference for practitioners focused on technology and its impact on the accounting landscape.

To find out more about what sets this year’s nominees apart, and to see the full list of winners including honorable mentions, please visit CPA.com’s Digital CPA Innovative Practitioner Award page. For innovative tools and ideas that can help firms deliver even more value to clients, visit CPA.com.

About CPA.com

CPA.com brings innovative solutions to the accounting profession, either in partnership with leading providers or directly through its own development. The company has established itself as a thought leader on emerging technologies and as the trusted business advisor to practitioners in the United States, with a growing global focus.

Our company’s core mission is to drive the transformation of practice areas, advance the technology ecosystem for the profession, and lead technology research and innovation efforts for practitioners.

A subsidiary of the American Institute of CPAs, the company is also part of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the world’s most influential organization representing the profession. For more information, visit CPA.com.

Transformation and Leadership Experts Headline Premier Austin, Texas, Event for Forward-Thinking Accounting Professionals Dec. 4-7

NEW YORK (Aug. 16, 2022) – Rapidly changing technologies and business models are reshaping the modern CPA firm, and the Digital CPA Conference offers practice leaders the tools and insights they need to understand and adopt the latest strategies, emerging technologies and data trends impacting accounting, finance and advisory roles.

The conference, which is now in its 11^th year, is hosted by CPA.com and the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and will be held on-site at the Fairmont hotel in Austin, Texas, from Dec. 4-7. Attendees also have the option of joining virtually.

This year’s agenda, organized under the theme “The Future in Focus,” includes sessions on practice management, disruptive technology and new service line opportunities. Featured keynote speakers include:

• Marcus Buckingham, a global researcher and best-selling author, who will discuss unlocking strengths and challenging preconceptions about achievements to get to the core of what drives success.
• Simon T. Bailey, an award-winning speaker, author and success coach, who will speak on how to act like an employee and think like a CEO to unleash your potential and produce tangible results.
• Nancy Giordano, a strategic futurist, corporate strategist and best-selling author, who will talk about emerging technologies and shifting cultural expectations, and how to effectively harness the innovations heading our way.

Further rounding out the speaker lineup are Barry C. Melancon, CPA, CGMA, CEO of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, representing AICPA & CIMA, who will provide a professional issues update, and Erik Asgeirsson, president and CEO of CPA.com, who will give his annual state-of-the-union on Digital CPA trends with special guests.

“The Digital CPA Conference brings together the practice leaders and trailblazers who are forging the future of the accounting profession," said Asgeirsson. “This year’s future-focused theme conveys a sense of clarity around how we can drive value for our clients. We’ve navigated through change and tumultuous times. The opportunity for firms and clients has never been greater.”

The Digital CPA Conference is designed for CPA firm partners, managers and staff responsible for rolling out cloud solutions, as well as business development, firm marketing and Client Advisory Service (CAS) leaders.

Event sponsors expect record attendance in 2022, following a sold-out on-site event for the 2021 conference. Practitioners who register before Aug. 31 can save $300 on the registration fee.

Visit digitalcpa.com for more details on the event, as well as access to on-demand and upcoming live webcasts aimed at continuing the conversation beyond DCPA.

Media access: Reporters who would like press credentials to attend the event can contact Sonia Bauer, Sonia.Bauer@hq.cpa.com. Online access to sessions is also available.

About CPA.com

CPA.com brings innovative solutions to the accounting profession, either in partnership with leading providers or directly through its own development. The company has established itself as a thought leader on emerging technologies and as the trusted business advisor to practitioners in the United States, with a growing global focus.

Our company’s core mission is to drive the transformation of practice areas, advance the technology ecosystem for the profession, and lead technology research and innovation efforts for practitioners.

A subsidiary of the American Institute of CPAs, the company is also part of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the world’s most influential organization representing the profession. For more information, visit CPA.com.

About the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, and AICPA & CIMA

The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association), representing AICPA & CIMA, advances the global accounting and finance profession through its work on behalf of 689,000 AICPA and CIMA members, students and engaged professionals in 196 countries and territories. Together, we are the worldwide leader on public and management accounting issues through advocacy, support for the CPA license and specialized credentials, professional education and thought leadership. We build trust by empowering our members and engaged professionals with the knowledge and opportunities to be leaders in broadening prosperity for a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient future.

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), the world’s largest member association representing the CPA profession, sets ethical standards for its members and U.S. auditing standards for private companies, not-for-profit organizations, and federal, state and local governments. It also develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination and builds the pipeline of future talent for the public accounting profession.

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is the world’s leading and largest professional body of management accountants. CIMA works closely with employers and sponsors leading-edge research, constantly updating its professional qualification and professional experience requirements to ensure it remains the employer’s choice when recruiting financially trained business leaders.

Application window open until Nov. 30, 2022

NEW YORK (Aug. 11, 2022) – CPA.com and the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) are seeking applicants for the 2023 startup accelerator program, which specializes in early-stage technology companies benefiting the accounting and finance ecosystem. The 2023 program is open to pre-Series A startups around the world. Successful applicants receive $25,000 in seed funding and insider-level access to the subject matter experts, executives, firms, and finance leaders. They also benefit from business intelligence and insights from senior leaders at both the AICPA and CPA.com, as well as the program’s advisory board members, who bring diverse backgrounds and complementary skills in entrepreneurship, startup tech companies, accounting and finance.

“This program helped us accelerate our learning by 12-18 months,” says Adam Bercovici, founder and chief revenue officer for Canada-based LumiQ, a participant in the 2022 program. “LumiQ had a front row seat to the people shaping the future of the accounting professional globally. The team opened doors for us, made introductions to their network, and gave us the credibility we needed to enter the US market with a bang.”

Applications for the 2023 accelerator close on Nov. 30, 2022. Selections will be announced in February 2023. Companies that are accepted into the program will be featured next summer at AICPA & CIMA ENGAGE 2023, one of the leading accounting and finance conferences in the world. Later in the year, they will be featured at the AICPA/CPA.com Digital CPA Conference. “At CPA.com, we’re focused on applying practical innovation every day,” said Erik Asgeirsson, president and CEO of CPA.com. “That’s what makes this program so special – it allows the profession to tap into some of the most exciting innovations, and it helps these startups develop products and services that are finely tailored to the needs of the profession.”

To be eligible, companies should:

• Have a working product or service
• Be at seed or pre-Series A stage (with some exceptions)
• Focus on accounting, tax, fintech, regulatory technology, cyber or ESG solutions

“This program gave us access to finance and accounting professionals, which proved invaluable in helping us better understand the industry’s pain points on environmental, social and governance issues, as well as climate disclosure,” said Alyssa Rade, chief sustainability officer for Sustain.Life. “This has been instrumental in helping us build solutions that meet those unique needs.”

For questions about the program, please contact Vendela Hale, manager of corporate alliances for CPA.com, at vendela.hale@hq.cpa.com. You can also join our upcoming AICPA and CPA.com Startup Accelerator webinar, Oct. 19 at 2pm ET, to learn more about emerging technologies and meet the startup companies representing the 2022 cohort.

To apply for the 2023 cohort, please visit the accelerator program page at https://accelerator.cpa.com.

About CPA.com

CPA.com brings innovative solutions to the accounting profession, either in partnership with leading providers or directly through its own development. The company has established itself as a thought leader on emerging technologies and as the trusted business advisor to practitioners in the United States, with a growing global focus.

Our company’s core mission is to drive the transformation of practice areas, advance the technology ecosystem for the profession, and lead technology research and innovation efforts for practitioners.

A subsidiary of the American Institute of CPAs, the company is also part of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the world’s most influential organization representing the profession. For more information, visit CPA.com.

About the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, and AICPA & CIMA

The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association), representing AICPA & CIMA, advances the global accounting and finance profession through its work on behalf of 689,000 AICPA and CIMA members, students and engaged professionals in 196 countries and territories. Together, we are the worldwide leader on public and management accounting issues through advocacy, support for the CPA license and specialized credentials, professional education and thought leadership. We build trust by empowering our members and engaged professionals with the knowledge and opportunities to be leaders in broadening prosperity for a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient future.

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), the world’s largest member association representing the CPA profession, sets ethical standards for its members and U.S. auditing standards for private companies, not-for-profit organizations, and federal, state and local governments. It also develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination and builds the pipeline of future talent for the public accounting profession.

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is the world’s leading and largest professional body of management accountants. CIMA works closely with employers and sponsors leading-edge research, constantly updating its professional qualification and professional experience requirements to ensure it remains the employer’s choice when recruiting financially trained business leaders.

AICPA and CPA.com host inaugural Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Symposium to discuss the opportunities and impact of ESG for the accounting and finance profession

NEW YORK (May 25, 2022) – Top leaders in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) space convened yesterday at the inaugural AICPA and CPA.com ESG Symposium to exchange ideas and perspectives on emerging issues and to discuss the critical role of the finance and accounting profession within the ESG category.

The event, hosted by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and its business and technology arm CPA.com, brought together a diverse group of more than 50 investors, CPA firm leaders, corporate finance officers, technologists, standard setters, lenders and thought leaders to identify, categorize and prioritize the myriad interest areas in the ESG ecosphere for the accounting and finance profession.

“We couldn’t be more energized by the success of our first ESG Symposium. The event brought together top leaders to discuss the accelerating market demand for ESG services, the opportunities it offers for the accounting and finance profession, and the leadership underway across the various stakeholder groups,” said Erik Asgeirsson, president and CEO of CPA.com. “We look forward to continuing to build on this momentum to provide leadership across the entire ESG ecosystem.

The symposium agenda covered topics ranging from changing regulatory requirements, new reporting standards, marketplace demands and the growing need for ESG advisory and assurance services. CPA.com will release a special report later this year that recaps key themes and takeaways from the event. Some of those include:

• The confluence of proposed international and national ESG regulations that are creating momentum in the ESG space. The profession has a strong voice in helping shape the future of global ESG standards.
• CPAs are well positioned to meet marketplace demands with the innate skills, experience and systems to assure the performance of quality services and core values of independence, integrity and competency. Firms are already building on services to help clients with their ESG strategy, reporting and assurance needs.
• Corporate finance leaders are beginning to lead internal efforts to gather and report on ESG efforts to improve decision-making and demonstrate value creation.
• ESG covers broad and nascent topics. Accounting and finance professionals will need to expand their knowledge of the category to best advise clients and organizations on ESG best practices.
• Today’s consumers and employees want to buy from - and work for - organizations whose values align with their own. Firms and organizations that adopt ESG practices will be well positioned to secure top talent and build strong client and customer relationships.
• Investors, particularly the younger generation, want to work with companies that invest responsibly and balance purpose with profit. ESG reporting will become a cornerstone of financial reporting.

The ESG Symposium will become an annual event and will follow a similar format to the AICPA & CPA.com Blockchain Symposium, which is now in its sixth year.

“AICPA & CIMA have worked hard to promote the consolidation of global standards for ESG, and the category is a significant strategic focus for us as it becomes more central to business decision-making,” said Susan Coffey, CPA, CGMA, CEO – Public Accounting, Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. “We’ve been supporting ESG initiatives for well over a decade and we’re seeing new momentum from policy makers and heightened demand from investors, lenders and other market participants for this kind of information. The symposium serves as a great listening post and source of input from key leaders in the ESG space in accounting and finance.”

Resources to support accounting and finance professionals

The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the unified voice of AICPA and CIMA, recognizes the growing opportunity for CPAs and finance professionals to elevate their role as trusted advisors in the ESG space and has introduced several initiatives and resources including:

• Sustainability Attestation Guide
• Sustainability Assurance online course
• ESG Practice Aid – Considerations of ESG in an Audit
• ESG update from AICPA Town Hall
• An ESG-focused Startup Accelerator cohort to support the development of ESG technology tools for the profession
• ESG Fundamental Course – coming soon

For more information, please visit http://aicpa.org/esg.

About CPA.com
CPA.com brings innovative solutions to the accounting profession, either in partnership with leading providers or directly through its own development. The company has established itself as a thought leader on emerging technologies and as the trusted business advisor to practitioners in the United States, with a growing global focus.

Our company’s core mission is to drive the transformation of practice areas, advance the technology ecosystem for the profession, and lead technology research and innovation efforts for practitioners.

A subsidiary of the American Institute of CPAs, the company is also part of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the world’s most influential organization representing the profession. For more information, visit CPA.com.

About the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, and AICPA & CIMA The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association), representing AICPA & CIMA, advances the global accounting and finance profession through its work on behalf of 689,000 AICPA and CIMA members, students and engaged professionals in 196 countries and territories. Together, we are the worldwide leader on public and management accounting issues through advocacy, support for the CPA license and specialized credentials, professional education and thought leadership.

We build trust by empowering our members and engaged professionals with the knowledge and opportunities to be leaders in broadening prosperity for a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient future.

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), the world’s largest member association representing the CPA profession, sets ethical standards for its members and U.S. auditing standards for private companies, not-for-profit organizations, and federal, state and local governments. It also develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination and builds the pipeline of future talent for the public accounting profession.

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is the world’s leading and largest professional body of management accountants. CIMA works closely with employers and sponsors leading-edge research, constantly updating its professional qualification and professional experience requirements to ensure it remains the employer’s choice when recruiting financially trained business leaders.

Expense management and software-enabled corporate card will support CPA firms in delivering next-level client advisory services (CAS)

SAN JOSE, Calif. – March 8, 2022 – Bill.com (NYSE: BILL), a leading provider of cloud-based software that simplifies, digitizes, and automates complex back-office financial operations for small and midsize businesses (SMBs), announced today that Divvy, a Bill.com company, has been named CPA.com’s new exclusive partner for expense management, corporate cards*, and spend management. This move expands the partnership between CPA.com and Bill.com, CPA.com’s exclusive partner for bill management since 2008, and replaces the previous expense management solution with a new offering that will unite all bill payments, expense management and card spending in one comprehensive solution. A key strategy in supporting CPA.com’s updated client advisory services (CAS) 2.0 framework, firms can now have the technology tools to provide more strategic counsel for clients.

"We're excited to build on our partnership with CPA.com, as we continue to deliver on our vision of an all-in-one financial operations solution for customers,” said René Lacerte, CEO and Founder at Bill.com. “The powerful combination of Divvy and Bill.com provides businesses with the ability to see 100% of their B2B spend, giving accounting firms a tremendous advantage to level up their advisory services and provide more value to their clients."

According to CPA.com’s recent CAS Benchmark Survey, CAS is the fastest growing practice area for accounting firms. To help firms keep pace with demand and realize the full potential of CAS, CPA.com recently introduced CAS 2.0 for business transformation and change management, providing firms with a more holistic vision and approach to drive firmwide adoption of CAS.

“As CAS continues to grow, becoming a more critical part of firms’ offerings, they need a comprehensive technology solution that provides their clients greater access to business credit, increased control over spending and a real-time view of their finances,” said Erik Asgeirsson, President and CEO of CPA.com, the technology business subsidiary of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). “Bill.com’s Divvy Accountant Advisor Program, in partnership with CPA.com, empowers accounting firms with an integrated software solution and corporate card for their CAS clients, allowing them to deliver higher-value advisory services.”

Divvy provides an all-in-one expense management platform that pairs corporate cards with Divvy’s automated software to more effectively manage credit card spending, expenses, and budgets. For accounting firms looking to deliver on next-generation advisory services, this provides a key differentiator and strategic advantage.

The Divvy Accountant Advisor Program, in partnership with CPA.com, provides accounting firms and their clients the ability to:

• Automate previously manual, time-consuming tasks, such as expense reports
• Have real-time visibility and insight into business spend
• Control budgets and spending activity in real-time from a mobile phone
• Manage Divvy corporate cards with simple, easy-to-use, integrated software

Benefits to firms include:

• Easy access and real-time visibility into client spend and expenses
• Exclusive promotions and rewards for firms and their clients
• Tailored training and content to support firms’ success with the new solution and capabilities
• Dedicated partner support and resource hub complete with templates and materials to enable client success
• Co-marketing and promotional opportunities including customer success stories and more

Client benefits include:

• Free, award-winning spend and expense management software
• Exclusive Divvy and Bill.com offers and incentives

“Divvy puts the power in the business owner’s hands when it comes to managing spend. Especially after the last two years where cash flow was so critical and a remote workforce added layers of complexity, businesses need tools that make it easier for them to operate at their best. Divvy’s spend management solution starts with putting the right controls on budget and expenses in place and makes it simple to onboard new employees without losing that control. And with the partnership and support that Bill.com and Divvy have always delivered, this is truly a best-in-class solution.” — Nick Pasquarosa, Founder & CEO, Bookkeeper360

Read more about this partnership here. To learn more about how CAS practices can benefit from this program, join CPA.com, Divvy and a firm practitioner, on a free-CPE live webinar on March 30th. To learn more about the Divvy Accountant Advisor Program, click here.

About Bill.com
Bill.com is a leading provider of cloud-based software that simplifies, digitizes, and automates complex, back-office financial operations for small and midsize businesses. Customers use the Bill.com platform to manage end-to-end financial workflows and to process payments. The Bill.com AI-enabled, financial software platform creates connections between businesses and their suppliers and clients. It helps manage cash inflows and outflows. The company partners with 6 out of 10 of the largest U.S. financial institutions and 85 of the top 100 U.S. accounting firms, and popular accounting software providers. Bill.com is headquartered in San Jose, CA. For more information visit www.bill.com.

About CPA.com
CPA.com brings innovative solutions to the accounting profession, either in partnership with leading providers or directly through its own development. The company has established itself as a thought leader on emerging technologies and as the trusted business advisor to practitioners in the U.S., with a growing global focus. CPA.com is a subsidiary of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and part of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA & CIMA), the most influential body of accounting and financial professionals worldwide. Learn more about CAS 2.0.

*Card issued by Cross River Bank, Member FDIC