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.

Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting, and Kalil Merhib was named “one to watch”.

https://www.accountingtoday.com/list/the-top-people-in-public-accounting-2022

CAS practice functions differently than the traditional compliance-based practice and can't be built or managed the same way. That means CAS practice leaders may encounter challenges when trying to grow a successful practice within a traditional full-service firm.

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2022/nov/4-steps-building-successful-cas-practice-traditional-cpa-firm.html

With all the talk of the profession's digital revolution, as well as the bevy of new service lines it can enable, one might be tempted to think that every single firm everywhere is either already on the cutting edge of technology or is actively working towards it. Despite this, however, there remain many firms that not only have not undergone this process, but don't wish to do so in the future.

https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/johnson-firms-are-increasingly-divided-over-tech-upgrades

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.