Forbes Unveils Its Top 200 CPAs in the U.S.

Forbes this week released its inaugural list of America’s Top 200 CPAs, nine of whom were recently recognized by CPA Practice Advisor.

Forbes said the 200 finalists were selected through a review of more than 1,000 CPAs from a variety of backgrounds, specializations, and locations. Those candidates were then evaluated and graded on the following criteria:

Certifications and credentials
Years of experience
Industry specialization
Professional achievements
Community involvement
Thought leadership
Client base and diversity
Ethical and regulatory compliance
Innovation and technology adoption

“The most common denominator among each of these listmakers was courage,” wrote Steel Rose, CPA, Forbes’ senior editor. “The courage to maintain the credibility that sets the profession in a class by itself. The courage to work for businesses large and small, without bias, on everything from sustainable energy to cryptocurrency. The courage to navigate a dizzying array of services—representing clients, preparing tax strategies, tax returns, financial plans, and valuations, as well as offering management consulting on everything from manufacturing to blockchain and AI.”

Among the top 200 CPAs, two—Greg O’Brien and Jeff Wilson II—were recipients of CPA Practice Advisor’s 2023 “40 Under 40” award.

In addition, seven of Forbes’ top 200 CPAs were also honored last year by CPA Practice Advisor and the AICPA as the “Most Powerful Women in Accounting.” They are: Lara Abrash, Avani Desai, Kimi Ellen, Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, Orumé Hays, Lexy Kessler, and Carla McCall.

You can find the full list of America’s Top 200 CPAs here.