The Top 100 People: Masters of their own universe
ALMOS T EVERyONE AT SOME TIME OR ANO THER HAS
glanced at, or at least heard of, the mammoth two-volume
Who’s Who in America, and no doubt wondered what comprises the criteria for inclusion in that 6,000-page vehicle.
While Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential
People feature is roughly 40 years younger and not nearly
as ponderous as Who’s Who, similar questions surrounding the barriers to inclusion have probably entered your
thoughts a time or two.
And probably far more often after publication.
However, the parameters of influence in the account-
ing profession have changed since the infancy of the Most
Influential almost 20 years ago. New practice segments,
positions, technologies, work paradigms and demograph-
ics have evolved to the point where a person who might
have been considered a shoo-in for a slot in this century
elite circa 1998-2001 may not have necessarily warranted a
second look when compiling the current edition.
— The Editors
Dave Albrecht
Associate professor
of accounting,
Concordia College
With much of the accounting establishment lined up
behind adopting IFRS, it fell to the academy
to make the opposing argument, and Albrecht
was one of those who took the lead on his blog,
The Summa. It helped that he already had a
strong reputation as an innovative educator,
using social media and simulation games to
transform the way accountants learn.
Career Highlights: Associate professor, Concordia
College, 2009-2011 ... Assistant/associate professor,
Bowling Green State University, 1990-2009 ... Visiting
assistant professor, University of Chapel Hill, 1989-
1990 ... Instructor and Ph.D student, Virginia Tech,
1985-1989 ... Assistant professor, Andrews University, 1980-1985 ... Cook, George’s Gourmet, late 1960s.
Other Affiliations: Blogger, The Summa ... American
Accounting Association ... North American Accounting Society ... Christian Business Faculty Association
... Creator, Real Money simulation game ... Editor,
CPANews, 1997-1998.
Education: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University, 1991, Ph.D ... University of Iowa, 1980,
MA Accounting; 1976, BA Political Science.
Personal: Born 1949, Iowa City ... Married to Brenda
Kay ... Two sons.
Blog/Twitter: http://profalbrecht.com /
@profalbrecht
Mark Albrecht
CEO, XCM Solutions/
Xpitax LLC
As more and more CPA
firms catch on to the importance of workflow,
XCM looks to be a mainstay and Albrecht is at the helm, working hard
to show businesses of all kinds the benefits of
cloud-based workflow.
Career Highlights: CEO, XCM Solutions/Xpitax
LLC, 2001-present ... Founder and shareholder, KAF
Financial Group, 1991-2009 ... Partner, Kennedy &
Lehan, 1983-1991 ... Partner, Ryan & Albrecht, 1981-
1983 ... Staff accountant, Gerald T. Reilly CPAs, 1978-
1981 ... Staff accountant, Arthur Andersen, 1976-
1978.
Other Affiliations: AICPA ... Massachusetts Society
of CPAs ... Trustee, Eastern Bank.
Education: Bentley College, 1981, Master of Taxation
... Boston College, 1976, BA Accounting.
Personal: Born 1953, Boston ... Married to Mary ...
Three children.
Blog/ Twitter: @xcm_solutions
John Ams
Executive vice
president, NSA
Ams has spent a decade
providing information,
resources and guidance to
the NSA’s 30,000 members
at small and midsized firms. This year he
was critical to keeping the membership up
to date on tax preparer registration — even as
he worked with the IRS to minimize the initia-
tive’s impact on credentialed preparers.
Career Highlights: Executive vice president, Na-
tional Society of Accountants, 2001-present ... Senior
vice president of financial affairs, Interstate Natural
Gas Association, 1984-2001 ... Director of federal tax
programs, National Association of Realtors, 1979-
1983 ... Attorney, National Office, Internal Revenue
Service, 1975-1979.
Other Affiliations: American Society of Association Executives ... American Bar Association ... DC
Bar Association ... Phi Beta Kappa ... Past or present
board member, Cherian Investments; NSA Scholarship Foundation; Northern Virginia Relay for Life.
Education: Georgetown University Law Center,
1975, JD ... Michigan State University, 1972, BA.
Personal: Born 1950, Imst, Austria ... Married to
Nancy ... Three children.
Twitter: @nsatax
Rick Anderson
Chairman and CEO,
Moss Adams
In addition to helming the
largest regional firm in the
Pacific Northwest, Anderson also chaired the Blue Ribbon Panel that
set the terms of debate with its series of concrete recommendations for standard-setting
for private companies.
Career Highlights: Chairman and CEO, Moss Adams, 2004-present; president and chief operating
officer, 1999-2004; director of operations, 1993-1999;
director of accounting and auditing, 1984-1993; partner, 1980.
Other Affiliations: Chair, Blue Ribbon Panel on Private Entity Accounting Standards, AICPA, FAF and
NASBA ... Vice chair, Praxity Management Board and
Governing Council ... Past member, AICPA Council;
past chair, Major Firms Group ... Past trustee, Financial Accounting Foundation.
Education: Western Washington University, 1973.
Personal: Born 1951, Chehalis, Wash. ... Married to
Lori ... Two children.
C.E. Andrews
President,
RSM McGladrey
Andrews is building his
billion-dollar firm’s brand,
market share and talent,
even as it looks set to re-
unite with audit arm McGladrey & Pullen.
Career Highlights: President, RSM Mc Gladrey, 2009-
present ... President and chief executive officer, SLM
Corp., 2008; executive vice president of accounting
and risk management, 2003 ... Head, worldwide audit and business advisory practice, Arthur Andersen,
2001-2002; partner, 1984; joined, 1974.
Other Affiliations: Advisory Board, Pamplin College
of Business, Virginia Tech ... Immediate past chair,
Junior Achievement of Washington, D.C.
Education: Virginia Tech, 1974, Bachelor’s in Ac-
counting.
Personal: Born 1952, Covington, Va. ... Married ...
Three children.
Greg Anton
Incoming chair,
AICPA
As the 2011-2012 institute
chair, the founder of one of
Denver’s most successful
CPA firms will have a num-
ber of front-burner issues on his to-do list, in-
cluding private company reporting, retention
and succession planning, and the ongoing
Capitol Hill battle against tax patents.
Career Highlights: Founding partner, Anton Collins
Mitchell LLP, 2002-present ... Associate to partner,
BDO USA, 1987-2002.
Other Affiliations: Incoming chairman, American
Institute of CPAs; board of directors ... Past chair,
Colorado Society of CPAs ... Board member, past
chair, Junior Achievement, Rocky Mountain ... Governor’s Early Childhood Leadership Commission ...
Colorado Concern ... Past president, University of
Northern Colorado Alumni Association.
Education: University of Northern Colorado, 1987,
BS Accounting.
Personal: Born 1963 ... Married to Julie ... Two sons.
Twitter: @gregantoncpa
August Aquila
President and CEO,
Aquila Global
Advisors and
Chantrey Capital
Advisors Inc.
One of the profession’s
busiest authors and lecturers, with two more
books in the pipeline, Aquila has forged a pro-fession-wide reputation for expertise on such
critical issues as succession planning, partner
