CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
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Monday, November 16, 2026
4:00 pm
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Pre-Conference Registration Opens
2 hr
6:00 pm
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Pre-Conference Reception for Accounting Firms Only
1 hr 30 min
Before the broader PE Summit community arrives, join an exclusive group of accounting firm leaders for an evening of candid conversation and peer networking. As firms navigate an unprecedented number of strategic options—from independence and mergers to ESOPs and private equity—this reception offers an opportunity to exchange ideas, build relationships, and set the stage for the discussions ahead. Open exclusively to accounting firm attendees participating in CPA Insights.
Tuesday, November 17, 2026
7:00 am
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Pre-Conference Registration
1 hr 30 min
7:30 am
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Networking Breakfast
1 hr
8:30 am
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Welcome & Opening Remarks
15 min
Accounting firm leaders have more strategic options than ever before. From independence and mergers to ESOPs, private equity, and alternative capital models, the path forward is no longer one-size-fits-all. In these opening remarks, we’ll set the stage for CPA Insights by exploring the forces reshaping firm ownership, growth, and succession—and the critical decisions leaders face as they plan for the future.
8:50 am
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Panel The Capital Crunch in Accounting: Succession, Strategy, and the New Funding Reality
50 min
CPE Eligible
Allan D. Koltin
CEO
Koltin Consulting Group, Inc
Bob Lewis
President
The Visionary Group
Philip Whitman
CEO
Whitman Advisory
For decades, accounting firms relied on a predictable formula for growth and ownership transition: Partners funded the next generation, firms financed growth from operations, and independence was the default path forward. That model is increasingly under pressure.
9:40 am
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Networking Break
30 min
10:10 am
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Presentation ESOPs: An Alternative Path to Ownership and Succession
25 min
CPE Eligible
Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPS) are gaining renewed attention as a strategy for ownership transition, succession planning, and long-term independence. But how do ESOPs work in practice, and are they the right fit for your firm?
10:35 am
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Presentation Control, Capital, and Growth: Evaluating Alternatives to Private Equity
25 min
CPE Eligible
Private equity may be the most visible capital source, but it’s far from the only option.
11:05 am
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Panel Where Firms Are Investing Their Next Technology Dollar
50 min
CPE Eligible
Mary Delaney
Chief Executive Officer
Karbon
Brady Suggs
Director of Product Management
Intuit
Mason Swenson
Chief Product Officer
Rightworks
Technology has become one of the most important drivers of growth, efficiency, and firm value. As accounting firms face mounting pressure to modernize operations, leverage AI, improve the client experience, and create capacity, technology investment is increasingly being viewed as a strategic capital decision rather than a routine operating expense. In this panel discussion, thought leaders from some of the profession’s leading technology vendors will share their perspectives on where firms are investing today, the capabilities firms will need to remain competitive tomorrow, and how firm leaders should think about prioritizing future technology investments.
11:55 am
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Networking Lunch
1 hr
12:55 pm
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Panel Staying Independent
50 min
CPE Eligible
Stacie Kwaiser
Chief Executive Officer
Rehmann
Monic Ramirez
Managing Partner
Sensiba
Jennifer Wilson
Co-Founder and Partner
ConvergenceCoaching
Private equity isn’t inevitable. Accounting firms today have more options than ever—including remaining proudly independent. But independence requires firms to proactively address many of the same challenges that are driving others toward outside capital: growth, succession, talent, technology investment, partner retirements, capacity, and long-term strategic planning. In this session, firm leaders who have chosen to stay independent share how they’re building sustainable, competitive firms on their own terms.
1:50 pm
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Presentation What Does Your Firm Look Like Today and What Is It Worth?
50 min
CPE Eligible
With private equity, alternative practice structures and continued consolidation reshaping the accounting profession, understanding where your firm fits in today’s market—and what drives its value—has never been more important.
2:40 pm
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Networking Break
30 min
3:10 pm
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Presentation 31 Flavors: One Firm. Many Futures. Which Deal Would You Choose?
50 min
CPE Eligible
With private equity, ESOPs, strategic mergers, minority investments, permanent capital and new ownership structures reshaping the accounting profession, firm leaders have more options than ever. But having more options doesn’t necessarily make the decision any easier.
4:05 pm
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Presentation M&A for Small Firms: How the Acquisition Market Is Changing Below $10 Million
30 min
The accounting M&A landscape has shifted dramatically, and firms under $10 million in revenue are navigating a uniquely complex environment. Buyer expectations have evolved, valuation methodologies have changed, and the options available to firm owners extend well beyond a traditional PE deal.
4:40 pm
Pre-Conference – CPA Insights – Accounting Firms ONLY
Pre-Conference Closing Remarks: Key Takeaways for Firm Leaders
20 min
We wrap up the Pre-Conference by highlighting the most important insights for firm leaders evaluating strategic options — from remaining independent to pursuing outside capital. These closing remarks also set the stage for the main conference, where we move from decision-making to execution and long-term impact.