Written by: Deneen Dias, CoFounder, Infinite Ties
December 2025
The CPA.com Digital Conference is my favorite event of the year because it offers a direct line into the hearts and minds of the industry’s best CAS leaders. This year, I recorded conversations with several top leaders, and one thing became undeniable: the shift from compliance work to high-value advisory is accelerating.
To make this shift a reality in 2026, leaders are focusing on three clear pillars: Strategic Growth, Talent Elevation, & Technology Integration.
Here is a deeper look at how the industry’s best are tackling these goals.
1. Strategic Growth and Service Expansion
The goal for 2026 isn’t just growth for growth’s sake; it is about “smart growth” – scaling operations while increasing client value.
- Expansion: Kane Polakoff (CohnReznick) is planning to add three new CAS verticals to his current six, while Jenny Glassmoyer (Avodah) is targeting “smart growth” by specializing in the Nonprofit (NFP) sector.
- Outcomes: Matt West and Ashley Doyen (Creative Planning) are aligning services to drive specific client outcomes, while Sharon Berman (Rehmann) is taking advisory to the next level by incorporating Data Analytics and visualization.
- Accessibility: Dixie McCurley (Cherry Bekaert) emphasizes that we must make it easier for CAS clients to buy our services.
2. Talent Elevation and Advisory Development
As technology automates transactional work, the CAS team must pivot toward higher-level analysis and client-facing roles. CPA Practice Advisor notes that high growth firms are 49% more likely to emphasize advisory services offering clients strategic finance insights like financial planning, forecasting, and management reporting. So it’s no surprise that investing is talent towards advisory skills has become a critical investment.
- Upskilling: Kristie Terres (Creative Planning), Jessica Barnas (Wipfli), and Mareena Smith (Cherry Bekaert) are all prioritizing the upskilling of leaders and staff, focusing on both technical mastery and soft skills.
- Time to Train: In a bold move, Chris Gallo (Creative Planning) plans to cut back on his CAS leaders billable hours so they can focus on training their teams and creating a foundation for growth. Similarly, Jing Cheng (JMT) is looking for ways to simplify processes to give time back to staff.
- Team Integration: Becky Munson (EisnerAmper), Arna Erazo (GHJ), and Jenny Huotari (Cherry Bekaert) are focused on change management—integrating acquired teams, onboarding CFO practices, and managing the human side of new technology.
- Advisory: Juan Arana (WilkinGuttenplan) is structuring his team to deliver high-value FP&A and CFO services, while Laura Redmond (Redmond Accounting) sums it up simply: It’s time to LEVEL UP CAS.
3. Technology Integration and Optimization
Technology is the engine for efficiency, standardization, and the delivery of advanced advisory services. Rene Lacerte references in this AICPA townhall that technology is the enabler and the next 5 years is going to change the profession more then the last 50.
- Automation: Mareena Smith (Cherry Bekaert) is driving automation to support standardization, while Nicole Mitchell and Ambra Wellbeloved (Aprio) focus on broader tech enhancements.
- AI & Global Scale: Kane Polakoff (CohnReznick) is taking it a step further, building a global operation and deploying integrated AI with BasisAI.
The Future of CAS
The CAS leaders of the future are no longer just managing accounting services; they are running integrated, growth-focused advisory businesses.
The formula for 2026 is clear: Strategic Actions (vertical specialization and outcome-driven services) + Talent (upskilling and capacity creation) + Technology (standardization and AI).
This is the power of the “human-plus-tech” model: leveraging automation to free up top talent, allowing them to deliver the strategic advice that fundamentally transforms their clients’ businesses.
