CHICAGO, Dec. 12, 2025 – The Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS)—one of the largest state associations serving the certified public accountant (CPA) community—is excited to announce its president and CEO, Geoffrey Brown, CAE, has been named to Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting list for the third consecutive time.
Honorees named to 2025’s competitive list are nominated by their peers from across the country and include prominent key thought leaders, government officials, state CPA society executives, consultants, influencers, and other changemakers who are shaping the accounting and finance profession.
In recognizing Brown, Accounting Today states: “With 20,000 members and tens of thousands of other stakeholders in Illinois, Brown is working to help them stake a claim on the future and increase the long-term value of the profession through initiatives like adding new pathways to licensure, overhauling their practice mobility model, launching important research on talent readiness and early-career skill gaps, and much more.”
“I’m incredibly humbled and honored to be recognized again alongside so many of the profession’s top thought leaders,” Brown says. “This recognition is truly an acknowledgement of the hard work the entire ICPAS team puts in every day to advance our initiatives, support our members and stakeholders, and enhance the value of the CPA profession.”
“I’ve been amazed at how quickly Geof has absorbed the nuances of our industry and how deeply he understands the issues shaping our profession during his relatively short tenure as president and CEO. His grasp of the top challenges and opportunities of the day is truly top echelon. We’re fortunate to have his leadership guiding the strategic vision of the Illinois CPA Society, and I’m excited to see the continued impact he’ll have on our profession as a whole,” says ICPAS Chairperson Brian Blaha, CPA, managing director at Winding River Consulting.
Brown, currently a Chicago resident, is a native of Fort Washington, Md., and an alum of the University of Maryland, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in government and politics. Brown also holds the certified association executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). A dedicated volunteer leader, Brown is an active ASAE member, Certified Association Executive Commission member, and serves on the American Accounting Association Foundation Board of Trustees and the boards of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and HR Source.