Insight Magazine

 

 

 

Insight Spring 2026
Spring 2026
The Middle Reimagined: How Mid-Sized Firms Can Compete in a Consolidating Market

Features

The Middle Reimagined: How Mid-Sized Firms Can Compete in a Consolidating Market
Accounting firm tie-ups are reshaping the profession, but experts say strategy instead of size will determine who thrives.

Trends

Insights

Geoffrey Brown
CEO Outlook
Geoffrey Brown, CAE President and CEO, Illinois CPA Society
Volunteerism: Strengthen Your Leadership, Deepen Your Connections
Volunteer service is an invaluable vehicle for gaining skills, connecting with like-minded people, and advancing yourself alongside a cause you care about.
Marty Green
Capitol Report
Marty Green, Esq. Senior VP and Legislative Counsel, Illinois CPA Society
Lasting Audit Reform Takes More Than Short-Term Solutions
As local government audits face persistent challenges and structural hurdles, sustainable improvement hinges on stakeholder collaboration and solutions built to last.
John Lokhorst
Leadership Matters
Jon Lokhorst, CPA, CSP, PCC Leadership Coach, Your Best Leadership LLC
Multiply Your Value: Build Your Strategic Thinking and Innovation Skills
Here’s how you can further your ability to anticipate change, seize new opportunities, and stay ahead.
Brian Blaha
Growth Perspectives
Brian Blaha, CPA Managing Director, Winding River Consulting
Strategic Optionality: Preserving Choice for the Future of CPA Firms
The profession’s future won’t be defined by a single ownership model—it’ll be defined by whether firm leaders shape their own paths or allow circumstances to dictate which ones they’ll take.
Elizabeth Pittelkow Kittner
Ethics Engaged
Elizabeth Pittelkow Kittner, CPA CFO and Managing Director, Leelyn Smith LLC
The Ethics of Professional Relationships
Here is how to balance professional integrity in high-value relationships amid everyday ethical pressures.
Art Kuesel
Practice Perspectives
Art Kuesel President, Kuesel Consulting
The Overlooked Advantages of Independence
While many in the accounting profession chase size and capital in a consolidating market, the hidden benefits of independence offer firms a different kind of edge.
Brian Kearns
Appreciating Capital
Brian Kearns, CPA, CFP, RIA Founder, Haddam Road Advisors
The World Is Even Flatter: Seizing the AI Revolution for Firm Growth
Now isn’t the time for personal financial planners to run away from AI—this our profession’s window of opportunity.
Keith Staats
Tax Decoded
Keith Staats, JD President, Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois
There’s a Homestead Exemption for That
Numerous homestead exemptions are available for homeowners, seniors, and veterans in Illinois. Here’s an overview of some of them—and how your clients can qualify.
Andrea Wright
Evolving Accountant
Andrea Wright, CPA Partner, Johnson Lambert LLP
The Not-for-Profit’s 4 Pillars of Mission-Aligned AI Adoption
Here’s how not-for-profit organizations can ethically and effectively adopt AI to strengthen their mission.
Debits & Developments
Deanna M. Kanosky, CPA Vice President, Corporate Controller, The Planet Group
Navigating Banking Partnerships in Treasury Management’s Next Era
As treasury management evolves, corporate controllers will play a critical role in shaping and nurturing an organization’s relationship with its banking partner.

Spotlights

GEN NEXT: Freddy Thomas, CPA
This young professional shares why their tax career is defined by the meaningful relationships they’ve fostered instead of the returns prepared or advice given.
Connecting the Disconnects
By working together, we can keep moving this organization and our profession forward.
IN PLAY: Mark Gallegos, CPA, MST
Guided by a forward-thinking mindset, this leading tax expert channels his passion for knowledge sharing to teach, connect, and elevate the profession.