Ascend CEO David Wurtzbacher Named a Top 100 Accounting Influencer
DECEMBER 7, 2023 (Alexandria, VA) – Less than a year since founding Ascend in January 2023, CEO David Wurtzbacher has been named one of the accounting industry’s most influential leaders. The honor on Accounting Today’s 2023 Top 100 Most Influential People list recognizes Mr. Wurtzbacher for innovating a new-age growth platform that enables mid-market accounting firms to stay independent while accessing the resources of a large CPA firm to pursue continued growth and profitability.
“This honor is a testament to those who have been early adopters and shapers of the Ascend vision during our first year. Our team is talented, motivated and focused – I’m so grateful for them. We’re humbled to be in such great company with the other members of the Class of 2023 Top Influencers because we know, have learned from, and greatly admire these leaders. We will strive to live up to the recognition as we continue to pursue our important work in the profession,” Mr. Wurtzbacher said.
Accounting Today presents this year’s top accounting influencers as “essential advocates” at a time when the industry is facing numerous existential challenges. “This solution-oriented mindset and advocacy are what define the Top 100 as influential, along with their prominent roles and sharing of specialized knowledge… Right now, the thought leaders and agents of change on our list of Top 100 People are those essential storytellers, pushing the profession forward during a time of unprecedented change,” the editors wrote.
New Ecosystem
Accounting Today quoted Mr. Wurtzbacher’s thoughts on one of the key issues pressing the industry. “Whatever you think of the big private equity transactions that have occurred, I am very confident that someone is going to make money in these deals in the next couple of years. When that happens, young CPAs will reap financial rewards early in their careers in a way this profession has never seen,” he said.
“Every talented young accountant will be looking for modernized economics so they can reap the rewards of their hard work. At that point, a talent problem that is already difficult for legacy public accounting firms is going to get even more difficult.”
“We are solving the pipeline problem by creating an entirely new ecosystem in which accountants can build their dream careers. We are using technology and our captive offshore arm to reduce the amount of compliance work accountants have to do. We have a large, dedicated team of professional recruiters that source great talent for our partner firms around the country so there are more hands at the pump. We are investing in learning and development that accelerates young accountants into true trusted advisor roles. And we have a modernized path to partnership that allows employees to make more money sooner,” Mr. Wurtzbacher said.
“Our PeopleFirst program ensures that all employees know how their work connects to a greater mission, so that everyone sees the impact they are making for their clients, colleagues, and firms. We’re investing in gold-standard technology stacks and AI-driven automation that make work easier. And our leadership development and talent programs help managing partners make the jump to become true CEOs so they can lead their people well and drive business growth, which is the tide that lifts all boats.
“I see the accounting industry as a bedrock of society, and it needs to flourish. By offering a new model that creates more exciting and meaningful career paths, we are seeking to have the most engaged employees in an industry we have revitalized,” he said.
Backed by people-focused private equity firm Alpine Investors, Ascend makes strategic investments in the non-attest businesses of entrepreneurial middle-market CPA firms and provides resources to help them grow independently. The Ascend Growth Model aligns partner firms and their teams around a shared vision for revitalizing the practice and profession of accounting.
Five regional firms across the U.S. have joined the Ascend growth platform to date, propelling the company across the $100 million revenue threshold in just 10 months. They include ATKG of San Antonio, TX; Goering & Granatino of Overland Park, KS; LMC of New York City; Opsahl Dawson of Vancouver, WA; and Wilson Lewis in Atlanta, GA. Ascend also acquired Sentient Solutions for Accounting (“Sentient”), an offshore accounting services and technology solutions provider with offices in India and Mexico. The company concurrently is investing in leadership development, talent acquisition, technology and AI, advanced billing methods, and client accounting services.
About Ascend
Ascend empowers entrepreneurial CPAs to reach their goals with an innovative growth model that brings their firms into the new age. Backed by private equity from people-focused Alpine Investors, Ascend is building a modern platform for regional accounting firms that enables them to stay independent while accessing the resources of a large CPA firm to help them grow. Ascend provides access to growth capital, robust talent acquisition, best-of-breed technology, a catalytic leadership system, shared back-office services and modernized equity incentives so that firms can surmount today’s industry challenges and reach their full potential. Founded in January 2023, the company attained revenues sufficient to qualify it as a Top 50 U.S. accounting firm within ten months of operation. For more information, visit ascendtogether.com.
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Contact:
Julie Gross Gelfand
(516) 729-8067