Forbes Names Aprio Leaders to 2024 Top 200 CPAs List

ATLANTA – May 2, 2024 – Aprio, LLP, a top 25 business advisory and accounting firm, proudly announces that three of its leaders, Richard Kopelman, managing partner and CEO; Yelena Epova, Atlanta office managing partner and international practice leader, and Lexy Kessler, Mid-Atlantic regional leader, are recognized in the 2024 Forbes Top 200 CPAs List. This inaugural list acknowledges CPAs who have demonstrated exceptional expertise, leadership and contributions to the profession.

The Forbes Top 200 CPAs List is a testament to the outstanding achievements of individuals who have excelled in their specialties, shattered barriers to emerge as leaders and significantly impacted the CPA profession while giving back to society. Richard Kopelman, Yelena Epova and Lexy Kessler have exemplified these qualities, earning their places among America’s most esteemed CPAs.

Forbes crafted America’s Top 200 CPAs list by assessing over a thousand accounting professionals from diverse backgrounds, disciplines and geographic markets. Each candidate underwent evaluations against a comprehensive set of criteria, including their qualifications, years of industry expertise, specialized knowledge, notable accomplishments, community engagement, thought leadership, clientele diversity, adherence to ethical and regulatory standards and propensity for innovation and adoption of cutting-edge technologies.

The Sr. Editor of Accounting for Forbes, Steel Rose, shares in an article for Forbes, “…the most common denominator among each of these listmakers was courage. The courage to maintain the credibility that sets the profession in a class by itself. The courage to work for businesses large and small, without bias, on everything from sustainable energy to cryptocurrency.”

Forbes‘ recognition of Richard Kopelman, Yelena Epova and Lexy Kessler reflects their dedication to excellence and commitment to providing exceptional service to clients, the profession and the community. Their inclusion in the Top 200 CPAs List is a well-deserved honor and underscores Aprio’s commitment to delivering outstanding capabilities and services to clients.

Richard Kopelman, Aprio’s managing partner and CEO, with 33 years at Aprio, he began as a staff accountant in 1992, now steering the firm from an $8.2 million entity to nearly $450 million in revenue, with over 2,000 professionals and 26 offices globally. As CEO since 2013, Richard’s strategic leadership fostered double-digit revenue and team growth, expanding services across 12 industries and facilitating strategic combinations. His insights are sought by prestigious publications like Accounting Today and Forbes, earning him recognition as Georgia’s Most Admired CEO twice. Richard’s commitment to a people-centric culture is evident in initiatives like “The Aprio Way” and the launch of Employee Resource Groups, fostering inclusivity. Aprio’s accolades include being a Top Five Workplace in Atlanta and recognition for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) practices. As a finalist for the 2024 HR Excellence Awards, Richard’s legacy of transformative leadership underscores Aprio’s position as an industry trailblazer.

Yelena Epova, Aprio’s Atlanta office managing partner and international practice leader, specializes in advising both domestic and international companies on intricate international tax matters and tax strategies related to inbound and outbound operations. Yelena founded Aprio’s International Practice, which has grown to over 350 team members who speak over 60 languages and conduct business in and out of 50 countries. Her leadership spans beyond the realm of accounting, as she actively contributes to organizations such as the Atlanta Ballet and the Atlanta Symphony as a board member. Additionally, Yelena helped establish the Black Business Forum at Aprio, and she is a frequent speaker on various international business topics as well as leadership topics in the U.S. and across the globe. Yelena’s significant contributions have earned recognition, including the Global Impact Award from the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “Women Who Mean Business” Award, and inclusion in Atlanta Magazine’s list of the 55 Most Influential Foreign-born Atlantans. She has also been honored with the Golden Key Award and the Elijah Watt Sells Award for her outstanding achievements. A distinguished alumna of Leadership Atlanta, Yelena is deeply engaged in community and professional endeavors, exemplified by her past roles as the chair of the board of the Georgia Council for International Visitors and as a board member of Aprio.

Lexy Kessler, Aprio’s Mid-Atlantic regional leader, has been crucial in expanding client services and driving innovative change for the firm. Beyond client service, Lexy serves as Aprio’s interim chief diversity officer, spearheading diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEI&B) initiatives. Together with the DEIB council, Aprio launched the first five Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), fostering an inclusive culture. These ERGs, driven by team members, unite individuals with shared backgrounds and allies, contributing to a sense of belonging at Aprio. Lexy earned a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Maryland and actively participates in the AICPA, where she serves as the National Pipeline Advisory Group Chair. Her contributions have earned her recognition as an AICPA Most Powerful Women in Accounting recipient on three occasions, as well as acknowledgment as a “Women Who Mean Business” winner by the Washington Business Journal and as one of Maryland’s Top 100 by The Daily Record, thrice.

For more information about Aprio and its leadership team, visit www.aprio.com.

About Aprio:

Aprio is a premier, full-service business advisory and accounting firm that advises clients on achieving what’s next. Aprio professionals work as integrated teams across advisory, audit, tax, outsourcing, talent solutions and private client services, bringing the best thinking and personal commitment to each client. Across practices, Aprio brings together proven expertise, deep understanding and strategic foresight for industries including Manufacturing and Distribution; Non-Profit and Education; Professional Services; Real Estate; Construction; Restaurant, Franchise & Hospitality; Government Contracting, and Technology and Blockchain. Aprio has grown to over 2,100 team members. To serve clients wherever life or business may take them, Aprio’s teams speak more than 60 languages and work with clients in over 50 countries. For more, visit www.aprio.com.

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Media Contact: Leslie Bashuk, Senior Public Relations Specialist
leslie.bashuk@aprio.com