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Cherry Bekaert Rises to #17 on Accounting Today’s 2026 Top 100 Firms List

Awards & Recognition

March 17, 2026

Cherry Bekaert (the Firm) is proud to announce it has been ranked #17 on Accounting Today’s 2026 Top 100 Firms List, advancing from #20 in 2025 and reinforcing its continued momentum as a leading middle-market accounting and advisory firm.

Accounting Today, one of the nation’s leading accounting news sources, highlighted Cherry Bekaert’s sustained strategic momentum throughout 2025 and early 2026, including the launch of a finance modernization solution in May and an R&D tax credit technology platform in August. The Firm also collaborated with Intuit in November to deliver AI‑powered accounting advisory services and was named a 2025 Accounting Today Best Firm for Technology.

“These rankings reflect the talent of our people and their commitment to delivering consistent, high-quality service to our clients,” said Michelle Thompson, CEO, Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC.  “We’re proud of the progress we’ve made and excited to continue building a firm positioned for long-term growth.”

In addition to its Top 100 ranking, Cherry Bekaert received the following distinctions in the 2026 rankings:

  • #1 Top Firm in the Southeast
  • Top Tax Firms: Ranked #25
  • Leaders in Tax (Firms over $100M): Ranked #7
  • Leaders in Assurance & Accounting (Firms over $100M): Ranked #6
  • Leaders in Consulting (Firms over $100M): Ranked #2

The Firm’s successful year was further marked by multiple strategic acquisitions, including Denver‑based Spicer Jeffries, Bedford, Massachusetts‑based Jameson & Co. CPAs, Reading, Pennsylvania‑based Herbein + Co. and Washington, D.C.‑based advisory firm Tarsus.

As quoted in Accounting Today’s 2026 Top 100 Firms report, Thompson said, “Our growth strategy focuses on expanding advisory services, accelerating through strategic M&A and deepening our position as a digitally driven, industry‑aligned advisor to the middle-market. A key pillar is our ‘Trusted Advisor’ initiative, which is designed to strengthen client relationships through account prioritization, structured account planning and consistent experience standards. This initiative is not a checkbox exercise. It’s about driving real behavior change across the Firm to improve cross‑selling and elevate client engagement.”

To view the full report from Accounting Today, download it here.  

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