AKT Chairman of the Board Steve Tatone has been named a 2016 Most Admired Peer by INSIDE Public Accounting.

“Steve led this company with vision,” said Kent Aldrich. “He treats everyone with the utmost respect and kindness, while expecting nothing less than excellence from those around him. The foundation Steve built will forever be ingrained in the firm’s culture and character through the example he has set.”

Tatone began his accounting career in 1974 and served as President/CEO of AKT for over 30 years. Steve has had a primary role in defining and shaping the vision, mission, and values of AKT. Under his leadership, the firm grew from a single office to a multi-state West Coast regional firm with deep industry expertise in several sectors. Steve dedicated a portion of his career to consulting with accounting firms, large and small, helping them shape their succession plan and growth strategies.

Each year the publication surveys more than 500 firm leaders to name one peer they admire in the profession. Tatone was among the five accounting profession leaders named most frequently by his colleagues.

“These leaders are well-known to CPAs across the country because they are committed to sharing their knowledge and advocating for the profession,” says Kelly Platt, principal of the Platt Group, publishers of INSIDE Public Accounting. “They run successful firms, and not just in a financial sense. They lead strong, unified teams, give back to their communities and continually look for new ways to help their clients succeed.”

See the full list of IPA’s 2016 Most Admired Peers.