Carl Peterson, vice president of small firm interests at the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), will retire on June 30. Peterson’s retirement caps a tenure at AICPA and a broader career defined by advocacy and an unwavering commitment to elevating the voices of small firms across the accounting profession.
“Carl’s ability to connect with small firm practitioners, understand their realities, and elevate their perspectives made him an invaluable advisor to me,” said Susan Coffey, CPA, CGMA, the AICPA’s CEO of public accounting. “He made sure our strategies and policies never lost sight of what matters most to our members operating smaller firms. Carl’s personal investment in building relationships — often through Sunday night phone calls or midweek check-ins — demonstrated his unmatched dedication to the profession.”
Since joining the AICPA in 2014, Peterson has been instrumental in reshaping and enriching the organization’s relationship with many groups focused on issues impacting small firms, often being asked to participate in board meetings and strategic retreats.
Peterson also served as a key liaison with state CPA societies and facilitated small firm roundtables nationwide. His leadership included hosting two major webcast series — “Small Firm Updates” and “Small Firm Issues” — which attracted thousands of practitioners and state society staff looking to stay ahead of emerging trends, technical updates, and regulatory changes. These engagements were bolstered by Peterson’s quarterly conversations with more than 60 firms, giving him direct insight into evolving challenges and concerns.
“Carl has always understood that success in public accounting isn’t one-size-fits-all,” said Mark Koziel, CPA, CGMA, CEO of the AICPA. “His empathy, candor and deep experience gave small firms a trusted voice and brought tremendous credibility to our advocacy and resources. He made the AICPA feel personal.”
Peterson also worked as a technical advisor to the International Federation of Accountants Small and Medium Practices Advisory Group, contributing to global discussions on practice issues and World Bank initiatives. Domestically, his legislative advocacy at the state level included testifying on key bills impacting small firm CPAs.
His thought leadership spanned podcasts, keynote presentations and regular contributions to AICPA’s Small Firm Solutions column. He was recognized by Accounting Today as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting each year since his appointment in 2014.
“Carl’s legacy is one of deep connection, commitment, and service,” said Lisa Simpson, CPA, CGMA, the AICPA’s vice president of firm services. “He didn’t just serve small firms, he brought their experiences into every conversation within the AICPA and raised the bar for how we support and listen to our members. Carl brought his own experiences serving on technical committees and being involved in state societies to give a holistic perspective to serving firms and their interests throughout the years.”
Prior to joining the Association in 2014, Peterson served as managing partner of a small firm in Minnesota, and this experience enabled him to put himself in small firm practitioners’ shoes. He also previously served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Society of CPAs, as well as Chairman of the Political Action and Legislative Affairs committees. In 2013, he was honored by the Society with their Distinguished Service Award.
The AICPA remains deeply committed to small firms and will be recruiting for a new vice president of small firm interests to continue to support this critical segment of its membership.
Thanks for reading CPA Practice Advisor!
Subscribe Already registered? Log In
Need more information? Read the FAQs
Tags: Accounting
