The accounting profession is undergoing structural change. Ownership models are shifting, succession timelines are compressing, and firm leaders are being asked to make decisions with far more complexity and far less margin for error than in the past.
Against that backdrop, we are proud to share that two Franklin Alliance advisors, Allan Koltin and Randy Crabtree, have been named to Accounting Today’s 2025 Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting list.
This recognition matters not because of the list itself, but because of what it reflects. Accounting Today’s Top 100 highlights individuals who are actively shaping where the profession is headed, particularly around firm growth, leadership, talent, technology, and succession. Influence, in this context, comes from proximity to real decisions and real outcomes inside accounting firms.
Influence That Comes From the Work
Allan Koltin and Randy Crabtree have each earned their influence through decades of direct involvement with accounting firms as they navigate moments that materially shape their futures. Allan Koltin is widely respected for his work advising firm leaders on growth, leadership transitions, mergers and acquisitions, and long-term value creation. His perspective has been shaped by years spent helping firms think clearly through high-stakes decisions, often at inflection points where structure and timing matter deeply. Randy Crabtree is one of the profession’s most trusted voices on firm culture, people, and the future of work in accounting. His influence is rooted in a consistent focus on the human side of firm building, especially as firms modernize and scale. He has long emphasized that sustainable success depends on alignment between leadership, talent, and culture.
How This Leadership Shapes Franklin Alliance
Franklin Alliance is building a platform for strong, independent accounting firms that want to grow, modernize, and plan for succession without losing what made them successful in the first place. That work requires more than capital. It requires judgment, pattern recognition, and an understanding of how accounting firms actually operate over long periods of time. Our advisory board is intentionally composed of people who have spent years working alongside firm owners through high-stakes decisions. This helps keep Franklin Alliance anchored in real operator experience as we build for durability, not short-term outcomes.
Recognition by Accounting Today reflects the type of leadership perspective we believe matters most as the profession continues to evolve.
The Franklin Alliance Model
Franklin Alliance partners with and invests in best-in-class boutique CPA firms. We work with firm owners who are thinking seriously about growth or succession and want flexibility, support, and long-term alignment rather than a one-size-fits-all exit.
Our model combines patient capital, operational support, and strategic advisory, while allowing firms to preserve their independence, culture, and client relationships. The goal is straightforward: help great firms continue to thrive as the accounting industry changes around them.
