Pease & Associates earned a place among the best CPA firms in the country when Inside Public Accounting (IPA) selected the firm for its Best of the Best award in 2015. Out of thousands of CPA practices nationwide, IPA honors only 60 firms each year, and Pease & Associates was the sole firm of its size in Ohio to make the list. The recognition confirmed what long-time clients and employees already knew: this Cleveland-based firm delivers the quality of a top national practice with the personal, mid-size approach clients value.
If you are evaluating accounting partners, the key question is simple. What does it actually mean for a CPA firm to be named one of the best in the country, and why should that matter to your business? This article answers that question by breaking down how the award is earned, why Pease & Associates qualified, and how an independent honor like this helps you choose the right firm.
What the IPA Best of the Best Award Measures
The Inside Public Accounting Best of the Best designation is one of the most respected CPA firm awards in the profession. Rather than ranking firms by revenue alone, IPA evaluates practices across many dimensions of operational performance. Qualifying firms must demonstrate long-term financial consistency, strong client service, and a sustained commitment to employee development and succession planning.
“Best of the Best firms aren’t just successful in a financial sense, they’re firing on all cylinders,” says Michael Platt, principal of the Platt Group and publisher of INSIDE Public Accounting. The evaluation looks at the whole firm: how it treats employees, whether it offers specialized services, and whether leadership is planning for the future. That holistic approach ensures the award goes to firms that excel in culture, strategy, and client outcomes, not just profitability.
For businesses comparing potential accounting partners, the IPA Best of the Best list works as a vetted shortlist of firms that meet high professional standards. Appearing on it signals that a firm has been independently assessed and found to outperform its peers across the categories that matter most to clients. The AICPA, the national professional body for CPAs, publishes its own firm practice management resources that reflect the same priorities IPA measures, including culture, client service, and talent development.
Why Pease & Associates Stands Out Among the Best CPA Firms
Pease & Associates, now operating as Pease Bell, is headquartered in the Hanna Building in the heart of downtown Cleveland. The firm earned its place on the Best of the Best list by combining the resources of a large practice with the responsiveness and culture of a boutique firm. That balance is uncommon in the profession, where firms tend to fall into one of two camps: large national practices with deep resources but impersonal service, or small local shops with personal attention but limited capabilities.
“We’re honored to be named one of the best CPA firms in the country,” said Joe Pease, CEO and co-founder. “We compete with larger firms in our market that didn’t appear on the list, so this distinction is a welcome surprise and nice validation of our team’s dedication to serving our clients.”
The firm’s ability to outperform larger Ohio competitors reflects a deliberate strategy. Pease & Associates invested in the training, mentoring, and professional development programs usually associated with national firms, while keeping a culture in which every employee’s ideas and contributions are recognized. That investment shows up directly in the breadth of accounting services the firm delivers to clients across Ohio.
How a Mid-Size CPA Firm Competes with National Practices
One of the most notable aspects of the firm’s Best of the Best selection is its size category. Mid-size CPA firms often face a competitive disadvantage against national and regional giants with larger staffs and broader service lines. Earning national recognition proves that firm size does not determine quality. Leadership, culture, and client focus do.
Joe Pease explained the philosophy this way: “We’re a mid-size firm that is large enough to offer training and mentoring programs that help our team members to develop their careers, but small enough to acknowledge ideas and contributions from all employees.” This dual advantage helps the firm attract and retain talent that might otherwise gravitate toward larger practices, while still giving clients the direct partner access and personalized service that big firms struggle to replicate.
The firm also invests in employee well-being and engagement. Annual events such as the company clambake, summer outings, and busy-season perks like chair massages and catered meals create a positive work environment. These may sound like small details, but IPA specifically evaluates how firms treat their people, and these programs feed directly into the retention and satisfaction metrics that drive Best of the Best rankings.
What Makes a CPA Firm One of the Best in the Country
Earning a spot among the best CPA firms in the nation takes more than strong financials. IPA’s evaluation criteria offer a useful framework for any business assessing prospective accounting partners. The key factors include:
- Financial consistency: Sustained profitability over multiple years, not a single strong quarter or season.
- Client service quality: Measurable indicators of client satisfaction, retention, and the depth of services offered.
- Employee development: Investment in training, mentoring, career pathing, and succession planning for future leadership.
- Specialized services: The ability to serve clients with complex or industry-specific needs beyond basic tax and audit work.
- Culture and leadership: A firm-wide commitment to values, innovation, and long-term strategic planning.
Firms that score well across all five dimensions, not just one or two, earn the Best of the Best designation. That comprehensive review is what makes the award meaningful and why it carries weight with prospective clients and recruits alike.
Specialized capability matters most where the stakes are highest. Audit and assurance work, for example, demands deep technical knowledge and rigorous quality control, the kind of practice standards the AICPA audit and assurance guidance sets for the profession. Firms recognized by IPA typically maintain dedicated teams for this work, as Pease Bell does through its audit and assurance services.
The Value of Choosing an Award-Winning CPA Firm
For businesses searching for a CPA firm, national awards like the IPA Best of the Best offer an objective benchmark. Choosing an accounting partner is a high-stakes decision that affects tax strategy, compliance, financial reporting, and long-term planning. An independently recognized firm brings a level of proven reliability that is hard to gauge from marketing materials or referrals alone.
The recognition also signals stability. Firms that earn the Best of the Best designation have shown consistent performance over time, which means clients can expect the same level of service year after year. That matters most for businesses that need a long-term accounting relationship rather than transactional tax preparation.
The award further validates the firm’s approach to specialized services. Cleveland-area businesses with complex needs, whether in real estate, construction, manufacturing, or professional services, benefit from a firm recognized for going beyond basic compliance to deliver strategic, industry-specific guidance. Proactive tax advisory services are a clear example, helping clients plan ahead instead of simply reacting at filing time.
Pease Bell Continues the Legacy
Since the 2015 Best of the Best recognition, Pease & Associates has continued to grow and evolve, now operating under the Pease Bell name. The firm maintains its downtown Cleveland headquarters and continues to serve clients across Ohio with the same commitment to excellence that earned the national award. The core philosophy is unchanged: deliver the capabilities of a top national firm with the personal attention and accessibility of a boutique practice.
Businesses in Cleveland and throughout Ohio looking for one of the best CPA firms in their region can request a proposal directly through the Pease Bell website to learn how the firm’s award-winning approach applies to their specific needs. The honor is a starting point, not a finish line, and the firm’s continued investment in people and specialized service keeps it competitive against far larger practices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the IPA Best of the Best CPA award?
The IPA Best of the Best is an annual award from Inside Public Accounting that recognizes just 60 CPA firms nationally for exceptional performance across financial results, client service, employee development, and strategic leadership. It is one of the most respected CPA firm awards in the profession because it evaluates the entire firm rather than a single metric.
How does a CPA firm earn a Best of the Best designation?
Firms are assessed on long-term financial consistency, client service quality, employee training and mentoring programs, specialized service offerings, and succession planning. Only firms that perform at the highest level across all categories earn the designation, which makes it a reliable indicator of overall firm excellence.
Why was Pease & Associates the only Ohio firm of its size on the list?
Pease & Associates combined the professional development programs and service depth of larger national firms with a culture that values every employee’s contributions. This mid-size approach, large enough for deep expertise and small enough for personal attention, set it apart from both larger and smaller Ohio competitors.
What should I look for when choosing a CPA firm?
Look for demonstrated financial stability, industry-specific expertise, investment in employee development, and independent recognition like the IPA Best of the Best award. A firm that scores well on these factors is more likely to provide consistent, high-quality service over a long-term relationship.
Is Pease & Associates the same as Pease Bell?
Yes. Pease & Associates now operates under the Pease Bell name. The firm maintains the same downtown Cleveland headquarters, leadership philosophy, and commitment to client service that earned the original Best of the Best recognition.
What types of businesses does Pease Bell serve?
Pease Bell serves a range of industries in the Cleveland area and across Ohio, including real estate, construction, manufacturing, and professional services. The firm offers accounting, tax, audit, and advisory services tailored to each client’s specific needs.
