Spotlight On: Karen Dow, Regional Director, Palm Beach & Broward Counties, Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants
June 2025 — Karen Dow, regional director for Palm Beach and Broward Counties of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, sat down with Invest: to discuss how technological advancements have been changing the way accountants and financial professionals work, and how the role of a CPA is evolving. “The accounting industry is undergoing a significant transformation due to technological advancements and evolving client needs. The key trends include an increase in automation and AI adoption,” Dow said.
What changes over the past year have had the biggest impact on FICPA and in what ways?
Our focus in the last 12 months has been on securing the future of the CPA profession. Throughout Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session, our Governmental Affairs Team in Tallahassee has been engaged in around-the-clock advocacy efforts, working to both modernize and protect CPA licensure. As you know, Florida has seen significant population growth in recent years, making our state a leader in national economic and regulatory discussions. That’s why the FICPA has made a point to be proactive and forward-thinking when it comes to shaping the future of licensure, both in Florida and across the country. We’re looking to expand pathways to CPA licensure while upholding the integrity and rigor that the profession is known for, and we continue to work with the Florida Legislature to achieve our vision.
What is your overview of the accounting industry in Palm Beach, including any trends or market dynamics that are emerging?
The accounting industry is undergoing a significant transformation thanks to both technological advancements and evolving client needs.
First, we’re seeing an obvious increase in automation and AI adoption. In short, accounting and finance professionals are now able to spend significantly less time on task-based work and far more time on big-picture problem solving.
And that really pairs with the growing demand for client advisory services. Accounting has traditionally been backward-looking, focused on what happened, but now clients are looking to CPAs to be their all-purpose, 360-degree advisors. They want to know what’s going to happen, in terms of strategic planning and long-term decision making. Some firms in the region are also providing business consulting, offering their expertise in areas like operational efficiency and growth strategies. And we’re seeing this increase in demand for advisory services across industries.
With an increasing number of companies and high-net-worth individuals positioning themselves in South Florida, there’s a need for financial services and an opportunity for financial professionals and their firms.
What are some of the membership advantages and benefits of joining the FICPA?
We touched on this a bit, but one of our really unparalleled benefits is the advocacy work we do in Tallahassee. We’re working closely with state lawmakers to ensure that Florida’s CPAs are best positioned to succeed today and in the years ahead. Whether we’re proactively advancing a piece of priority legislation or working to ensure CPAs are shielded from potential harms, we’re protecting and promoting the profession. And it’s the direct support of our membership that allows us to represent them when it matters most.
That being said, we’re also dedicated to serving our members in the continuing professional education (CPE) space, providing the highest-quality opportunities for CPAs to complete their requirements. With respect to Palm Beach and the surrounding area, we host multiple, large-scale conferences on an annual basis, from our South Florida Accounting Conference to our International Tax Conference.
We are the largest network of CPAs and accounting and financial professionals in the state, with 18,500 members, from longtime firm partners to student members. And that brings in our third core offering – career development. No matter where you are in your career journey, the FICPA has programming – from networking to training – that’s going to help you reach that next level.
How is the FICPA and its members leveraging technology and innovation to provide better customer service and streamline operations?
Cybersecurity and the rise of cloud-based accounting is a significant area of focus for many of our members. On the plus side, cloud-based accounting software enables businesses and their accountants to access financial data anytime, anywhere, fostering collaboration and flexibility. At the same time, CPA firms have to remain hypervigilant when it comes to combating cyberthreats. That’s why we’ve made a point to offer CPE that highlights both the opportunities and challenges around a rapidly changing tech landscape.
What are the primary challenges affecting the accounting sector, and how is FICPA working to address these challenges?
It comes down to one word: Talent. How can firms recruit new talent and retain top talent? Like other professions, the accounting world has been facing a talent shortage, with fewer students opting for careers as CPAs. Over the past several years, the FICPA has taken a holistic look at the situation, and in 2024 we unveiled our 5-Point Pipeline Promise. We’re engaging K-12 students; providing scholarships to college students across the state; pairing employers with new entrants to the profession; expanding access to licensure; and working to upskill young superstars through leadership training. I also want to draw specific attention to our Bridge to CPA Program, in partnership with Nova Southeastern University, which allows accounting firm employees to finish their educational requirements for licensure without taking on any of the tuition costs. It’s a first-of-its-kind program, and we’re really excited about its continued growth in South Florida and around the state. Based on the feedback and insights provided by your members, where are the strongest opportunities for growth within the accounting sector in Palm Beach?
It really goes back to that conversation about the advisory space and strategic planning. Making organizations and their clients more operationally efficient and offering better growth strategies has been a huge area of focus for firms.
It isn’t just about accounting. Health care, life sciences, financial services, hospitality, tourism, agriculture — these are all industries that need the range of services CPAs can provide. The profession has evolved.
How are FICPA’s members adapting to shifts in client expectations to enhance customer experience?
AI, digital banking, and other online tools have helped to enhance the customer experience. Being more of a trusted adviser and being able to utilize AI analytics and big data to better serve our clients has been key.
What is your outlook for FICPA and for the accounting landscape as a whole in the next two to three years?
I think Florida’s CPAs are in a fantastic position to take advantage of the state’s economic growth and to leverage the technological advances that are changing the profession.
At the FICPA, our advocacy work is really at the forefront, and our talent and education initiatives follow from there. We’re working every day to ensure that Florida’s CPAs are valued in Tallahassee and respected in other states. I’m truly honored to support our members in Palm Beach and Broward Counties. And when I think about how much change the CPA profession has undergone in the last few years, I’m really excited to see where we are in another two to three.
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