South Carolina’s Russell Bauknight named among Forbes Magazine’s Best-In-State CPAs

Russell Bauknight, CPA, who has spent the majority of his 45-year professional career in South Carolina as a trusted advisor to businesses, high-net-worth individuals and estates, has been recognized among Forbes’ Best-In-State Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). This inaugural list recognizes 1,000 of the finest CPAs from across all 50 states, including 19 from South Carolina. See the complete list here.

Forbes created Best-In-State CPAs as a resource for businesses and individuals in need of experienced and trustworthy CPAs to help navigate the growing complexities of financial reporting, SEC regulations, revenue reporting, and personal financial and estate needs. More than any other profession, CPAs are fluent in the language of business, including a broad firsthand understanding and application of the principles of accounting and tax reporting, as well as how to assess a company’s or individual’s unique financial condition.

Bauknight, who recently established an advisory firm for private businesses and high-net-worth individuals, was previously a shareholder with Columbia, S.C.-based Bauknight Pietras & Stormer, CPAs (BPS). During his tenure with BPS, Bauknight served as managing shareholder during a period that saw the firm emerge as one of the largest privately held CPA firms in the Southeast. Prior to BPS CPAs, he was a senior tax manager with Ernst & Young, a global Big Four advisory firm.

For Forbes, determining who should appear on a list of America’s top 1,000 Best-In-State CPAs was a thorough and painstaking process. The Forbes’ review team identified thousands of eligible candidates through interviews with industry insiders, outside nominations, editorial research, and an independent advisory board of accomplished CPAs. Forbes invested a year interviewing those ultimately selected as being among the gold standard in the accounting profession, representing expertise, professionalism and ethics.

Commenting on the honor, Bauknight said, “Being recognized by Forbes as being among the best CPAs in the country is a high honor. But an even higher honor is the trust my individual and business clients have placed in me over the years to help them work through opportunities, achieve financial and personal goals, and resolve challenging situations. Being respectful, a good listener and problem solver, coupled with CPA credentials, have served me and my clients well. I truly love what I do.”

Bauknight is a passionate advocate for the CPA profession and its role as accounting, tax, business, and personal advisors. He has represented and helped guide the profession on an international scale through his many years on the Board of Directors of Prime Global, an association of more than 300 successful independent member CPA firms from 113 countries. Bauknight has also been involved on national and state levels with the AICPA and SCACPA, and has mentored hundreds of accounting interns from the University of South Carolina and Clemson University.

Bauknight now represents a bespoke clientele from across South Carolina and the country from his office in West Columbia, S.C.