Neal Spencer

Neal is the retired CEO of BKD, LLC, the 12th largest CPA and Advisory firm in the United States. As CEO he:

• Expanded the firm’s presence with strategic acquisitions in Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas.
• Restructured the firm into four operating regions to allow the firm the flexibility necessary to meet the growing demands of clients.
• Led the implementation of multiple “People First” initiatives to improve retention, including expanded benefits, established an employee engagement council and hired the firm’s first director of human resources.
• Developed the internal brand – One Great Firm, which focused on creating career opportunities for our professionals.
• Successfully guided the firm through the 2007 and 2008 recession.During his tenure the firm grew more than 25% in both revenue and profitability.
• Elected to the Board of Praxity, the largest independent association of accounting firms in the world.
• Accounting Today ranks BKD on “Best Firms to Work for List” for the first time in its history in 2009.

Prior to becoming CEO in 2007, he served as the managing partner of the Kentucky and Southern Indiana offices from 1996 to 2007, where he successfully expanded BKD’s presence through various acquisitions including opening the Louisville, Kentucky office in 2002. Prior to 1997, he was a practicing CPA and advisor in the Little Rock, AR office with a primary focus on Health Care, performing audits and consulting for large integrated health systems and community hospitals.

He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Finance and Audit committee member of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri and current board member of Maryland Walk. He was previously recognized by the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas as Accountant of the year in Public Accounting and is currently a member of the Accounting Advisory Board. He is past board chair and current board member of the Ozark Technical Community College Foundation where he was honored with the naming of the Neal D Spencer Student Lounge in 2015.

Neal is a 1985 graduate of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, with a B.S.B.A degree in accounting.

He currently resides in St. Louis, MO. He has two children, David who resides in Louisville, KY and is a practicing accountant with MCM and Rachel, son-in-law Mike and grandson Michael who reside in Rapid City, SD.