CBIZ, Financial Optics, Armanino and Angel Zhen CPA recognized for measurable progress in AI implementation
The AI Native Accounting Foundation has announced the winners of the inaugural AI Native Accounting Awards.
ORLANDO, Fla., June 15, 2026 (Globe Newswire) — AI Native Accounting Foundation The first award winners have been announced. AI Native Accounting Awardrecognizes companies and practitioners who are moving AI in accounting from experimentation to measurable and responsible implementation in real-world settings. Winners were recognized live on the keynote stage at Scaling New Heights June 14-16, 2026 in Orlando, Florida.
Award recipients were selected by the Foundation’s Advisory Board. This advisory board is a group of respected leaders who review nominations and apply a consistent rubric focused on measurable outcomes, governance, and replicability. The award recognizes significant achievements, including increased capacity, new service models, improved customer experiences, and approaches that other companies can realistically learn from and emulate.
“These are not innovation theater awards,” he said. casey johnsonExecutive Director of the AI Native Accounting Foundation. “All of this year’s honorees have shown us what it’s really like to move from curiosity about AI to real AI. They’ve taken a thoughtful approach to using AI, documented what worked, and shared the lessons they learned. That’s the work we’re here to celebrate, study, and share so that other peers can learn from it.”
award winner
AI Innovation Individual Award — Angel Zhen, CPA
Angel Zhen CPA was recognized for demonstrating what responsible high-performance AI implementation looks like at a personal level and proving the model is transferable. Mr. Zhen runs a private practice with no employees, more than 300 clients across the country, and a six-figure salary while maintaining 12 weeks of vacation per year.
Corporate Award for Strategy and Governance — CBIZ
CBIZ, Inc. was recognized for building one of the industry’s most comprehensive AI governance frameworks to enable AI strategies. CBIZ has built a cross-functional AI Governance Council, a formal AI Usage Policy, and a structured training program based on internationally recognized standards such as the NIST AI Risk Management Framework and the OECD AI Principles. CBIZ developed the platform using Microsoft AI and has logged over 1 million AI-assisted interactions since launch. This award reflects not only our scale, but also the intentional infrastructure that CBIZ has built around responsible deployment.
Small Business Award for Strategy and Governance — Financial Optics
The Foundation recognized Financial Optics, a professional accounting and advisory firm, for demonstrating that AI governance is achievable for even the smallest firms. The three-person company built its implementation on documented AI terms of service and an AI tool decision framework that maps tool categories to the sensitivity of client data. Governance was developed concurrently with implementation rather than after. This award reflects an approach that can realistically be replicated by other small businesses.
