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Last edited 12:26 p.m., Aug. 31, 2020
Springfield-based certified public accounting firm BKD LLP named a new CEO to transition in the role when current leader Ted Dickman retires next year.
Tom Watson is scheduled to take on the top role effective June 1, 2021. Dickman is retiring May 31, 2021, according to a news release.
“Our profession is at the start of a technological evolution, and that will certainly influence our vision and strategy over the next decade,” Watson said in the release. “I am very bullish about BKD’s future and the opportunities this transformation creates for us to help our clients solve their complex problems while creating rewarding careers for our professionals.”
Watson, who's currently managing partner of BKD's South Region working out of Dallas, will become involved in key decisions as he shadows Dickman this year. Watson will take on a larger leadership role in early 2021, when Dickman is slated to spend time on special projects before his retirement.
Watson was selected as CEO after a six-month search process, according to the release. He's credited with playing a role in the expansion of BKD's Texas health care practice.
"We believe Tom will continue to propel BKD forward and has a high ceiling for what he is capable of doing as a leader," Dickman said in the release. "He understands where the profession is heading as the world evolves, and he embraces the digital transformation we’re already experiencing."
Dickman, who's based in Indianapolis, became BKD's CEO in 2012. A BKD spokesperson said Watson would reside in Dallas when he takes on the CEO position.
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