Drew Andrews runs the largest CPA firm headquartered in Connecticut — Hartford-based Whittlesey, with about 170 employees.
Andrews is well-known in Hartford’s business community and is a major backer of the city, having led the relocation of his firm to downtown in 2013.
Under his leadership as managing partner and CEO since 2008, Whittlesey has evolved from a local firm with a single office to Connecticut’s largest independent CPA firm. This growth involved increasing revenue more than fourfold, expanding from one to three offices across two states, and integrating four firms via acquisition into the organization’s culture.
Andrews oversees the firm’s business operations and provides internal leadership.
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One of his key focuses over the past year has been embracing new technology that increases efficiency and workflow, including automation and artificial intelligence.
“We have to automate processes and stay ahead of technological advancements,” Andrews told the HBJ last September. “I’m not just looking at what’s coming down the line next year, I’m looking at 10 years down the road. The firms that don’t modernize will become obsolete.”
Andrews is a graduate of Bryant University and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants.
He is also an active philanthropist and has held leadership positions with local nonprofits.
