The Strategic Shift: Managing $330 Billion in the Energy Transition

DALLAS, TX – October 26, 2026 – In the modern economy, the most profound operational innovations rarely happen in the spotlight. They occur in the quiet, highly specialized corridors of advisory firms that manage the complex financial plumbing of capital-intensive industries. KE Andrews, a Dallas-based state and local tax consulting firm, is a prime example. As the company approaches its fiftieth anniversary, it has announced a pivotal leadership realignment that formally bifurcates its top executive roles. Mark Andrews will step into the position of Chief Executive Officer, while Jason Larkin has been appointed to succeed him as President. This transition is not merely a changing of the guard; it is a calculated structural shift designed to scale operations for a firm that now oversees more than $330 billion in client assets across all fifty states. By separating the visionary and client-facing responsibilities of the CEO from the operational and growth-oriented duties of the President, the consultancy is executing a textbook succession strategy aimed at multi-generational sustainability.

The Anatomy of a Succession Strategy

For over four decades, Mark Andrews has been a stabilizing force and a leading technical expert within the organization. Holding an Accredited Senior Appraiser designation with a focus on machinery, technical specialties, and oil and gas, his valuation assignments have spanned from routine assessments to massive $35 billion evaluation projects. His transition to CEO allows him to focus entirely on overarching strategy and exceptional client service, ensuring that the foundational values of the firm remain intact. "The strength of this firm has always been its people, and we’ve spent decades building and developing some of the most capable teams in the industry," Andrews noted in the firm's announcement. "This alignment puts that talent in a position to carry our vision forward."

Stepping into the operational void is Jason Larkin, who joined the organization in 2025 as Executive Vice President. Larkin brings over fifteen years of experience in professional services, including critical leadership roles at Big Four accounting firms. His mandate as President is clear: align leadership initiatives, drive momentum, and manage the day-to-day execution of the firm's expanding service lines. This division of labor is a hallmark of operational innovation in growing professional services firms. When a consultancy scales beyond two hundred professionals—the firm currently employs over 220 experts across offices in Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and Denver—the sheer administrative burden can dilute a leader's ability to focus on client outcomes. By elevating Larkin, the organization ensures that its internal growth engine is managed by a dedicated executive, freeing the CEO to navigate broader market shifts. "I am thrilled to partner with Mark, the incredible leaders of our organization and the entire team of talented professionals to continue the work we do for our clients in a way that is rooted in our mission, vision and values," Larkin said.

Navigating the Energy Transition's Tax Labyrinth

The timing of this leadership alignment is inextricably linked to the changing nature of the assets the firm manages. Overseeing $330 billion in assets is a staggering feat for an independent consultancy, but the composition of those assets is rapidly evolving. Historically recognized as the largest state and local tax firm serving the traditional energy industry, the organization is now aggressively expanding its footprint in renewables, manufacturing, and commercial real estate. The global energy transition is forcing heavy asset owners to diversify their portfolios, blending legacy fossil fuel infrastructure with massive investments in wind, solar, and alternative energy facilities.

This transition has created a labyrinth of regulatory and tax complexities. State and local tax codes are constantly shifting, and the valuation methodologies for a newly constructed solar farm differ wildly from those of a decades-old midstream pipeline. Furthermore, landmark legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act has injected billions of dollars in clean energy tax incentives into the economy. Navigating these incentives requires a granular understanding of local jurisdictions across all fifty states. The firm's dedicated "Credits & Incentives" practice area is positioned to capitalize on this exact friction point, helping clients identify and utilize available financial opportunities while ensuring compliance with evolving local tax laws. Operational success in this arena requires not just general accounting knowledge, but deep, niche expertise in property tax management, severance tax, and site selection.

The Independent Challenger to the Big Four

In the highly lucrative state and local tax consulting market, the dominant players have traditionally been the Big Four accounting networks. These global behemoths offer a wide array of services, leveraging their massive scale to capture corporate clients. However, the rise of independent powerhouses like KE Andrews highlights a quiet shift in how capital-intensive industries procure advisory services. Corporate tax directors and energy sector CFOs are increasingly seeking out specialized, independent firms that focus strictly on niche areas like property tax and valuation, rather than relying on the generalized services of mega-firms.

This is where Larkin's background becomes a strategic weapon. Having spent time in Big Four environments, he understands the operational constraints and potential bureaucratic bottlenecks of those organizations. Under his operational leadership, the independent firm can leverage its agility, offering clients a level of tailored expertise and responsiveness that larger competitors often struggle to match. The firm's ability to grow its workforce to over 220 professionals without relying on private equity capital or public market funding is a testament to the viability of this independent model. By maintaining its autonomy, the organization can invest heavily in specialized talent and proprietary valuation methodologies without the pressure of quarterly earnings calls or external investor demands.

Looking Toward the Half-Century Mark

As the organization looks toward its fiftieth anniversary in 2028, the strategic rationale behind this leadership transition comes into full focus. The state and local tax landscape will only become more complex as the energy transition accelerates and local governments continuously revise their tax codes to capture new revenue streams. By establishing a formalized, dual-leadership structure, the firm is future-proofing its operations. Andrews and Larkin are not just managing a transition; they are building a scalable framework that will allow the firm to expand its geographic footprint, deepen its specialized service lines, and continue challenging larger competitors. In the high-stakes world of asset valuation and tax advisory, sustained success requires more than just technical acumen. It requires the foresight to align human capital with emerging market opportunities, ensuring that the organizational structure is as sophisticated as the services it provides.