Warren Averett’s CIO Highlights AI Innovations and IT Best Practices in Recent Article
In a recent article for the Georgia Society of CPAs’ Current Accounts publication, Chris Morrow, Warren Averett’s Chief Information Officer, discussed the firm’s artificial intelligence efforts, the IT Division and technology best practices.
Warren Averett is grounded in a culture of innovation that fosters curiosity and encourages the adoption of new technology. This practice has been in place since the firm’s founding more than 50 years ago.
“We’ve always been a very tech-forward firm,” said Morrow. “[Technology] looks a lot different now. Back then, it was the early days of business intelligence and reporting and trying to make sense of data in all these disparate systems.”
Warren Averett’s Information Technology Division is composed of 21 forward-thinking experts and structured in a way that allows the firm to stay on the cutting edge. The team has three distinct groups: traditional IT support/help desk, network security and application and software development.
Morrow discussed the firm’s legacy of early adoption, as well as the IT Division’s efforts in thinking outside of the box. When the team could not find readily available software to meet our staff or our clients’ needs, they built it themselves. This software is still used today and helps drive operations and forecast staffing needs.
The IT Division’s team members are at the heart of turning the firm’s technology approach into reality, and they maintain extensive and in-depth knowledge while also prioritizing a relentless focus on quality and efficiency and promoting a culture that embraces new technology.
The team’s latest efforts have extended to AI, and in the article, Morrow covered the firm’s new policies and guidelines for efficient and safe AI usage. With the influx of AI-related tasks, Warren Averett has transformed a staff role into the team’s go-to AI person. This team member evaluates AI usage, conducts AI training and leads the creation efforts on the firm’s private GPT.
Lastly, Morrow emphasized that even though Warren Averett has had good results with technology and artificial intelligence, continuing success will take further time, care and consistency.
“That’s the real investment—time rather than money,” said Morrow. “When new software comes along, the financial aspect can be the barrier to entry. That’s not the case here. AI is an available technology that can move the needle for an accounting and advisory firm.”
Warren Averett was named one of Accounting Today’s 2024 Best Firms for Technology. We are proud and thankful for the hard work and combined efforts of our Information Technology Team.
Chris Morrow joined Warren Averett in 2009 and has over 25 years of experience with technology in various capacities, including software development, systems architecture and management. He leads the firm’s Information Technology Division and oversees all IT functions.
Learn more about Chris Morrow or the firm’s history.