Herb Alexander, CPA, CFF, CGMA

Partner & Founder

Herb founded Alexander Aronson Finning CPAs in 1973 after beginning his career at Arthur Andersen, and then as a CFO at a privately-held company. Herb advises closely-held commercial businesses, providing assurance and tax planning solutions, and is frequently engaged to provide succession and transition planning, and guidance through mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. His expertise includes business valuations and accounting forensics, having appeared as an expert witness for both. Herb is a leader of AAFCPAs’ Trust services, and serves as a financial advisor, trustee and fiduciary to individual & family trusts, helping to ensure that assets are preserved and productive for current and future beneficiaries with full consideration for the grantor’s values and any tax implications.

Herb contributes his financial expertise on Boards of all sizes as a way of living AAF’s core value of community service. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of Boston Private Financial Holdings Corp., a publicly traded company (Nasdaq; BPFH), and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Boston Private Bank & Trust Company. Over the course of 24 years, Herb held several committee leadership positions as BPFH grew from one office in 1991 with $62 million in assets, to a nationwide institution with $6.8 billion in assets. In 2007, BPFH was honored with the New England Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACDNE) Board of the Year Award.

Herb uses business as a force for good, and was awarded the Parker Trowbridge Award by Easter Seals Massachusetts, and the Good Scout Award for community services from the Knox Trail Boy Scout Council.

Herb’s expertise comes through the culmination of a lifetime of formal education, continuous learning, and diverse, hands-on work experience solving clients’ issues pragmatically. He was awarded the silver medal for high achievement on the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination. He is also Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF), a Certified Global Management Accountant (CGMA), and is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and a NACD Fellow, earning a Certificate of Director Education.

Education

  • Boston University – Bachelor of Science, Accounting

Service

  • Wirefab, Inc. – Chairman of the Board, Trustee & Chief Financial Officer
  • Boston Private Bank and Trust Company – Advisory Board
  • Family Pharmacy Inc. – Chairman of the Advisory Board
  • Worcester Art Museum – Board of Trustees, Chair of Audit Committee
  • Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries – Investment Committee Member
  • Town of Westborough – Economic Development Committee
  • International Association of Professional Accountants – Past Chairman and President
  • Boston University School of Management – Former Alumni Board
  • Easter Seals Massachusetts – Former Board of Directors, Parker Trowbridge Award Recipient
  • Northeastern University Graduate School of Professional Accounting – Former Advisory Committee
  • Corridor Nine Chamber of Commerce – Former Economic Development Committee
  • Boston Private Financial Holdings Corp. – Former Board Member, recipient of NACDNE’s 2007 Board of the Year Award