Recognition honors Nice’s role in building one of the nation’s fastest-growing accounting firms
CHICAGO, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Archer Lewis today announced that CEO Jake Nice has been named to Crain’s Chicago Business 40 Under 40 class of 2026, the publication’s annual list of Chicago-area leaders under age 40.
Nice has led Archer Lewis since it was established in 2024. In that time, the firm has brought together 42 accounting firms from across the country under one brand, with specialties in tax, attest and client accounting services. Archer Lewis is now a top 70 firm in the U.S. with more than 600 team members serving 63,000 clients, and it ranked No. 7 on Accounting Today’s list of the fastest-growing firms. Crain’s highlighted Nice’s work leading that growth.
“I’m honored, and I want to share this with everyone at Archer Lewis,” said Nice. “We asked a lot of people to join something that didn’t exist yet, and they said yes and then did the work. I’ve always believed you learn more by doing something than by waiting for the perfect answer. We’re going to keep moving, and keep investing in our tools and our people so our teams can spend less time on busywork and more time helping clients.”
Before Archer Lewis, Nice Co-Founded StoicLane in 2021, a Private Holding Company focused on building businesses in the finance, insurance, and real estate services industries where he has served as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to founding StoicLane, Jake was a Principal at Nationwide Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Nationwide, where he led direct investments in financial and insurance technology companies. Earlier, he was an early employee at Avant, where he led customer acquisition across channels like direct mail, TV and radio. He began his career as an investment banking analyst in the Leveraged Finance Group at BMO Capital Markets in New York City. Nice holds a BBA in Finance from Villanova University and lives in Chicago.
Read Nice’s full profile in Crain’s Chicago Business at https://www.chicagobusiness.com/reprints/40-under-40-2026-jake-nice/
About Archer Lewis
Archer Lewis is a Chicago-based national accounting firm established in 2024. With more than 600 team members serving 63,000 clients, the firm offers tax, attest and client accounting services to individuals, small and medium-sized businesses, and their owners. Archer Lewis delivers national firm capabilities directly to clients at the local level. Learn more at www.archerlewis.com
Media Contact
Kyle Smallegan
ksmallegan@archerlewis.com | 312-625-8411
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