Clay Worden

Clay Worden is an office managing partner at RSM US LLP, the assurance, tax and consulting firm serving the middle market, based in Florida. Recognised for his work with food and beverage sector businesses, he has been named the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026 “Food & Beverage Sector Full-Service Accountant of the Year in Florida, US”.

RSM US LLP and the middle market

RSM US LLP is a limited liability partnership and the United States member firm of RSM International, a global network of independent assurance, tax and consulting firms. RSM focuses on serving the middle market – the businesses that drive much of the US economy but whose needs differ from those of the largest multinationals. Its integrated assurance, tax and consulting services allow companies to draw on audit, tax and advisory expertise from a single, industry-focused adviser, an approach that fits the “full-service” character of the award.

Food and beverage is one of the industries in which RSM maintains a dedicated practice. The sector spans producers, processors, distributors and hospitality businesses, each facing a distinctive set of challenges: thin margins, complex supply chains, commodity price volatility, food safety and regulatory requirements, and, in many cases, family or private ownership. Serving these clients well requires accountants and advisers who understand the operational and financial realities of the industry, not only general accounting principles.

Clay Worden's practice

Clay Worden serves as an office managing partner within RSM US LLP and is based in Florida, in the Orlando area. Over a career spanning close to three decades he has built deep experience serving food and beverage businesses and cooperatives, working across the assurance, tax and advisory needs of companies in the sector. His recognition includes the 2024 Silver Bowl Award from the National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives, an acknowledgement of his standing and contribution in the cooperative field.

As an office managing partner, his role combines client service with leadership responsibility for an RSM office and its professionals, positioning him to bring the firm's full range of capabilities to bear on client engagements. For food and beverage companies, that means access to audit, tax planning and compliance, and consulting support delivered by a team that understands their industry.

Accounting and advisory for food and beverage businesses in Florida

Florida's food and beverage industry is substantial and varied, encompassing agriculture and food production, beverage manufacturing, distribution, and a large hospitality and tourism-driven restaurant sector. Businesses in this space must manage inventory and cost accounting, sales and use tax, financing and, frequently, ownership succession, all while operating in a competitive and heavily regulated environment. A full-service accountant who can integrate assurance, tax and consulting – and who knows the sector – helps these companies remain compliant, manage risk and plan for growth. RSM's middle-market focus and dedicated food and beverage practice are well suited to this need.

The combination of a recognised industry practice at RSM US LLP and Clay Worden's long experience serving food and beverage businesses and cooperatives is what the award reflects. His work exemplifies the value of an adviser who pairs technical accounting expertise with genuine sector knowledge.

Part of a global network

An advantage RSM US LLP brings to its food and beverage clients is its place within RSM International, a worldwide network of independent assurance, tax and consulting firms. For businesses that source, sell or expand across borders – increasingly common even in the middle market – access to a global network through a single trusted adviser is valuable. Within that framework, Clay Worden's focus on the food and beverage sector and on cooperatives allows him to pair the breadth of a large firm with the depth of genuine industry specialism. Cooperatives in particular have distinctive accounting, tax and governance features, and his recognition in that field, including the National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives' Silver Bowl Award, underscores the specialist knowledge he brings to clients in and around the food and beverage industry.

The Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026 “Food & Beverage Sector Full-Service Accountant of the Year in Florida, US” recognises Clay Worden of RSM US LLP for his expertise serving food and beverage companies and for the full-service, industry-focused approach he brings to clients in Florida.