CEO | CFO | Business & Financial Advisor

Kari Apel, CPA, is the CEO and Founder of Apel Advisory Solutions, LLC, a Prairie du Sac-based consulting and financial advisory firm. The firm provides specialized services in litigation support, individual high net worth advisement, comprehensive business consulting for small to medium-sized businesses and agricultural organizations, including family farms, as well as strategic tax planning and preparation for these businesses and their owners. 

With a career rooted in both technical expertise and leadership, Kari is widely regarded as an authority on tax-related issues. She has co-authored and edited numerous publications, including the National Income Tax Workbook and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Tax Management. In addition, she has served as an expert witness on complex tax and financial matters and has taught courses on tax law and financial management to thousands of financial professionals across the country, including programs with Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation, UW–Platteville, and various professional organizations.

Through Apel Advisory Solutions, LLC, Kari provides CFO and business advisory consulting, farm transition and succession planning, business and farm tax strategy, and expert witness services in litigation involving business operations, financial management, and taxation. She is passionate about educating clients and helping them understand the complexities of navigating finances, taxation, IRS regulations, and strategic planning. Kari believes successful financial management is rarely “black and white,” and she strives to serve as a consultative partner and “Personal CFO” for both families and businesses.

Prior to founding Apel Advisory Solutions, Kari held leadership and management roles at several large CPA firms and served as CFO for a wealth-focused financial organization. During her career as a business owner and financial leader, she has received numerous honors, including being named a CFO of the Year Finalist by InBusiness Magazine, Small Business of the Year for the Sauk Prairie Area, and receiving the Outstanding Alumni Award from UW–Platteville.

Kari is deeply committed to community leadership and service. She currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for Sauk Prairie Healthcare and previously also served on multiple boards and committees, including the Sauk County Development Corporation, Sauk Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Sauk Prairie School District Budget Committee. In addition, Kari has supported youth development by coaching multiple sports teams and serving as Executive Director of the local volleyball club for nine years.

Kari earned her degree in business  with accounting and finance from UW–Platteville and obtained her CPA license in 2002.

Kari often credits her upbringing on a family farm as foundational to both her personal values and professional approach. She recalls watching her parents operate their business daily, learning firsthand the realities of entrepreneurship, hard work, and financial responsibility. That early exposure shaped her belief that success is built through dedication, thoughtful planning, and earning opportunities through perseverance.

Kari and her husband, Aaron, live in Prairie du Sac with their three daughters, Ainsley, Ellery, and Erelyn. As a family, they enjoy spending time outdoors, supporting their daughters’ sports and activities, and working together on their small family farm. Kari often jokes she has nine lives and is currently down to seven, a story she’s always happy to share.