Lifting a Family Legacy at Highland Professional Group
By Erica Rucker, Quill & Ink Freelance
Chase Abell didn’t come to accounting first. It kind of came to him. Sometimes the right things happen in life when you least expect it.
Today, Abell leads Highland Professional Group, a family-owned accounting practice with roots reaching back more than 45 years in the Louisville community. The practice was founded by Abell’s grandmother, Charlotte O'Leary-Newton, and has grown through generations of family involvement and a commitment to serving their clients through relationships and referrals.
Abell joined the practice in 2011, not sure where his interests lay. He started his career path leaning toward communications, media arts, and graphic design as a student at duPont Manual High School. He took his interests with him from high school to college at Hanover.
But working alongside his grandmother introduced him to a different professional path. With guidance from his cousin April, whose strengths were in accounting, Abell learned he had an affinity for tax prep and learning to support clients and make those connections directly. He found that the work suited him, and what began as an exploration became a career.
April took over leadership of the family business in 2011 from Charlotte. After working together for several years, Chase bought it from April in 2018. The transition represented another chapter in a family legacy built on experience, trust and continuity.
Now, Abell is interested in expanding the firm’s connections within the local business community. Highland Professional Group recently joined the Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA), seeking opportunities to meet fellow business owners, support the local economy and become a resource for more people in the community.
As a small-business owner himself, Abell understands the importance of keeping dollars local. His family enjoys shopping at farmers markets and independently owned stores, and he believes organizations such as LIBA create valuable opportunities for like-minded businesses to connect.
The firm is putting that philosophy into practice by opening its doors to the community. On Thursday, 11/19/26, Highland Professional Group plans to host a morning coffee and office open house, along with a free document-shredding event in partnership with local company Greenway Shredding. The firm is sponsoring this Morning Coffee with LIBA along with new LIBA members, Fante's Coffeehouse and Private Label Coffee Roasters.
Outside the office, Abell’s life has taken a few equally unexpected turns. For roughly 25 years, he was a competitive ballroom dancer, beginning at age 8 and competing around the country. At his peak as an amateur, he ranked among the top 16 dancers in the United States. He later taught dance, keeping the passion alive alongside his accounting career.
The arrival of COVID-19 brought that chapter to a close, coinciding with another major life change: starting a family. Abell and his wife now have twin daughters, who are approaching their sixth birthday and keep the family busy with travel and the everyday adventures of raising young children.
He has also found a new outlet for his competitive side as a high-performance driving education coach with the local Porsche club, teaching drivers to navigate their street or race cars on a closed racetrack.
From ballroom floors to racetracks, Abell has followed several unexpected roads. At Highland Professional Group, he’s continuing the family tradition while building connections that help local businesses—and the community around them—thrive.
