Accomplishments he pointed to included the ability to bring a "a real world , real client, private-company culture to the AICPA." He said during the decade, the Institute had heightened its relationship with the state associations and with industry consultants. "I kind of brought Buffalo to the institute," he says.

During his years at his firm, Metzler was visible in articulating views of how to operate a technology consulting firm within a CPA firm. The company's consulting arm, the Gemko Information Group, was established in 1991 under the concept of sheltering the technology operations "from the CPA mind-set." That term, often used by Metzler, is still on the Gemko website. Gemko is now associated with the successor firm, Gaines Kriner Elliott.

Metzler left the accounting firm and was a partner with Convergence Coaching, which he cofounded, before taking the AICPA job.