Moss Adams to Add Morse Wittwer Sampson

Moss Adams LLP has agreed to combine with Morse Wittwer Sampson LLP, a firm based in Fresno, Calif., effective June 30, 2016.

The combination will establishes a Fresno location for Seattle-based Moss Adams, strengthening the firm’s presence in one of the biggest food and agriculture regions in the country. Moss Adams ranked 14th on Accounting Today’s 2016 list of the Top 100 Firms, with $477 million in annual revenue.

Established in 2008, Morse Wittwer Sampson is a full-service accounting and consulting firm providing professional services to the agriculturally rich Central Valley. The firm specializes in tax and assurance services for agriculture, manufacturing and real estate clients, among other industries. The new Fresno location will work closely with Moss Adams offices in Sacramento and Stockton to serve the firm's clients through the region.

"Combining Moss Adams and Morse Wittwer Sampson allows us to better meet the accounting and advisory needs of the business community in the Central Valley and throughout California," said Kerry Gordon, the Central Valley regional managing partner at Moss Adams, in a statement. "We're pleased to expand our footprint in the region with the presence of this Fresno location, and we're excited to welcome the talented staff of Morse Wittwer Sampson to Moss Adams."

Morse Wittwer Sampson's 18 professionals, along with three Moss Adams professionals already in the area, will combine to form the Fresno location. Morse Wittwer Sampson partners, Christopher Morse, Kenneth Wittwer, Sheryl Morse and Doug Sampson, will join Moss Adams as partners, continuing work within their current client roster as well as pursuing further growth opportunities. Christopher Morse will serve as partner in charge of the new Fresno location.

The Fresno team will be joined by four former Deloitte employees, who officially started with Moss Adams on May 1. Director Nada Barrett, along with two senior managers and a senior, will bring the Fresno employee count to 25.

"This combination with Moss Adams felt like a natural step in the evolution of our firm," said Morse Wittwer Sampson founding partner Christopher Morse. "Both firms share the same commitment to client service and have complementary goals, values and overall company culture. We're excited to become part of one of the industry's leading accounting and business advisory firms on the West Coast."

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