M&A roundup: Sikich, BPM and Williams-Keepers expand

Sikich acquires Heinold Banwart; BPM merges in Warnick, Maestas & Maroney; and Williams-Keepers acquires Mid-Missouri Accounting Services.

ILLINOIS: Sikich acquires Heinold Banwart

Sikich lobby in Naperville, Illinois

Photo: Matt Stout

Details: Sikich LLP, a Top 100 Firm based in Chicago, is acquiring the assets of Heinold Banwart Ltd., a firm based in Peoria, expanding its presence in the Central Illinois region.

Under the asset purchase agreement, approximately 50 Heinold Banwart employees will join Sikich. Heinold Banwart’s Peoria-area office will be Sikich’s third location in central Illinois, after Springfield and Decatur. The transaction is scheduled to close on Aug. 31.

“The Heinold Banwart team adds valuable talent to our group and strengthens our position as a leading service provider in this market,” said Tom Krehbiel, partner-in-charge of Sikich’s CPA services.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Sikich $167.4 million in annual revenue. The firm ranked 30th on Accounting Today’s 2020 list of the Top 100 Firms. Sikich has 935 employees, and 47 employees from Heinold Banwart will be joining Sikich, including four partners.

Heinold Banwart offers accounting, tax, audit and assurance, retirement plan, management consulting, business valuation, and wealth management services to businesses and organizations across industries, including manufacturing, construction, agribusiness, health care, real estate, not for profit, and local governments.

“We look forward to leveraging Sikich’s industry-leading technology capabilities and offering our clients access to an expanded suite of services,” said Heinold Banwart CEO Arthur Anliker in a statement.

Last December, Sikich acquired Halt, Buzas & Powell in Alexandria, Virginia. Last October, the firm announced deals with Salesforce provider NexGen Consultants, Wisconsin’s Freyberg, Hinkle, Ashland, Powers & Stowell, and Illinois-based CPA firm Scanlan & Leo.

CALIFORNIA: BPM merges in Warnick, Maestas & Maroney

Courtesy of BPM LLP

Details: BPM, a Top 50 Firm based in San Francisco, is adding Warnick, Maestas & Maroney, a firm in Irvine, California, effective Aug. 1, 2020.

WMM offers tax consulting and compliance services, estate and succession planning, financial statement services, mergers and acquisitions assistance and other high-quality professional accounting services. The merger will add a new Southern California office to BPM, formerly known as Burr Pilger Mayer. The firm also recently hired a new COO, Scharrell Jackson, who works in Orange County where WMM is located.

“Our continued geographic growth, along with the expansion of our world-class corporate services team, reinforces our innovation strategy to become the Firm of the Future,” wrote BPM CEO James K. Wallace in an email to clients Thursday. “I hope you are as excited as we are about these advancements, as we continue to look for opportunities to enhance our capabilities and deliver maximum impact on your success.”

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. BPM ranked 46th on Accounting Today’s 2020 list of the Top 100 Firms, with $117 million in annual revenue. BPM has 52 partners and about 600 staff members, while WMM has three partners and eight staff members.

Last September, BPM merged in Adhere, a cybersecurity firm in Fairfield, California. In August, BPM merged in CPA Consulting, a firm based in Bellevue, Washington, and in January added Croce & Company, a firm in Stockton, California. In 2018, BPM expanded into Southern California by combining with Kramer & Olsen Accountancy Corporation, a firm based in Orange County. It also added Options4Growth’s HR consulting practice last year in Walnut Creek, California.

MISSOURI: Williams-Keepers acquires Mid-Missouri Accounting Services

Details: Williams-Keepers LLC, a firm based in Columbia, Missouri, has acquired Mid-Missouri Accounting Services.

MMA plans to continue operating at its current office in Mexico, Missouri until around the end of August and relocate to WK’s Columbia office.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Williams-Keepers ranked 22nd on Accounting Today’s Regional Leaders list of the Top Firms in the Midwest, with $16.39 million in annual revenue.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for both companies and, most important, the clients we serve,” said WK chairman Jeff Echelmeier in a statement last week. “Mid-Missouri Accounting has a great reputation for serving its clients extremely well, and its values and mission align very closely with what WK has identified as our core values. The combined talents of our companies add to our long-standing ability to provide businesses and organizations with a full suite of accounting, consulting and compliance services.”

MMA was founded in 1989 by co-owner Mark Thoenen and offers accounting, tax, payroll and bookkeeping services for independent grocers throughout Missouri, along with other small business and individual clients. Most members of MMA’s current six-person staff are expected to transition to WK in full-time roles, including co-owner Stephen Thoenen.

“I am pleased and confident that our clients will continue to be served at the highest levels of quality as Mid-Missouri Accounting makes the transition to Williams-Keepers LLC,” said Mark Thoenen in a statement. He plans to work part-time temporarily as part of the transition.

“Our commitment has always been to provide the best service possible at affordable rates while maintaining the personal attention that our clients deserve,” he added. “I am proud of everything MMA has accomplished over the past 31 years, and I am happy that members of our team will continue to serve our clients and embrace the opportunities for growth and professional development provided by WK.”

Controller services is one of the fastest-growing services for WK. With the addition of MMA, WK’s Controller Services Department will include eight dedicated professionals and several other full- and part-time associates who provide a full-suite of outsourced accounting services to clients in a variety of industries.

“As technology evolves and creates new efficiencies, the market for outsourced accounting services continues to grow,” said WK tax/controller services member owner John Weaver in a statement. “Businesses and organizations often find that outsourcing basic accounting functions to a qualified, reputable accounting firm can provide them with more accurate, timely financial data that can be used to more effectively manage their day-to-day activities and facilitate better long- and short-term financial planning strategies. Most important, these services can be offered in a way that represents a significant cost savings when compared with recruiting, hiring and maintaining a qualified internal accounting staff.”

“Whether our services represent a few simple tasks or a complete menu of services, we believe our clients recognize great benefits from working with WK’s Controller Services team.”

Originally formed in 1923 as the “Columbia Accounting Company,” WK is locally owned by 15 member owners and employs approximately 110 total associates, including 56 CPAs, in its Columbia and Jefferson City offices. The firm provides accounting, tax and audit services and specialty consulting services for individuals and businesses as well as organizations that represent more than 10 industries.

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