It's no secret that mergers and acquisitions are an active part of the accounting profession today.As owners reach retirement age, they are looking for someone to buy them out and allow them to move on to a well-earned retirement. At the same time, growing firms are looking for merger candidates to gain clients, gain access to needed staff skills, or to establish a presence in a desired market location. With a marketplace like this of buyers and sellers, it's no wonder there is plenty of activity!

Xcelerate LLC, an Accpac reseller with offices in Buffalo Grove, Ill., and Knox, Ind., was formed on Jan. 1, 2006.

The accounting firms of Mengel, Metzger, Barr & Co. LLP and Kirby Beals Maier announced that they will merge in a deal effective immediately.

Security software, appliance, and services provider Symantec Corp. has reached an agreement to acquire IMlogic Inc., a software developer for enterprise instant messaging headquartered in Waltham, Mass.

Mayer Hoffman McCann PC has launched a new division called Conrad Government Services as a result of its acquisition of Irvine, Calif.-based firm, Conrad and Associates LLP.

The Sage Group will enter the credit card and check payment-processing field with the $323 million acquisition of Verus Financial Management Inc. from Financial Technology Ventures.

New York-based firm Marks Paneth & Shron has acquired Leipziger & Breskin LLP in a deal effective Jan. 1.

Wolters Kluwer Tax, Accounting & Legal announced that is has acquired the assets of Best Case Solutions Inc.

LarsonAllen strengthened its commitment to the East Coast with a Philadelphia-area merger that will see it acquire 50-year-old firm Ostroff, Fair & Co. PC.

Wiss & Co. announced that it has merged in the operations of Warren, N.J.-based accounting firm Casey, Townsend & Killian LLP, a specialist in the construction industry, as of Jan. 1. Terms of the deal where not disclosed.

Enterprise software provider Epicor has acquired privately held CRS Retail Systems of Newburgh, N.Y., in an all-cash transaction valued at roughly $121 million.The acquisition of CRS, a provider of merchandising and point-of-sale software to the retail industry, adds the retail sector to Epicor's market penetration of enterprise solutions.

The CPA and business advisory firm of Whittlesey & Hadley has merged in the firm of Snyder & Haller. Both firms are headquartered here.

New York-area CPA and business advisory firm Citrin Cooperman has merged in Shulman, Cohen, Furst & Co., a boutique firm in New York City.

Commerce Bancorp Inc., parent to some 375 Commerce Bank branches in the New York, Philadelphia and Southeast Florida markets, has acquired online wealth manager eMoney Advisor for $32 million.

Bolstering its presence in the Philadelphia market, BMC, a CPA and business consulting firm formerly known as Beard Miller Co., has merged in Paoli, Pa.-based McDade Abbott.

Mueller & Co., a Chicago-area CPA and financial services firm, has merged with Aurora, Ill.-based Nickels, Beilman & Co. effective immediately.

In a strategy to boost its presence in the Philadelphia market, RSM McGladrey is in the process of acquiring the non-attest services, of King of Prussia, Pa.-based CPA firm Mantas, Ohliger, McGary & Quinn, according to documents obtained by WebCPA.

SS&G Financial Services Inc. will acquire central Columbus firm Schwartz, Adelman & Yankovich CPAs Inc., in a deal effective Jan. 1.

Two Rhode Island firms announced a merger deal that will be effective as of Jan. 1. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Regional CPA and business advisory firm Blum Shapiro will merge in the Fairfield, Conn.-based firm of Leask & Leask.Terms were not disclosed.