M&A Match

ARKANSAS

Moore Stephens Wurth Frazer and Torbet merges with Frost

Details: Moore Stephens Wurth Frazer and Torbet LLP plans to merge with Frost PLLC at the beginning of this year. The merged firms will be known as Frazer Frost LLP and will operate out of their current offices in Arkansas, California and North Carolina. The firm will be led by co-managing partners Dean Yamagata, who will be in charge of West Coast operations, and Dan Peregrin, who will run Midwest and East Coast operations.

Annual revenues are expected to be approximately $60 million and the firm will employ a total of 272 people.

Both firms are members of Moore Stephens North America, and plan to continue their membership despite the name change. Little Rock, Ark.-based Frost also shortened its name last year from Moore Stephens Frost.

SOUTH FLORIDA

Daszkal Bolton merges in Chaves & Armstrong

Details: South Florida accounting firms Daszkal Bolton and Chaves & Armstrong have combined to build a larger multinational tax and SEC accounting practice.

The merger, which took effect December 1, brought partners Mark Chaves and Craig Armstrong to Daszkal Bolton as principals. They and the rest of their staff will relocate from C&A's offices in Miami to Daszkal Bolton's Sunrise, Fla., offices. C&A has two partners and six staff members, and Daszkal Bolton will grow to 105 professionals after the merger. The combined firm is expected have $20 million in revenue. The two firms were in talks for about three months on the deal.

Daszkal Bolton has over 100 staff members; in addition to its office in Sunrise, the firm also has offices in Boca Raton and Jupiter, Fla.

NEW JERSEY

Cowan Gunteski merges in Woolston Koerner

Details: New Jersey accounting firm Cowan, Gunteski & Co. is merging in Woolston, Koerner & Co., building their combined presence in the Garden State.

The merged firms will be known under the Cowan Gunteski name. W&K partners Charles T. Woolston and Christian T. Koerner will become shareholders and partners of Cowan Gunteski. They will move to the firm's newly constructed office building in Tinton Falls from WK&K's former offices in Shrewsbury with their entire 14-member staff. The combined firm will have 70 professionals, and about $10 million in annual revenues, with $8 million coming from Cowan Gunteski, and $2 million from WK&K.

NEW JERSEY

Friedman merges in BJL

Details: Friedman LLP combined with Bagell, Josephs, Levine & Co., as of January 1, building the New York-based firm's presence in New Jersey. The combined firm will have a staff of approximately 325, including 46 partners. The merger gives Friedman a fourth location, in Marlton, N.J.; it already has offices in New York City; Uniondale, N.Y.; and East Hanover, N.J.

BJL, in addition to its individual and corporate practice, has a significant number of publicly held clients, an area that Friedman has been building for the past several years. Friedman will also gain a strategic alliance with Holmes & Co. LLC, an independently owned and operated company that specializes in working with government entities and projects set aside for minority-owned businesses.

SAN ANTONIO

Weaver merges in Edelman Arnold

Details: Weaver expanded its presence in the San Antonio market by merging with Edelman Arnold, as of January 1.

Edelman Arnold was initially established in 1952 and is currently led by two CPAs, Barry Edelman and Frank Arnold. Edelman will join Weaver as a senior managing director and Arnold as a partner. All of the firm's employees, including six CPAs, will join Weaver.

To make room for its latest expansion, Weaver is moving its San Antonio offices to larger quarters in the heart of San Antonio's North Central Loop. Weaver currently has approximately 400 employees in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
M&A
MORE FROM ACCOUNTING TODAY