Bethesda, Md. (Sept. 17, 2002) -- The Moore Stephens North America network of accounting firms has consolidated the technology consulting practices of its member firms under one umbrella organization that, according to its leader, could someday resemble a national IT company.
The MS Technology Group includes technology organizations affiliated with eight of the approximately 35 accounting firms in Moore Stephens North America. The tech group has a total of 80 people, who handle business software products that include Best Software’s Peachtree and BusinessWorks, and Microsoft Business Solutions’ Great Plains Dynamics, E-Enterprise, Small Business Manager and Navision Attain.
The group’s first work will be to set standards, such as defining best practices and how individual firms should refer work to each other. The group could expand to help member companies share engagements and to collectively represent its members in dealings with vendors, according to the IT group’s point person, Thomas Orr, from the Watkins IT technology practice of Moore Stephens CPA firm member Watkins, Meegan, Drury & Co. of Bethesda, Md.
The other members are the IT groups affiliated with the following Moore Stephens accounting firm members: Apple, Inc. of Akron, Ohio; Asher & Co., Philadelphia; Beene Garter, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Bonadio Group, Rochester, N.Y.; and Potter & Co., Louisville, Ky.
Some Moore Stephens member firms with large technology practices have not joined the network’s IT group. They include the technology practice Elliott Davis, a regional CPA firm based in Greenville, S.C.
-- John M. Covaleski
