Top-ranked accounting firm The Rehmann Group, based here, will add Perrin, Fordree & Co., a $5 million, 38-employee firm based in Troy, to its fold effective Jan. 1, 2005.

Ernst & Young has shed its investment banking arm by selling the practice to the consulting firm run by former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani.

Filomeno & Company PC, an eight-partner CPA firm based here, has expanded its financial planning practice with the merger of fee-only planning firm Thibodeau Financial Advisors LLC into its fold.

Carr, Riggs & Ingram, a strong Southeastern accounting and business consulting firm headquartered here, has fortified its presence in the Alabama and Florida markets, merging with local Birmingham-based Mackle, Splawn, Tindall & McDonald, and Weathersby, D'Aoust, Harris & Lynn of Panama City, Fla.The mergers became effective Oct. 1. Terms were not disclosed.

AICPA adopts outsourcing ethics

Three months after it announced that it planned to shed its Intuit Public Sector Solutions arm, tax and accounting software concern Intuit Inc. agreed to divest the nonprofit unit to San Diego-based Kintera in an $11 million cash deal.

Top-ranked firm Crowe Chizek & Co. plans to expand its public sector services group with the addition Oak Brook, Ill.-based accounting and consulting firm PTW to its fold.

In an effort to bolster its payroll outsourcing services, Best Software acquired Dallas-based Federal Liaison Services Inc., a maker of software and services that automate payroll tax payments and filings, wage garnishments, and W-2/1099 processing for employers.

Regional CPA and business consulting firm Eide Bailly has expanded into the Boise, Idaho, market, adding the seven-partner group of Balukoff, Lindstrom & Co. under its umbrella.

Top-ranked firm Larson, Allen, Weishair & Co. LLP has merged Bullard, Blanchard, Johns PLLC into its fold, boosting its presence in Charlotte.

Regional accounting firm Rea & Associates has broadened its services with the acquisition of Columbus-based forensic accounting firm Ickert & Co.

Harper & Pearson Co., an auditing and business consulting firm based here, has merged two regional tax-consulting practices under its brand - Cabaniss, Horn & Passmore, and Kathy B. Devine Co.

As part of aggressive expansion plans, Fiducial, a provider of business outsourcing services to small businesses and entrepreneurs, has gained a foothold in the Midwest with the acquisition of Indianapolis-based Frontier CPA Group LLP.

Thomson Tax & Accounting has acquired Gear Up Inc., a Vancouver, Wash. provider of training and continuing professional education for tax and accounting practitioners.

B&C Advisory Group, a diversified consortium offering CPA, financial planning and information technology consulting services, said that it has added regional management consultant Nolan Brown Partners LLC to its portfolio.

Global investment group Investcorp has signed an agreement to purchase Thomson Media for $350 million in cash.

In an effort to strengthen its wealth management practice, Wachovia Corp., the nation's fifth-largest bank, agreed to acquire wealth advisory firm Tanager Financial Services Inc.

Metro New York area accounting software consulting firms Solution Strategists Inc. and Eagle Consulting Group have merged to form Solution Strategists LLC.

Regional audit and tax-consulting firm Holtz Rubenstein & Co. LLP and New York-based Reminick, Aarons & Co. have merged their practices, effective Oct. 1.

Chicago (Sept. 21, 2004) -- KPMG LLP has sold its U.S. Corporate Recovery practice to privately held Mesirow Financial, a financial services firm based here.