Burr Pilger Mayer, Inc. (BPM), Northern California-based accounting and consulting firm, and Windes & McClaughry Accountancy Corporation, Southern California-based, announced today that their intended plans to merge have been called off.  Both firms have comprehensive expertise delivering audit, tax, accounting, and consulting services, and will continue to pursue growth strategies to expand their current offerings and reach.

“We believed that combining both firms was the proper strategic direction, but, unfortunately, we could not come to agreement on all of the key issues,” said Windes managing partner, John Di Carlo.  “We have the utmost respect for BPM and their professionals and have developed great relationships with them over the past six months.  We wish them continued success.”  

“We are disappointed that we are not able to combine these two firms.  Both organizations worked diligently toward the merger.  We just came a little short of the goal line,” said BPM managing partner, Steve Mayer.  “We wish the Windes team the best and expect to continue to work together on client opportunities.”

October 4, 2011, 9:10am | San Francisco-based Burr Pilger Mayer, Inc. (BPM), announced yesterday that it is merging with Long Beach-based CPA firm Windes & McClaughry Accountancy Corporation, creating the largest California-based accounting and consulting firm. The combined firm will have $100 million in revenue with a strong presence in both Northern and Southern California. The firm will have 73 shareholders, 550 employees and 11 offices. The target date of the merger is January 1, 2012.

“This is the first true north-south merger of significant firms in California accounting history,” said BPM managing partner, Steve Mayer.

“This will provide more resources for our existing clients, more opportunities for our employees, and a better competitive advantage for us in the marketplace,” said Windes managing partner, John Di Carlo.

Burr Pilger Mayer has 410 employees, 55 shareholders and six offices in the Bay Area and one in Hong Kong. Windes is headquartered in Long Beach and has 140 people, 18 partners and four offices in Southern California. Both BPM and Windes have built strong practices serving the audit, tax, accounting, and consulting needs of privately held and public companies, exempt organizations, and high-net-worth individuals and families. The two firms share a commitment to client service, community involvement, and a workplace culture that values employees.

BPM and Windes complement each other geographically and in their respective areas of expertise. Windes has strong practices in state and local tax compliance and planning, estate, gift and trust planning, and third-party plan administration of qualified retirement plans. BPM strengths include its SEC practice, which is the 12th largest in the nation, and its international tax practice, which is one of the largest on the West Coast. BPM also has strengths in business valuation, litigation support, and wealth management.

“Windes has a robust 85-year history in Southern California that we are looking forward to leveraging,” said Mayer. “For the two firms, it was essential that the cultures were a fit in order to establish a strong foundation from which to build. We could not have asked for a better match. This merger gives us significant opportunities to provide enhanced services and expertise to a full spectrum of businesses, organizations, and individuals throughout the United States.