BPM merging with Santa Rosa CPA firm
BPM LLP of San Francisco, billed as one of the largest public accounting firms in the nation, has completed its fourth merger in two years, combining forces with Santa Rosa-based Elliott CPA Group Inc., the companies announced Wednesday.
The privately held firms declined to provide financial details of the deal, which is anticipated to close July 1.
BPM, formerly known as Burr Pilger Mayer, is ranked No. 38 on Accounting Today’s 2022 list of the Top 100 Firms, with $166.3 million in annual revenue. It was also recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of America’s Top Recommended Tax and Accounting Firms.
BPM’s previous expansion includes transactions with two Southern California firms, Gumbiner Savett in July 2021 and with CPA firm Rossi LLP in November 2020. In June, 2020, it added Caravel Partners in San Francisco.
Executives with BPM and Elliott CPA Group Inc. said the merger combines two companies with similar cultures and philosophies. The Northern California accounting companies were founded two decades apart — BPM in 1986 and Elliott in 2006.
“The Elliott team is a strong complement for us,” BPM North Bay partner-in-charge Michelle Muth Ausburn told the Business Journal. “The combination with Elliott complements and strengthens our existing service offerings and team and allows us to better serve our clients in and around the North Bay.”
Neither company agreed to release the number of clients it serves.
James Elliott, the CEO of the North Bay-based company, will hold a tax consulting partner position with the San Francisco firm. The outgoing company’s eight staffers, joined by Elliott and Erin Roche as team leaders, will work at BPM’s Santa Rosa office. Plans are in place to close Elliott Group offices in Santa Rosa at least temporarily until BPM decides on its next move.
With a Stony Point Road office in Santa Rosa, BPM manages 11 locations between Orange County from the south north to Seattle. These include the North Bay’s St. Helena office and another in Fairfield in Solano County.
Elliott CPA Group will rebrand under the name of BPM, which serves a variety of industries, ranging from agribusiness and real estate to technology and wine with craft beverages. It also delves into the automotive, retail, life sciences, nonprofit and professional services industries.
“(There’s) tremendous opportunity for our team members to join a burgeoning national firm, and one that has deep roots and a sterling reputation in the North Bay,” Elliott told the Business Journal.
BPM CEO Jim Wallace indicated he hopes to deepen those roots.
“BPM has long been a part of the North Bay, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome the Elliott team,” Wallace said in a statement.
Susan Wood covers law, cannabis, production, tech, energy, transportation, agriculture as well as banking and finance. For 27 years, Susan has worked for a variety of publications including the North County Times, Tahoe Daily Tribune and Lake Tahoe News. Reach her at 530-545-8662 or susan.wood@busjrnl.com
