BDO to Acquire St. Louis Accounting Firm Stone Carlie

BDO USA, LLP, has announced an expansion into the St. Louis market through the acquisition of Stone Carlie & Company, LLC, a full-service accounting and consulting services firm with a diversified client base that includes construction, manufacturing & distribution, life sciences, technology, nonprofit, real estate, healthcare and professional services industries.

Stone Carlie, founded in 1947 by Sidney Stone and Carl Carlie, has a staff of approximately 100, including 8 partners. BDO is one of the nation’s leading professional service organizations The combination of BDO and Stone Carlie is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, and is expected to be completed on June 1, 2015. Stone Carlie was previously a member of the PrimeGlobal accounting association.

The transaction also includes the services currently offered by Stone Carlie Wealth Advisory, LLC, a fee-based registered investment advisory firm serving primarily high-net-worth individuals.

“I want to welcome the partners and staff of Stone Carlie to BDO USA. This transaction is a major addition to BDO and expands our geographic coverage of the Midwest. With Stone Carlie, we are gaining a leading accounting practice with a long history of serving growing entrepreneurial businesses in St. Louis,” said Wayne Berson, CEO of BDO USA. “Combined with other additions, BDO has expanded into 16 new cities and added to our critical mass in 10 existing markets over the past three years, this is further evidence that quality professionals are drawn to BDO as we continue to elevate our presence in the marketplace.”

“For more than 65 years, we have provided exceptional client service to closely-held entrepreneurial businesses and leading middle market companies in the greater St. Louis metropolitan region. By combining with BDO, we intend to build on that tradition. Our growing clients will still receive the local, hands-on service they value from the same trusted professionals, but will now have access to a wider array of services, broad industry experience, SEC representation and the resources of BDO’s extensive global network,” said Jeffrey Ward, Managing Member of Stone Carlie. “BDO has a very similar culture to our own and the firm’s reputation as a favorable workplace also fits well with our focus on our people, who will now have access to many more opportunities to pursue career growth.”

Jeffrey Ward, who has more than 25 years of professional experience and was named managing member of Stone Carlie in 2009, will serve as the assurance managing partner for the St. Louis practice of BDO USA. Richard Kraner, who has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting, will serve as the tax managing partner for the St. Louis practice.

“Stone Carlie was the perfect firm for BDO to enter the St. Louis market with,” said Allan D. Koltin, CEO of Koltin Consulting Group, who advised both firms on the deal. “They had a great reputation, a lot of talented partners and associates, and a specialty in serving the middle market and high net worth individuals. BDO was very selective in who they wanted to partner with in St. Louis and it was love at first sight for them with Stone Carlie.”

Going forward, BDO will maintain Stone Carlie’s recently expanded office location on South Hanley Road in St. Louis, Missouri.