Umbaugh and Springsted Join Baker Tilly

The business accounting, advisory, tax and assurance firm Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP (Baker Tilly) has acquired the municipal advisory firms H.J. Umbaugh and Associates, Certified Public Accountants, LLP (Umbaugh) and Springsted Incorporated (Springsted). Umbaugh and Springsted are two of the largest and well-established independent public sector municipal advisory firms in the country with nearly 200 team members and more than 130 years of combined operating experience. The combination is expected to be effective in first quarter of this year.

“This strategic combination brings together what we believe to be a unique set of resources within a premiere municipal advisory practice,” Vicki Hellenbrand, Baker Tilly partner and public sector practice leader, said. “We are dedicated to the public sector by serving state and local governmental units and non-profit organizations.”

Baker Tilly has a longstanding public sector practice with a team of 220 professionals serving nearly 1,000 government clients. Additionally, Baker Tilly’s industry concentration complements its public sector specialization, in particular housing and economic development, higher education and healthcare. The firm provides audit and advisory services to the public sector, including financial forecasting, TIF projections, consolidations and shared services, forensics and expert witness services, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), process and efficiency analysis, and internal controls reviews and recommendations.

Umbaugh is the largest CPA firm in the U.S. that focuses solely on financial management, capital planning, bond issuance and post issuance advising and consulting for municipalities, utilities, schools, libraries, counties and townships. Umbaugh has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing CPA firms in the nation. Umbaugh provides an array of complementary services which includes municipal advisory services, utility rate studies and cost-of-service analysis, cash advisory services, tax increment and economic development strategies, and comprehensive financial planning.

“We are proud of our longstanding reputation for helping community leaders resolve the financial issues they face as they work to improve the quality of life in their communities,” Umbaugh Executive Partner Todd Samuelson said. “Joining forces with Baker Tilly and Springsted gives us national resources and broader capabilities to expand services to our clients as well as enhance growth and development opportunities for our team members.”

Springsted has a long and well-established history of specializing in providing public finance and human capital services for public and non-profit organizations. Springsted’s public finance services include municipal finance and post-issuance compliance, operational finance, investment and housing and economic development services. Human capital services include executive recruitment, management consulting, compensation consulting and community surveys.

“We look forward to continuing to provide highly personalized financial, management and human resources advisory solutions that address the unique needs of today’s communities,” Springsted President Kathleen Aho said. “There is a strong cultural alignment between Springsted, Umbaugh and Baker Tilly. Each firm is progressive and entrepreneurial with complementary skillsets and a shared focus on people and commitment to excellent client service. This combination gives us a wider platform and more delivery channels to better serve our clients and enhances professional growth opportunities for our team members.”

Umbaugh and Springsted are long-standing members of the National Association of Municipal Advisors, committed to the association’s mission of providing quality service to public sector clients.

Gary Adamson with Adamson Advisory LLC advised Umbaugh. Robert Metzfield and Steve McConley of Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC advised Springsted.