Wipfli Acquires Chicago Accounting Firm Klein Hall

Wipfli, one of the top 20 accounting and consulting firms in the United States, has acquired the Chicago-based accounting and financial services firm of Klein Hall. The partners and associates of Klein Hall will join Wipfli effective Nov. 1, 2019. The transaction marks Wipfli’s seventh acquisition in Chicagoland in five years and will add 25 Klein Hall employees to Wipfli’s Chicagoland presence.

“We are pleased that Klein Hall chose to join Wipfli. The addition will strengthen Wipfli’s resources in this key market where our firm currently has five locations. This will add an office to our footprint in the western suburbs of Chicago, enhancing our physical presence in the market and helping Wipfli to become an even stronger leader in providing audit, tax and consulting services to Chicagoland’s organizations and businesses,” said Kurt Gresens, Wipfli’s managing partner.

Since its inception in 2002, Klein Hall’s leaders and partners have been committed to supporting women in accounting industry. In 2019, in addition to being named as Accounting Today’s “100 Best Accounting Firms to Work For” in the United States, the firm ranked sixth on Accounting Today’s “Best Firms for Women” in the country.

For nearly 17 years, Naperville, Illinois-based Klein Hall has been providing accounting, tax and advisory services to privately held businesses and entities in the Chicago area. The firm focuses primarily on business advisory services and consulting, serving as controllers and CFOs for mid-size companies. The firm has a strong practice serving businesses in the construction industry, as well as professional services, manufacturing and distribution businesses and conducting audits of local governments. In addition, after experiencing 139% growth in a three-year period for the third year in a row, Klein Hall was named one of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies, ranking 2,750 on Inc. Magazine’s 2019 “Inc. 5000” list.

Klein Hall Managing Partner Christina Klein Trapp said, “We are proud of Klein Hall’s success over the years and our strong reputation for delivering quality solutions to our clients while also providing exceptional service. Joining forces with Wipfli provides us with national resources and more extensive capabilities to continue to serve our clients’ evolving needs while also providing career and development opportunities to our employees, which will help us continue to retain and attract the best and brightest professionals in the industry.”

Allan D. Koltin, chief executive officer of Koltin Consulting Group, who advised both firms on the transaction, said, “Wipfli continues with their strategic journey throughout Chicago by finding another very dynamic and entrepreneurial firm in Klein Hall. Wipfli’s rapid expansion and growth in the Chicago market has received national attention due to its successful integration and excellent results. Klein Hall has also been recognized nationally as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States and has received many national workplace awards. This is a great step for both firms.”

Following the effective date, the firm will have more than 2,400 associates and 50 offices.