Dixon Hughes and Goodman & Company Merge to Form Foremost CPA Powerhouse in Southern U.S., 13th Largest in Nation

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Dixon Hughes PLLC and Goodman & Company LLP announced today that they will merge their firms and affiliated entities effective March 1. The combined firm will be known as Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP and will be headquartered in Charlotte. With more than 1,700 people in 30 offices in 11 states and Washington, D.C., Dixon Hughes Goodman will be the largest certified public accounting firm based in the Southern U.S. and the 13th largest in the nation.

Charles Edgar Sams, Jr., Chairman of Dixon Hughes, will continue to serve as Chairman of the new company, and Kenneth M. Hughes, Chief Executive Officer of Dixon Hughes, will also remain in that position.  Thomas H. Wilson, Managing Partner of Goodman & Company, will become Deputy Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of the new firm.

"Both firms have a strong affinity for providing exceptional service and in-depth industry knowledge on behalf of our clients," said Sams.  "This combination will create a larger platform in which we can expand our geographical reach throughout the mid-Atlantic, share core technical resources and anticipate the needs of our clients. We are enthusiastic as we move forward over the coming months."

The merger will create a dramatically larger geographic footprint with offices located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia. The firm will conduct business in all 50 states.

"This combination is reflective of our desire to continue to work with high-caliber professionals and a highly respected firm," said Hughes. "We strongly believe in the power of combining these resources and the value it will bring to our clients in terms of providing extensive industry experience and integrity with each interaction."

With client bases and resources combined, Dixon Hughes Goodman will bring together complementary strengths that each of the firms possesses in a range of client industries including manufacturing/distribution, healthcare, construction/real estate, insurance, government, nonprofit, dealerships, financial institutions and government contracting.

In addition to providing traditional services in the areas of accounting, auditing, and tax, the firm will offer a complete line of services designed to address client challenges including transaction advisory services, IT risk services, tax advisory services, fraud and forensics, wealth management, international tax, sales and use tax consulting, business valuation/litigation support, retirement planning services, outsourced accounting and human resource consulting.

"This is a tailor-made fit that will benefit the firm, our staff and most importantly, our clients," said Wilson.  "Both organizations will gain increased industry expertise and depth and see new geographic opportunities for growth.  Clients will have broadened access to capital networks and industry best practices, while our employees will see more robust training options, increased opportunities for industry specialization, greater mobility between offices and more challenging client work."

Dixon Hughes is the largest accounting firm based in the Southern U.S. and ranks among the nation's top 20. With a staff of more than 1200 located in nine states, the firm provides a wide array of assurance, tax and consulting services to clients of all sizes. For more information, visit www.dixon-hughes.com.

With more than 80 partners and 500 professional staff, Goodman & Company is a regional certified public accounting and business advisory firm delivering quality accounting, tax and specialized services.  The firm is recognized as the fourth largest certified public accounting firm based in the Mid-Atlantic, and in the top 30 nationally. Visit www.goodmanco.com for more information.

SOURCE Dixon Hughes PLLC