Pease & Associates, one of Cleveland’s leading CPA and business advisory firms, completed an accounting firm merger with Proper & Associates, a Beachwood-based CPA and management consulting practice, effective January 4, 2016. The merger brings together two well-established firms with complementary strengths, creating a combined team of more than 60 professionals across offices in downtown Cleveland and Beachwood.
This CPA firm merger reflects a broader trend in the accounting industry, where regional firms are joining forces to expand their expertise, serve clients across more locations, and attract top talent. For clients of both Pease and Proper, the merger means access to deeper resources and a wider range of accounting services while preserving the personalized attention that defined each firm independently.
Why Pease and Proper pursued this CPA firm merger
The decision to merge was driven by shared values and a mutual focus on delivering highly personalized accounting services. Bill Proper, who founded Proper & Associates in 1987, joins Pease as a partner, bringing his entire staff into the combined firm. The Proper Analysis, a separate financial advisory firm located in the same Beachwood office, was not part of the merger.
“The collaboration with Bill Proper and his team is an exciting endeavor for us,” said Joe Pease, CEO and managing partner of Pease. “Bill has built a very successful firm, one that shares our values and is focused on providing highly personalized accounting services to their clients. Together, we will be able to expand our offerings as well as serve our collective client base with added expertise along with the convenience of multiple locations.”
Bill Proper echoed the sentiment, noting that his staff was excited to join a firm with Pease’s reputation and capabilities. “We’ve built an exceptional practice here in Beachwood and enjoy a large customer base,” he said. “During our exploratory talks, it became clear that merging with Pease would afford both businesses added resources, benefitting our clientele from our augmented expertise and offerings.”
A successful merger of this kind requires more than aligned philosophies. It also demands careful due diligence, structuring, and integration planning, the same disciplines that firms apply to client transactions through transaction advisory work. Pease and Proper conducted exploratory talks well before the effective date to confirm that their cultures, client bases, and service models fit together.
Expanded business advisory services after the merger
The combined firm offers a significantly broader suite of services than either practice provided alone. Clients now have access to traditional accounting services such as tax planning, tax preparation, financial reporting, and audit and assurance services, alongside expanded capabilities in small business consulting, mergers and acquisitions advisory, and healthcare practice support.
Service expansion is one of the primary reasons accounting firms pursue mergers. When two firms combine their teams and specializations, clients benefit from deeper expertise in areas like regulatory compliance, financial forecasting, and industry-specific advisory. For entrepreneurial businesses in Northeast Ohio, the core of Pease’s client base, this translates into more strategic guidance and fewer gaps in coverage.
The firm continues to specialize in serving privately held businesses across several industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, construction, professional services, and nonprofit organizations. Each of these sectors carries distinct regulatory and financial reporting requirements, and the merger strengthens the firm’s ability to serve them with dedicated expertise.
What this CPA firm acquisition means for clients
For existing clients of both firms, the merger creates tangible benefits. Clients of Proper & Associates gain access to the full resources of a larger firm, including additional partners, deeper industry expertise, and the infrastructure of a recognized top CPA firm in Northeast Ohio. Pease clients, in turn, benefit from an additional office location in Beachwood and the specialized knowledge that Proper’s team brings.
An accounting firm merger of this kind also supports continuity. Because Bill Proper and his staff joined Pease rather than retiring or closing the practice, client relationships remain intact. The professionals who managed your accounts before the merger continue to manage them, now with additional colleagues and resources behind them.
“The core objectives of our firm will remain steadfastly focused on helping clients reduce risk and manage uncertainty by anticipating the future, not just reviewing accounting of the past,” stated Chris Umerley, Pease’s president. This forward-looking philosophy combines historical financial analysis with proactive business advisory, and it is central to how the merged firm operates.
Clients should also understand the professional standards that govern any CPA firm before and after a combination. The American Institute of CPAs maintains the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, which sets expectations for independence, integrity, and due care that carry through a merger. Those standards are part of why client work and engagement quality remain consistent when two reputable firms combine.
Pease’s track record as a top Cleveland CPA firm
Pease has built a strong reputation in the Cleveland business community. The firm is a seven-time recipient of the Northcoast 99 “Great Places to Work” award, which recognizes top workplaces in Northeast Ohio. Pease was also one of only 60 accounting firms nationwide named to the 2015 Best of the Best CPA firms list by Inside Public Accounting.
These recognitions reflect the firm’s commitment to both client service and employee satisfaction, two factors that directly influence the quality of accounting and advisory work. For business owners evaluating a CPA firm, a strong workplace culture often signals a stable team, lower turnover, and more consistent service.
Proper & Associates, while smaller with five accounting professionals, had built a loyal client base in Beachwood over nearly 30 years. The firm’s steady growth since its 1987 founding demonstrated a similar commitment to client relationships and service quality.
How accounting firm mergers drive growth in the industry
The Pease and Proper merger is part of a long-running trend in the accounting profession. CPA firm mergers and acquisitions have accelerated in recent years as firms seek to achieve scale, enter new markets, and recruit qualified accounting professionals in a tight labor market. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects ongoing demand for accountants and auditors, which reinforces why firms compete aggressively for talent. You can review that outlook through the BLS occupational data for accountants and auditors.
For mid-sized firms like Pease, a strategic merger offers several advantages. It provides immediate access to new clients and geographies without the slower process of organic growth. It also helps firms compete with larger national and regional practices by expanding their service capabilities and industry specializations.
Chris Umerley noted that the firm plans to “expand our firm’s expertise in niche sectors as well as expand our client services, all of which necessitates the recruiting and hiring of top talent for each of our offices.” This combination of CPA firm acquisition and talent strategy is increasingly common among growing practices.
Looking ahead: the future of the combined firm
With more than 60 staff members across two locations, the merged firm is positioned to continue growing. The downtown Cleveland and Beachwood offices give clients in the greater Cleveland area convenient access, while the firm’s niche industry expertise attracts clients from other markets as well.
The merger also positions Pease to pursue further strategic growth. As the accounting industry continues to consolidate, firms with strong reputations, diverse service lines, and multiple office locations are better equipped to attract both clients and talent. The Pease and Proper combination demonstrates how two aligned firms can create more value together than either could alone.
For business owners in Northeast Ohio and beyond, the merged firm offers a clear combination: the personalized service of a boutique practice backed by the resources and expertise of a top regional CPA firm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to my account when two accounting firms merge?
Your existing accounting relationships typically continue unchanged after an accounting firm merger. The professionals who managed your work before the merger continue in their roles, now with additional resources and colleagues available. In the Pease and Proper merger, Bill Proper’s entire staff joined Pease, ensuring client continuity.
Why do CPA firms merge with other practices?
CPA firms merge to expand their service offerings, reach new geographic markets, and recruit talent more effectively. A CPA firm merger allows two practices to combine their industry expertise and client bases, creating a stronger firm that can serve clients with deeper specialization than either could provide alone.
How does an accounting firm merger benefit clients?
Clients gain access to a wider range of services, additional office locations, and deeper industry expertise without changing their primary accounting team. The combined firm can offer more specialized advisory in areas like tax planning, mergers and acquisitions, and financial reporting.
Does an accounting firm merger affect the quality of service?
When firms with compatible cultures merge, service quality typically improves. Clients benefit from a larger team of specialists while retaining the personal relationships they value. Awards like the Northcoast 99 and Best of the Best CPA firm recognitions reflect the kind of service standards that carry forward after a well-executed merger.
What should I look for in a CPA firm after a merger?
Look for continuity in your day-to-day contacts, expanded access to specialists in your industry, and a clear statement from firm leadership about their service philosophy. A good merger announcement will address how existing clients will benefit and whether key team members are staying with the firm.
Are CPA firm mergers becoming more common?
Yes. CPA firm mergers and acquisitions have increased steadily as firms seek to grow their capabilities, enter new markets, and address talent shortages in the accounting profession. Mid-sized regional firms are especially active in pursuing strategic mergers to remain competitive with larger national practices.
