Top 50 accounting firm Katz, Sapper & Miller has launched a new investment banking service line following the acquisition of Charter Capital Partners, a Grand Rapids, MI-based investment banking firm.
Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Charter’s Mike Brown and Mark Streekstra join KSM as partners and managing directors, and they will lead the 13-member Charter investment banking team, which will transition to the name KSM Corporate Finance.
The team will continue to operate from its office in Grand Rapids. Over time, KSM said it plans to grow its presence in West Michigan, with the goal of establishing a full-service regional office in Grand Rapids.
Charter Growth Capital, Charter Capital’s mezzanine debt and minority equity investment fund, isn’t part of the transaction and will remain independent. Charter Growth Capital will continue to be led by John Kerschen, Mike Palm, and Hector Bultynck.
Indianapolis-based KSM said the addition of Charter Capital Partners expands its capabilities to include a full suite of M&A advisory and succession planning services, strengthening the firm’s ability to support clients at critical points in their business lifecycle.
“We are thrilled to have Charter Capital Partners join forces with KSM,” KSM CEO and President Tim Cook said in a statement on Jan. 20. “As our clients face increasingly complex decisions, they expect advisors who can see the full picture. Expanding into investment banking strengthens our ability to serve as a long-term strategic partner.”
Founded in 1989, Charter Capital Partners is a middle-market M&A advisor with decades of experience spanning the entire M&A lifecycle, from initial sourcing through final execution.
Eligible Charter Capital Partners employees will become employee-owners of KSM through participation in the accounting firm’s employee stock ownership plan.
“Charter and KSM share a common mindset and culture. Both firms are grounded in the Midwest, value long-term relationships, and prioritize people—both clients and employees,” Brown said in a statement. “Joining KSM allows us to expand our capabilities while continuing to serve clients with the same approach and values that have defined our work.”
Streekstra added, “Becoming part of KSM gives our team access to deeper resources and broader expertise, which enhances our ability to deliver thoughtful, high-quality advice to business owners navigating important transition decisions. Furthermore, KSM’s deep Midwest presence provides the ideal geographic footprint to accelerate our strategic expansion and serve clients in the Midwest and beyond.”
KSM continues to grow by diversifying its service offerings and expanding its geographic footprint. In 2025, the firm launched an information technology advisory practice, which provides businesses with strategic IT consulting and solutions that enhance efficiency, security, and innovation. Deerfield, IL-based CPA firm MichaelSilver and its 70-plus employees also joined KSM in July, establishing a Chicago-area office.
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KSM now has more than 800 employees nationwide and has offices in Indianapolis, Chicago, Cincinnati, Evansville, IN, Fort Wayne, IN, Grand Rapids, and New York.
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