On the same day it announced it was bringing aboard Mequon, WI-based technology and management consulting firm Answerport, CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) said Wednesday that Seattle-based investment banking group Meridian Capital has also joined the top 15 accounting firm.
Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
According to CLA, this strategic expansion, which will go to market as CLA Meridian Capital, is designed to enhance the accounting firm’s wealth advisory and investment banking offerings.
Brian Murphy, CEO and managing director of Meridian Capital, will become managing principal of investment banking for CLA, leading the CLA Meridian Capital team. He will be responsible for accelerating the growth and expansion of investment banking services within CLA. Murphy will be joined by Patrick Ringland, Meridian’s current president, who will also continue in a leadership role.
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By combining Meridian’s experience in mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and strategic advisory with CLA’s established strength in accounting, tax, consulting, and integrated wealth solutions, the firm now offers an even broader suite of services, official say. This integration enables CLA to provide private business owners and investors with comprehensive support during pivotal financial events—from succession planning and business sales to major capital transactions and long-term growth initiatives.
“Privately held business owners often need a team that understands both the financial details of running a company and the bigger strategic decisions about its future,” Paul Bailey, chief growth officer for CLA, said in a statement on April 1. “With Meridian Capital joining CLA, we can offer clients deeper expertise when they are raising capital, buying or selling a company, or planning for long-term growth.”
Clients will benefit from expanded capabilities, gaining access to a coordinated team with deep industry knowledge and practical M&A experience, officials say. CLA Meridian Capital will guide business owners through complex decisions, helping them execute transactions with confidence, plan for ownership transitions, and integrate wealth planning into their overall business strategy. The collaborative approach ensures clients receive personalized, end-to-end service tailored to their unique needs and goals.
The Meridian Capital team brings a proven track record of advising family-, founder-, and entrepreneur-owned companies across the middle market, particularly in the industrial, engineering, consumer, and technology sectors, on critical M&A and financial decisions.
The firm was founded in 1995 and has offices in Seattle; Salt Lake City; Portland, OR; Raleigh, NC; and the Bay Area.
“Many of the privately held, middle-market companies we advise are at pivotal points in their growth or ownership transition,” Murphy said in a statement. “By joining CLA, we’ll be able to surround our clients with a broader group of specialists who can help them prepare for major transactions and plan for what comes next.”
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