Top 25 accounting firm Carr, Riggs & Ingram has added Tuscaloosa, AL-based public accounting firm Morrison & Smith, expanding CRI’s presence in its home state.
Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. The Morrison & Smith team will continue to serve clients from their existing office, now operating under the CRI name. The firm is led by partners Barry Burns, Alan Hartley, and Daniel Sutter.
This is Enterprise, AL-based CRI’s fifth deal in 2026. The firm has also added DMR CPAs in Fort Worth, TX; Trace Advisory in Ridgeland, MS; Crowl, Cameron & Associates in Conroe, TX; and CFO Hub in San Diego.
CRI has made more than a dozen transactions since securing a private equity investment from Centerbridge Partners and Bessemer Venture Partners in late 2024.
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Clients of Morrison & Smith will gain access to CRI’s expanded tax, assurance, and advisory services, as well as specialized teams and additional resources in wealth management, data analytics, business consulting, and fractional CFO services, officials say.
Founded in 1951, Morrison & Smith is among Tuscaloosa’s longest-standing accounting firms. The firm provides audit, review, and compilation services, along with tax planning and preparation, accounting, and business advisory services for individuals and organizations. Its client base includes real estate developers, banks, healthcare providers, and construction companies.
“Morrison & Smith has spent over 70 years building trust with clients throughout West Alabama. Their reputation for integrity and personal service is exactly what we value in a firm,” Bill Carr, chairman and founding partner at CRI, said in a statement on Sept. 1. “Tuscaloosa is an important new market for us, and Barry Burns, Alan Hartley, and Daniel Sutter bring us a strong local team to grow with. We are proud to welcome them to CRI.”
Allan Koltin, CEO of Koltin Consulting Group, who advised both firms on the combination, added, “Carr, Riggs & Ingram continues to write the book on how to select great firms and successfully integrate them. They have now completed more than 100 M&A transactions, and I have yet to hear of one that went badly. CRI screens upfront for cultural and strategic fit as well as any firm I have seen in the country. Morrison & Smith will be a great addition to CRI. Beyond Tuscaloosa being a fantastic market, the firm has outstanding partners and associates and an excellent client base.”
Photo credit: Carr, Riggs & Ingram
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