Top 25 accounting firm Ascend has acquired Kreischer Miller, a regional leader in Horsham, Pennsylvania. The deal brings 22 partners and approximately 220 staff to Ascend's platform. Kreischer Miller, serving the Greater Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, reported $59.6 million in revenue as an Accounting Today Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Ascend, based in Arlington, Virginia, is a private equity-backed platform launched in January 2023 by Alpine Partners. It ranked No. 24 on Accounting Today's 2026 Top 100 Firms list, reporting $590 million in revenue with 282 partners and over 2,600 employees across 63 offices. The acquisition marks Ascend's latest expansion following numerous investments since its launch, including recent additions of firms in Alabama, Ohio, and Texas.

Ascend expands southeast footprint with Jackson Thornton. Updated May 1, 2026, 3:57 pm Ascend, a platform backed by private equity firm Alpine Investors, has added Jackson Thornton of Montgomery, Ala., to its platform of regional accounting and advisory firms. Founded in 1919, Jackson Thornton provides tax planning, audit and assurance, business consulting, technology solutions and wealth management services to clients across industries including auto dealerships, construction, healthcare, government, manufacturing, not-for-profit organizations and telecommunications. "We are proud to champion the independence of a firm that has over a century of history. Jackson Thornton's reputation is grounded in its multi-disciplinary expertise and the depth of talent that has made it so. For some time now, the firm has been stretching its roots across Alabama and toward the integrated service delivery of accounting, wealth and advisory - we can make much of that vision, together," said Nishaad (Nish) Ruparel, president of Ascend. Jackson Thornton CEO Alan Alexander said, "For more than 107 years, Jackson Thornton has grown by anticipating change and expanding how we serve our clients, while staying focused on our people, our culture and our Alabama roots. The pace of change in our profession has never been faster, and we believe now is the right moment to partner with Ascend - an organization that shares our entrepreneurial mindset and people-first philosophy. This partnership allows us to remain independent and locally led, while giving our clients access to deeper resources, enhanced technology and broader expertise that will strengthen the services on which they rely every day. It also creates meaningful opportunities for our team. Ascend is not about changing who we are; it is about providing the platform to honor our legacy while shaping the firm we aspire to be for the next generation." "This is the kind of firm we created Ascend to partner with," said David Wurtzbacher, founder and CEO of Ascend. "They have spent generations earning the trust of families and businesses in their market, and along the way, they have built a $2 billion wealth management franchise that very few firms in the country can match. We are honored to help them carry their unique momentum forward."