BKD LLP has added Rylander, Clay & Opitz LLP, expanding the Top 100 Firm’s presence to Fort Worth, Texas, effective June 1, 2018.
BKD, based in Springfield, Missouri, announced plans earlier this month to expand in Wichita, Kansas, by acquiring a portion of Grant Thornton’s Wichita audit and tax practice, also taking effect June 1 (see
Tom Watson, the Dallas, Fort Worth and Waco managing partner at BKD, said the addition of RCO will fulfill BKD’s strategic vision of having a presence in Fort Worth, the 16th largest city in the U.S. “The combination capitalizes on RCO’s deep roots in the Fort Worth market and BKD’s wide range of audit and advisory services that RCO’s clients can now access,” he added.
RCO’s staff is expected to remain in their current offices in Fort Worth, where they will continue to be led by RCO’s current managing partner, Rob Opitz.
“This is certainly a win-win situation for all involved,” Opitz said in a statement. “We’re happy to be joining BKD and are excited to bring enhanced career opportunities for our professionals and greater access to services for our clients.”
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. BKD currently has 36 offices in 16 states, and fiscal year 2018 revenues were approximately $600 million. BKD ranked 13th on Accounting Today’s 2018 list of the Top 100 Firms.
Two partners, one managing director and approximately 30 other professionals are joining BKD from RCO. BKD has approximately 2,650 staffers and 280 partners.
“We want to extend a warm welcome to our new BKD team members,” said BKD CEO Ted Dickman in a statement. “RCO’s commitment to their ‘Five Star’ client service model aligns perfectly with our standard of unmatched client service, and their True Expertise will help us achieve our goals as we move forward.”
