Councilor, Buchanan & Mitchell, P.C. (CBM), a full-service accounting and advisory firm based in Bethesda, MD, will merge in the tax and financial consulting expertise of May & Barnhard, P.C., effective November 1. The expansion will create a team of 82 team members including 10 partners.
“I am pleased to welcome the professionals of May & Barnhard to CBM as we continue to enhance our breadth of services,” said Peter B. Reilly, CPA, CVA, President and Managing Partner of CBM. “Our merger will provide a new depth of resources for existing clients and broaden our service capabilities to include additional tax expertise, expand our litigation support services, and provide long term financial planning and consulting.”
Debora May, CPA, CFP®, CDFA™ has served as managing partner of May & Barnhard since she and Jeff May founded the firm in 1989 with Judy Barnhard becoming the third partner in 1992. Their Bethesda-based team is currently composed of 17 professionals.
May & Barnhard’s tax services to individuals, partnerships, estates and trusts, closely held businesses and audits of not-for-profit organizations align with the expertise on which CBM has built its reputation for the past 96 years. May & Barnhard also employs several Certified Financial Planner® and chartered financial analyst (CFA) professionals, certified divorce financial analysts and certified fraud examiners who deliver financial planning and litigation support services as well as fraud examination expertise.
“Our merger with CBM is incredibly exciting,” said May. “A partnership with a firm with a long-standing reputation of excellence helps us expand the services available to our collective clients. We share the same vision as CBM: excellent client service and an enjoyable and satisfying work environment for our staff.”
The merger with May & Barnhard is the second for CBM in 2017. Effective June 1, CBM brought in the tax expertise of William Blumenauer, a local sole practitioner who contributes significant expertise to CBM’s professional services group, by serving attorneys and other individuals with complex tax planning and preparation needs. Mr. Blumenauer joined CBM as a senior advisor.
Since 1921, CBM has delivered audit, tax, accounting and advisory expertise to auto dealerships, professional service entities, not-for-profits and construction/real estate groups, including many family-owned businesses. The firm is now in its fifth generation of leadership.
