Chicago-based IPA Top 100 firm Baker Tilly (FY24 net revenue of 3.36 billion) has announced plans to acquire Miami-based IPA Top 100 firm Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors + CPAs (FY24 net revenue of 131.8 million), one of Florida’s largest accounting and advisory firms. The planned acquisition will establish Baker Tilly’s presence in South Florida while expanding its reach along the East Coast and strengthening specialized offerings for clients.
Upon completion of the transaction, Joseph L. Saka, CEO of Berkowitz Pollack Brant, will join Baker Tilly as managing principal – Florida.
Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Miami, Berkowitz Pollack Brant has built a national reputation for its real estate tax expertise and work advising high-net-worth individuals and families in the U.S. and abroad. The firm’s multilingual team, fluent in nearly a dozen languages, will expand Baker Tilly’s ability to serve clients with cross-border needs.
“This is the right move at the right moment for our firm,” Saka said. “Our clients operate across markets and borders, and they’re looking for advisers who can match that reach. Joining Baker Tilly gives us the platform, the talent and the technology to support them in a bigger way while keeping the personal relationships and South Florida roots that define us.”
Richard A. Berkowitz, founding and executive chairman of Berkowitz Pollack Brant, added, “We are enthusiastic about combining our complementary cultures with the sixth largest firm in America. Our team will have expanded resources to assist our clients in accomplishing firm goals, and we will have enhanced opportunity to recruit outstanding professionals to grow the firm.”
The planned acquisition strengthens Baker Tilly’s Southeast and New York presence and advances the firm’s strategy to connect key East Coast markets. Berkowitz Pollack Brant’s established offices in Miami and New York City deepen Baker Tilly’s regional capabilities and complement firm offerings in tax consulting, assurance, risk, CFO advisory and digital services.
“Berkowitz Pollack Brant is a firm clients trust because firm professionals know the market, the community and the work,” said Fred Massanova, chief growth officer at Baker Tilly. “Combining that depth of insight with Baker Tilly’s national scale creates a level of capability and perspective that is increasingly essential in today’s environment.”
“This combination reflects who we are and where we’re headed as a firm,” said Jeff Ferro, CEO of Baker Tilly. “Berkowitz Pollack Brant brings exceptional talent, deep regional roots and capabilities that strengthen our ability to serve clients across the East Coast and beyond.”
The transaction reflects Baker Tilly’s long-term growth strategy to expand in priority markets, strengthen specialized capabilities and create opportunities for team members.
Allan D. Koltin, CEO of Koltin Consulting Group, who advised both firms on the transaction, said, “Baker Tilly gains a proven leader in South Florida, and Berkowitz Pollack Brant gains a national platform to accelerate growth. Clients ultimately benefit from deeper expertise and expanded capabilities.”
