Accounting firms merge in St. Charles

Apex CPAs & Consultants and Morrison & Associates, business accounting firms in St. Charles, have merged.

The combined operations will continue doing business as Apex CPAs & Consultants. The firm now boasts a team of 16 professionals with new hires planned for 2018. The merger will only involve the accounting side of the Morrison business. Its wealth management division will remain independent.

"Our two companies have similar mindsets. Clients come first," said James Chakires, founder and managing partner of Apex, which has doubled in size over the past two years due to steady organic growth. "Our combined client base will benefit from the additional expertise, from business advisory, tax consulting and accounting to retirement and succession planning and more. We are professional problem solvers and are relentlessly committed to our client's success."

Chakires said the merger will be seamless for clients. "They will still work with their existing teams. We now will be able to provide additional accounting, tax and advisory services from a single firm that understands individual tax clients as well as emerging businesses poised for growth," he said. Apex is the only CPA firm with a proprietary program to accelerate business growth called FutureBiz.

William Morrison Jr. founded his namesake company in 1979. He will now assume the role of partner at Apex. He said, "Jim and I have known each other for many years, and we run in the same circles in St. Charles and Kane County. We strive to be the best business stewards for our clients, and we will continue to do that because it is our business to see our clients prosper."