Merger by Malin, Bergquist adds new partners, footprint for firm
Pittsburgh Business Times - by Jennifer Curry
Malin, Bergquist and Co. LLP merged with Deluzio, Teems & Anzovino, the accounting firms said this week.
North Hills-based Malin gained 20 employees in the merger, which became official Jan. 31, bringing total employment to 70. That would make it the 10th-largest accounting firm in Pittsburgh, as ranked by local employees, in the Business Times 2007 Book of Lists.
Malin will also gain three partners, Charles Deluzio, Jeffrey Anzovino and Joseph Petrillo. Deluzio will continue to operate its offices in Jeannette and Greensburg, but its name will be changed to DTA Certified Public Accountants, a division of Malin Bergquist.
The deal gives employees of Deluzio, Teems & Anzovino, which specializes in small business, tax and audit services, an opportunity to work in new areas, such as with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission work for public companies. In addition, the merger will give Deluzio access to resources such as technical and international business expertise.
"I believe it's going to give us a better ability to service our clients," Charles Deluzio said. "We will have access to some deeper resources and talent pool than we have right now."
The merger will also enable Deluzio to attract new clients within Westmoreland County.
"We are hoping that, through this, we will have access to a larger variety of clients in Westmoreland County," Deluzio said. "The perception is a smaller firm like us is ... not big enough to handle them. The merger should open some doors for us to (attract) a larger variety of clients that are out this way."
In turn Malin will be able to both expand geographically and gain talent, a task that can be difficult in an industry that's in need of more accounting graduates.
"It gives us a footprint in the eastern region," said David Bluemling, a partner at Malin Bergquist. "Westmoreland County is where we don't have a real presence right now. ... Finding top talent in today's marketplace is somewhat difficult, and we wanted this firm to be a part of that talent."
Malin Bergquist can now also expand some of its niche areas, including litigation support and SEC work, Bluemling said.
Nationwide, there have been several mergers and acquisitions within the accounting industry, but that hasn't been the case in Pittsburgh, according to Bob Gallagher, president of R.J. Gallagher & Associates Inc.
"It's an anomaly," Gallagher said. "The overall environment around the country is pretty active. In Western Pennsylvania, you don't see merger activity as much as you do in other parts of the country."
jcurry@bizjournals.com | (412) 208-3820
