Plante Moran Celebrates 90th Anniversary

2099

SOUTHFIELD — Plante Moran, one of the nation’s largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms, is celebrating its 90th anniversary. The firm was founded by Elorion Plante on Jan. 20, 1924 and Frank Moran joined him in 1950 to form Plante Moran.

Plante Moran now has more than 2,000 employees in 21 offices throughout Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio, with international offices in Shanghai, China; Monterrey, Mexico; and Mumbai, India. The firm is led by Gordon Krater, CPA, who began his second term as managing partner in July 2013. The firm’s previous managing partners were: William Hermann (2001-2009); William Matthews (1993-2001); Edward Parks (1981-1993); Frank Moran (1955-1981); and Elorion Plante (1924-1955).

Plante Moran has had several strategic mergers in its 90-year history, beginning in earnest in the 1980s when the firm sought a bigger footprint in Michigan. The firm merged with Danielson Schultz & Co. and Bristol, Liesenring, Herkner & Co. in 1986, which gave Plante Moran offices in Lansing, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Benton Harbor and Traverse City as well as Cleveland.

Plante Moran continued to expand in the Ohio market in 1997 through a merger with NCOT Accounting and Consulting of Ohio as well as Jackson, Rolfes & Spurgeon in 2009. Through organic growth and additional mergers, the firm now has offices in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo. The firm entered the Chicago market in 2004 through a merger with Gleeson, Sklar, Sawyers and Cumpata. Growth in Chicago continues for Plante Moran, which further strengthened its presence in the region through a 2012 merger with Chicago-based Blackman Kallick. The firm’s Chicago office is now its second largest, after Southfield.

Key growth areas for the firm in recent decades include auditing, tax and consulting services for middle market businesses with a global presence, real estate advisory services through Plante Moran CRESA and a broad menu of wealth management services through the firm’s Plante Moran Financial Advisers, Plante Moran Insurance Agency and Plante Moran Trust affiliates. Formed in 1982, PMFA now has more than $8 billion of assets under management. The firm expanded its benefit plan audit practice in the 1990s and now audits more than 1,200 benefit plans annually.