Beene Garter LLP, the largest independently owned accounting and consulting firm in the Grand Rapids, MI region, has announced that it is merging with Grand Rapids accounting firm Deem, Huizing & Associates. Deem Huizing has over $1 million of net revenue and, with the move, the combined entity will have over $11.3 million in annual net revenue, making it one of the region's largest firms. The merger is due to be complete by the end of December.The merger calls for Deem, Huizing & Associates' two partners and five staff members to join Beene Garter's team.

Deloitte & Touche has agreed to pay a $1 million penalty to settle accusations by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) that it allowed a partner who had performed poor audits in the past to conduct the 2003 audit of Ligand Pharmaceuticals, a public company based in San Diego. Under a provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the money will be used for accounting scholarships.The Deloitte partner, James L.