Clifton Gunderson, the 11th largest U.S. accounting firm, has announced its merger with the Colorado-based firm of Van Schooneveld & Co.Van Schooneveld & Co. brings 36 professionals to the merger and plans to continue operations from its present location in Greenwood Village, a suburb of Denver.Clifton Gunderson chief executive Carl George commented on the merger: "One of our key firm-wide growth strategies is to further enhance our presence in key Clifton Gunderson markets, like the Denver area.

Joseph Berardino, Andersen CEO, has indicated that the firm plans to consider the option of a merger at a partners meeting scheduled for later this year."We need to take an honest to God look at what a merger does to us, for us, or against us," said Mr. Berardino.

In one of the first bank deals of its kind, Wells Fargo & Co. said Friday that it will pay about $127 million in cash for H.D. Vest, a large Irving, Texas-based financial planning firm that provides services through 6,000 independent tax and financial advisers.H.D.

As Americans we are lucky to be part of the most dynamic economy in the world. Opportunity thrives here and the capacity to succeed is unparalleled. Every day hundreds, even thousands, of new successful businesses are launched, keeping the nation’s economy primed with entrepreneurial spirit. While opportunities exist for entrepreneurs, those individuals who have achieved the American dream – building and owning a successful business - often make mistakes when selling their companies.

The Virginia firm of Goodman & Company has announced its merger with three firms: Manning, Perkinson, Floyd Company, Collins Forbes and Company, and Hollrah, Bernstein & Funkhauser. The merger will increase the staff size of Goodman & Company to over 400 professionals with 66 partners. "The advantage for these firms is that they will be able to increase their service offerings to their existing clients," said Goodman's regional partner-in-charge Rich Pontyen.

Twenty four months after a landmark acquisition by H&R Block of KSM Business Services, Inc., an agreement in principle has been reached to sell the subsidiary back to the partners of Katz, Sapper & Miller for $25 million.KSM Business Services was formed in 1998 to allow H&R Block to acquire the non-attest assets of the 48th largest CPA firm in the USA, Indianapolis-based Katz Sapper Miller.KSM Business Services was the third of seven regional accounting firm acquisitions made by H&R Block prior to its acquisition of the non-attest assets and business of McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, the seven

'Invest in the West' is the new motto of Bank of America, which is making efforts to expand its operations in the Western United States.In fact, the bank is doubling its private banking operations in California, and will open 10 new offices up and down the state by the end of the year. Previously, the bank had only nine offices in California.Why? The percentage of wealthy customers who live in the state is overwhelming, especially in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley, according to banking officials.

Crowe, Chizek & Company LLP is set to buy PricewaterhouseCoopers' Fort Wayne, IN practice. A tentative agreement is in effect, and the sale should be final by Octobet 31.The purchase provides Crowe Chizek new territory to add to its already booming practice throughout the Midwest in Indianapolis, Chicago and Cleveland, and even in southeast southern cities like Lexington, KY and Fort Lauderdale, FL.

This week marks an historic milestone in banking. Chase Manhattan Bank has agreed to buy J.P. Morgan for almost $40 billion in stock.The new company, which will be known as J.P. Morgan Chase, will have assets of $675 billion and will rank third as a financial services company following Citigroup Inc. and Bank of America Corp.The buyout is attributed to being able to combine attributes of both companies as they seek a larger piece of the pie.