The financial services firm of Oregon-based Aldrich Kilbride & Tatone (AKT) and San Diego’s Grice Lund & Tarkington (GLT) are merging, effective immediately, to become one company under the AKT name.

The merger escalates AKT’s already noteworthy growth with its CPA, wealth advisors and benefits advisors firms and enables the clients of the combined firm to enjoy an enriched service platform. The combined company will retain the existing partnership groups and will employ more than 200 professionals and staff in six offices worldwide with locations in Oregon, California, and India.

“Maintaining our current growth rate required us to aggressively bolster our staff and resources,” Stephen Tatone, CEO of AKT, explains. “The quality of our merger partner immediately enables us to expand our talent pool and will help our clients achieve their goals.”

The symmetry of AKT’s and GLT’s work cultures and financial service offerings should enable a seamless transition. For example, AKT’s rapidly growing healthcare practice will combine with GLT’s substantial healthcare niche and make it possible to serve existing and new clients with additional depth and expertise.

“By combining our talent pools, we improve our ability to address client needs in the changing environment of accounting and financial services,” GLT Managing Partner Ron Mitchell says.

The new company retains AKT’s 15 partners and GLT’s eight to form a team of 23, with Stephen Tatone remaining as CEO and Managing Partner of the combined firms. The headquarters will remain in Salem, Oregon. Both companies serve clients throughout the western United States, and AKT has clients in Hawaii and American Samoa.