For the second year in a row, top 10 U.S. public accounting and consulting firm Crowe Chizek and Company LLC has been named the top accounting advisory firm at the 2004 Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Advisor Awards.

Presented by Mergers and Acquisitions Advisor, a leading publisher for financial executives in middle market mergers and acquisitions, the awards are also known as "The Academy Awards of Middle Market M&A." The awards are presented annually to the top dealmakers based on transactions in middle market mergers and acquisitions. Trish Regan, host of CBS MarketWatch, emceed the black tie gala, informally dubbed "the Mackies," at the New York Athletic Club in New York City.

Awards were given for M&A transaction work valued between $10 million and $1 billion, the defined range of the middle market. Fifty-seven finalists in 17 categories were selected by the Mergers & Acquisitions Advisor nominations committee, composed of members of the publication's editorial board and select members of the journalistic community.

Crowe's M&A clients include a significant number of buyout capital firms, multi-national firms, specialty finance companies, and middle market privately held companies throughout the U.S.