KSM adds MichaelSilver | Accounting Today

Katz, Sapper & Miller, a Top 50 Firm based in Indianapolis, has formally entered the Chicago market by adding MichaelSilver, an advisory, tax and assurance firm in Deerfield, Illinois, serving clients for over 80 years, effective Thursday, July 31.

MichaelSilver offers tax, accounting, assurance and consulting services to a range of middle-market clients, including those in the automobile dealership, fleet management, high-net-worth, manufacturing, professional services and real estate sectors. MichaelSilver’s services in trust/estate, international tax, outsourced finance and accounting, valuations, and transactions complements many of the services KSM offers its clients.

“We are excited to welcome MichaelSilver to the KSM family,” said KSM CEO and president Tim Cook in a statement Monday. “MichaelSilver was a natural fit for our firm — not just because of its depth of talent and complementary services, but because of our shared culture and values. Given our existing team of a dozen remote employees and many valued clients in Chicagoland, establishing a dedicated KSM office in the region will further solidify our presence in the Windy City. This move strengthens our relationships, opens the door to new opportunities for growth, talent and impact, and supports many of KSM’s strategic goals.”

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. KSM ranked No. 48 on Accounting Today‘s 2025 list of the Top 100 Firms. KSM’s annual revenue for 2024 was $166.04 million, and it has 70 partners and 667 employees. The deal with MichaelSilver will add 14 partners and 60 employees. The partners include co-managing partners Larry Isaacson and Jennifer A. Barliant, who will continue to lead KSM’s new Chicagoland office. Eligible MichaelSilver employees will become employee-owners through participation in KSM’s employee stock ownership plan. 

“Joining KSM marks an exciting new chapter in MichaelSilver’s 80-year-plus history,” said Barliant in a statement. “From the start, we recognized in KSM a shared commitment to forward-thinking strategies, employee development and values that mirror our own. We’re excited to leverage KSM’s expanded resources and collaborative spirit to continue delivering exceptional results for our clients and new opportunities for our team.”

“We approached the decision to join KSM with great care, knowing how critical it is to align with a firm that reflects our principles and aspirations,” Isaacson stated. “KSM’s people-centered culture, leadership vision, and emphasis on employee development made that alignment clear. As we become KSM’s Chicago regional office, we look forward to building on MichaelSilver’s legacy and shaping a strong future together.” 

This deal follows KSM’s successful integrations of Shanholt Glassman Klein Kramer & Co. in New York City and Cassady Schiller in Cincinnati last year. Earlier this year, Noble Consulting Services, a subsidiary of Katz, Sapper & Miller, added Rector & Associates. Last year, KSM also added ValueKnowledge LLC, a valuation and advisory firm based in Downers Grove, Illinois, in the Chicago area. 

The ValueKnowledge deal is not as large as the MichaelSilver deal, according to a KSM spokesperson, as ValueKnowedge was a small boutique firm focused on valuations. The owner of ValueKnowledge joined KSM as a contractor for a short period of time, while the other employee joined KSM as an FTE, but he had already been living and working in Indianapolis. MichaelSilver is the first full-service CPA firm to join KSM in Chicagoland and will serve as KSM’s Chicago regional office and will assume the KSM brand in the months ahead.