M&A roundup: Citrin Cooperman, Brown Edwards and Pinion expand

Pinion, a Top 75 Firm based in Loveland, Colorado that specializes in food and agricultural accounting is expanding its presence in the Midwest by merging in Gifford & Cox LLC, a firm with offices in North Platte and McCook, Nebraska and Windsor, Colorado. 

The deal will bolster Pinion’s presence in Nebraska, the Dakotas, Colorado, and Kansas, and enhance its ability to serve agricultural producers and businesses across the region.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Gifford & Cox had annual revenue of $6 million with two partners and 30 staff members.  Pinion earned $130 million in revenue and ranked No. 61 on Accounting Today‘s 2025 list of the Top 100 Firms, with 91 partners and over 600 staff members.

“Gifford & Cox has built trusted relationships and a strong reputation for serving ag producers and rural businesses across the Plains,” said Pinion CEO Jeff Wald in a statement Monday. “By bringing our teams together, we’re able to offer a deeper bench of expertise and a greater regional reach — connecting clients to more specialized advisors and insights to help them plan strategically and grow sustainably.”

Gifford & Cox was founded in 2003 and provides accounting, tax, and consulting services to a wide variety of clients, specializing in ag-related businesses and family-owned businesses across the Midwest. 

“Our clients are at the heart of everything we do, and joining Pinion ensures they continue to receive the same personalized service and trusted guidance they’ve relied on for years,” said Kyle Gifford, co-founder and principal at Gifford & Cox, in a statement. “At the same time, they now gain access to Pinion’s national expertise and resources, which opens up even more opportunities for growth and success.”

Pinion was formerly known as KCoe Isom, but changed its name in 2022. Many members of the Gifford & Cox team previously worked for Kennedy & Coe, a predecessor firm for KCoe Isom.  Kennedy & Coe, the Wichita, Kansas-firm adopted the name KCoe Isom in early 2015 after it merged with Chico, California-based Matson and Isom the year before. The deal with Gifford & Cox will bring back a number of familiar faces and trusted colleagues to the Pinion team.

“This partnership is about more than combining firms — it’s about positioning our clients and our team for long-term success,” said Ty Cox, co-founder and principal at Gifford & Cox, in a statement. “We’re excited to combine resources to help businesses across the U.S. thrive in the years ahead.”

In 2022, after the name change, Pinion merged in Anderson ZurMuehlen, a Regional Leader based in Helena, Montana. Last year, Pinion launched an international consulting network called Pinion Global Network to provide food and agricultural firms around the world with shared information, expertise and resources. The first three member firms were Pinion in the U.S., Pinion Advisory in Australia, and ACS 360 in South Africa.