Wausau, WI-The partners of Wipfli LLP and the principals of Sycamore Group, LLC are pleased to announce today the merger of their respective firms. Wipfli, the 21st largest CPA and consulting firm in the United States, is headquartered in Wisconsin, and specializes in information technology and management consulting. Sycamore Group, headquartered in Milwaukee, is a management consulting firm specializing in strategic information technology management services. With the merger, Wipfli adds 20 experienced consultants to its already growing information technology and business process services practice. Now, Wipfli has over 80 information technology personnel capable of providing business process, technology management, package implementation, network technology, and custom development services to businesses of all sizes.

"We're extremely excited to add the talents of Sycamore to our firm," said Dale Muehl, partner in charge of Wipfli's Milwaukee office. "We really like how Sycamore looks at the whole picture when it comes to information management. They not only analyze and improve the effectiveness of computer systems, but also the business processes, organizational structure, and the overall business strategy of an organization to ensure alignment. Through this merger, we will be able to offer even greater information management leadership to our clients and the marketplace overall."

"Sycamore has always positioned itself as trusted stewards for our clients," stated Bruce Barchus, principal of Sycamore Group. "Where most technology consulting firms have aligned themselves solely with hardware and software vendors, we've chosen to look beyond those types of relationships, and have always consulted with the interests of our clients first. That's what makes the relationship with Wipfli special--their dedication to fulfill their mission 'to serve as our clients' most trusted business advisor.' This is exactly the approach we have taken throughout our ten-year history."

"While this merger enhances our servicing capabilities in all of our markets, it also fulfills our goal of being an established provider of premier information technology services in southeast Wisconsin," says Jeff Greeneway, partner in charge of Wipfli's information technology practice. "We are able to complement the strength of our existing information technology consulting practice with Sycamore's exceptional technology management and custom development services."

Bruce Barchus and Kurt Hahlbeck, principals of Sycamore, will become partners within Wipfli and will manage and operate the Sycamore practice. "Because we recognize the important value of the Sycamore name throughout Wisconsin, we will continue to build on that reputation of information technology excellence," commented Greg Barber, managing partner of Wipfli.

Clients of Sycamore will continue to be served by the consultants who have managed their accounts and projects from the Sycamore offices in Milwaukee and Appleton. "This merger provides our clients with more resources and capabilities," added Hahlbeck. "Because Wipfli serves clients throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota, this new relationship helps us attain our strategic plan of expansion beyond our current eastern Wisconsin markets."

SpiderLogic, a branch of Sycamore Group, providing enterprise Java architecture services for organizations that are developing applications or integrating existing systems, is also part of the merger.

Wipfli LLP, the 21st largest CPA firm in the United States, offers accounting and tax services, management consulting, and information systems consulting to clients throughout the Midwest.