Wipfli expands presence in Chicago as Patke & Associates joins firm

Wipfli, one of the top 20 accounting and consulting firms in the United States, announced today that the shareholders and associates of Lincolnshire, Illinois-based Patke & Associates will join the firm effective August 1.

As part of this transaction, 12 professionals from Patke & Associates will join more than 2,300 professionals at Wipfli (including approximately 250 in Chicagoland). Moving forward, the firm will do business as Wipfli.

“The addition of Patke & Associates provides Wipfli with an opportunity to add specialized resources and build a special industry niche focused on hedge funds,” said Kurt Gresens, Wipfli’s managing partner. “Given our combined knowledge and strength in the financial institutions and financial services industry and our shared dedication to our clients and helping them achieve their goals, this is an excellent addition for our firm.”

“Patke & Associates is very excited to join Wipfli, a firm with a similar client service philosophy and values,” said Paul Patke, owner and managing shareholder of Patke & Associates. “For our clients, this will broaden and deepen the specialized services we can provide, allowing our team to continue to meet clients’ needs as they face new challenges in the years ahead. For our associates, the combination will provide advanced training opportunities and increased career opportunities as they become associates in a larger firm.”

Ron Niemaszyk, Patke & Associates’ shareholder, added, “At Patke & Associates, we have built our practice by providing top-quality service and establishing strong relationships with our clients. By joining Wipfli, we will now have access to additional resources to help grow the hedge fund practice and to help our clients no matter what challenges they face, while continuing to provide them with the personal attention they expect to receive from our firm’s shareholders and associates.”

Allan D. Koltin, CEO of Koltin Consulting Group who advised both firms on the transaction, commented, “This is another great example of Wipfli’s commitment to specialized knowledge and industry expertise. Even though Wipfli is one of the fastest growing firms in the country, they continue to be very strategic in their selection of firms they invite to join them and very disciplined in their commitment to “going deep” in the industries in which they specialize. Patke loved the opportunity to take their hedge fund practice to the next level and expand their service offerings to their clients and contacts in the financial services industry.”

Founded in 1990, Patke & Associates is an audit, tax and consulting firm based in Lincolnshire, Illinois. The firm is a leading investment partnership services provider to more than 100 global investment funds. Patke & Associates’ services include investment partnership and hedge fund audits, surprise examinations for RIAs and tax planning and preparation.