Concannon Miller merging into CLA

Starting Nov. 1, an accounting and business services firm that has served the Lehigh Valley for 60 years will be going by a new name. 

Concannon Miller, which has offices in Bethlehem and Florida, is merging into a larger firm, CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP), which is a global network of independent accounting firms. 

Concannon Miller President and CEO Ted Witman said that while it is bittersweet saying goodbye to the firm’s name, he said CLA is a well-known and respected accounting firm both across the country and globally and merging into the company will open up many opportunities. 

“The name Concannon Miller has been so well known in the Lehigh Valley, but CLA has very strong name recognition throughout the country,” said Witman. 

The decision to merge into a larger firm came after a great deal of deliberation. 

“We’ve experienced tremendous growth in the last several years,” Witman said. “We have struggled to find the resources to meet that growth, especially for our national McDonald’s accounts.” 

While Concannon Miller had never previously entertained the idea of an upwards merger, stakeholders decided that at this time, such a move could solve many of its problems. 

After a search, they sought out a merger with CLA, which Witman said shared a similar culture and had the leadership they wanted and the resources they needed. 

Other than the name, Witman said clients won’t see too much of a change. Concanon Miller will continue to operate out of its current office, with the Bethlehem office answering to the Plymouth Meeting CLA office and the St. Petersburg, Florida office answering to the  Tampa CLA office. 

Local management will stay the same. Witman’s title will change to director of operations. 

Clients will be serviced by the same staff members they are now, but with CLA’s network of 120 offices in the country, the newly merged firm will be able to offer new services that it wasn’t before. 

“We will be able to offer resources that Concanon Miller didn’t have,” Witman said.