Top 20 accounting firm Armanino has expanded its managed service offerings by joining forces with Strategic Accounting Outsourced Solutions, a specialized outsourced accounting firm.
Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Founded in 2012 and recognized on the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing firms list for three consecutive years, SAOS offers a flexible outsourced accounting model tailored to a business’s needs and financial requirements, including full or part-time bookkeeper, accountant, controller, or CFO. The firm says it serves small to midsized organizations in the family-office, nonprofit, and real estate industries.
“SAOS is a values-driven team with a passion for strategic client support in outsourced accounting and advice,” Matt Armanino, CEO of San Ramon, CA-based Armanino Advisory LLC, said in a statement. “Their people, specialized expertise, and strong service culture align perfectly with ours, and together we’ll deliver even greater impact for our clients. The need for outsourced services, especially in complex areas of finance, payroll, human resources, tax, fund administration, and nonprofit strategic development outsourcing, is only growing, and this combination allows us to expand our outsourced finance offerings and scale faster to meet this major need.”
Armanino says SAOS enhances its outsourced capabilities with additional depth, specifically in the nonprofit and family-office sectors—core client bases for both firms. In addition, SAOS and its clients will benefit from the full lineup of Armanino’s services, including specific solutions such as reporting automation and deeper consulting support. Armanino also noted that its focus on innovation and artificial intelligence will serve as a cross-benefit, allowing SAOS to leverage additional platforms that enhance reporting capabilities for clients and robotic processing automation tools to deliver efficiency, clarity, and actionable insights.
“For us, this was all about alignment of values, culture, and long-term vision,” said Kim Discenza, founder and CEO of SAOS. “Armanino has always stood out for its client-centric philosophy and forward-thinking mindset, which sets them apart from other large accounting and consulting firms. But what truly matters is that their culture reflects our own: one that prioritizes people, fosters a strong sense of belonging, and empowers employees as the foundation of long-term success. We share a commitment to integrity, innovation, and delivering exceptional value to our clients. This partnership represents an exciting step forward for our employees and clients, and we’re proud to be joining forces with people who see the future the way we do.”
“Armanino offers the infrastructure we were seeking to scale and enhance the great work we’re doing for clients,” added Brittany Russell, partner at SAOS. “Paired with strong cultural alignment, this partnership will enable us to accelerate our vision of becoming industry leaders in serving family office and nonprofit clients.”
Allan Koltin, CEO at Koltin Consulting Group, who advised both firms on the combination, said Armanino and SAOS both recognize the future of the profession is in high-touch, turnkey solutions like outsourced accounting that are responsive to what clients need in today’s business environment.
“Both firms share a commitment to growth grounded in client success and creating solutions designed to solve mission-critical challenges, making for a strong cultural alignment and an easy decision to come together,” he said.
Last October, Armanino said it had received a minority investment from Further Global Capital Management, a New York-based employee-owned private equity firm that makes investments in businesses within the financial services industry. The accounting firm said the investment supports its strategic growth into additional markets, improves the firm’s technology infrastructure, and provides additional resources.
Armanino’s last M&A deal was in May when it acquired Cooper Savas, a full-service public accounting firm based in Salt Lake City.
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