Cherry Bekaert Adds Rhode Island Firm in Fourth 2026 Deal

Cherry Bekaert’s latest deal adds a Providence accounting and advisory firm, more than 60 professionals and a broad set of client services to its New England business. The move is the Raleigh-based firm’s fourth acquisition in 2026, extending a year of geographic expansion whose financial terms remain undisclosed.

Sansiveri, Kimball & Co. serves clients across Rhode Island and the wider New England region. Its work spans audit, accounting, tax, forensic services, valuation, financial management, strategic planning and business counsel. The firm’s sector focus includes construction, real estate, manufacturing, nonprofits, healthcare and professional services.

That mix gives Cherry Bekaert an established local operation with services reaching beyond core accounting. For clients, the practical question will be how the combined organization delivers those capabilities and maintains existing relationships. For employees, more than 60 Sansiveri professionals are joining Cherry Bekaert, creating a larger regional team and a new organizational home.

A fourth addition in 2026

The Sansiveri transaction follows three other deals by Cherry Bekaert this year: Tarsus, based in Washington, D.C., in January; Richardson Kontogouris Emerson, based in Torrance, California, in February; and Houston-based Calvetti Ferguson in June. Together, the four additions give the firm a wider set of offices and teams across several U.S. markets. The source provides no purchase prices or other financial terms for the Sansiveri deal, limiting what can be inferred about its scale relative to the earlier transactions.

Cherry Bekaert has said the Rhode Island firm will strengthen its reach in key New England markets. Acquiring a firm with existing local clients and a team already serving several industries can extend a larger practice’s regional presence while adding experienced staff and service lines. The value of that expansion depends on how well the firms combine their operations and keep clients and professionals connected to the people they already rely on.

The transaction divides assets between two Cherry Bekaert entities. Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC will acquire Sansiveri’s nonattest assets, while Cherry Bekaert LLP will acquire its attest assets. The source does not describe operational changes tied to that division. It does, however, show that the combination covers both advisory work and attest services through separate entities within the firm’s structure.

People and client relationships are central

Michelle Thompson, CEO of Cherry Bekaert Advisory, described the deal as part of the firm’s growth strategy. “This acquisition reflects our commitment to strategic growth through partnerships with firms that share our values, culture, and client-first mindset,” she said. Thompson also pointed to Sansiveri’s reputation for trusted relationships and service, and said the firms intend to expand opportunities for their people and advisory capabilities for clients.

Jason DaPonte, Sansiveri’s managing partner, said the firm sought a partner with a similar emphasis on client service and relationships. He said joining Cherry Bekaert would give clients and staff access to broader resources while keeping the client experience and culture that Sansiveri has built. Those aims describe the firms’ stated priorities; the source does not detail how teams, client assignments or service delivery will change after the transaction.

Sansiveri was founded in 1975. Its long operating history and range of specialist services give Cherry Bekaert an established platform in Rhode Island, rather than a presence built solely by adding an office. Whether the broader organization can sustain the close client relationships emphasized by both leaders will be a key measure of how the deal works in practice.

Growth structure and open questions

Cherry Bekaert shifted to an alternative practice structure after receiving private equity funding from Parthenon Capital in 2022. That background provides context for its continuing expansion, though the source does not connect the Sansiveri transaction’s financing or terms to that investment. Without disclosed financial details, the deal’s price, expected contribution to revenue and cost of integration cannot be assessed from the available information.

For now, the clearest measures are operational: the addition of more than 60 professionals, a Providence-based firm serving clients throughout New England, and service coverage spanning audit, tax, advisory and related work. The next points to watch are how Cherry Bekaert integrates Sansiveri’s teams, maintains its sector expertise and translates a broader regional footprint into consistent support for clients and staff.

Photo credit: Cherry Bekaert