Two Lawrence-baced accounting firms have joined forces on Brunswick Pike. Ballezzi & Associates has merged into Bartolomei Pucciarelli, giving the combined company offices in Lawrence, Cranbury, and Ocean townships.
“We are continually looking to increase our commercial business practice,” says James Bartolomei, managing partner of Bartolomei Pucciarelli. “This deal is a home run for us as we continue to expand our operations.”
He says that as Ballezzi’s practice grew, the company wanted to join a firm “with a diverse team of professionals and broader resources to support them in delivering the progressive services which both firms are known for.” The merger increases Bartolomei’s privately held business client base and adds experienced partner-level talent to the firm.
In existence for some 40 years, the majority of Ballezzi & Associates’ customer base is in commercial businesses, with a specialty in the information technology sector. Many of those clients are software development companies requiring a wide variety of services, including outsourced CFO, business consulting, performance analysis, and capital procurement.
“Our firm is a lot like BP,” says Ballezzi founding partner Ric Ballezzi. “We have a wide diversity of clients that have been with our firm for over 35 years because we go beyond the typical compliance services.”
Ballezzi’s Lawrenceville office at 2223 Brunswick Pike will be closed and the business transferred to Bartolomei’s main office at 2564 Brunswick Pike. Ballezzi says plans are to rent the old office, which is nearing completion of renovations, and eventually sell it.
Ballezzi’s location at 101 North Main Street in Cranbury will remain open as an office of Bartolomei Pucciarelli. Bartolomei also has a regional office in Ocean.
According to Ballezzi, a 15-year relationship between the two companies made the decision to merge with Bartolomei Pucciarelli an easy one. Throughout that time, the two firms have collaborated on numerous projects, giving both a solid understanding of each other’s capabilities and approach to client services, he says.
“There is a true alignment with regard to integrity, values, and shared concern for our clients’ best interests,” says Ballezzi. “This was very important to me and my partner. We are energized by this merger knowing that the BP team will increase our ability to provide the high-tech and high-touch services our customers have come to expect. In fact, when we made the decision to merge up, BP was the only firm we considered.”
Bartolomei Pucciarelli LLC, 2564 Brunswick Pike, Lawrenceville 08648; 609-883-9000; fax, 609-883-9008. James Bartolomei, partner. www.bp-cpas.com.
