BKD expands in Arkansas with acquisition

BKD LLP is gaining a stronger foothold in Little Rock, Arkansas, with a newly announced deal.

Effective today, Bankers Assurance LLC has joined with the Springfield-based public accounting firm, according to a news release. The financial terms of the acquisition are undisclosed, said Mike Brothers, BKD's public relations manager.

"Our Arkansas financial services team has known the Bankers Assurance team for many years, and we have always admired their reputation in the industry," said Susan Davenport, BKD managing partner in Little Rock, in the release. "Blending our teams will lead to services and resources for our clients that are much more than the sum of their parts.”

Bankers Assurance, a regulatory compliance consulting firm, serves around 75 financial institutions in Arkansas and surrounding states. Founder Shaun Harms is among the company's staff of five who are joining BKD's Little Rock office.

"We look forward to being a continued resource to community banks in the many years to come," Harms said in the release.

BKD has more than 150 employees in Arkansas at offices in Little Rock, Rogers and Fort Smith.

The Bankers Assurance acquisition comes on the heels of a larger deal announced by BKD this month.

BKD and Charlotte, North Carolina-based DHG are slated to merge in a deal that would create a combined entity with $1.4 billion in annual revenue, Springfield Business Journal previously reported.