Published: August 20, 2008 12:26 am            

CITY OF TONAWANDA: Local accounting firms merge

Two local accounting firms joined forces nearly a year ago, but the state just recently approved the venture’s name.

The firm is now called Amato, Fox & Company, and brings together James Amato & Company and Fox & Company, both of which operated in the Tonawandas for 50 years before merging.

Located at 36 Niagara St. in the City of Tonawanda, Amato, Fox & Company’s managing partner is John Guido, formerly of James Amato & Company PC, which was founded in 1959 in North Tonawanda; it moved to the City of Tonawanda around 30 years ago. Fox & Company began operating in 1956 on Sheridan Drive in the Town of Tonawanda.

“The firms mesh very well together,” Guido said, adding that the two actually merged in November, but it took some time for the state to approve the name change. “It brings both of our companies a lot more strength and diversification.”

James Amato & Company had focused primarily on tax planning and preparation, while Fox & Company worked more with municipalities, school districts and fire departments.

Accounting firms are trending toward expanding their services to become a one-stop shop for their clients, said Tom Duerr, managing partner of the CPA Financial Network, a Williamsville-based network of more than three dozen Western New York CPA companies.

“When you can help a client with one or two services, that’s fine. But if you can help on five or six, you know the client and the client has trust in you,” Duerr said.

Among the services Amato, Fox & Company offers are auditing, tax preparation and planning and estate planning. In addition, they offer accounting services for business, government and not-for-profit organizations.

The firm serves a wide range of clients in the retail, wholesale, medical, environmental and school sectors, among others.

“With this new venture, we believe our firm is strongly positioned to offer added value in a variety of categories, both to clients who worked with our previous two firms and new clients,” Guido said.

Contact reporter David J. Hill at 693-1000, ext. 115.

        

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