Hill, Barth & King Acquires McDirmit Davis in Orlando

The deal, effective November 2, 2026, opens the firm's first Orlando office and adds a government and employee benefit plan audit practice.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Professional Services

Hill, Barth & King Acquires McDirmit Davis in Orlando

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Hill, Barth & King has acquired McDirmit Davis, a firm specializing in government contractors, local governments and employee benefit plan audits, with the transaction taking effect November 2, 2026. The acquisition opens the Canfield, Ohio-based firm's first office in Orlando.

Why it matters

The deal extends the reach of a firm ranked No. 49 on Accounting Today's 2026 Top 100 list into Central Florida, a market where government and benefit plan audit work is concentrated. It also continues a pattern of acquisitions the firm has made across several states since 2021.

Hill, Barth & King reported $184 million in revenue with 100 partners and more than 777 employees, ranking No. 49 on Accounting Today's 2026 Top 100 Firms list. The source does not disclose the acquisition's purchase price or how many McDirmit Davis employees will join the firm.

The players

Hill, Barth & King

A Canfield, Ohio-based accounting firm that ranked No. 49 on Accounting Today's 2026 Top 100 Firms list and has grown through a series of acquisitions across several states.

McDirmit Davis

An accounting firm that specializes in government contractors, local governments and employee benefit plan audits, and whose practice now becomes part of Hill, Barth & King.

The details

The McDirmit Davis acquisition took effect November 2, 2026, bringing its government contractor, local government and employee benefit plan audit work into Hill, Barth & King. Separately, a longtime Naples accountant with more than 40 years serving the region joined the firm's Naples office.

2021: Hill, Barth & King acquired Vertical Solutions in Pittsburgh.
2023: The firm added Zapken & Loeb in New York.
January 2025: The firm added Acuity Human Resources.
October 2025: The firm added KHS in New Jersey.
November 2, 2026: The McDirmit Davis acquisition took effect.

Market Landscape

Hill, Barth & King's No. 49 placement on Accounting Today's 2026 Top 100 Firms list places it among the larger U.S. accounting firms competing for consolidation-driven growth. The McDirmit Davis deal follows the firm's 2021 Vertical Solutions acquisition and its 2025 Acuity Human Resources and 2025 KHS additions, a pattern of serial deal-making that mirrors wider consolidation among mid-sized firms.

For Orlando-area businesses, governments and benefit plan sponsors that worked with McDirmit Davis, the acquisition means their audit relationships now sit within Hill, Barth & King. The source does not describe any change in fees, service terms or staff contacts for existing clients.

The takeaway

Acquisitions are how mid-sized accounting firms add specialty practices and new markets, and clients of an acquired firm should expect their service relationships to be reviewed as the combined firm integrates operations.