October 19, 2020 (West Palm Beach, FL) – Julio Gonzalez, CEO of Engineered Tax Services (ETS) announced today that he has acquired both The Growth Partnership (TGP) and the ABLE CRM platform from longtime consultants Jeff Pawlow and Charles Hylan. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but Pawlow and Hylan have signed agreements to continue in their respective roles. Both companies will continue to operate under their current names and from their current locations.
ETS is the only licensed engineering firm providing specialty tax services to the architecture vertical. With the addition of TGP and ABLE, the ETS family of companies will be able to offer outsourced marketing services, specialized CRM tools, and state of the art training for architectural firms they are serving.
“The professional services space is rapidly adopting a more ‘advisory’ mindset and looking to drive additional value into their client relationships,” said Gonzalez as he addressed the strategic rationale for the acquisition. “Jeff and Charles have positioned TGP at the forefront of that movement. I look forward to introducing their significant expertise and the unique ABLE CRM platform to our client family.”
TGP and ABLE currently employ 15 people, a number that is expected to expand over the next 12 months based on anticipated growth related to the synergies between ETS, TGP and ABLE. The TGP and ABLE teams will join the ETS team of over 120 professionals serving more than 3,000 CPA firms and related associations.
Allan D. Koltin, CEO of Koltin Consulting Group, who advised both firms on the transaction commented, “This combination will prove transformational to Julio Gonzalez and ETS and quickly advance their position as thought-leaders and advisors to the profession. The additions of industry luminaries Jeff Pawlow and Charles Hylan along with the talented team at The Growth Partnership and ABLE will position ETS as the go-to option for firms looking to pivot from compliance to advisory services.”
“I am excited about adding TGP and ABLE to Julio’s growing family of companies,” said Jeff Pawlow, the former Managing Member and CEO of TGP and ABLE who will continue as a Managing Director at both organizations. “The expanded range of advisory services our clients will have access to via the ETS companies allow us to ‘complete the circuit’ when it comes to helping our clients position themselves as trusted advisors.”
“This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to create something truly special in the marketplace,” said Charles Hylan, who will serve as a Managing Director at both organizations moving forward. “Our combination with Julio creates a situation where ‘1 plus 1 equals 5’ for our clients. The advisory mindset is going to be incredibly important in the years ahead as clients demand more than traditional ‘debits and credits’ from their CPAs.”
ABOUT ENGINEERED TAX SERVICES:
ETS is the only licensed engineering firm providing specialty tax services to architectural firms and their clients. As advocates for America’s small and mid-sized businesses, ETS helps architects add value to their client relationships by providing sophisticated strategies like cost segregation, the research and development credit, and other specialized credits and incentives, allowing them to retain more working capital and drive profitability.
ABOUT THE GROWTH PARTNERSHIP
Since its founding in 1999, The Growth Partnership (TGP) has been helping professional services firms create sustainable, profitable growth through a diverse range of offerings that include: Outsourced marketing and marketing bureau services, non-technical training and education, client satisfaction and loyalty surveys, and strategic planning / firm retreats. TGP also administers the innovative Leadership Academy program for the American Institute of Architects.
ABOUT ABLE
ABLE is the leading customer experience and CRM platform for professional service providers. ABLE helps CPA's, architects, engineering firms, law firms, financial advisors and wealth management firms function as trusted advisors, build their own personal brand, better position themselves as thought-leaders in their respective practice area and differentiate themselves from the competition.
