Accelerating Ambition: How LBA Haynes Strand’s Merger with Aprio Unlocked Regional Growth and National Influence

The Background

LBA Haynes Strand sought out a strategic partner to accelerate growth and unlock new opportunities for its team and clients across the Carolinas.

Meet LBA Haynes Strand Headquartered in North Carolina with offices in Charlotte, Greensboro, Mt. Airy, Winston Salem and Asheboro, LBA Haynes Strand had grown through multiple mergers and was well accustomed to change. “Our firm had done a lot of mergers over the years to get to where we were. Our people were used to change,” said LBA Haynes Strand founding member and former CEO, John Bly. The firm’s relationship with Aprio began years before the combination. “In the year leading up to the merger, we already had about $750,000 worth of joint work together.” This shared history helped foster trust that the two firms served clients similarly and aligned culturally. Internally, LBA Haynes Strand had already been thinking ahead. The leadership team was building its five‑year plan and evaluating how to accelerate growth, increase opportunities for its people, and expand capabilities for clients, John explained. “We thought we could get [the firm] to where we wanted [it] to be by 2025. If we merged with Aprio, we could get there by 2021. That’s three or four years faster. Aprio would speed up opportunities for growth and speed up our human resources capabilities for our people.”

The Brief Firm: LBA Haynes Strand Industry Specialty: Enterprise Risk Management, Capital Advisors, and Dental Merged with Aprio: November 2019

The Opportunity

For LBA Haynes Strand, the choice to explore a combination with Aprio was built on trust and years of experience working together. “We decided that we should explore the merger based on the fact our teams had already collaborated effectively, and clients were treated as ‘important’ regardless of size, which reinforced cultural fit” John said.

The effective merger date preceded the COVID-19 shutdowns by only a few months, which reshaped the integration journey and underscored the benefits of joining a larger firm. “Any challenges we may have faced [on our own] became irrelevant in March 2020 when COVID happened. Everybody rallied together,” John recounted.

Aprio invested in a structured onboarding approach. “Every single LBA Haynes Strand person had a buddy on the Aprio side that they connected with and that was helpful to get [our people] settled in.” The firms trained in Charlotte and remotely, then unified technology within months. “We were in separate software systems for about six or seven months…then we were able to combine all of our technology together. That made it more streamlined, and we did more trainings that summer to get everybody integrated.”

Results & Growth

John underscores that Aprio’s culture wasn’t just aspirational. “We live by the fundamentals. The fact that we go-to-market, we help each other to the best of our ability…We were able to get through that start of 2020 successfully because the firm worked together. We weren’t one person making decisions. We were trying to figure it out all as a group.”

The larger platform created real‑time client impact during a volatile period. “Aprio quickly stood up a couple of new service offerings around some of the new laws that were passed right then and there. We were able to help clients in ways that we wouldn’t have been previously able to. We wouldn’t have had the right number of people or be able to support the opportunities that came up on our own,” he said.

The merger accelerated growth for the business and expanded opportunities for people. “When we merged, LBA was only about 70 people and Aprio about 400. Today, our legacy LBA offices have about 120 people and in total Aprio has about 2500, so we have grown a lot.” In John’s own professional journey, the merger has multiplied his leadership reach. “I now sit on our Board of Directors and day-to-day I oversee almost 15 offices and 800 people along the Southeast.”

On top of the growth in staff, [within 6 years] revenue has more than doubled, the average new client opportunity has tripled in size, and two of LBA’s top three clients came on post-merger.

Team development has also been a hallmark outcome. “The number of people who have been promoted since they came from LBA Haynes Strand to Aprio and the number of people who are learning more, serving different clients, getting career development, better learning, and development opportunities has been incredible. We’ve added two lateral hire partners and have promoted an internal partner.” John said.

Client Win: Expanding Omega Construction’s Capabilities One North Carolina client illustrates the expanded value the combined firm can deliver. After the merger, the LBA Haynes Strand team helped Omega Construction achieve new milestones by delivering a broader range of services and deeper strategic support. Post-merger highlights: Expanded from tax and audit services to include wealth management, succession planning, retirement plan design, consulting, and software implementation. Enabled Omega’s owners to plan for the next generation of leadership and support rapid business growth. Provided access to resources that would have been unavailable prior to the merger.

“We’ve gone from offering two or three services to about 10 or 12 services with that client, and they’ve grown a lot. Aprio has been able to grow those opportunities with them.”

— John Bly, South Atlantic Regional Leader | Manufacturing, International, and Technology | Tax Partner

Bottom Line Six years on from announcement, the merger has delivered the acceleration LBA Haynes Strand sought out for, while preserving and amplifying a people-first culture. Clients have benefitted from broader capabilities and faster solutions. Team members have access to deeper learning, clearer career advancement pathways, and a national network that makes collaboration second nature. As John puts it, clients now see Aprio “even more as a resource than they did before.” Reflecting on the decision to merge, John says, “Our firm was nimble, made decisions quickly, was extremely responsive to clients, and were entrepreneurial. It was critical to us in a merger that Aprio was similar in those key aspects and they were a great fit. We continue to benefit from all those things still.”

Goals Achieved Since 2019 Expanded headcount from 70 people to about 120 people Promoted 1 internal employee to partner

For firms considering a merger, John offers this piece of advice: “Think One Aprio. You used to try to solve all your problems within the four walls of your building. You do not need to solve this problem alone. Someone else has seen this problem before and solved it. When I’m talking to a client today, I can say that we can help with that, then I go and figure out who does it in Aprio.”

Are you interested in exploring a strategic partnership with a like-minded firm?
Aprio offers two ways to start working together immediately: PS+ provides specialized resources and advisory support across strategy, people, and operations, and the Aprio Firm Alliance equips small and mid‑sized firms with guidance, community, and partnerships to thrive. Connect with John Bly to validate fit, build trust, and accelerate what’s next for your firm. You may also visit grow.aprio.com for more information.