Associate Member: CliftonLarsonAllen
CliftonLarsonAllen is a professional services firm that provides audit, tax, consulting and advisory services to clients across various industries, including privately-held businesses, nonprofits, government entities and individuals.
Let’s be honest, very few of us got into the construction industry eager to manage the financial side of the business. Ideally, you find an accounting firm that understands what you do. What if I told you there’s a firm in the Bay Area with more than 60 staff members dedicated to construction clients?
CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA) may be the eighth largest accounting firm in the country, with more than 9,000 employees spread across 130 locations nationwide, but they have five decades of experience working with construction clients right here in the Bay Area. This requires a little unpacking.
CLA has three offices in the Bay Area. Before those offices joined the CLA family in 2017 they were called GALLINA LLP. GALLINA — now CLA Bay Area — has served the construction industry since in the ‘70s. They’ve been an active SMACNA associate member for nearly 20 years, and their Managing Principal Darren Sparks has personally served the construction field for 28 years.
“Our Bay Area construction industry professionals spend time getting to know our clients so we can find the best ways to help them,” Sparks said. “As longtime members of SMACNA, our teams have a deep understanding of the sheet metal industry and the needs of business owners.”
CLA offers more than just accounting services. Construction groups around the nation utilize the firm for financial advisory and consulting services, tax and audit services, and more. That “more” is growing. CLA is investing heavily in new technologies to help their team and the clients they serve. The recent addition of a digital service line stands out as particularly useful.
“The digital service line is bringing capabilities to our clients they wouldn’t have had access to otherwise; tools that will help them streamline, work smarter, and better serve their own customers and clients,” Sparks said. He encouraged his clients in the construction industry to reach out to see how this new service could help them.
Speaking of help, CLA is big on giving back to the communities that support them. The CLA Foundation grants millions of dollars each year to organizations dedicated to what the company refers to as the “Three Es” — Education, Employment, and Entrepreneurship. Sparks noted the foundation has some $3 million of grant commitments nailed for 2024 already.
“We believe our large group of construction industry professionals is one of our greatest strengths,” Sparks said. “As a professional services firm that brings assurance and tax, as well as specialty tax services, wealth advisory and digital solutions, we have a full menu of ways to help SMACNA members.”