Recent Professional Services Acquisitions in Alabama
Acquisition Volume in Professional Services in Alabama by Year
Last 5 years
Professional services acquisitions in Alabama span several deal themes—from expanding specialized advisory and compliance capabilities to scaling industry-focused platforms. Recent activity includes transactions in valuation services, accounting and risk/advisory, PEO resourcing solutions, and applied engineering and services.
Architecture and design is a clear through-line in Alabama. Lathan Associates Architects P.C. (doing business as Lathan McKee Architects / L&M Group), supported by Hidden Harbor Capital Partners, has consolidated multiple firms to build a larger K‑12 education and regional architecture platform. In parallel, other buyers have focused on integrating niche professional service operations into broader networks.
Across the set, technology-forward capability and workflow improvement show up alongside traditional services expansion. Examples include Opteon acquiring Equity Valuation Partners to modernize appraisal workflows, and Schellman & Company acquiring the practice of INSYTE CPAs to deepen attestation and compliance capabilities for clients.
What Stands Out
- Lathan Associates Architects P.C. (Lathan McKee Architects / L&M Group), backed by Hidden Harbor Capital Partners, has completed multiple Alabama-area acquisitions to expand a K‑12 education architecture and design platform.
- Buyers are also strengthening specialized professional services: Opteon (valuation/appraisal), Schellman & Company (CPA practice; risk management, internal control, and business process services), and OneDigital (PEO HR/payroll/benefits solutions).
- In applied services, Leidos Holdings, Inc. acquired Dynetics, Inc. (Alabama), adding applied-research, systems engineering, and secure manufacturing capabilities.
- Acquisitions are often framed around integration goals—network expansion, preserving local leadership/operations, or speeding workflows—rather than broad market commentary.
| Recurring buyer (name) | What the deals emphasize |
|---|---|
| Lathan Associates Architects P.C. (Lathan McKee / L&M Group) | Education-focused architecture rollups |
| Hidden Harbor Capital Partners | Backing platform consolidation |
| Opteon | Modernizing valuation/appraisal workflows |
| Schellman & Company | Attestation/compliance and risk services |
| OneDigital | Extending PEO footprint in the Southeast |
-
November 6, 2025
- Buyer
- Opteon
- Target
- Equity Valuation Partners
- Industry
- Professional Services
- Location
- Alabama, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Opteon has acquired Equity Valuation Partners (EVP) to expand and modernize its U.S. residential and commercial valuation capabilities. The deal broadens Opteon's national appraisal network, adds technology-forward talent and aims to improve turnaround times and valuation workflows for lenders and other clients.
-
July 14, 2025
- Buyer
- RB Global, Inc., Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (America), Inc.
- Target
- J.M. Wood Auction Co., Inc.
- Industry
- Professional Services
- Location
- Alabama, United States
- Type
- Buyout
RB Global, Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (America), Inc., has completed the acquisition of J.M. Wood Auction Co., Inc. The deal brings J.M. Wood's Montgomery-based auction business and leadership into Ritchie Bros.' global network while preserving J.M. Wood's headquarters, in-person auction format and regional expertise to expand services in Alabama and adjacent states.
-
April 9, 2025
- Buyer
- Lathan Associates Architects P.C., Hidden Harbor Capital Partners
- Target
- McKee & Associates Architects, LLC, Barganier Davis Williams Architects Associated, LLC
- Industry
- Professional Services
- Location
- Alabama, United States
- Type
- Addon
Lathan Associates Architects P.C., backed by Hidden Harbor Capital Partners, has completed investments in McKee & Associates Architects, LLC and Barganier Davis Williams Architects Associated, LLC, combining Lathan and McKee as Lathan McKee Architects and adding BDW to the L&M Group. The deals, which closed April 9, 2025, create a consolidated K‑12 education architecture and design platform serving the Southeastern United States; financial terms were not disclosed.
-
March 1, 2025
- Buyer
- Lathan Associates Architects P.C. (Lathan McKee Architects / L&M Group), Hidden Harbor Capital Partners
- Target
- Lambert Ezell Durham Architecture, LLC (LED Architecture)
- Industry
- Professional Services
- Location
- Alabama, United States
- Type
- Addon
Lathan Associates Architects P.C. (doing business as Lathan McKee Architects), a member of the L&M Group and backed by Hidden Harbor Capital Partners, has acquired Lambert Ezell Durham Architecture, LLC (LED Architecture). LED, headquartered in Florence, Alabama, joins the L&M Group to expand the group's footprint and resources in Northern Alabama; the transaction closed August 1, 2025 with financing provided by First Eagle Alternative Credit.
-
November 21, 2024
- Buyer
- Hidden Harbor Capital Partners
- Target
- Lathan Associates Architects, P.C.
- Industry
- Professional Services
- Location
- Alabama, United States
- Type
- Growth capital
Hidden Harbor Capital Partners has made a strategic investment in Lathan Associates Architects, P.C., a Hoover, Alabama–based architectural and design firm serving K-12, higher education and municipal clients. Founder Rick Lathan and the existing partners remain invested and active; terms were not disclosed and the investment closed on November 21, 2024.
-
August 15, 2024
- Buyer
- Schellman & Company, LLC
- Target
- INSYTE CPAs, LLC
- Seller
- INSYTE CPAs, LLC
- Industry
- Professional Services
- Location
- Alabama, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Schellman & Company, LLC has acquired the practice of INSYTE CPAs, LLC, transferring INSYTE's clients and personnel to Schellman. The acquisition expands Schellman's attestation and compliance capabilities—particularly in risk management, internal control, and business process services—and supports the firm's 2024 growth plans.
-
- Buyer
- OneDigital
- Target
- Lyons HR, LLC
- Industry
- Professional Services
- Location
- Alabama, United States
- Type
- Buyout
OneDigital has acquired Lyons HR, LLC, a Florence, Alabama-based professional employer organization (PEO) with a 76-member team and seven additional locations across the Southeast. The acquisition extends OneDigital's Resourcing Edge PEO solution into the Southeast, broadening its HR, payroll and benefits capabilities for small and medium-sized businesses.
-
December 15, 2021
- Buyer
- LoneTree
- Target
- Safety Plus
- Industry
- Professional Services
- Location
- Alabama, United States
- Type
- Growth capital
LoneTree, a New York-based growth capital firm, announced a significant growth investment in Safety Plus, a Mobile, Alabama-based provider of safety management, contractor management, and compliance software and services. The investment will fund strategic growth initiatives, platform innovation, and enable Safety Plus to pursue strategic M&A while supporting continued headcount and customer growth.
-
January 31, 2020
- Buyer
- Leidos Holdings, Inc.
- Target
- Dynetics, Inc.
- Industry
- Professional Services
- Location
- Alabama, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Leidos Holdings, Inc. completed the acquisition of Dynetics, Inc. for approximately $1.65 billion in cash. Dynetics will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary, bringing ~2,300 employees and expanded applied-research, systems engineering, and secure manufacturing capabilities to enhance Leidos' defense, intelligence, and civil offerings.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What professional services subsectors are most active in Alabama acquisitions here?
Architecture & design (including K‑12 education), valuation/appraisal services, accounting and compliance (CPA practice), PEO HR/payroll/benefits, and applied engineering/services are represented in the listed transactions.
Which buyers show up repeatedly across these Alabama deals?
Hidden Harbor Capital Partners appears as a recurring investor supporting Lathan Associates Architects P.C. and related entities. Lathan Associates Architects P.C. (Lathan McKee Architects / L&M Group) is also a recurring buyer. Other recurring names include OneDigital, Opteon, and Schellman & Company across different themes.
What integration themes show up in the Alabama transactions?
Deals are commonly described around expanding delivery capabilities and networks, consolidating firm footprints (notably in architecture), and improving client workflows—such as modernization of valuation processes or deeper attestation and compliance services.
Are the financial terms disclosed for these Alabama acquisitions?
Financial terms are not disclosed for several of the transactions described (including some architecture deals and the investment in Lathan Associates Architects P.C.). One disclosed price appears for Leidos acquiring Dynetics for approximately $1.65 billion.