Barton Walter & Krier LLC

What Barton Walter & Krier LLC does

Barton Walter & Krier LLC (operating as BWK Accounting) is a privately-held professional corporation and full-service CPA firm headquartered in Maple Grove, Minnesota, a northwestern suburb of Minneapolis. Founded in 2008 by shareholders Tom Barton, John Walter, and Tony Krier, the firm employs approximately 50 professionals and serves middle-market and small businesses across the Twin Cities metropolitan area and the upper Midwest. Its core service lines are Audit & Assurance (financial statement audits, reviews, compilations, and ERISA retirement plan audits), Tax Services (business tax, personal tax, estate/gift/trust planning, state and local tax, and sales/use tax), Accounting Advisory Services (outsourced bookkeeping, payroll, financial modeling, and audit prep), Transaction Advisory Services (buy-side and sell-side M&A due diligence, Quality of Earnings analysis, valuations), and Accounting Firm Acquisitions (succession planning and M&A for CPA firms). The firm also offers HR Consulting under its BWK brand.

The firm is organized around six industry verticals — manufacturing, real estate/land development, construction, professional services, distribution, and ERISA — with dedicated content, service packaging, and credentialed talent for each. Leadership includes directors for Transaction Advisory (Blaine Andersen), Tax (Ben Johnson), Assurance (Brad Uherka), and Tax & M&A Consulting (Stephen Hagstrom), supported by senior managers and CPAs across the practice. Client acquisition is relationship-driven, relying on referrals, thought leadership content via the company blog, free consultations, and a client portal powered by ShareFile; payments are processed through CPACharge. The firm differentiates itself on the positioning of "big-firm knowledge with boutique personal attention," explicitly highlighting Big Four and boutique firm backgrounds on its team.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the firm has no external funding rounds, no parent company, and no subsidiaries. Pricing is engagement-based and quote-driven, with free consultations offered to prospects. There is no proprietary technology platform, no AI/ML capability disclosed, and no patent, certification, or partnership data on record. The firm operates from a single Maple Grove office and serves a regional client base without claims of global footprint.

Name

Barton Walter & Krier LLC

Legal name

Barton, Walter & Krier P.C.

Website

https://bwkaccounting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Barton Walter & Krier LLC (BWK Accounting) is a privately-held, full-service CPA firm founded in 2008 in Maple Grove, Minnesota, providing audit, tax, accounting advisory, transaction advisory, and CPA firm succession services to middle-market and small businesses across the Twin Cities metro and upper Midwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accounting & Tax Services

NAICS

Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211)

akta.pro primary industry

Internal Audit & SOX/ICFR Advisory (BPAHAFAD)

Keywords

• Cpa firm services
• Audit and assurance
• Tax planning compliance
• Transaction advisory
• Accounting advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Maple Grove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Audit & Assurance Services: Financial statement audits, reviews, and compilations for businesses. Includes ERISA plan audits for retirement plans with 100+ participants. Provides audits for municipalities, business organizations, and regulatory compliance.
2. Tax Services: Comprehensive tax planning and compliance including business tax, personal tax, estate/gift/trust planning, state and local tax, and sales/use tax. Services include tax return preparation, tax structuring, payroll and sales tax reporting, and representation before tax authorities.
3. Accounting Advisory Services: Outsourced accounting and bookkeeping services including payroll, cash flow analysis, budgeting and forecasting, financial statement preparation, audit preparation, and financial modeling. Serves as extension of client in-house teams.
4. Transaction Advisory Services: M&A advisory including buy-side and sell-side due diligence, Quality of Earnings (QoE) analysis, tax due diligence, and strategic planning. Services include financial modeling, valuations, and transaction support.
5. Accounting Firm Acquisitions: Succession planning and firm acquisition services for CPA firms, including valuation, due diligence, and transaction structuring.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Barton Walter & Krier LLC is a full-service CPA firm offering audit & assurance, tax planning and compliance, outsourced accounting advisory, transaction advisory (M&A due diligence and QoE analysis), accounting firm acquisition advisory, ERISA retirement plan services, and HR consulting. The firm serves middle market and small businesses across the Twin Cities metro and upper Midwest with personalized engagement by assigned CPA teams.

Product overview

Barton Walter & Krier LLC is a full-service CPA firm offering a comprehensive suite of accounting, tax, and consulting services primarily serving middle market and small businesses in the Twin Cities metro area. The firm's core service lines include Audit & Assurance (financial statement audits, reviews, compilations), Tax Services (business tax, personal tax, estate/gift/trust planning, state & local tax, sales & use tax), Accounting Advisory Services (outsourced bookkeeping, payroll, financial planning), Transaction Advisory Services (M&A support, Quality of Earnings analysis, due diligence), and Accounting Firm Acquisitions. The firm also provides specialized ERISA retirement plan services and HR consulting. Industry-specific expertise spans manufacturing, real estate/land development, construction, professional services, distribution, and ERISA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Audit & Assurance Financial statement audits, reviews, and compilations ensuring accurate financial reporting and compliance with GAAP standards for small and middle market businesses. Includes ERISA plan audits for retirement plans with 100+ participants and audits for municipalities.
• Tax Services Comprehensive tax planning and compliance services including business tax, personal tax, estate/gift/trust planning, state and local tax, and sales/use tax advisory for businesses and individuals.
• Accounting Advisory Services Outsourced accounting and bookkeeping services including payroll, cash flow analysis, budgeting and forecasting, financial statement preparation, audit preparation, and financial modeling serving as an extension of client in-house teams.
• Transaction Advisory Services M&A advisory including buy-side and sell-side due diligence, Quality of Earnings (QoE) analysis, tax due diligence, financial modeling, valuations, and strategic planning for transactions.
• Accounting Firm Acquisitions Succession planning and firm acquisition services for CPA firms including valuation, due diligence, and transaction structuring for sellers and buyers of accounting practices.
• ERISA Services Comprehensive retirement plan audit, tax preparation, and advisory services including 401(k), 403(b), profit-sharing plans, ESOPs, Form 5500 filing, and DOL compliance.
• HR Consulting Services Human resources consulting including recruitment, onboarding, retention, employee relations, compensation analysis, policy development, and change management for small and mid-market businesses.

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RSM US: Leading middle-market accounting and advisory firm in the U.S., providing audit, tax, and consulting to mid-sized businesses. Comparable in targeting growing middle-market companies, with broader international and advisory reach.
• Wipfli LLP: Top-20 U.S. accounting and consulting firm focused on mid-market businesses, offering audit, tax, advisory, and transaction services. Closely comparable to BWK in service mix and middle-market client focus, with national scale BWK lacks.
• Baker Tilly US: Large U.S. accounting and advisory firm with a significant Twin Cities office, providing audit, tax, and consulting to middle-market companies. Direct competitor for the same mid-market clientele and advisory engagements.
• Eide Bailly LLP: Top-25 U.S. accounting firm with strong upper Midwest presence (offices in Minnesota), serving mid-market and SMB clients with audit, tax, and advisory. Highly comparable in regional footprint, service mix, and target client profile.
• CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA): Top-10 U.S. accounting firm purpose-built for mid-market private businesses, with strong presence across the Midwest. Overlaps with BWK on audit, tax, advisory, and transaction advisory services for similar client profiles.

Regional players

• Redpath and Company: St. Paul-based CPA firm providing tax, audit, accounting, and advisory services to privately-held businesses in the Twin Cities. Closely comparable in geography, service lines, and mid-market SMB client profile.
• Abdo, Eick & Meyers: Minnesota-based mid-market accounting and advisory firm serving Twin Cities and greater Midwest. Comparable in size, regional focus, service mix (audit, tax, advisory), and middle-market client base.
• Boyum & Barenscheer: Minnesota-based mid-market CPA firm offering tax, audit, and business advisory to Twin Cities and upper Midwest businesses. Comparable in regional scope, service mix, and middle-market/SMB client targeting.
• Lurie LLP: Minneapolis-based CPA and advisory firm serving middle-market private businesses and entrepreneurs with audit, tax, and consulting. Directly comparable in Twin Cities geography, mid-market focus, and full-service CPA model.

Broad incumbents

• Plante Moran: Top-15 U.S. accounting, tax, and advisory firm with a major presence in the Midwest serving middle-market businesses. Comparable in service mix and regional client base, but materially larger and broader in scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Barton Walter & Krier LLC