ATA

What ATA does

ATA (Alexander Thompson Arnold PLLC) is a privately held regional accounting, tax, and advisory firm headquartered in Jackson, Tennessee, founded in 1940. The firm employs 275+ team members across 16 offices in Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Indiana, following its December 2025 strategic combination with Indiana-based Vowells & Schaaf, LLP. ATA operates under an alternative practice structure through ATA, PC (a licensed CPA firm providing attest and audit services) and ATA Advisory, LLC (providing tax and consulting services), and is led by Managing Partner John Whybrew with approximately 25+ partners.

The firm delivers a comprehensive suite of professional services spanning assurance (audits, reviews, compilations), tax preparation and planning, business valuation, CFO/controller outsourcing, client accounting services, risk advisory, transaction advisory, retirement plan administration, wealth management, and value creation services. ATA serves clients across 10 industry verticals including financial institutions, healthcare, manufacturing and distribution, nonprofit, governmental, utility systems, agriculture, construction and real estate, private equity, and small/emerging business, ranging from family-owned operations to publicly traded and international corporations. Distribution is delivered through partner-led direct office coverage and supplemented by long-standing BDO Alliance USA membership (since 2003), which provides access to 75,000+ international professionals for cross-border engagements.

The firm's go-to-market is anchored in relationship-based, partner-led client engagement supported by community involvement (5,000+ volunteer hours annually and $300,000+ in donations), referral networks, and an integrated "Family of Firms" ecosystem that extends beyond traditional accounting into adjacent professional services. This ecosystem includes ATA Technologies (managed IT, since 2007), ATA Secure (cybersecurity, 2019), ATA Digital (marketing and software development via Sodium Halogen, Adelsberger Marketing, and C4 Solutions, 2018), ATA Employment Solutions (HR consulting via Center Point Business Solutions, 2017), Revolution Partners (wealth management, 2017), and ATA Capital (investment banking). Pricing follows professional services engagement-based billing with no publicly disclosed rate cards; revenue mix spans assurance, tax compliance, advisory/consulting, and ancillary managed services.

Name

ATA

Legal name

Alexander Thompson Arnold PLLC

Website

https://ata.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

ATA (Alexander Thompson Arnold PLLC) is a privately held regional accounting, tax, and advisory firm headquartered in Jackson, Tennessee, serving clients across 10 industries through 16 offices in Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Indiana. Founded in 1940, the firm operates a Family of Firms ecosystem spanning assurance, advisory, IT, cybersecurity, HR, wealth management, and digital marketing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Accounting & Advisory Services

NAICS

Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Investment Advice (6282), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Reporting & Technical Accounting Advisory (GAAP/IFRS) (BPAHABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Retirement Plan Advisory RIAs (ERISA 401(k)/403(b)) (FSAAACAF), Investment Management Advisory (RIA) (FSAEAAAB), Enterprise Architecture & IT Operating Model (BPAHAEAB)

Keywords

• Accounting services
• Tax preparation
• Audit assurance
• Business advisory
• Wealth management

Headquarters

HQ city

Jackson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices19 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Assurance Services: Audit, review, and compilation services for financial statements including industry-specific financial reporting, internal controls, and governmental audits.
2. Tax Preparation & Planning: Tax compliance, planning, and consulting services for individuals and businesses including international tax services.
3. Business Consulting & Advisory: Advisory services including CFO/Controller outsourcing, business valuation, transaction advisory, risk advisory, wealth management, HR consulting, and IT consulting.
4. Retirement Plan Services: Third-party administration and consulting for retirement plans including 401(k) and 403(b) plans.
5. Client Accounting Services: Outsourced accounting, bookkeeping, and financial statement preparation services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ATA provides accounting, tax, audit, and advisory services to businesses and individuals, including assurance/audit, tax preparation and planning, business valuation, CFO/controller outsourcing, client accounting, IT consulting, cybersecurity, HR consulting, retirement plan administration, transaction advisory, wealth management, and digital marketing. Services are delivered through partner-led engagements across 16 offices in the Southeast, supported by an integrated Family of Firms ecosystem.

Product overview

ATA (Alexander Thompson Arnold PLLC) is a leading regional accounting and advisory firm offering a comprehensive suite of professional services through its integrated platform. The firm operates as a unified service organization consisting of ATA, PC (providing attest and audit services) and ATA Advisory, LLC (providing tax, consulting, and advisory services). The portfolio includes core service lines spanning assurance, tax preparation and planning, business valuation, CFO/controller outsourcing, client accounting services, IT consulting, risk advisory, transaction advisory, and wealth management. These services are delivered through a 'Family of Firms' model that extends capabilities through affiliated entities including ATA Technologies (IT/managed services), ATA Secure (cybersecurity), ATA Digital (marketing and software development), ATA Employment Solutions (HR consulting), Revolution Partners (wealth management), and ATA Capital (investment banking). The firm serves clients across 10 industries including agriculture, construction, financial institutions, governmental, healthcare, manufacturing, nonprofit, private equity, small business, and utility systems, with offices across Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Indiana.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ATA Technology: Information technology consulting and managed IT services
• ATA Secure
• ATA Capital
• ATA Digital
• ATA Employment Solutions
• Revolution Partners

Products and services

• Assurance Services Provides attestation and audit services including financial statement audits, reviews, compilations, internal controls assessment, and industry-specific financial reporting to lend credibility to clients' financial pictures. Serves businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, and governmental entities.
• Tax Preparation & Planning Delivers tax minimization planning and preparation services for individuals and businesses, including estate planning, business succession planning, international tax guidance, and entity structure optimization.
• Business Valuation Services Offers valuation services for mergers and acquisitions, estate and gift taxation, divorce litigation, purchase price allocation, and buy-sell agreements using certified valuation analysts.
• CFO/Controller Outsourcing Provides outsourced financial management expertise including audit preparation, capital raise, compliance and governance, financial reporting, modeling and forecasting, month-end close, strategy and budgeting, and systems implementation.
• Client Accounting Services Offers outsourced accounting support including CFO/controller/bookkeeper staffing, financial statement preparation, general ledger maintenance, payroll processing, account reconciliations, and accounting software assistance.
• IT Consulting Offers managed IT services including 24/7 technical support, cybersecurity protection, network management, and IT infrastructure solutions through ATA Technologies.
• Data Security Provides cybersecurity monitoring and breach response services through ATA Secure, including network security assessment, risk assessment reports, and technical security guard services.
• Digital Marketing Delivers digital marketing services including videography, content marketing, social media management, websites, digital advertising, and branding through ATA Digital and Adelsberger Marketing.
• Human Resource Consulting Offers HR advisory services including executive recruitment, training, performance management, compensation consulting, compliance, culture development, change management, and succession planning through ATA Employment Solutions.
• International Tax Provides U.S. income tax compliance, tax planning, and tax information reporting for cross-border transactions, foreign subsidiaries, foreign operations, and foreign-owned entities through BDO Alliance membership.
• Retirement TPA Provides retirement plan consulting and third-party administrative services including plan design, compliance testing, recordkeeping, employer consultations, and distribution and loan processing for ERISA and governmental plans.
• Risk Advisory Offers risk mitigation services including internal audit, IT risk advisory, operational and compliance audits, Sarbanes-Oxley internal controls, enterprise risk management, contract compliance, and fraud and litigation support.
• Software Design and Development Provides custom software development, VR solutions, and UX design through ATA Digital's companies including Sodium Halogen, C4 Solutions, and Adelsberger Marketing, using a user-focused 'Designtific Method' approach.
• Transaction Advisory Provides M&A and divestiture advisory services including due diligence (financial, tax, IT, HR, operational), financial modeling, synergy identification, succession and exit planning, business brokering, and wealth management.
• Value Creation

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 275 team members serving clients across 16 offices
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vowells & Schaaf, LLPcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2025Strategic combination completed December 2025, marking ATA's entry into the Indiana market. Vowells & Schaaf was a full-service accounting firm based in Evansville, Indiana with four locations. Partners Mark Aiton and Jason Stephens joined ATA as partners. The combination expands ATA's capabilities and regional position.
• BDO Alliance USAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003ATA became a BDO Alliance USA Firm in 2003, gaining access to the resources and opportunities of the world's 5th largest accounting and consulting network. This partnership enhances client services, broadens domestic and international coverage, provides greater technical knowledge in specialty areas, and offers access to state-of-the-art technology and training programs.
• Revolution PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership formed in 2017 with Revolution Partners (RPATA) to deliver more convenient, consistent, and collaborative wealth management services. Revolution Partners is a state-registered investment adviser providing investment management services to ATA clients.
• Center Point Business Solutions (CPATA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership formed in 2017 with Center Point Business Solutions to allow for a streamlined approach to human resource management solutions for businesses.
• Sodium HalogencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoined the ATA Family of Firms in 2018 bringing new marketing, design, and software development opportunities. Sodium Halogen is a user experience design firm providing digital product design and development services.
• Adelsberger MarketingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoined the ATA Family of Firms in 2018 as part of the ATA Digital group, providing creative agency services with a digital-first perspective.
• ATA SecurecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATA Secure was formed in 2019 to support evolving cybersecurity needs of clients, providing information security services including risk assessments and network security.
• ATA Technologies (ATAT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATA acquired Trinity Solutions in 2007 to create ATA Technologies, providing clients complete financial and technical coverage including managed IT services.
• C4 SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of ATA Digital group providing custom software development services as part of the Family of Firms ecosystem.
• Indiana CPA SocietyminorOthersProfessional membership organization for Vowells & Schaaf, maintaining CPA firm credentials and professional development in Indiana.
• BDO USA, LLPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough BDO Alliance membership, ATA has access to BDO's full complement of resources including more than 75,000 international accounting and consulting professionals for international tax and cross-border services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BDO USA: BDO USA is the world's 5th largest accounting network and ATA's alliance partner since 2003, competing directly with ATA for mid-market and international clients but with substantially broader resources.
• CBIZ, Inc. CBIZ is a national professional services firm offering accounting, tax, advisory, and benefits/insurance services with a similar mid-market client focus, but broader geographic reach and public-company scale versus ATA.
• Forvis (formerly BKD + Dixon Hughes Goodman): Forvis is a Top 10 U.S. accounting firm formed from the merger of BKD and Dixon Hughes Goodman, with deeper national reach and larger scale than ATA, serving many of the same mid-market and financial institution verticals.
• Plante Moran: Plante Moran is a Top 15 U.S. accounting and business advisory firm with a broader Midwest/multi-state footprint than ATA, but overlapping industry verticals (manufacturing, healthcare, financial institutions) and comparable full-service offering.

Direct peers

• Horne LLP: Horne is a Southeast-focused (Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama) accounting and advisory firm with similar size, industry specialization, and Family-of-Firms-style service expansion, directly overlapping ATA's geographic and vertical footprint.
• Rehmann: Rehmann is a Midwest-based Top 50 U.S. accounting and advisory firm with similar size, service breadth including wealth management and HR consulting, and comparable industry vertical coverage to ATA.
• LBMC: LBMC is a Tennessee-headquartered accounting and business advisory firm with overlapping Southeast footprint, comparable size, and similar Family-of-Firms-style service expansion including IT, HR, and wealth management.
• Brown Edwards: Brown Edwards is a regional accounting firm serving the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast U.S. with comparable size, full-service offering, and similar industry vertical coverage to ATA.
• Eide Bailly LLP: Eide Bailly is a Top 25 U.S. accounting and advisory firm with similar regional multi-state presence, comparable service breadth, and a like-sized partner and headcount base competing in similar mid-market segments.
• Wipfli LLP: Wipfli is a Top 25 U.S. accounting and consulting firm with comparable regional focus, similar service breadth (audit, tax, advisory, technology), and a multi-state office footprint that mirrors ATA's roll-up growth strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atapllc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Subsidiaries6 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 ATA