CliftonLarsonAllen LLP is one of the largest tax consulting, accounting, and professional services firms in the United States. Today, the firm is led by Jen Leary, its Chief Executive Officer, who took on the role at the start of 2021 and brings over two decades of industry experience to the leadership position. The firm traces its roots back to two much older firms: LarsonAllen, founded in 1953 by Rholan Larson and John Allen, and Clifton Gunderson, founded in 1960, whose merger in 2012 created the modern CLA we know today.
The Founders: Early Vision and Bold Beginnings
In the early 1950s, two young accountants in Minnesota, Rholan Larson and John Allen, shared a straightforward ambition: build an accounting practice that served local businesses with reliable financial and tax advice. In 1953, they founded LarsonAllen, a firm built on personal service and deep client engagement. Larson and Allen weren’t widely known beyond their region at first, but their insistence on technical excellence and client trust attracted more local companies each year.
Meanwhile, in Illinois in 1960, Clifton Gunderson was established by a group of partners focused on professionalism and integrity in accounting. Neil Clifton, along with his colleagues, drafted the firm’s first guiding philosophy that emphasized serving clients with “absolute integrity… with the highest degree of professional competence.” This statement, written early in the firm’s history, set a tone of long-term commitment to clients and to ethical practice.
These separate firms developed distinct identities over the decades. LarsonAllen became known for personalized service and industry specialization, while Clifton Gunderson built a reputation for great technical skill and broad professional leadership.
Why They Entered Tax and Advisory Services
Both sets of founders chose the consulting and tax services path because they saw a real need: small and medium-sized companies lacked deep financial expertise but needed it desperately to grow. In the post-war American economy, businesses of all kinds were expanding rapidly, and tax laws were becoming increasingly complex.
Rholan Larson and John Allen felt that companies deserved more than just number crunching: they wanted guidance, foresight, and strategic advice that went beyond compliance. Likewise, Clifton Gunderson’s original partners believed that high ethical standards and technical skill could help clients make better financial decisions. Their service philosophy stressed lifelong learning and bringing the best professional advice to clients, not just routine accounting work.
The Strategic Merger of 2012
By the early 2010s, LarsonAllen and Clifton Gunderson had grown into substantial firms with thousands of employees and offices across the United States. However, both saw that the market was changing: clients needed broader services, more global reach, and deeper industry insight.
In response, the two firms executed a strategic decision, a merger that many observers now call a defining moment in U.S. professional services history. On January 2, 2012, LarsonAllen and Clifton Gunderson officially combined to form CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, often referred to simply as CLA. Together, they became one of the top 10 accounting and tax advisoryfirms in the country, offering a full suite of services including audit, tax consulting, wealth advisory, risk management, and outsourcing.
This was not just a merger of resources, but a blending of cultures and visions. Leaders of both firms, including the founders’ successors, affirmed that the new entity would focus on helping private companies and community organizations succeed. As Kris McMasters, then CEO of one of the predecessor firms, said at the time, the intent was to “proactively address [clients’] needs with a comprehensive suite of services,” and to become a firm private companies could trust for strategic guidance.
Leadership and Growth in Modern Times
Today, Jen Leary serves as CEO of CLA and represents the latest chapter of leadership for the firm. In announcing her appointment, CLA emphasized that its purpose to create opportunities for clients, employees, and communities was central to its continued growth. In her own words, Leary highlighted the firm’s intentional approach to leadership and succession, saying: “We stand on the shoulders of giants, the many leaders who came before us to create our CLA legacy. I’m proud to lead within a firm where succession is evident at every level.”
Under her leadership, CLA has strengthened its emphasis on collaborative work teams, industry specialization, and integrated solutions that meet client challenges in tax, advisory, and accounting. Beyond the U.S., the company has also participated in international alliances that broaden its global reach.
Impact on Tax Consulting and Beyond
CliftonLarsonAllen LLP stands today not just as an accounting firm but as a trusted partner for businesses navigating complex financial landscapes. From its humble beginnings with founders like Larson, Allen, and the early partners of Clifton Gunderson, to its role now as one of the largest professional services firms in the U.S., CLA has shaped the way tax and consulting services support business growth.
Its story reflects a deep belief in values, professional excellence, and a commitment to client success, qualities that continue to guide its work with both small enterprises and large organizations across diverse industries. In the competitive world of tax consulting and professional services, CLA’s legacy shows how careful leadership, strategic vision, and a people-centered culture can create lasting impact.
