Strengthening the Mountain West: Another Strategic Integration for the Ascend Platform
FEBRUARY 12, 2026 (Arlington, VA) — Ascend, a strategic partner to leading regional accounting and advisory firms backed by Alpine Investors, today announced that another firm on its industry-leading growth platform has expanded its local footprint.
McGee, Hearne & Paiz, LLP and MHP Advisory Services, LLC (MHP) in Cheyenne, Wyoming, integrated Thompson, Palmer & Associates (TPA) of Jackson, Wyoming. MHP is the largest accounting and advisory firm headquartered in Wyoming.
The transaction represents the continued growth of firms that have joined the Ascend platform, which is designed for high-performing regional firms with revenues between $15 million and $50 million that demonstrate strong leadership, vibrant cultures, and ambitious goals. Including MHP, Ascend has twenty-one firms in more than a dozen states now operating on its platform.
“MHP has made an enduring commitment to the middle-market community of Wyoming and the surrounding Mountain West region. It is rewarding to see the firm’s partnership with Rick and Aaron Palmer form because of exactly that commitment, and to know that the firm will reach new heights as it serves the market in increasingly modern ways,” said Nishaad (“Nish”) Ruparel, President of Ascend.
“For 50 years, Thompson Palmer has been a trusted presence in the Jackson community, and we are honored that Rick and Aaron chose MHP as their partner as we grow together,” said Brandy M. Marrou, CEO of MHP. “From the very beginning, it was clear that our firms share the same values and a deep commitment to Wyoming. This partnership strengthens our culture while preserving our local roots.”
Founded in 1976, TPA adds two partners and eight staff members to MHP’s growing team.
“TPA enhances our footprint in Jackson and Teton County, allowing us to expand our client base, establish a new local presence, and deliver a broader suite of services,” Marrou added. “The firm brings exciting growth potential across its tax, CAS, and audit service lines, along with deep expertise that complements our organization.”
Ascend’s Founder and CEO, David Wurtzbacher, launched the platform in January 2023 as a modern alternative for regional accounting firms seeking to overcome the limitations of the traditional partnership structure. The platform enables regional firms to remain independent while accessing the sophisticated resources of a national firm to reach their full potential. Rapid adoption has propelled Ascend into the upper tier of the profession, establishing it as an Accounting Today Top 30 firm in under two years and earning Wurtzbacher recognition as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting” for each of the past three years.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
