Welcoming Jackson Thornton to Ascend
We're proud to announce that Jackson Thornton, a full-service accounting and advisory firm based in Montgomery, Alabama, has joined the Ascend platform. With more than a century of history and deep roots across Alabama, Jackson Thornton brings a rare combination of multi-disciplinary expertise, a respected wealth management franchise, and a culture that has earned the trust of generations of clients.
A century-old firm with modern ambitions
Founded in 1919, Jackson Thornton has grown into one of the Southeast's most established accounting and advisory firms. From its Montgomery headquarters and five additional Alabama offices in Birmingham, Auburn/Opelika, Dothan, Wetumpka, and Prattville, the firm serves clients across auto dealerships, construction, healthcare, government, manufacturing, not-for-profit organizations, and telecommunications.
The firm offers a full range of services — tax planning, audit and assurance, business consulting, technology solutions, and wealth management — and has been recognized regionally and nationally by Accounting Today, Inside Public Accounting, Business Alabama, and the Birmingham Business Journal.
What stood out to us is the breadth of what Jackson Thornton has built. Its wealth management franchise alone manages $2 billion in assets, a scale that very few accounting firms in the country can match.
Why this partnership
"We are proud to champion the independence of a firm that has over a century of history," said Nish Ruparel, President of Ascend. "Jackson Thornton's reputation is grounded in its multi-disciplinary expertise and the depth of talent that has made it so. For some time now, the firm has been stretching its roots across Alabama and toward the integrated service delivery of accounting, wealth, and advisory — we can make much of that vision, together."
Jackson Thornton CEO Alan Alexander put it this way: "The pace of change in our profession has never been faster, and we believe now is the right moment to partner with Ascend — an organization that shares our entrepreneurial mindset and people-first philosophy. This partnership allows us to remain independent and locally led, while giving our clients access to deeper resources, enhanced technology, and broader expertise."
That's the heart of what we set out to build. Jackson Thornton keeps its name, its leadership, and its Alabama roots. What changes is the platform underneath — growth capital, modern technology, AI tools, shared back-office services, and equity incentives that help the firm invest in its people and the next generation of leaders.
Strengthening our Southeast footprint
The addition of Jackson Thornton brings 30 partners and more than 160 professionals to Ascend, deepening our presence across the Southeast and adding meaningful capability in wealth management and industry specialization.
As Ascend founder and CEO David Wurtzbacher said, "This is the kind of firm we created Ascend to partner with. They have spent generations earning the trust of families and businesses in their market, and along the way, they have built a $2 billion wealth management franchise that very few firms in the country can match. We are honored to help them carry their unique momentum forward."
We couldn't agree more. Welcome to the platform, Jackson Thornton.
Ascend ranked No. 24 on Accounting Today's 2026 Top 100 Firms and No. 3 on the 2026 Fastest-Growing Firms list, with $590.5 million in revenue and nearly 3,000 employees. Learn more at ascendtogether.com.
