Kelley Ingram (from left), Phyllis Sellers, Kelly Vanlandingham, Melanie Watts, Clay Sewell, Rodney Hunter, Heather Strickland, Lisa Crapps, Trish Sampson, Sarah Swann and Whitney Friend.

Two long-time Thomasville financial services groups joined forces earlier this month to broaden and expand their client service offerings.

On January 1, four professionals from the respected certified public accounting firm, Sewell & Hilliard PC, joined AMB Client Services, LLC, a leader in professional tax and financial consulting services, to form AMB Professional Group, LLC, a component of the AMB umbrella of entities.

M. Clay Sewell, CPA, CGMA and senior vice-president of the new firm; Sarah Swann, CPA; Whitney Friend; and Trish Sampson have joined Rodney Hunter, CPA and managing partner; Kelley Ingram, CPA; Heather Strickland, CPA; Lisa Crapps; Melanie Watts; Kelly Vanlandingham; and Phyllis Sellers to form the AMB Professional Group team.

“The mission of AMB Client Services has always been to promote the premiere tax and consulting services in our market area,” said Hunter. “The addition of Clay Sewell and his staff to our organization has strengthened AMB and will heighten our success as we continue the pursuit of our mission.”

“We are all very excited to be a part of this endeavor,” Sewell added.  “In today’s ever-changing financial environment, our affiliation with AMB Professional Group will provide vital tax, accounting and consulting resources, allowing us to better serve our clients. With AMB’s broad financial infrastructure, we will be able to offer unlimited, diversified financial services and add to what is already a very unique company for the Thomasville area.”

The integration of the two firms, each with a solid foundation and regional footprint, expands AMB’s financial services offerings of accounting, financial planning, wealth and estate planning, retirement planning, tax planning and tax preparation, among other areas of expertise. The group also provides greater professional efficiencies, enhanced specialties and heightened quality of client services, Hunter said in announcing the new affiliation.

AMB traces its history back to 1985, when M.H. Allen Jr. and Richard G. Mooney III began offering investment and brokerage services in the Red Hills area of south Georgia and north Florida. Over a three-decade tenure, the partnership has developed, grown and expanded under the auspices of FAIM, LLC, which serves as the holding company for the AMB group of companies.

Allen, a managing partner of AMB, noted, “Combining Clay Sewell and Rodney Hunter, two highly respected and experienced professionals, and their teams, each with unique talents and capabilities, will immediately broaden and strengthen AMB’s financial services offerings.”

AMB is actively engaged in investment management, investment banking, brokerage, insurance and corporate and employee benefits. The firm has offices in Thomasville and St. Simons Island, GA, Charleston, SC. and Tallahassee, FL, and serves clients in 35 states, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.