Accounting firms Dixon Hughes and Goodman & Company have announced plans to merge their firms and affiliated entities, effective March 1. The combined firm will be known as Dixon Hughes Goodman and will be headquartered in Charlotte, N.C.

With more than 1,700 people in 30 offices in 11 states and Washington, D.C., Dixon Hughes Goodman will be the largest certified public accounting firm based in the Southern U.S. and the 13th largest in the nation.

Charles Edgar Sams, chairman of Dixon Hughes, will continue to serve as chairman of the new company, and Kenneth Hughes, chief executive officer of Dixon Hughes, will also remain in that position. Thomas Wilson, managing partner of Goodman & Company, will become deputy chairman and chief operating officer of the new firm.

The merger will create a dramatically larger geographic footprint with offices located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia. The firm will conduct business in all 50 states.

With client bases and resources combined, Dixon Hughes Goodman will bring together complementary strengths that each of the firms possesses in a range of client industries including manufacturing/distribution, healthcare, construction/real estate, insurance, government, nonprofit, dealerships, financial institutions and government contracting.

In addition to providing traditional services in the areas of accounting, auditing, and tax, the firm will offer a complete line of services designed to address client challenges including transaction advisory services, IT risk services, tax advisory services, fraud and forensics, wealth management, international tax, sales and use tax consulting, business valuation/litigation support, retirement planning services, outsourced accounting and human resource consulting.