Jackson Thornton Acquires Jackson, Howard & Whatley

    

November 18, 2025 – Montgomery, AL – Jackson Thornton, a certified public accounting and consulting firm, is pleased to announce that it has recently acquired Jackson, Howard & Whatley, LLC (JHW), a CPA firm located in Birmingham, Alabama.

The acquisition will offer JHW’s clients an expanded depth of services while maintaining the personalized service for which the firm is known. JHW was founded in 1978 by Mike Jackson, Judy Howard and Tim Whatley and serves clients throughout the Birmingham area. Jackson Thornton (JT), founded in 1919, has consistently appeared on Accounting Today’s ”Beyond the Top 100” list, was named a Top 200 Firm by Inside Public Accounting and named one of USA Today’s 2025 Best Tax & Accounting Firms. The firm ranked 5th on Business Alabama’s 2025 Top Rank listing of Alabama’s largest accounting firms and was named a “Best Company to Work For” by Business Alabama in 2023.

“The addition of JHW to the Jackson Thornton family gives us the opportunity to expand our footprint to the Birmingham market,” said John S. Fendley, President and CEO of Jackson Thornton. “At the same time, it gives our new clients a depth of experience and resources they haven’t had before. The people they know and trust are now backed by several teams of people offering a diverse array of expertise. We’re excited about this acquisition and the opportunities offered for both firms.” 

“We have full confidence in this transition to Jackson Thornton,” remarked Mike Jackson, Managing Member of JHW. “We are so pleased that our clients will be in the capable hands of a firm we know and trust.”

About Jackson Thornton
Founded in 1919, Jackson Thornton is a certified public accounting and consulting firm with more than 200 professionals and associates in six offices located throughout Alabama. In addition to accounting services, the firm offers wealth management, strategic planning, outsourced CFO and business consulting services, technology consulting, and specialized industry services. Learn more at jacksonthornton.com.