News Story in the Argus Leader

Brian Gramm, 2/23/2010

This story appeared in the Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, SD) about Milo Belle and Adams Gabbert. Click here to see the original story, complete with a picture (albeit an odd-ball one).

Kansas City firm buys Sioux Falls
consulting company

Kelly Thurman • .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) •
February 23, 2010

A Kansas City, Mo., company has purchased a local
consulting firm, but that doesn't mean it will be
downsizing.

On the contrary, Brian Gramm, Milo Belle
Consultants president, said the company is hiring at
all of its locations and plans to expand into new
markets this year.

Milo Belle, a company that offers consulting services
ranging from Sarbanes-Oxley compliance to internal
audits, was bought by Adams-Gabbert & Associates.

The deal was official Feb. 8. Terms were not
disclosed.

As part of the deal, Milo Belle will continue to
operate under its name at all of its locations, Gramm
said. Besides Sioux Falls, Milo Belle has offices in
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Denver, Phoenix, Nashville,
Tenn., St. Louis and Kansas City.

Gramm said he wasn't looking to sell the company,
but the two firms complement each other.

"I know it's a cliché, but this is a classic example of
one plus one equaling something much greater than
two," he said.

Kara Stoecklein, vice president of human resources
and administration at Adams-Gabbert, said her
company decided to buy Milo Belle because it fit
with its growth strategy.

"Their services complement what we do," she said.
"Adding governance and risk services is a way to
expand our current offerings for our client base. It's
not something that we currently do today."

Adams-Gabbert is a project management services
firm that also helps companies improve and
streamline their operations.

Gramm said Adams-Gabbert always had to refer
their clients outside the company for internal audits

and accounting compliance issues.

"Now they'll be able to kick it over the fence to us,
and we'll be able to do it," he said.

That will allow Milo Belle to immediately use Adams-
Gabbert's client base to grow its business, he said.

Though Gramm said it will be business as usual for
clients, the company certainly is in expansion
mode.

"With this merger, what we are doing is we are
stepping down on the pedal," he said.

Not only are they looking to expand in markets
including Sioux Falls, but Gramm said he expects to
double the number of cities in which they do
business by year's end.

Reach Kelly Thurman at 331-2322.