The firm of McGowan Guntermann evolved from a merger in 1993 of two of
Santa Barbara's oldest and most prestigious accounting firms, McGowan
Thompson Englert, founded in 1945 and Guntermann Thompson & Lanza,
founded in 1954. Founded originally as sole practices, each firm grew
steadily over the years and with the addition of partners and
associates evolved into one of the Central Coast's most successful
accounting and business consulting firms.
The McGowan firm developed from the sole practice of Francis J.
McGowan in 1945. From a single small office located in a space leased
from one of his clients, Frank subsequently brought James Starlin and
Milan Thompson into the firm. Kent Englert became a partner in 1975
followed by Scott Davis in 1990. The Guntermann firm evolved from the
sole practice of Anthony Guntermann in 1954. In 1965 Robert Thompson
came aboard as a partner followed by Joseph Lanza in 1987 and David
Larson in 1990. Chris Reed became a partner of McGowan Guntermann in
1999, followed by Patricia Krout in 2001.
