With a strong history of working together in the Rochester office of Ernst & Young, the decision to form their own firm was a natural fit for Richard Mengel and James Barr. The verdict was made over a weekend visit during a brief period of time when Jim was working in the private industry in Elmira, NY and within months, Mengel & Barr was formed! Open for business on October 1, 1975, Jim and Dick worked out of their office in Allens Creek Office Park in Rochester while still servicing clients in the Rochester and Elmira markets. Soon after the inception of the firm, Dick and Jim recognized the need and opportunity to open a full office in the Elmira market to better serve the needs of those clients. Thus, our first Elmira office opened in 1977 and has remained in the same location since that time.Over the next several years, the firm grew through a series of mergers and acquisitions prior to joining up with Metzger, Wood & Sokolski forming what has become Mengel, Metzger, Barr & Company in 1982. Over the years, the firm has grown tremendously and has added services to meet the needs of our growing client base. Regardless of the changes we have undergone, two things have always remained a priority conducting business with the highest level of integrity and giving back to the communities in which we work and live.