Item 4.01. Change in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant
Effective as of August 1, 2024, the Board of Directors of Civista Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”), upon the recommendation of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Audit Committee”), approved the engagement of Plante Moran to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2024, subject to the completion of Plante Moran’s standard client acceptance procedures. The engagement of Plante Moran resulted from a competitive request for proposal process undertaken by the Audit Committee pursuant to which the Audit Committee received proposals from Plante Moran, Forvis Mazars, LLP “Forvis Mazars”), who served as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ended December 31, 2023, and 3 other independent registered public accounting firms. On August 1, 2024, the Company notified Forvis Mazars of the Company’s engagement of Plante Moran, and the resulting dismissal of Forvis Mazars, as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.
The reports of Forvis Mazars on the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles. During the Company’s two most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the subsequent interim period through August 1, 2024, (i) there were no disagreements with Forvis Mazars on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedures, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Forvis Mazars, would have caused Forvis Mazars to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreements in connection with its report, and (ii) there were no “reportable events” as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
The Company has provided a copy of the foregoing disclosures to Forvis Mazars. A letter from Forvis Mazars addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether Forvis Mazars agrees with the statements set forth above related to Forvis Mazars is filed as Exhibit 16.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
During the Company’s two most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the subsequent interim period through August 1, 2024, neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf consulted with Plante Moran regarding either (1) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, and neither a written report nor oral advice was provided that Plante Moran concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to the accounting, auditing, or financial reporting issue; or (ii) any matter that was either the subject of a “disagreement” or a “reportable event,” as those terms are defined in Item 304(a)(2)(ii) of Regulation S-K.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.