Sage Units Combine

Sage Software Inc., the Irvine accounting software maker, will absorb its Dallas-based sister company, Sage U.S. Inc.

Sage Software was formerly known as State of the Art. In March, the company was acquired for $263 million by The Sage Group PLC, a British accounting software conglomerate that also owns the Dallas firm.

The merger will expand the Irvine company’s access to research and development staff as well as expand its local employee base. The Orange County company, which will grow by 100 staffers after the consolidation, will have a worldwide staff of 560. More than half are based in Irvine.

In related news, David Hanna, president and chief executive of Sage Software, was named CEO of the Year by the Software Council of Southern California. The honor was announced last week at the group’s annual awards program in Century City.