A former audit director at the firm, Kimberly Keller is now the chief financial officer at Hausmann Construction. She shares how the lessons she learned while working with us, as well as the people she met, helped her along the way to building a flourishing career.
Kimberly, you’re now the chief financial officer (CFO) at Hausmann Construction. How did you arrive there?
It was a bit of a surprise. I wasn’t looking to make a change, and I hadn’t done any work in the construction industry, but James Anderson [tax partner in Lincoln] introduced me to the owner of Hausmann. We had a conversation, and I was really impressed with him and the company. In my gut, it felt like the right move to make.
I accepted the position, and I’m really grateful to James for thinking of me and encouraging me. I’m fortunate that Hausmann Construction is a client of Forvis Mazars, so I still get to work with James today. He’s a great source of guiding me and asking me questions so I can be better in my role.
What kind of growth have you seen in yourself since you became CFO?
To help form the future of the company, I’m learning to become more strategic as I interact with senior leadership. In my previous roles, I was more focused on hindsight, but now I’m looking forward. I enjoy having the opportunity to tap into a little more creativity in my role here. I think Forvis Mazars prepared me for that.
I’ve always been a very analytical person. The more difficult the problem, the more determined I am to solve it. One thing the firm taught me is that you don’t need to solve every problem on your own. The better answer sometimes surfaces when you have collaboration. I’ve found that’s even more true when trying to help the company grow in different ways.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is all over the news these days. How is AI impacting you and your industry?
AI is a big conversation in a lot of industries, and it’s going to change how we work. We need to embrace change and adopt new technologies as they present opportunities. For construction, that can look like early detection of potential issues on job sites or potential safety issues. AI isn’t going to replace jobs—there’s still a human component that needs to be involved—but using the data or feedback that AI can provide will continue to have impacts on construction.
At the start of your career, you were with legacy firm BKD for a little over 12 years. What made you originally decide to join the team?
After graduating, I interviewed with several firms and had a couple offers, but I felt the most comfortable with BKD. My (and my husband’s) hometown is 45 minutes south of Lincoln, and we wanted to stay close to home. But it came down to the people for me. I felt super comfortable with the people, and I also had a former classmate and co-worker who worked for a legacy firm when BKD merged with them.
So, you stayed the course after that?
Yes. Public accounting is a very demanding career, especially during busy seasons. But I stayed with it for as long as I did because I enjoyed everyone and those relationships. Everyone was ambitious, hardworking, and a lot of fun to hang out with outside of the workday. You don’t get that everywhere. It’s a special culture.
What advice do you have for current Forvis Mazars team members, or those considering entering the accounting profession?
I tell people a lot here to be curious and ask a lot of questions of your co-workers and clients. Don’t be afraid of trying new things or making mistakes; that’s how we learn. I think Forvis Mazars is really good about this—do what you’re passionate about. If you don’t love something, speak up. For example, on the audit side, I was able to express an interest in college and university audits, so I pulled a little bit away from what I was working on and started working on higher education and nonprofits.
What does it mean to you personally to be a Forvis Mazars alum?
I’m very proud to call myself an alum. I think Forvis Mazars equipped me with the tools and training to be successful then and now in my current role. I’m proud to share that experience with other people and let them know how great Forvis Mazars is.
As an alum, I feel like I have great connections, and they care about me personally. James Anderson, Randy Throener, and Don Ham—all were very influential. They’re people who I felt genuinely cared about me and provided me opportunities for growth, even at a young age.
More about Kimberly Keller
- Grew up in Beatrice, Nebraska
- Married to high school sweetheart, Nate, for almost 25 years
- Has a 13-year-old son, Nolan, who is active in sports
- Serves on the board of Clinic With a Heart, a nonprofit in Lincoln that provides free healthcare to people in the Lincoln community
- Previously served on the boards of Lincoln Children’s Museum and Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln
