Keith Kemble, Staff Spotlight
By: Jennifer Deroin
Is “marathoner” even a word? Yes, it is. The Merriam-Webster dictionary lists “marathoner” as one who takes part in a marathon. Wikipedia confirms it, so it’s on the internet and must be true. We’ll come back to marathoning later (that is not a word).
Keith Kemble is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) at The Nichols Accounting Group, working in our Ontario Office. He’s been with the company since 2004, and obtained his CPA license in 2010. Like most accountants, Keith is quiet, but the one thing I noticed about him early on, is his infectious laugh – one of those that makes you laugh too, even if the subject’s not funny. He always has a generally positive disposition and I was curious to learn a little more about him.
The following is an excerpt from our recent conversation:
JD: Tell me the cliff notes version of your history.
KK: I grew up in this area between Ontario and Vale. I moved away for three years and lived in Portland while Tracey was at school. Right out of high school I had a warehouse job at Americold. Then when we moved to Portland, I worked for the Albertson’s warehouse over there. I decided to go back to school after Tracey finished and we moved back to the area.
JD: Why did you decide to go back and why did you pick accounting?
Keith and his son, Brody
KK: I was happy doing warehousing, until one day I wasn’t – the labor and the monotony of it. I decided I needed to find a career, something that I could find a good job in. Growing up I always wanted to be a game biologist, but my brother and uncle were both CPA’s and I thought it sounded like a good opportunity and that it was practical.
JD: From Ontario, to Portland, and back to Ontario. Do you like small town life better?
KK: Well, I was such a country kid growing up and living in the city was never my deal. There is a lot of opportunity there, no doubt, but moving back here and being close to family felt right. If I had to do it over again, I would do the same thing.
JD: Tell me about your time here at Nichols. What’s been your biggest accomplishment?
KK: Pete interviewed me at Elmer’s and later offered me a job as a staff accountant. I eventually decided to pursue my CPA license. It was difficult; trying to study and balance family time. I had to hide and find a place to study. The exams were a learning process. When you go to the University, everything is theory, and then you come to work and connect the dots between theory and practical application and the picture becomes clearer. The process of studying after I’d been practicing was eye opening. Seeing all of the details from property law, to taxation, financial statements, and audits. The industry covers a wide swath. It ultimately though comes back to helping our clients and that’s what I like doing. Having the expertise is important, but it’s about helping people. That’s what I’m the most proud of, getting my CPA.
JD: Can you point to a time when you helped someone that sticks out in your mind?
KK: We have a client that is very sensitive to timelines. It’s paramount to them and their business. Being able to execute for them, year after year, and seeing how happy she is with the results is a big deal to me. The clients are all different, and different things make them happy. It’s not just about saving them taxes. It’s about seeing the big picture, understanding their needs and meeting their expectations.
JD: That sums up what we’re all about here. What do you think defines you as a person?
KK: The first thing that defines me as a person is my belief and faith in Jesus Christ. Beyond that, the things I like to do are hunting, fishing, and general outdoor activities and of course, spending time with my family. I’ve started running and I’ve completed two marathons.
JD: Say what?
Tracey and Keith, Medal to Teeth, at the Seattle Marathon
KK: Yeah, Tracey roped me into it. She did a couple last year and wanted me to do one with her, so she signed us up for two; one we did in Seattle in June, and we’re doing a second one in Honolulu in December, so I’m training for that now.
JD: So basically you were peer pressured.
KK: Pretty much! But kidding aside, it’s a real sense of accomplishment!
JD: No kidding! What marathons have you done?
KK: We did one in Hawaii, one in Seattle, and Tracey just completed the Boston Marathon this year.
JD: That’s amazing! Besides “marathoning”, what else do you like to do when you’re not “CPAing”?
KK: All things outdoors. Hunting, fishing, and camping with the family.
JD: What’s the best advice you’ve received, or lessons you’ve learned?
KK: I’ve learned that preparation is key. What you put your time and energy into, you’re going to get better at. That runs across your profession, your faith, anything you do. You put the time and energy into something, and you’ll get results. It may not happen right away, but it will happen.
As for advice, I’ve actually learned the most through observation. I watch Pete and Doug, and see what they do and learn from them. I see they truly do care. That’s an important thing for any employee – understanding their employer cares deeply for them. It’s that cliché’, “nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care”. It’s true. They’ve really helped me work on my career path and spending time with them has been really important to me.
JD: What are your life goals?
KK: To raise my family well. Beyond that to be a person that is relied upon, and trusted. To do my best and love others and help out where I can. I think it’s important to instill the beliefs I have into my children. We often read the Bible together and some of them are jumping around and going crazy while we’re trying to do it. Tracey says, “they’re not getting things”, and then I ask them what they learned, and they nail it every time. Just spending the time with them and letting them know that I love them and I’m there for them, that’s the bottom line.
Keith and his wife Tracey live in Middleton where they’re raising their four children ranging from ages 4 to 13.
Keith, Tracey and their four children at a Mariner’s game.