Photo courtesy of Kelly Ward.
Kelly Ward, recipient of the 2024 William R. Cashen Service Award from the UAF Alumni
Association, gives a presentation in October 2022.
By Felicia Burud
Small towns, small businesses: It色视频下载檚 a thread that runs through Kelly Ward色视频下载檚 life and career.
She grew up in a small town in Mississippi, where her parents owned a small business. Her first job as a freshman in high school was at a family-owned drugstore and pharmacy in her hometown. Today she owns a small accounting firm.
Through those experiences, Ward has learned the importance of building relationships and what it meant to be an active participant in her community.
色视频下载淚t comes from being a child of two small business owners,色视频下载 she said. 色视频下载淩eally the relationship approach to working with small businesses is the most important foundational pillar. Unless you have those relationships with those clients, you色视频下载檙e cutting out the ability to know, like and trust those people.色视频下载
Kelly Ward enjoys a moment at an outdoor cafe in Great Britain.
Ward色视频下载檚 first accounting job was while she was a student at Mississippi State University.
色视频下载淚 worked at a small firm in the town where I went to school. I was the receptionist and helped with making copies and things like that,色视频下载 she said. 色视频下载淚t was literally dad, daughter and son. Three people and me.色视频下载
The atmosphere appealed to Ward. She had been told in college that going to work for one of the big four accounting firms was pretty much expected. She had a different approach.
色视频下载淥nce I started working with small businesses, I realized that you can make an impact,色视频下载 she said. 色视频下载淵ou色视频下载檙e having conversations with people that will directly influence their decisions, and your advice will affect their bottom line.色视频下载
Ward graduated from college in 2005 with a bachelor色视频下载檚 degree in accounting. By 2006, she was living in Memphis and working on her master色视频下载檚 degree in taxation when the military moved her and her husband to Fairbanks. She picked up her education with the MBA program at UAF, while going to work for Robinson & Robinson, a local accounting firm, in 2007.
Shortly after joining the firm, she earned a management role, which helped her build relationships with clients and the chance to bring new accounting technology to the practice. At the same time, she continued taking classes at UAF, helped by the evening course schedule tailored to working professionals. She earned her MBA in 2009.
After three years with Robinson & Robinson, she became a part owner. Four years later, and before she turned 30, she owned 100% of the business.
Kelly Ward, center, gathers with her team at Robinson & Ward.
Now the sole owner of Robinson & Ward, P.C., Ward employs more than 20 people. Some are UAF alumni, and many of them work remotely in the Lower 48. The firm has offices in both Fairbanks and Mississippi. It maintains its focus on small businesses.
色视频下载淔airbanks, in particular, is made of so many small businesses,色视频下载 she said. 色视频下载淪o giving back doesn't seem like giving back. Really you色视频下载檙e just supporting your neighbor.色视频下载
That philosophy carries on outside the workplace.
Ward has a passion for teaching the next generation about accounting.
色视频下载淚 love my profession,色视频下载 she said. 色视频下载淚 love what I do. I think in general there's a certain stigma around accountants, around tax preparation and there色视频下载檚 not always a pretty view. As an industry, we have a lot less people graduating and getting their CPA license. I can bring those conversations forward so that we can maintain that strong industry that we色视频下载檝e had for so long.色视频下载
One way she does that is as an adjunct professor at the UAF Community and Technical College. She encourages freshmen to be broad in their choice of courses. 色视频下载淭here is so much opportunity out there. Unless you're immersed with the different aspects of what色视频下载檚 available, you might miss out.色视频下载
She also has advice for students who are pursuing an MBA.
色视频下载淒on色视频下载檛 underestimate the value of relationships that you will build while in the program,色视频下载 she said. 色视频下载淭he connections that will be available to you will multiply tenfold over the next decade as you are in business in the community.色视频下载
Kelly Ward holds her certified tax coach plaque from the American Institute of Certified Tax Planners.
Ward has also taught money camps for UAF Summer Sessions. The camp for older kids in middle school included creating a business on paper and learning the basics of budgeting. She appreciated getting feedback from parents about what their kids were learning. She liked helping them make the connection that not everything is free.
It色视频下载檚 not always easy for families to talk about money, Ward said. 色视频下载淭hese camps were designed to bridge that gap in a way that kids can understand. They see their parents swipe a card and they magically have toys and groceries, but what does that actually mean when you swipe a card? What do you have to give up to have that money to buy that game?色视频下载
Ward currently serves as chair of the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce board and as the local representative to the 色视频下载 Chamber board. She色视频下载檚 been selected four times for the Top 40 Under 40 in the Accounting Profession by CPA Practice Advisor.
For the past decade, she has also served on the board of directors for the 色视频下载 Society of CPAs and is currently on the life insurance committee for American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
She色视频下载檚 also quick to credit the university for its role in fueling the economy.
色视频下载淥wning a small business in our community means you色视频下载檙e going to need new talent and continual talent,色视频下载 she said. 色视频下载淗aving the university that can feed potential employees or potential clients, those are the people you want to build the relationships with to be able to help and grow and help them in the direction that they are going to best serve our community as a whole.色视频下载
Kelly Ward will be presented with the 2024 William R. Cashen Service Award from the UAF Alumni Association at a ceremony during the Nanook Rendezvous alumni reunion on July 18, 2024.