Competence
There is no substitute for competence. Your need to have the right answer will only be met if we have the knowledge, experience, and judgment to be able to deliver this to you.
Our commitment to competence governs how we serve our clients and how we gauge our success. Competence in serving our clients requires the ability to deliver knowledge that is relevant, meaningful and beneficial. In business and personal financial matters, competence requires an intimate knowledge of financial relationships and tax consequences. Our mission is the constant perfecting of these skills.
It All Starts With The Right People
David Keene, the founder of Keene & Company, has been committed to excellence for over 20 years, earning recognition from clients, CPAs and other professionals. He has published articles in local and national publications and is a frequent speaker for the Washington State Bar Association, the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants, and other organizations.
Our lifelong commitment to expertise attracts the right people to Keene & Company. These people have intelligence, ambition, and most importantly, a desire to provide the best solutions for our clients. Keene & Company offers an environment for people with the enthusiasm to succeed. We look forward to sharing this enthusiasm with our clients.
“David Keene shares incredible knowledge regarding the intelligent arrangement of
beneficiary designations and IRAs. This is a “must read” for all planning professionals.”
Journal of Practical Estate Planning, August 1999
Good decisions start with good information
First and foremost, we are accountants. No other profession trains and emphasizes the ability to judge when information is relevant, accurate, and complete. Experienced accountants have this ability. Other professionals count on us to get good information – as do our clients. Our ability to acquire, present, and draw conclusions from information gives us and our clients a competitive edge.
Every CPA at Keene & Company must pass our written exam before being hired. This tests for basic accounting and problem solving skills. Many CPAs with extensive experience in public accounting do not pass our exam. This is because such basic skills are often not emphasized elsewhere.
Many CPA firms believe that expertise in accounting pronouncements or tax law in and of itself equips a CPA to provide quality services to clients. We require more – a good CPA needs strong accounting and problem solving skills as well as financial and tax expertise. Our accountants can do accounting – and do it well – because this is required before relevant and intelligent decisions can be made regarding most any aspect of a client’s financial situation. And our accountants are trained in mastering problem solving skills – empowering them to provide creative solutions for our clients.
“Without good information, decision making becomes
a risky business.
The right answer depends upon starting with the
right information. ”
Conscience
The best results come about when working with people who are bound by their conscience and respect for others. These characteristics are essential to the services we provide and the employees we choose.
Ethical practice in the business world depends upon balancing a sense of self with fairness to others. We believe that one can compete ethically by striving to offer a better product or service. This emphasis on competence raises the bar for all competitors with ability and energy. This is our objective and the objective we work to achieve for our clients.
Good relationships depend upon trust. People who are honest and have integrity are the people we all will be able to place our trust in. Capable people with these attributes are going to deliver the best for our clients – this is who you will be working with at Keene & Company.
“ The one thing that doesn‘t abide by majority rule is a person‘s conscience.”
Concern
For Clients & Community
Part of what draws people to a service business like ours is an interest in and concern for others. The financial matters of a client are what our education and training prepares us for, but we also endeavor to develop our understanding of the other influences of clients’ lives. The ability to appreciate the connections between the financial aspects of our clients’ situations and their other concerns is encouraged as an important element of the development of our employees.
This concern for others also finds expression in helping people through organizations within the community. We at Keene & Company are noted for our volunteer efforts and feel this is the best way to connect with people in our community.
