Karl Keith

{{ infobox_Governor | nationality = American | state = Ohio ||caption = | office = Montgomery County Ohio Auditor | term_start = December 2000 | term_end = | succeeded = | preceded = A.J. Wagner | party = DFL | name = Karl L. Keith | image = Auditor Keith.jpg | imagesize = 350px | birth_date = | birth_place = Hamilton, Ohio, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Politician
Auditor
Community organizer
Activist | party = Democratic | alma_mater = Ashland College
Miami University | residence = Dayton, Ohio | spouse = Doris Anderson Keith | website = Official Montgomery County Auditor Website
Homestead Exemption
}}

Karl L. Keith is an American Democratic politician from Ohio, currently living in Dayton, Ohio while serving as the Montgomery County Auditor. He brings nearly 30 years of experience to the position of Auditor with an extensive background in finance, real estate, and public service.

Personal Life

Karl L. Keith was born in Hamilton, Ohio on September 26, 1956. His father worked and retired from Armco Steel Corporation in Middletown, Ohio and his mother had the task of raising Karl as well as his two brothers. Keith attended Lakota High School in Butler County, Ohio. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Ashland University (Ohio) in 1978 and holds a master's degree in American politics from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Karl L. Keith married Doris Anderson on March 24, 2007; the couple resides in Dayton where they are rehabbing an early 20th century Dutch colonial home.

Early Career

Keith's first attempt at public office was in 1980 when he was the Democratic candidate running against long-time incumbent Buz Lukens for the 4th Ohio Senate seat. Keith served as a state examiner in the county/township audits division of the Ohio Auditor's office. He worked eight years in the Montgomery County Treasurer's office and over nine years as Montgomery County Chief Deputy Auditor under former Auditor A.J. Wagner. Keith was appointed Auditor in December of 2000.

Montgomery County Auditor, 2000 - Present

Auditor Keith ran unopposed for re-election in 2002 but faced opposition for the first time in 2006. Voters of Montgomery County responded by returning Keith to office with more than 60% of the vote, making him the top vote getter in the county. Keith’s current term as county Auditor concludes in 2010.

Qualifications

Keith has been regularly recognized for his leadership around the state. He earned the Ohio Financial Accountability Certification from the Ohio State Auditor in 2002 and has been certified as a Cash Manager by the Association of Financial Professionals. Keith serves on the executive committee of the County Auditors Association of Ohio (CAAO), is a member of the Property Tax and Valuation Committee, and was recently elected 3rd Vice-President of the CAAO. Mr. Keith's professional memberships include the Government Finance Officers Association, Association of Government Accountants, and the International Association of Assessing Officers. He is also the former President of the Ohio Southwest District County Auditors Association. In addition, Keith serves as a chair of the Tax Incentive Review Council for 10 jurisdictions in Montgomery County and as a member of the Animal Resource Advisory Board. Karl L. Keith was recently named a Distinguished Ohio County Auditor in 2009 by the CAAO after devoting over 100 hours to continuing education. Auditor Keith was recently honored to attend a land banking conference at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In addition, the Montgomery County Auditor's Office, with help from the County Office of Management and Budget as well as the Montgomery County Treasurer's Office, received a 2009 "Making Your Tax Dollars Count" Award from the State of Ohio Auditor's Office. Less than 5% of audited agencies are eligible for this award. To qualify, local government agencies must submit a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, have a clean audit with no questioned costs or findings, and have no financial concerns.

Keith has always believed in using his position to better the lives of Montgomery County residents. With that in mind, Keith has spearheaded many programs and policies that have helped those less fortunate. His extensive and informative work on Ohio’s revised Homestead exemption program has been applauded. The Homestead exemption program, signed into law by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, gives a tax break to homeowners who are 65 years or older as well as those permanently and totally disabled, has been applauded as creative and groundbreaking. Keith's actions have helped build community awareness for the program in Montgomery County as well as surrounding counties.

Community Involvement

Keith has served as a judge for the Choices in Community Living annual talent show and as a guest auctioneer for PBS television in the Dayton area. The Auditor's Office has been generous contributors to the United Way and the office has become a partner in education with Dayton’s Gorman Elementary School under Keith’s leadership. In the past, the Auditor's Office has graciously held teacher appreciation events, helped fund playground equipment for the school, holiday gifts, and provided needed school supplies. He is also a benefactor to Daybreak which is an emergency shelter for homeless and runaway youths in Dayton. Keith is presently the Executive Committee Vice-Chair of the Montgomery County Ohio Democratic Party and received the Montgomery County Democratic Party Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. He has participated in the Dayton Public Schools Principal for a Day program and was the recipient of the Appalachian Unsung Hero Outstanding Government Leader award in 2006. In the fall of 2009, Keith was elected to serve a three-year term on the Ashland University Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Hobbies

Keith is free thinking and creatively fun-living as his hobbies include spending time with his family & friends, karaoke, and political history. He is a long-time supporter of the arts and maintains his love of music by serving as a Disc Jockey and Master of Ceremonies for many community functions. His musical tastes range from The Beatles to Johnny Cash. Karl is a longtime fan of Bruce Springsteen and considers any concert of “The Boss” a near-religious experience. When asked who the coolest people to alive are, Keith answered cinema icon Jack Nicholson, lead guitarist of The Eagles Joe Walsh, and country music legend Willie Nelson.