Partner

Keith Galante, CPA

Audit and Assurance

Find what you enjoy doing.

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Bio

Meet Keith*

Keith is a partner in the Risk Assurance & Advisory practice and has over 30 years of experience. He has overseen numerous internal audit, risk assessment and consulting engagements across various industries, including manufacturing, energy and mining, and telecommunications, throughout the nation and globally. He helps companies of all sizes, including publicly traded global companies, deploy internal controls that meet compliance audit requirements such as Sarbanes-Oxley and IIA standards.

Prior to joining Armanino, he was the founding president of a regional, Denver-based internal audit firm where he served as chief audit executive and led internal audit functions for numerous clients. His experience also includes positions at large national and international companies with duties that included segment controller, financial and operational auditor, corporate accounting, budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, process re-engineering and project management.

Keith is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Internal Auditors and Financial Executives International. He earned a B.S in accounting from Elmhurst College and an M.S. in finance from Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver.

*Keith holds his interest in the firm through PARAGON AUDIT & CONSULTING, INC

Contact Keith Galante

Experience

Professional History

Associations

  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)

  • Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants

  • Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants

  • Institute of Internal Auditors

  • Financial Executives International

Community

  • Metropolitan State University of Denver, Internal Audit Advisory Board
  • University of Denver, School of Accountancy Advisory Board

Education

  • Elmhurst College
  • University of Denver

Experience

  • BKD
  • Paragon Audit & Consulting
  • Citicorp Diners Club
  • Dell
  • USWest
  • MediaOne
  • Qwest

Q&A

Q. What was it that drew you to Armanino?
The firm has a culture of empowerment and entrepreneurialism that truly allows partners and staff to work in the best interest of clients. There are many places where bureaucratic slowdowns hamper decision-making when time is of the essence. With Armanino, I know I can ensure we meet our clients’ needs in a timely fashion.
Q. Make a prediction; describe your vision of the future of the general business environment for your area of expertise or the industries you serve.
Process and controls will continue to be a more critical part of business operations for companies. Growth is good, but with it comes the challenges of bandwidth that require a trusted advisor who can assist management in monitoring processes that can improve and protect your bottom line. Being able to identify which certifications and reports are relevant to your business needs is only going to get more complicated, and that’s why we are here to help.
Q. Describe your work style.
I’m very collaborative, which is extremely important in risk assurance. I need to make sure that my team, the client and any external stakeholders are all on the same page to coordinate approach, timing, sample sizes and everything else. I want to make sure everyone knows the game plan and feels comfortable talking to me about any facet of an engagement.
Q. What’s your proudest moment?
The first time I stepped into the office space of a business I had started. Seeing the company grow from a home office with a few employees to a multimillion-dollar business with a fully furnished office was one of the proudest moments of my professional life.
Q. Who is (or was) the most influential person in your life
Many people have touched my life and influenced me, but my Uncle Mike stands out. He was an up and coming hockey player, who was paralyzed when he was just 18. But, he went on to finish college and earn a master’s degree in social work. He dedicated his career to counseling individuals and their families who went through what he experienced, life-changing injuries and paralysis. Any time we’d see each other he would manage to end up counseling me about whatever issues were going on in my life. That’s just who he was, and I try to take his spirit with me into the workplace and be that positive influence on others.
Q. If you could pass on a nugget of wisdom to aspiring accountants or consultants, what would that be?
Find what you enjoy doing. It may sound cliché, but it’s true. I did a little bit of everything from corporate accounting to project management, until I found my calling. When you find work you can get passionate about, not only will it make you happier, it will make you a better partner to your clients and your teams.
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