Meet Kelly Burge, Business Development Director at Cruise & Associates (cruise-associates.com).
Tell us a little about your business. – Cruise & Associates has been a full-service accounting firm since 1991. We do everything from a basic tax return to full-service accounting/bookkeeping/advisory for small to medium-sized businesses. We have seven locations in Nebraska: Columbus, Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Norfolk, Wayne and Albion.
How did you get started in the business? – I have been in sales my entire adult life, and seven years ago when I started with Cruise & Associates, I was calling for prospects and a part of the marketing team, and I was in that position for 5 years. My supervisor, when I started, retired in October of 2022, and they hired someone in his position for about three months. When they did not work out, I spoke with my significant other and asked him what he thought about me applying for the promotion. He was and is very supportive and eight days before my 50th birthday, I was offered the position of Business Development Director.
What has been your most important achievement professionally? – This year has been especially busy for Cruise & Associates, and this summer, I broke the company record with the most business service agreements in company history.
Tell us a little about your family. – My significant other, Tom, and I have been together for just about six years. He has two sons, and we have three grandchildren, two girls and a boy.
We also have three puppies, Katrina, a 17-year-old Schnoodle, Molly, a year-old Morkie and Baxter, a three-month-old Morkie. Tom is semi-retired and works at one of the local bowling alleys.
What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? – Honestly, when I got promoted to my current position. I am a “people person” and love to talk to everyone. When I started driving to our other offices and meeting with the people about how we can help them and get things done for them, it is rewarding. Some of the potential clients that come in have come into hard times or have had something catastrophic happen that they need some help with. Some of them have waited years, and now, things are catching up with them, and they are worried. It is nice to see the “worry” come off their face and the weight off their shoulders when they know everything will be okay.
What local nonprofit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? – The nonprofit that I hold near and dear to my heart is Playing for an Angel Co-Ed Softball Tournament. 12 years ago, a couple of my friends wanted to organize a co-ed softball tournament to raise money for their cousin, who had recently passed away from cancer, for a park bench in his honor at their local park, and they wanted my help. We named the tournament, Playing for an Angel. We made enough money that year to purchase a bench in Trevor’s honor. The following year we thought, “We had so much fun; let’s do it again, we broke even.” Since the first tournament, we have played for over 25 Angels and have raised over $50,000 for local families who are suffering or have suffered from the financial burdens of cancer. We have teams from Columbus, Norfolk, Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Kearney and so many other communities that come and play. Several of the teams have played for multiple years.
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – kellyb@cruise-associates.com | (402) 480-0498 | cruise-associates.com