Williams-Keepers relocates to Shelter Office Plaza

by Sarah Kohnle

August 25,2007

Executives at the accounting and financial services firm Williams-Keepers LLC say they've made a move in the right direction.

The company's recent relocation, from an old three-story building at 105 E. Ash St. to one-level office space in the brand-new Shelter Office Plaza at West Broadway and Stadium Boulevard, has created a greater sense of synergy among departments in the integrated office space.

The largest accounting firm in mid-Missouri, with 65 employees in Columbia and 30 in Jefferson City, Williams-Keepers traces its start in Columbia to 1923. It had been located on Ash Street since 1966.

Seeing the improvements made at the Jefferson City office following its 2001 switch from two levels to one, two years ago the managers the Columbia office began a discussion about moving. Russell Starr, the firm's managing member, said Williams-Keepers had an opportunity to partner with Shelter Insurance Co. and custom-design a space that reflects the needs of the firm's clients and personnel.

Prior to the move, the tax department was located on the third floor, while the auditing department was on the second floor. Although the new 18,552-square-foot facility is slightly smaller than the old office, the space is more efficient. Having everything on one floor is a big plus, Starr said, with the "very best integration of services" and better staff communication.

"The old building was functional, but we just grew out of it," said Shawn Barnes, director of business development. The former office had been modified over the years as needs of clients and staff changed.

At the new location, employees work in walled spaces instead of in cubicles, offering each team member a sense of ownership and privacy. Input from staff led to plans for the more inviting lunchroom and kitchen—especially important during the tax season, when the staff works 12 to 14 hours a day, Barnes said. For example, the firm stocked the soda machine with a variety of beverages—not just soda from one distributor.

In addition to providing a comfortable workspace, the new office is equipped with the latest in computer technology. Wireless access throughout the building enables seamless sharing of information. A "smart" board in the boardroom replaces dry-erase boards, paper flip charts and markers for meetings. The notes taken on the board can be saved in an electronic file and printed for participants instantly. The boardroom and meeting rooms are all video-conference ready, which makes communication with the Jefferson City office fast and cost-efficient.

"Not a day goes by when we don't have a video conference between Jefferson City and Columbia," Starr said. The technology saves travel time and money. Video-conferencing is utilized with clients, too, such as community-banking clients in other cities. "We can provide much better service with technology," Starr said. Williams-Keepers plans to install technology to host Webinars (seminars via the Internet), including one for its government clients.

The new office, with its cutting-edge technology, reflects the firm's confidence, Starr said, and also makes for a workplace attractive to newcomers. He said Williams-Keepers recruits in competition with the biggest firms in the country.

"We've already seen good indicators in our recruiting leads," Starr said.

Part of the reason for relocating the office was to provide for growth. The facility at Shelter Plaza gives the firm the option to expand—physically and in the services it provides.

"There's great economic growth ahead of us in central Missouri, and we want to do our part to assist in that," Starr said.

The move itself was a display in efficiency, thanks in part to the information technology department, Starr said. On Memorial Day weekend, the firm closed down the network at 5 p.m. Friday. By 11 a.m. Saturday, the computers and telephones were back on. Prior to moving day, numerous paper files were scanned, vastly reducing the number of physical files that had to be relocated. With electronic document management, Starr said, employees are able to spend less time shuffling paper and more time communicating with each other—and with clients.

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