Karen Garcia
The Centre at Forest Lakes
Part of managing a business includes the difficult, often overwhelming task of keeping track of separate accounts and managing money wisely. In 2016, Certified Public Accountant Karen Garcia became chief financial officer at The Centre at Forest Lakes, ensuring that the special-event venue in Hot Springs is current on all its books and that its officials can rest easy, knowing that she is at the helm of the site’s financial management. In 2017, she increased her service to the community and was sworn in as District 5 director for the city of Hot Springs, assists with grant writing to provide scholarships for low-income families for their children to attend quality preschools, and joined the board of directors for the United Way of the Ouachitas. “I have been a CPA for over 30 years. I retired from the Fortune 100 company Weyerhaeuser in 2014, but I didn’t retire from accounting,” she said. “However, I had an opportunity to retire at an optimum time for return on the company’s retirement plan. I had a great opportunity to be a part of the Centre at Forest Lakes, and it is just one block from my house. But I have also continued to be a volunteer in the community. “Nonprofits often can’t afford professional accounting assistance. I am happy to use my skills to assist those in need, as well as assist in the city-board oversight of the finances of the city of Hot Springs. I enjoy using my accounting and business skills for The Centre and also as a volunteer in the community.” Garcia added that the business is a “premier venue of choice for special events in Hot Springs.” She also included that her goal in the business is to help it grow by assisting in increasing revenues and profits, while exceeding the management and accounting needs with proactive actions to assist management, the board and the venue’s customers. Garcia expressed her love of the Hot Springs community and said it can be like being on vacation all of the time. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree with a major in accounting and a Master of Business Administration degree at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia. She said she is constantly learning and training, throughout her career and in life, to keep up with current regulations, laws, technologies and tax updates, as well as pursuing general professional development and leadership skills. Garcia said she advises those looking to achieve success in accounting to have passion for the field and to prepare to learn. “Please ensure you enjoy accounting. I love accounting work, and it is important to enjoy it to be successful, [but] accounting isn’t for everyone,” she said. “It is fulfilling to me to enjoy accounting, then to prepare reports to nonfinancial managers and board members in terms that are easy for them to understand. “Education is key for accounting professionals, and taking and passing the CPA exam to obtain certification as a public accountant is needed to obtain higherlevel positions, but your education doesn’t end with your degree or certification. It is important to continue education throughout your career. It is also important to be a team player, as teamwork with other accounting staff and managers is very important to success in the workplace.” She also said she believes it is important to give back to the community through mentoring others and contributing volunteer service. Garcia serves on the Business Advisory Committee for the Henderson State University School of Business; as assistant governor for Rotary District 6170 in Arkansas; on the Childhood Poverty Advisory Committee for the United Way and the Hot Springs Airport Advisory Committee; and is a member of the Hot Springs Jazz Society. In 2010, she was inducted into the Henderson State University School of Business Hall of Fame. The accolades continue to pile up for Garcia, as she is the former Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year and a former state president of the Arkansas Business and Professional Women. She has also won the Weyerhaeuser Pioneer Award and the Business and Professional Women’s Woman of the Year title. Throughout all of this hard work and dedication to The Centre at Forest Lakes and other organizations in the community, Garcia is also a wife, as well as a mother of four children and a grandmother to seven.
YOUR EDUCATION DOESN’T END WITH YOUR DEGREE OR CERTIFICATION. IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE EDUCATION THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO BE A TEAM PLAYER, AS TEAMWORK WITH OTHER ACCOUNTING STAFF AND MANAGERS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE. ” — Karen Garcia