Carolee Lindsey
  

Carolee Lindsey lives with her two cats, Emmy and Dolly, in St. Anthony, a quaint area nestled into Northeast Minneapolis and bordered by two great golf courses that she tries to frequent when there's time. With an even tempered Himalayan and a wild eyed, grey domestic cat as constant companions, Carolee sees her family as more diverse and extended than the traditional definition. "My family truly is my community of relatives and friends. I honor all of those relationships equally."

Biggest challenge over the next 3 – 6 months and exciting things happening: Getting through the busy season is a hurdle that every public accounting firm feels, and Ocel Heimer is no different. From a long term perspective, Carolee is working to ensure that all of the right resources are in place to do it all over again next year. "We don't have a lot of turnover here, and so our primary challenges are making sure that we have the best technology and that we’re keeping current in our CPE. If we have the 'brain power,' everything else falls into place."

Professional accomplishment: "Passing the CPA exam, becoming a shareholder in an accounting firm, and being involved with and a leader of the Minnesota chapter of the American Woman's Society of CPAs."

Favorite “free-time” activity: Carolee enjoys reading, listening to music, and attending concerts and plays. Her two favorite theaters are the Guthrie and the Southern Theater. "Must see" concerts when they come to town include Bruce Springsteen and Emmylou Harris.

Best advice: “A partner at Arthur Andersen early in my career taught me to ‘put the pencil to paper.’ It was a technique to understand and solve accounting issues by getting down the most basic facts in a logical manner, but it really has broader life-living use as well. What it means to me is to focus on the facts first. Emotions can get you lost in the details.”

Favorite singer, book or restaurant: “Barbara Streisand and Bruce Springsteen, Watership Down by Richard Adams and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, and Hell’s Kitchen (where the caramel pecan rolls are the best in town).”

If you didn’t need to work: “Trade stocks for fun and profit.”

Best vacation: Carolee has been to Australia twice so far and is looking forward to returning a third time. “The first time, I dove the Barrier Reef, which was a fantastic experience. My second visit was to help Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen get back from their Antarctic expedition.”

Something you’ve done that would surprise people: Carolee is an active volunteer with the Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir and is on the board of One Voice Mixed Chorus. “I don’t sing but I used to do nonprofit financial statements and I have a lot of fun helping these types of organizations succeed.”

Obstacle that was overcome: Carolee has Rheumatoid Arthritis and has been able to control it enough so that it doesn’t run her life. “This can be devastating for some people and I’ve been lucky that diet, low stress, medication, and attitude all work for me.”

What have you enjoyed most about FEWnet: “I enjoy getting together with other professional women, getting to know them, and learning from their experiences – we are all so unique.”