More Than the Numbers
Celebrating Katie Wesley's 10 Years at IEA
If you want to be good at your job, learn more than your job.
That’s the philosophy Katie has developed during her 10 years at IEA. Her advice to someone starting a career is simple. “Learn everything you can learn about the business. Not so much about the accounting, but about the business itself,” said Katie.
For Katie, that means understanding how all the pieces fit together, from a proposal being developed and a project being won to the work being completed and closed out. The more you understand about the business around you, she says, the better you can be at your own job.
It’s also something Katie has put into practice throughout her time at IEA. Her approach to learning has carried into the way she works with her own team, where she encourages questions and takes the time to make sure others understand not just what to do, but why they do it.
When Sue Roberts, Senior Billing Specialist, first joined IEA, Katie explained that learning the billing department would take at least a year. Rather than expecting everything to be learned at once, she takes the time to walk through processes and encourages her team to ask questions along the way.
“She takes the time to explain things in step-by-step detail,” said Sue. “She is supportive and encouraging, making sure we have the tools and knowledge needed to get our jobs done.”
Katie’s knowledge and willingness to help extend beyond her own team, too. As someone who works closely with Project Managers, she has become a resource for navigating the financial side of their projects and understanding how the pieces connect.
That wasn’t necessarily the case when Katie first arrived at IEA.
Before joining IEA in 2016, Katie worked in billing for two telecommunications companies. She had years of experience with Microsoft Dynamics, the ERP system IEA used at the time, but civil engineering was completely new to her.
“I knew the system, so I thought, ‘If you teach me the business and the history, I can figure out the rest,'” said Katie.
The system gave her a familiar starting point, but she quickly learned that knowing the software didn’t mean knowing everything. Engineering professional services came with its own processes, terminology, and nuances. Fortunately, she had teammates willing to help her learn.
“They all said, ‘Hey, when you get to this, come see me and I’ll give you the 101. I’ll give you the lowdown,'” remembers Katie.
That support made a lasting impression on Katie.
“I couldn’t be where I am today without the support of Joe Tabone and the entire accounting team,” said Katie.
As she learned, her role grew. She helped with accounts payable and accounts receivable, took on transactional billing that had previously been handled by an outside service and watched the accounting team grow and develop. She also watched IEA evolve, moving into a larger office, adding employees and taking on more work.
Through all of that change, some of the things she remembers most aren’t necessarily the biggest milestones.
She remembers weekly breakfasts and lunches. Going out as a group. Small gestures of appreciation, like being given a gift card or celebrating the small wins.
“Those kinds of things, for some reason, they stick in my head,” said Katie.
The big wins matter, too. Winning a major contract is something to be proud of. But sometimes there’s barely time to stop and celebrate before the next project needs attention.
After 10 years at IEA, Katie has learned the value of both. Know the business. Keep learning. Help the people around you. And don’t overlook the small things along the way.
