Biography:
Mr. Keith has over 50 years of audit experience and served as the Chief Audit Executive for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) for 12 years before his retirement in 2012. His other audit experience includes serving as Operational Audit Manager for five years and being a Senior Auditor in the Contract Compliance Audit Branch at MARTA. He was also a Senior Auditor at Norfolk Southern Railway and a Bank Examiner at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
As the Chief Audit Executive for MARTA, he was responsible for administering the overall audit activities for the Department of Internal Audit including:
- Providing the Board of Directors, the GM/CEO, MARTA Senior Management, and appropriate government entities with independent analysis, appraisals, and recommendations concerning operational, information technology, contract compliance, and financial audits.
- Directing the day-to-day activities of three audit managers, 12 auditors, and the audit coordinator.
- Developing an annual risk-based audit plan to maximize audit resources in addressing MARTA risks.
- Assisting the Audit Committee Chair with the quarterly Audit Committee meetings.
- Developing and operating within the approved audit budget; and
- Assisting the Board, the GM/CEO, and Management in other areas as necessary and requested.
He was a volunteer seminar instructor for the Institute of Internal Auditors. Some of the courses taught included:
- Writing Effective Audit Reports
- Tools and Techniques for the Beginning Auditor
- Communication Skills for Auditors
- Leadership Skills for the Auditor-In-Charge
- Audit Project Management
- CIA Review Course
He has written three IIA Magazine articles including:
- Killing the Spider, April 2005
- Producing Quality Audit Reports, August 2018
- Write Effective Audit Objectives, June 2020
He has provided training for the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Annual Conference:
- 2018 Bulletproofing Your Fraud Reports
- 2019 Writing Effective Fraud Findings
- 2022 How to Put the Quality in Your Fraud Report
He currently teaches audit webinars, including:
- How to Write Effective Audit Observations
- How to Put the Quality in Audit Reports
- What It Takes to Be the Auditor-In-Charge
- Report Writing Techniques for Audit Professionals
- How to Assess Risks and Evaluate Controls
- Fraud: What to Look For and Where to Look
He has a degree in Economics from Clark Atlanta University. His certifications include Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and Certified Government Auditing Professional (CGAP).
Mr. Keith has been married for over 50 years. He also co-authored a book with his wife on marriage entitled “Tied Together – The Marriage Trinity”. He has two daughters and five grandchildren.