Our Team
From the big strategic picture to the smallest details, The Upkes Group team members are skilled accountants and business strategists who perform as or with your CFO/Controller to grow your business.
In 2003, Keith Upkes started the firm to help companies achieve their financial goals. With 30 years experience as a corporate accountant and controller, he relished the opportunity to share his skills and knowledge with businesses and help chart their growth. Treating each company like his own, he is a trusted accountant, advisor and strategist for multiple firms in diverse industries.
The Upkes Group has a highly skilled staff with nearly 40 years of combined experience. Whether acting as the CFO or Controller or supporting in-house financial officers, The Upkes Group team members don’t just give advice. The firm shows businesses how they can increase their profits and executes the accounting plans to make it happen through services which include:- Financial officer services and support
- Business coaching and planning
- Accounting system design and review
- Management consulting
Keith A. Upkes
Founder & President
Keith is a Contract CFO, Executive Coach and Business Consultant with more than 30 years of experience in financial and business management. On July 1, 2010 Keith earned an executive coaching certification from Gazelles International, a worldwide executive education and coaching firm for leaders of mid-sized firms. His financial experience and coaching abilities bring enhanced value to his clients. As a financial thought leader Keith has presented several financial educational workshops at the Gazelles Summits as well as for the general public.
In April 2003, Keith left his position in corporate America to start a Contract CFO/Controller business. The Upkes Group provides financial dashboards and scorecards for businesses, management coaching, financial officer services and support, and custom financial reporting. Prior to starting The Upkes Group, Keith was the Controller for Pac Paper, Inc., a Vancouver, Washington paper converter, for 6 years. Keith also served as the Corporate Controller for 18 years at Beall Corporation, a Portland, Oregon manufacturer of heavy trailers.
Keith has significant experience in all aspects of business management with an emphasis in financial management, business strategy, accounting systems and accounting department management. His community service experience includes an active role in Rotary International where he currently serves as an Assistant District Governor for Rotary District 5100. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Vancouver where he was the President for 2009 – 2010 and currently serves on the Vancouver Rotary Foundation Board of Directors. Keith was the Treasurer for six years for the Vancouver Rotary Foundation’s Festival of Trees, which raises money each year for community projects. Additionally, he has been a club board director and has served on various community service committees.
Keith is a graduate of Leadership Clark County, a community leadership program designed to train community leadership skills to up and coming community leaders.
Keith resides in Camas, Washington with his wife Kara and their 3 children, Patrick, Hannah and Maggie. They stay very active within the Camas School District and their church. Keith’s hobbies are camping, vacations at the coast, biking and snow skiing.
Carolee Doran Dewars 
Contract Controller
Carolee Dewars is a contract controller with The Upkes Group. Carolee joined The Upkes Group in September 2008. She has more than seven years experience in the field of accounting. She supports our clients in reviewing and validating their financial data and in producing accurate financial reports to help clients understand their financial health. She provides critical analysis of workflow processes to increase accuracy, efficiency and clarity of financial data.
Carolee holds a BA in Romance Languages from Colorado College in Colorado Springs and a MS in Library and Information Science from the University of Texas in Austin. She lives in Camas, WA with her husband and two children. Carolee has been involved with organizations that support education for nearly 12 years and is a Past-President of the Camas Educational Foundation. Her family enjoys hiking, canoeing and camping in the Northwest.