Keeley'n Spotlight: Grace Waterfield

All of our people play an important role in our growth and success. We wouldn’t be where we are today without each of their unique skill sets, positive attitude, and dedication to our culture. Grace Waterfield, HR & Recruiting Coordinator, has experienced some amazing career growth at Keeley Construction and her passion for our people is unmatched.

Grace joined the Keeley family in January 2019 as the Executive Administrative Assistant. During her time in that role, she got to work with all of our business groups while also spending half of her time with the Human Resources team. In July 2021, she fully transitioned to Human Resources where she now helps with our recruiting efforts, bringing incredible talent into our family. The ability she was given to work with leaders across the entire company gave her a strong sense of empowerment in her work. Empowerment is Grace’s favorite core value and she realized very early on that Keeley places an immense level of trust in team members, resulting in growth and countless opportunities for advancement. She appreciates that each person on her team has their own individual tasks and responsibilities, leading them to feel independent, responsible, and in control of their career. Grace has taken advantage of this independence to help her pave her own career path.

“Keeley was my first job after college and I struggled to find what I was passionate about. The most valuable thing I have learned during my time at Keeley is to figure out what you are passionate about and chase it. I have tried to take on tasks and responsibilities outside of my comfort zone that have allowed me to grow.”

Grace graduated from college with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, but she knew that wasn’t what she wanted to do. In high school / early college, she worked as a Quality Assurance intern on the shop floor for Caterpillar and in college she worked as an Office Administrator in the Sports & Kinesiology department. Based on these previous jobs, she began to interview for corporate jobs upon graduation. Her manager within the Sports and Kinesiology department recommended her for the Executive Administrative Assistant job at Keeley and now she can’t see herself working anywhere else. This also makes her very excited for her future at Keeley. As she transitions into this new role with HR, Grace is excited to become a confident and knowledgeable member of the HR team. She loves being the person behind the scenes for new hire onboarding and orientation and she is excited to see both of these programs grow and evolve as the company continues to grow across the nation. Given her work with our newest team members, Grace has one piece of advice for new (and veteran) Keeley’ns alike:

“Learn all of the Keeley acronyms, watch as many KeeleyU courses as you can, and listen in on the monthly Safety calls. My biggest advice would be to find a trusting mentor and meet with them regularly to discuss your position, your goals, and your growth.”

Grace is incredibly thankful to have joined Keeley’s HR department, surrounded by talented and dedicated women who are committed to helping each other succeed. However, her favorite thing about being a Keeley’n is the sense of community she feels when she walks into work every day. From Rusty’s company-wide birthday messages, birth & wedding announcements, and all of the cultural opportunities that are offered throughout the year, Grace and the entire team is constantly reminded of the unmatched, family culture that Keeley has built. Grace truly believes that she has found her career destination and knows that anyone would be lucky to call Keeley home.

“Keeley is an incredible place to work that supports you and wants to see you grow to your fullest potential. We have amazing leaders and mentors within the company and combined with our family culture, career growth is truly limitless here.”

Grace, thank you for your passion for all things Keeley! Our new hire process would not be as enjoyable as it is without your guidance and dedication to making it as seamless as possible for everyone. Your career is just getting started!