Karl's Biography

Karl L. Keith was appointed Montgomery County Auditor in December 2000 and elected to a full four-year term in 2002 and again in 2006 when he was the top vote-getter in Montgomery County, garnering over 60 percent of the vote. He brings over 29 years of experience to the position of auditor with an extensive background in public service and government finance.

A Certified Cash Manager, Mr. Keith’s career in public service began as a state examiner in the county/township audits division of the state auditor’s office. He served eight years in the Montgomery County Treasurer’s office and over nine years as chief deputy auditor before assuming his current position.

Mr. Keith was born in Hamilton, Ohio and attended public schools in Butler County. He earned a BA in political science from Ashland College in 1978 and holds a master’s degree in state and local government from Miami University in Oxford. He earned the Ohio Financial Accountability Certification from the Auditor of State in March 2002.

Along with his duties as county auditor, Mr. Keith serves as 3rd Vice President of the County Auditors Association of Ohio (CAAO). He, also, serves as Vice Chair of the CAAO’s property valuation committee, serves on the CAAO’s weights and measures committee, the county government reform committee and chairs the CAAO’s conference planning committee. Mr. Keith is chair of the Tax Incentive Review Councils for 10 jurisdictions in Montgomery County and serves as a member of the Animal Resource Advisory Board.

Active in the community, Mr. Keith has been a judge for the Choices in Community Living annual talent show and has served as chair of county government’s United Way Campaign. He is a frequent speaker at a number of statewide and local professional and community organizations on a variety of issues impacting local government. Mr. Keith serves as Vice Chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Party’s executive committee and has participated in the Dayton Public Schools Principal for a Day program for several years. In the fall of 2009, he was elected to a three-year term on the Ashland University Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Mr. Keith is honored his office helped Montgomery County earn a “Making Your Tax Dollars Count” award from the State Auditor in 2009 for excellent financial accountability. The CAAO recognized Mr. Keith as a Distinguished County Auditor in the summer of 2009 for completing over 100 continuing education credit hours during his current term of office. He, also, was the recipient of the Appalachian Unsung Hero Outstanding Government Leader award in 2006.

Mr. Keith’s professional memberships include the Government Finance Officers Association, the Association of Finance Professionals, the Association of Government Accountants and the International Association of Assessing Officers.

Karl and his wife, Doris, reside in the Belmont neighborhood in the City of Dayton where they are rehabbing an 80 year old home.