Here at Protiviti, we have the honor of watching our former interns grow and flourish in their careers. We are proud to share that Internal Auditor magazine has named Tommy Kerr as one of its 2024 Emerging Leaders. Honorees were selected based on their roles as catalysts for change, breaking traditional molds, and bringing diverse expertise – from AI to engineering – to enrich the internal auditing profession. Congratulations, Tommy, on this incredible recognition!
From Internship to Leadership
Tommy’s journey with Protiviti began as an intern during the summer of 2020 in our Internal Audit and Financial Advisory solution in Kansas City. Interning at Protiviti offered Tommy real-world business scenarios which he believed would be invaluable for his career growth. The opportunity for interns to contribute meaningfully towards various client engagements through realistic, hands-on experience demonstrated what it would be like to work as a full-time consultant supporting Protiviti’s clients.
Tommy believes that Protiviti’s internship program laid the foundation for his success today as a leader within the internal audit profession. We asked Tommy to reflect on his internship experience, his career trajectory, and the advice he would give to an incoming intern.
Q: “How do you feel the internship program set the stage for your success today as an emerging leader in your field?”
A: “Protiviti’s internship program allowed me to build strong relationships with colleagues locally and nationwide and opened my eyes to the capabilities of our company. From the exceptional onboarding experience at the Intern Challenge learning about company values and what makes a successful Protiviti consultant, to the stimulating and meaningful client engagement work with project teams, to the various social, community service, and team-building internship events planned within the local office throughout the summer, to the thoughtfully assigned peer, career, and executive advisor network that each intern is supported by…the internship sheds light on the incredible people, resources, and support that Protiviti offers to set their people up for successful careers.”
Q: “When deciding whether to join Protiviti full-time after graduation, what factors did you consider that helped you determine that this was the best place to launch your career? What has kept you here since then?”
A: “Company culture, challenging and diverse work experiences, and career development are the three factors that made me determine that Protiviti was the best place to start my career. These driving factors have proven true over my first few years with the firm where I have found life-long friends and role models within my local office and project teams. I worked on projects locally and around the nation with diverse clients, industries, and solutions, which have allowed me to continuously learn and grow. I also established strong relationships with my advisors where I feel supported and motivated to advance my career and embrace new opportunities.”
Q: “What advice would you give to an incoming intern at Protiviti?”
A: “Be yourself, be passionate, and take advantage of the resources provided to you. Bringing your authentic, passionate self to work every day contributes to our special culture of unique backgrounds and allows you to connect with colleagues on a personal and professional level. Protiviti also has vast people, technology, well-being, and other resources to help propel your career, so use them!”
Q: “What does this honor mean to you?”
A: “This honor means a great deal to me and reflects the invaluable support that I have received from my mentors at Protiviti and other client/professional connections. Looking back on the early days of my career when I had little knowledge about internal audit, it is amazing to reflect on the relationships and business knowledge that I have gained because of the time and energy invested by those before me, and I hope to make a similar impact on other young professionals to pay forward the opportunities I have been fortunate enough to experience!”
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