RSP’s industrious CFO, Jeff Roberts, is an Indy native born at the close of the 80’s, making him a true child of the 90’s. And as a triplet, he was not alone! Alongside their older brother, Jeff and his twin brother and sister brought the total Roberts children up to four with their arrival. Over the next eight years, the significantly larger family lived “inland” until finally moving into a house they’d built on Geist Reservoir. Of course, the kids were all elated. As their parents were avid boaters, Jeff and his siblings were able to spend their formative years on the water, which included wake boarding, waterskiing, and lots of sun.
In his early school years, Jeff explored various sports, such as basketball, soccer, and cross-country. However, when he reached high school, soccer became his true passion, where he played center halfback for Lawrence Central and contributed to an undefeated regular season. In the classroom, he kept an open mind. One thing never changed though: he knew he wanted to do something in business. And he wasn’t afraid of hard work, a trait he’d picked up from his parents. Therefore, it was no surprise when he spent his summers working the early shift on an assembly line, packaging diabetes care kits for Roche Diagnostics.
When it came time for college, Jeff’s choice was clear—Indiana University. Not only was his father an IU alumnus who’d briefly played basketball for the school, but he was a longstanding season ticket holder for multiple sports. As a matter of fact, his family actually planned their vacations around IU away games, traveling as far as New York City and Maui to watch their Hoosiers play. During this time, Jeff witnessed some unforgettable moments, including the famous “Wat Shot” from the 2011 IU-Kentucky game. Essentially, rooting for IU and attending their games had become a lifelong tradition for him.
As far as academics went, accounting eventually drew him in, as his brain seemed to be wired for numbers. So, that’s where he focused his energies in school, while during the summers, he gained practical experience through internships at Roche, Simon Property, PwC, and Owens Illinois. One summer he even interned in Sau Paulo, Brazil, at which point he also got a taste of Columbia and Peru.
Following the 3/2 College track, Jeff earned a Bachelor’s in Accounting from the Kelley School of Business and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in just five years. After passing his CPA exam that summer, he started at PwC where he conducted audits for large public companies. For the next eight years, he continued in that role, that is, until one of those companies pointed him toward Runyon Surface Prep and the rest is history.
Today, Jeff wears multiple hats at Runyon. As the CFO, Controller, and NetSuite Administrator, he oversees all financial operations across multiple locations, coast-to-coast. If there are numbers involved, Jeff is the driving force behind them. In 2017, he tied the knot with Katy, his High School sweetheart, and they now live in Fishers with their 10-month-old daughter, Emma. The young family also includes a golden retriever named Levi, a rescue they welcomed into their lives just one month before their wedding. Jeff’s love for soccer endures and he continues to play in an over-thirty league. Of course, he’s still a bona fide IU Superfan who makes it to as many games as he can! As he brings that same drive and dedication to work with him every single day, Jeff’s enthusiasm is contagious. His experience and expertise have proven critical to Runyon’s growth and we are thankful and excited to have him on our team.