Karissa George’s professional journey began in an unexpected place, the creative environment of a pottery studio. Holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts, the Chief Financial Officer of Kier Construction once ran an art studio where she taught courses, organized workshops and managed daily operations. It was there, surprisingly, that she developed a deep fascination with how businesses function, discovering a strong pull toward data, metrics and understanding performance through analysis.

That curiosity reshaped her path. While she remains an active supporter of the arts and still practices pottery in her home studio, the early experience sparked a lasting interest in business strategy that led her to pursue a master’s degree in accounting and begin her career as a consultant at a major firm, where she gained broad exposure across industries. She holds an active CPA license and eventually brought that analytical rigor to the construction world.

What makes George a Titan in her industry is the way she thinks about both the work and the people behind it. She brings genuine curiosity to every challenge, an ability to see problems from multiple angles and a talent for building trusted relationships inside and outside her organization. Her background, rooted in both creativity and accounting, shapes a leadership style that blends analytical discipline with imaginative problem-solving and a deep respect for others.

At the company she is known as a driven, focused leader and a trusted voice who takes time to understand how decisions affect teams in the field, the office and the communities the company serves. She strategically managed cash and partnered with operations to improve margins, driving a dramatic increase to the bottom line over three years, and she has been instrumental in diversifying a company long celebrated as a regional multifamily builder.

Her contributions extend to the broader industry and her community. A decade ago George opened an artist collective in response to the need for affordable creative spaces, a venture that still hosts working artists today. At the company she created a risk management program and has spoken at multiple insurance conferences on its cultural and financial impact, and she has joined numerous panels for construction leaders, particularly advocating for women in the field. Her Titan 100 recognition honors that rare combination of financial command and human insight.

A future of healthy, sustainable diversification is the course she helps steer, growing annual volume meaningfully over the next five years while preserving the close-knit, family-oriented culture that defines Kier Construction. Central to that growth is a core value she embraces fully, the conviction that the company is all about people. In her own words, leadership comes down to clarity, alignment and execution, and everything else is noise, a philosophy that has guided her from the studio to the construction site.

Editorial Note: This profile reflects information submitted by the honoree at the time of their Titan 100 recognition in August 2026. Professional roles and affiliations may have changed since publication.