Today our employee spotlight turns to Connie K. Copeland, Operations Director and Partner at B2 Management & Consulting based in Austin, Texas. We are grateful for Connie’s leadership, dedication, and many years of service. Help us congratulate Connie, a B2 Boundless Leader! Learn more about Connie and B2 below.
How has B2 helped you in your career development?
B2 has been a part of my professional life since 2009, after Brenda Barnes shared her vision with me of providing accounting and financial management services to solo and mid-sized law firms. She explained, “These guys are too small to afford a full-time administrator but cannot afford to be without one either. And that’s where B2 will step in and fill the gap in helping them become financially successful.” Since then, I have had the opportunity to learn about law firm practice management while developing my own skills set going from law firm accountant to Controller, Operations Director, and now Partner. B2 has been a huge blessing and I cannot thank Brenda enough for sharing her vision and allowing me to be apart of B2 going on 11 years!
Before working at B2, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
Earning money raking out horse stalls, cleaning tack and saddles, and working around barns. As a hobby (and mostly for the fun of it) I enjoyed racing barrels on a sorrel Quarter Horse gelding named, Clyde. One summer I attended a weeklong barrel racing camp in Karnack, Texas operated by award-winning barrel racer Martha Josey and her husband renowned calf roper, R.E. Josey at the Josey Ranch. I would have to say that was a really exciting time!
What charities or organizations do you love supporting, and why?
In 2017, I was diagnosed with LCIS Breast Cancer and underwent a lumpectomy. I was truly blessed that it was discovered early and treated through surgery. I am a proponent of annual exams for women and detection through state-of-the-art technology and 3D mammography. Having lost both of my parents to cancer, I support the American Cancer Society’s efforts to bring an end to cancer.
Anyone who knows me well understands that I am passionate about history, genealogy, and of recent, DNA testing and connecting with newly found cousins. For my birthday this year, I joined the Innocence Project (www.innocenceproject.org) and asked for donations to fund the purchase of DNA testing kits to help many locked away in prison for crimes they did not commit. It is just not as simple as saying, “I’m innocent…,” hope for the best and wait for lengthy appeals processes when the purchase of a DNA test could exonerate the wrongly convicted. I feel as more people understand the purpose of the cause, we will see more innocent people exonerated from crimes, freeing up our overcrowded prison systems, and bringing families back together.
I am a current member of the Louisiana State University Alumni Association, and Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity Alumni, as well as an active participant of the Austin Aggie Moms.
Tell us a little bit about your family.
Born and raised in rural Northwestern Louisiana by a Texas Aggie and a Baylor Bear, I have Central Texas roots and come from a long line of ranchers, farmers, teachers, preachers, and entrepreneurial folks. I’m into genealogy and ancestry DNA tests, so connecting with new family members, as well as reconnecting, has been exciting! With COVID-19, a planned family reunion in Brandon, Texas this year had to be canceled. Our ancestors, James and Isabella (nee Riddell) Wood left their family and farm in Lanarkshire, Scotland in the 1850s to adventure and set up a new life in newly formed Hill County, annexed out of Navarro County. Through all the research, I have discovered many ethnicities that make me, me, and learned much of about the people and places my ancestors came from, the cultures and traditions they brought with them, and the hardships and heartaches they endured, to make a better life for themselves in this country. Their DNA has left a thumbprint on my life.
I am the mom of three children, Alisen, Davis, and Karyn. I have been an active participant in many school-related activities from PTA, dance mom, cheer mom, and football mom. Currently, I have two attending college, one at Texas A&M in College Station and the other at Austin Community College.
What book did you read last?
My latest purchase is non-fiction, L’Incroyable Histoire Des Mots Francais En Anglais (translated The Incredible History of French Words in English) by Anthony Lacoudre (Walworth Publishing, NY, 2019). In my genealogy research (being a descendent of French Huguenots) this book was recommended, and I found it to be a beneficial examination of the French language as it relates to the English language. When I have time, I enjoy reading classic fiction with one of my favorites being The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.
More about B2 Management & Consulting: As a full-service management consulting firm, B2 partners with our clients to deliver solutions that help solve their most complicated needs. Utilizing decades of industry experience and functional expertise, we can assist you in growing your practice in a strategic way that helps you prepare for the future. Contact us today.