Dead Center

Jordan Keil looks to make a name for himself at McCullough

Jordan Keil is always paying attention to the details. In his new role at McCullough Creative, he’ll be putting his perfectionism to good use.

 

Jeff: Welcome to the team, Jordan. Happy to have you here!

 

Jordan: Thank you! Very happy to be joining the team.

 

Let’s start with the basics. Can you talk a bit about what you will be doing at McCullough Creative?

 

Yeah. Well, my title is account coordinator and my role is to serve as a liaison between our internal teams and our clients to make sure that tasks and projects are done efficiently and done right.

 

 

Jordan poses with his parents on college graduation day
Jordan poses with his parents on college graduation day

Is that client interaction something you enjoy?

 

Definitely. That interaction is so important. I think you have to make sure you understand what the project is all about, why the client wants it done, and how they want it done. When you really grasp where they are coming from, it goes a long way toward making sure everything is done effectively.

 

Yeah, that client relationship is certainly front and center. What else to you enjoy about the role?

 

I like the variety. Getting to work with so many different people—on different types of projects—can be really fun. And when you are in a role like this, you are involved in all aspects from the start to the finish. So seeing it in its completed form, when you know all the work that went into a project, that is really rewarding. I’m a perfectionist, whether I’m working or outside of the office. I am always focused on the details and making sure things are done the right way.

 

Can you tell me a bit about your background? Are you new to the area?

 

I’m not. I have spent almost my whole life in this area. I am from Bellevue originally and really enjoyed growing up in a small community. My graduating class at Marquette Catholic was just 28 people, so it really had that community atmosphere to it. I went to Loras College and graduated in 2019 and have been living here in Dubuque ever since.

 

 

Jordan loves his hometown so much he took a cool aerial photo of it.
Jordan loves his hometown so much he took a cool aerial photo of it.

What do you like about the area? What is it that made you want to stick around?

 

First off, it is where my friends and family are, so that is something that’s really appealing about being here. I also think it is a really pretty area. Being on the river is something that is easy to take for granted, but I really enjoy that. Sometimes you forget not everybody gets to see the river every day.

 

What do you do for fun? Sounds like you’re a bit of an outdoorsman …

 

I do like to do things outside: fishing, hunting, hiking … I like to golf, even though I’m not very good at it. I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors, and growing up in a small town, there are a lot of opportunities to do that.

 

 

Outdoors and holding a fish. Jordan in his element.
Outdoors and holding a fish. Jordan in his element.

I hate to break it to you, but winter is here, Jordan. Is this a rough time to be an avid outdoorsman? Do you have different ways to keep busy this time of year?

 

It becomes more difficult. That’s for sure. I will try to do a bit of ice fishing, which can be nice and relaxing. If it’s too cold, though, it can be miserable. One day I would like to get some tents and a space heater and do it that way. But right now, it’s just sitting on a bucket on the ice. Real simple. Bare bones.

 

Before we finish, I just had to address the elephant in the room … Last year, a Jordon joined our team. This year, a Jordan. Is this office big enough for the both of you?

 

(Laughing) It can be confusing, especially because we sit right next to each other. When someone says our name, we both turn around. Thankfully, our names are spelled differently, so if it’s in writing we know who it is directed to. But yeah, I am still getting used to it.

 

(Unnecessarily stirring up tension) Do you feel the need to assert your dominance and lay claim to the name?  

 

(Furrowing brow and clenching fists) Maybe. We’ll have to see where it goes.