Fast 15: Michelle Hurst

At an age when other kids may have been riding teeter-totters or watching “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” Michelle Hurst went to work.

When Hurst was 6 years old, she began working at her parents’ store, a John Deere dealership in Southwest City, Mo.

Right from the start she was introduced to the world of dollars and cents. She hasn’t looked back.

“The bookkeeper taught me how to run the cash register and I started checking people out,” Hurst recalled. “Watching my parents, I learned how to work hard.”

The lessons learned are still with Hurst, who is making a steady climb at one of the country’s largest CPA and advisory firms.

In addition, her brother Eric Wolfe, a member of the 2004 40 Under Forty class, inspired Hurst.

“He was a good guide for me to work hard,” she said. “We both grew up in that farm environment, our parents owned a business. He was the second person I called (after learning of the Fast 15 recognition). It’s something I always wanted to do, to keep up with him.”

Hurst graduated from the University of Arkansas in December 2004 with a bachelor’s in business administration with an emphasis in accounting.

She began an internship with BKD in January 2005, was hired full time one year later and was promoted to audit supervisor in January 2010.

Hurst is happy with her career path, knowing the opportunity for advancement is attainable.

“In a lot of jobs, you don’t really know what your path is and how far you can go before you feel like you’re stuck,” she said. “With public accounting, you have a path and if you want to make partner, it’s laid out for you. I like that you can see where you started and what the finish is.”

In her downtime, Hurst teachers Sunday School and volunteers at the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter. She is part of the support system that provides one-on-one time with the children there.

She and her husband also enjoy all things Razorback, “whether it’s football or basketball. Even looking forward to basketball now that Mike Anderson is here.”

But her iPhone and laptop are never far away, keeping work within reach.

“I think in this environment, the work requires you to keep updated,” she said.