by Natasha Khairullah
Staff Writer
Kim Balaskiewicz is a Jack – er, Jill – of all trades.
After golfing professionally, founding her own company and now raising two kids, she can honestly say she’s had her hand in a little bit of everything.
Balaskiewicz is the president and founder of Madison Property Management Solutions.
Although she considers herself a seasoned professional with a diverse history in accounting, property management and fiduciary responsibilities, she’s got a past with a bit more color than the average Jill. She has a myriad of experiences that have all led her to her current position.
Balaskiewicz was born in Jacksonville. She grew up in the Arlington area and attended Episcopal High School. After graduating from high school, she attended Georgia Southern University and graduated in 1988 with a dual major of Accounting and Management Information Systems.
Then she made her way back to Jacksonville.
“I knew I’d always come back to Jacksonville (after college),” she said. “This is where my home is.”
After graduating, the fun began. Balaskiewicz went to work directly out of college for the Deloitte & Touche accounting firm’s office in Jacksonville. There, she served as a manager handling all client service for more than 70 financial arbitrage clients and specialized in the audit of clients such as The Florida Lottery.
Later, she worked as a senior consultant with KPMG Peat Marwick, Strategic Services Division and also as an independent consultant providing services in areas including financial reporting, management of operations, recruiting, accounts receivable and payroll services, just to name a few.
Somewhere a long the lines, she realized she had a knack for golf.
“I spent a few years playing with recreationally and I realized, ‘i really enjoy this’,” she said.
From that point on, she was hooked on the game and what started out as an innocent pastime, blossomed into a professional golf career for nearly five years.
Balaskiewicz was a well-regarded amateur golfer, being selected four times as the Golf News’ amateur female player of the year, winning the jacksonville Area GA title four times and capturing the1998 Florida Womens’ State Golf Association Stroke Play Champion.
“It was a great time in my live,” she said. “I got to travel and meet people, I loved it.”
Eventually, her golf career came to a halt when she realized she had a bone spur in her hand.
“That pretty much put an end to my golf career unless I wanted to take six months out for surgery and rehab,” she said. “I had to stop.”
And so ended Balaskiewicz’s professional career.
But luckily, golf was not the only part of her career and that business experience came in handy.
After her golfing career, she went on to served as chief accounting officer for Montecito Property Company, a billion-dollar real estate company that acquires, repositions, and manages apartment communities for conversion to condominiums.
Then, in 2005, after the birth of her first child Madison – the namesake for her company – Madison Solutions Inc. was created.
“I wanted to address the real need I saw for responsive professional service in the property management industry,” said Balaskiewicz. “I started this company because I saw an educational opportunity.”
Madison Solutions is a professional provider of property management services for community associations, homeowners associations, property owners’ associations,condos and single-as well as multiple-family homes.
Shortly after, she gave birth to her second child, Luke.
Although she’s traded in her golf clubs for baby bottles and file folders, she says her professional golf career has helped her in her professional career.
“I think it’s taught me discipline,” she said. “When I was golfing as a professional, I was in the gym, five or six days a week and really challenging myself. you were constantly trying to sharpen your game and develop tools better for next time. that same sort of discipline has been carried with me in my work, whether as a consultant or now as a property manager and even as a mom.”
These days, Balaskiewicz has her hands tied.
“Although I don’t play (golf) as often as I used to, I’m still getting my physical work out,” she said. “Running after a two-year-old and six-month-old will do that.”