Staff Spotlight: Hector Luna

From Williamsburg to Richmond: A Tax Intern’s Story

An Introduction to Richmond

The Keiter internship experience was very influential in Hector Luna’s decision to move to Richmond. Hector shared, “From the moment I stepped into the Keiter office, I felt like I had a lot in common with the other team members. I immediately felt like I was at home.” Hector was in his junior year at Virginia Commonwealth University when he participated in his first summer accounting internship at Keiter. During his internship, Hector was commuting from Williamsburg to Richmond which created a strain on him. After receiving his second internship at Keiter, moving to Richmond just made sense. His commute to VCU and the office is much shorter.

While connecting with Keiter on his college campus, Hector learned quickly that Keiter has a huge footprint in the Richmond community. This is one of the reasons he moved from his hometown of Williamsburg to Richmond to work at Keiter. Additionally, the summer internship allowed him to experience the many social events throughout the city. Hector discovered that Richmond is a thriving city full of art, music, and culture. Some of the attractions include museums, restaurants, parks, and a growing concert scene. He found that the cost of living in Washington DC and Northern Virginia is 65% higher than Richmond. This includes factors like food, housing, transportation, entertainment, and healthcare. Because of this, he knew that he could get more of a bang for his buck living in Richmond as opposed to the DC area.

Some of the events that Hector was able to experience in Richmond during his summer internship were Top Golf, The Carytown Food Tour, and HeloAir helicopter rides. Keiter allows interns to spend time with their fellow team members along with leadership at Richmond’s Top Golf. The Carytown Food Tour gives interns a chance to experience the culture and food in Richmond’s Carytown neighborhood. They go to restaurants to sample the food and are accompanied by a tour guide. The HeloAir helicopter rides are conducted by one of Keiter’s clients, and interns can ride a helicopter around the city of Richmond. These events allowed Hector to see the fun lifestyle of the Richmond area.

The activities and amenities of Richmond was another factor in his decision to move from his hometown of Williamsburg to Richmond.

A Perfect Fit: Richmond and an Accounting Career at Keiter

While in the office, Hector spends much of his time collaborating with team members on tax return preparation. One fun component of working in the office is that Hector has an opportunity to interact with the other interns. Hector states, “The intern room is always enjoyable; we help each other when we get stuck on a problem and it’s nice to have that support.” Hector enjoys the location of the Keiter office which is conveniently located just outside of downtown Richmond and provides quick access to stores, restaurants, and recreation. When he and his fellow team members need a break from tax work, they enjoy walking around the lake that is situated behind the office building.

Hector has accepted a full-time tax associate role at Keiter beginning October 2023.

Learn more about working and living in Richmond here.