About
Holly Nelson is CEO of Key Advisory Services and a qualified audit committee financial expert with over 15 years of C-level experience in treasury, accounting, financial planning, tax, and M&A. She has led financial scaling from early-stage companies to billion-dollar operations, directed two S-1 IPO filings resulting in $418 million in proceeds, and managed major transactions including a $5.1 billion acquisition and $1.3 billion in lease financing. With over 30 years of experience across start-ups and large enterprises in sectors including air transportation, manufacturing, software, and retail, Nelson has also served on multiple boards and maintains memberships in the National Association of Corporate Directors and the Private Directors Association.
Experience
- Key Advisory ServicesCEOcurrent2011 — presentSarasota, Florida and Fox Valley, Wisconsin
- Silver Star Brands, f/k/a Miles Kimball CompanyBoard Membercurrent2019 — presentAppleton-Oshkosh-Neenah Area
- Silver Star Brands, f/k/a Miles Kimball CompanyChief Financial Officer2015 — 2019Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah Area
- Stoneybrook Fairway Verandas I AssociationBoard Member and Presidentcurrent2019 — presentNorth Port-Sarasota Area
- SolutionzSounding Board Membercurrent2019 — presentGreater Tampa Bay Area
- Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes, IncMember, Finance Committeecurrent2019 — presentWisconsin and Upper Michigan
- FASB Private Company CouncilCouncil Member2020 — 2025Norwalk, CT
- Boys and Girls Club of OshkoshBoard Member2016 — 2018Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah Area
- Exploring New HorizonsBoard Director2012 — 2016San Francisco Bay Area
- Frontier AirlinesChief Accounting Officer (COA)2013 — 2015Denver Metropolitan Area
- ATPChief Financial Officer2012 — 2013Brisbane, CA
- Virgin America IncSenior VP & Chief Financial Officer (CFO)2009 — 2011Burlingame, CA
- XOJET, IncSVP Finance & Controller2008 — 2009Brisbane, CA
- Eos Airlines, Inc.VP Finance & Controller2007 — 2008Purchase, New York
- JetBlue AirwaysSVP, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer2001 — 2007Darien, Connecticut
- Northwest AirlinesDirector1984 — 2001Eagan, Minnesota
- NabiscoManager of General Accounting1984 — 1985Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area
- KPMGSupervising Senior/Senior/Staff Accountant1979 — 1984Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area
Education
- University of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireBBA, Comprehensive Public Accounting1975 — 1978
Skills & more
Start-ups25Finance60Mergers & Acquisitions45Internal Controls30Corporate Governance3Financial Analysis13Corporate Finance25Management20Strategic Planning17Leadership12Analysis10Financial Accounting9
+12 more
Strategic Financial PlanningSarbanes-Oxley ActAccounts ReceivableProgram ManagementManagerial FinanceChange ManagementMergersForecastingSarbanes-OxleyRisk ManagementDue DiligenceFinancial Reporting- Certificate in Private Company Governance — Private Directors Association®
- Certificate in Private Company Governance — Private Directors Association®
- Certificate in Private Company Governance — Private Directors Association®
- Certified Public Accountant — Minnesota State Board of Accountancy
- CGMA (Chartered Global Management Accountant) — AICPA
From Holly's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire10
Allie RiesSenior Associate, Capital Formation at March Capital PartnersJustin KaufenbergManaging Director at Rally Ventures Management, LlcSteven JorgensonFounder and Managing Director at Starbridge Venture Capital LlcSarah FarinoHead of Platform at TruStage VenturesOmid RazmpourSenior Associate at Nurse CapitalGreg BlaskoCTO in Residence at Rally Ventures at Rally Ventures Management, Llc
+ 4 more
Shared employers
Also worked at JetBlue Airways8
Stephen SnyderManaging Director, Head of Operations & Partnerships at JetBlue VenturesEd BaklorExecutive leader in guest experience & hospitality at XRCMorton LinInvestor at NEW VISTA CAPITALJohn OwenInvestor at Clean Energy VentureGomathi RamalingamVP of Data at Left Lane CapitalJohn H. YangVenture Partner at Brand Foundry Ventures
+ 2 more
Colleagues at NEW VISTA CAPITAL
Ben Story
Investor at NEW VISTA CAPITAL
Brando Brandolini d'Adda
Investor at NEW VISTA CAPITAL
Carole N. House
Former White House National Security Council Special Advisor; Former Chair, CFTC Technology Advisory Committee at NEW VISTA CAPITAL
Chris Cassidy
NASA Astronaut and former Navy SEAL at NEW VISTA CAPITAL
Chuck Corcoran
Major General USAF (ret.) at NEW VISTA CAPITAL
Dan Hart
Former CEO Virgin Orbit at NEW VISTA CAPITAL
Daniel Fata
Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy at NEW VISTA CAPITAL
Dave Kumashiro
Brigadier General USAF (ret.) at NEW VISTA CAPITAL